Benefits of Bitter Melon Herbs

Bitter melon herb is one of many names given to momordica charantia. This tropical vine is native to India, but now is also found in China, the Americas, and Africa.

Some plants seem to gather around human dwelling places, and the herb appears to be one of them. It draws attention to itself by growing to six feet high and sporting yellow flowers and orange fruit. Naturally, the people noticed it. As they explored its uses, they gave it names, often related to its bitter taste.

The people of Asia know this plant very well. It is called karela by practitioners of Ayurveda, a holistic healing tradition, and is used as a stomach medicine, blood purifier, and for lowering blood sugar levels.

In China it is known as bitter gourd and often used in salty stir-fry dishes. The herb is a useful addition to the type 2 diabetic's diet because it lowers blood sugar.

Bitter Melon and Diabetes Mellitus
 

Diabetes is a challenging disease. Sufferers are subject to a regime that revolves around managing time, balancing exercise, and measuring quantities precisely in order to control their blood sugar level. Diabetics must always think about what they eat in terms of the effects of carbohydrates, exercise, and insulin.

The bitter melon herb contains plant chemicals that have the same effects as those produced by the commonly prescribed anti-diabetic drugs but without the side effects. One possible side effect of diabetes medications is low blood sugar, so bitter melon should not be used if any of these drugs are being taken, because it is itself a hypoglycemic.

Bitter melon also lowers cholesterol, which may benefit type 2 diabetics, especially when obesity is a factor. Also, the absence of fat and the presence of phosphorous, calcium, and iron in the fruit add value the type 2 diabetic by bringing sound nutritional elements into the equation.

The herb can be taken as a tea made from the leaves, but an extract of the fruit made into juice, tincture, or capsules is recommended for diabetics, as the hypoglycemic properties are concentrated in the fruit.

Making bitter melon part of our diet and eating it regularly may prevent the development of type 2 diabetes in those predisposed to it and delay the progression of the disease in those in its early stages. Eating foods with a low glycemic index whenever possible is also an important step in diabetes management. This type of diet has also been shown to reduce not only diabetes but also and coronary heart disease.

Bitter melon herb is thought to be a safe alternative to anti-diabetic drugs. Diabetics are always advised, however, to work closely with medical professionals before bitter melon herb is used, especially if taking anti-diabetic drugs or drugs that lower cholesterol. Bitter melon herb should not be taken by those trying to conceive, pregnant women, or breastfeeding women. 

Also read   Ayurveda Health Benefits of Bitter Gourd or Bitter Melon (Karela)

By- Shelly Morgan

Pregnancy and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) causes your ovaries to act abnormally and leads to irregular or lack of menstrual periods, abnormal or absent ovulation, and therefore, infertility. PCOS is a common cause of infertility and occurs in about 5 to 10 percent of reproductive-age women. Symptoms of PCOS do not typically show up until after puberty, when menstruation begins. In some women, hormonal changes may begin as early as the very first menstrual cycle. In most women with PCOS, changes occur gradually, over time.

PCOS Symptoms:

o Increased body and facial hair

o Acne

o Darkened color of the skin along the neck, armpits, groin, and inner thighs

o Obesity

o Irregular menstrual periods or no periods

o Vaginal yeast infections

Pregnancy and PCOS

The circumstance that causes PCOS usually originates in your pituitary gland. The pituitary gland is considered your body's master gland because it triggers the release of hormones for your entire body. Instead of the normal reproductive hormonal balance, PCOS causes your hormones to become out of sync. PCOS also causes higher concentrations of male hormones (androgens or testosterone). The result of this complex hormonal imbalance is that ovulation occurs irregularly, if at all.

In a normal ovary with normal ovulation function, one follicle matures and an egg is released each month, and this corresponds to rising progesterone levels. In a polycystic ovary, there are many follicles, but they do not mature and, therefore, no egg is released. Because the eggs are not released, progesterone levels remain low and out of sync with the other hormone counterparts, androgen and estrogen. This results in irregular periods and continues the cycle of PCOS hormonal imbalance. In addition, many women with PCOS produce too much insulin or the insulin they produce doesn't work properly. Insulin is a hormone that controls your body's use of sugar (glucose) but also usually plays a role in PCOS. Insulin interrupts the normal growth of the follicle in the ovaries. The affected ovaries contain such a large number of immature egg follicles; that they become abnormally enlarged and function abnormally.

Causes of PCOS

Women with PCOS often have a family member with the condition. In fact, PCOS is considered a genetic disorder. This means that if you have PCOS, most likely you were born with the condition. Remember that PCOS might also be passed to your female children.

Diagnosing PCOS
To diagnose PCOS, your doctor will ask you questions about your health, your menstrual cycle, and your family history. The doctor will also perform a physical examination and order blood tests to check your hormone levels. If PCOS is suspected, a pelvic ultrasound may be performed to closely view your ovaries.

Treating PCOS

Treatment depends on your symptoms and your desire for pregnancy. A low carbohydrate diabetic diet along with regular exercise may be prescribed to lower your insulin levels. Additionally, research has shown that approximately 75 percent of women with PCOS respond well to fertility medication. In some cases, laparoscopic surgery is required to remove ovarian cysts that resulted from PCOS.

Women with PCOS should be aware of potential long-term health risks. They are at an increased risk of developing uterine cancer and are at risk of developing diabetes. PCOS has also been linked to heart disease, abnormal lipid profile and high blood pressure. Because of these increased health risks, women with PCOS should be evaluated carefully by their doctor on an annual or more frequent basis. PCOS is a condition that you are born with, so you can never truly be cured. However, with proper treatment, your symptoms can be relieved and you can live a healthy and normal life. Becoming pregnant is certainly possible but may require some advance planning and treatments to be determined between you and your doctor.

By - By Tehmina Mazher 

Also read  What are the Natural Home Remedies for PCOS or PCOD? An ayurveda view.

7 Diabetes Home Treatments

How sweet (I know a bad choice of words) would it be if you were eating foods that contributed to your better health? Here are some home remedies that can work in your favor instead of creating diabetes.

Using these diabetes home remedies puts you in the driver's seat. Your cupboard can give you choices.

Here are a few diabetes home remedies.

Fenugreek - How do you use the seeds to help you with your diabetes?

You can take the seeds like I did and run them through a coffee grinder. This powder is what I use to sprinkle over my salads and cereal. Use about one teaspoon per application. Besides aiding diabetes it will help to reduce cholesterol levels.

Diabetes solutions from your pantry and refrigerator

Boil 15 fresh Mango leaves in 1 glass of water. Leave overnight. Filter this water and drink when you first get up in the morning.

Diabetes can also be controlled by drinking water left overnight, with tender leaves of guava tree and sadabahar plant soaked in it.

Clean a green banana and then peel it. Make sure you are using green bananas. Fill an eight to ten ounce glass with water. Let stand for about an hour. The more water you use the weaker the concoction. Drink this water three times a day. Change the peel every other day and refill the jar with water as you drink the solution down.

Grapefruit lovers be prepared. Eating three grapefruits three times a day for one month will lower your blood sugar. Sure are a lot of grapefruits.

Having curry leaves as part of your home remedy for diabetes is easy and will usually reduce your diabetes blood sugar. Make sure you use fresh curry leaves. Eat them twice a day.

Here's an easy one. Add three tablespoons of cinnamon to one liter of boiling water. Allow the combination to cook on simmered heat for about 20 minutes. Strain and then drink some of the liquid. One liter per day will lower your blood sugar level in about a month.

By Aron Wallad

Also Read 5 Important Ayurvedic Home Remedies for Diabetes

5 Important Ayurvedic Home Remedies for Diabetes

Effective Castor Oil Remedy for Stretch Marks

In medical terms stretch marks are known as 'Striae Atrophicae.' They are commonly seen on thighs, breasts, abdomen area, upper arms, hips, etc. These marks are caused due to sudden loss and gain of weight, pregnancy, obesity, swelling, tumor, side effects of the steroids, etc. When the epidermis (that is the top layer of the skin) is expanded beyond its elasticity, these white or silver lines occur on the skin. There are several home remedies that are effective in curing & preventing these marks. One of them is castor oil.

Castor Oil & Stretch Marks

Castor oil is found effective in curing several skin issues. These enlist wrinkles, age spots, fine lines, skin discoloration, etc. Ayurveda and Homeopathic science strongly recommends this oil to cure & prevent the stretch marks as well. The method of application is quite simple:

• · Take a substantial amount of castor oil and rub it over the affected area.

• · Form a thick layer of this oil here.

• · Then cover it with a saran wrap.

• · You may also choose to wrap it with a plastic sheet.

• · Now apply heat to this area for at least 20 to 25 minutes. You can do this using a hot water bottle or a heating pad.

• · You can also do it for 45 minutes at a stretch.

• · Continue the drill once a day, for at least 7 days.

• · You shall surely get visible results within 7 to 10 days.

 Also Read - Ayurveda Health Benefits of Castor Oil

Ayurveda Health Benefits of Castor Oil

 

Garlic - My Favorite Healing Herb

Garlic is a wonderful healing herb and, unlike many of the other herbs, it tastes great and can be incorporated into a variety of meals. Garlic has been used for over 5000 years as a healing herb and has strong antibacterial, and antiviral properties. But it's health benefits extend well beyond it's infection fighting properties. It is also reputed to help lower cholesterol and blood pressure as well as help protect against heart disease and stroke.

And the benefits of garlic don't stop there. A recent study has shown that taking a garlic supplement once a day can reduce the risk of getting a cold by 50% and help you gain a speedy recovery if you do happen to catch one. In fact, I tried this out recently when I felt a sore throat coming on - I toasted a piece of bread and added some raw crushed garlic to it. It was a bit pungent but I woke up the next day good as new! Aside from colds, garlic has historically been used as a remedy for infections, athletes foot, worms, respiratory ailments, some cancers of the stomach, colic, ear aches, bladder problems and high blood pressure.

Garlic is jut plain good for you too! it is loaded with vitamins and minerals including Vitamin A, B and C, selenium, potassium, calcium, zinc and magnesium. But in order to reap the benefits, you must prepare it in a certain way. Researcher say it is the allicin that is released when garlic is crushed. If you are trying to serve yourself a garlic herbal remedy by adding garlic to your foods then make sure you crush it a bit ahead of time and don't add until the final 5 minutes of cooking. This will give the allicin enough time to develop and will insure you don't cook all the garlic health out of it.

Cooked garlic will not have as much benefit as raw and whole garlic cloves have little benefit at all. Another way to incorporate garlic into your meals without cooking is to make a garlic bread where you crush the gloves into a paste and toast bread - butter the toasted bread and spread the garlic on it - Yum!

Garlic can have an affect on blood clotting, so don't start taking supplements unless you discuss it with your physician first especially if you are on blood thinning medication or due to have surgery in the near future.
Also read How Garlic Helps to Improve Sexual Function

By Lee Dobbins 

Many Health Benefits of Green Tea

As you may know, the benefits of green tea are abundant and far-reaching. Green tea is used by many to lose weight, improve cardiovascular condition, or simply as a preventative health measure. Bottom line, studies show that those who drink green tea enjoy a longer, healthier life. The general benefits of green tea may include:

•     Lowers total cholesterol and LDL (bad)-cholesterol levels
•     Increases HDL (good)-cholesterol levels
•     Reduces blood pressure
•     Lowers blood sugar
•     Acts as "blood thinner"
•     Reduces the risk of cancer
•     Reduces the risk of heart attack
•     Decreases the risk of stroke
•     Decrease the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis
•     Protects against Parkinson's disease
•     Enhances immune function
•     Acts as an antibacterial and antiviral agent
•     Helps burn extra calories
•     Prevents dental cavities and gum disease
•     Builds stronger bones
•     Boosts longevity

Green Tea - Increase Metabolism Naturally

A University of Geneva medical study showed that over a 24-hour period, green tea extract increases the metabolic rate by 4%. This increase in fat oxidation was higher than in subjects who used a placebo or caffeine. In addition, this stimulation of thermogenesis and fat oxidation by the green tea extract was not accompanied by an increase in heart rate. Thus, green tea extract has a distinct advantage over stimulant diet drugs, which can have adverse cardiovascular effects, especially for obese individuals with hypertension and other cardiovascular complications.

Green Tea - Suppress Appetite Safely

Scientists at the University of Chicago have found that green tea caused rats to lose up to 21 percent of their body weight. Rats injected with a green tea extract lost their appetites and consumed up to 60 percent less food after seven days of daily injections. The lead scientist on the study explained that a person would have to drink green tea almost constantly to obtain these results.

Green Tea and Polyphenols

Green Tea is the #1 source of polyphenols, chemical compounds found in fruits and vegetables. These extremely high levels of polyphenols deliver green tea's unique results in several ways. Just one example is a subgroup of polyphenols, exclusive to green tea, called catechins. EGCG, the most abundant and powerful of green tea's 5 main catechins, is dubbed the 'super antioxidant' because it is 200 times more powerful than the popular antioxidant vitamin E. This super antioxidant eliminates free radicals, the unstable molecules in the body that are the major cause of both aging and disease, which are continually attacking the body. Unfortunately, polyphenols have a quick life span (short half life) of about 3 hours, thus the scientific reason behind researchers' recommendation to drink green tea a minimum of 8 times a day.

So try green tea today to take advantage of what many people have already discovered and live a happier healthier life.

Author: Gerald Meyer
Read - Five Effective Ayurvedic Tea Recipes for Weight Loss