Health benefits of Banaba Plant we must know

Banaba

Lagerstroemia speciosa is the scientific name of Banaba, which is a tropical flowery tree that grows in warm climate like the Philippines, India and others. It grows to a height as high as twenty meters. Its leaves are huge, and ranges from the shape of elliptical-ovate to rectangular. These leaves are shed by the plant in the coursework of the first months of the year, and are bright orange or red in the coursework of these times.

Various research on Banaba conducted in Japan show true the belief that this plant contains high levels of corosilic acid, a substance known as of the lots of treatments for diabetes mellitus. Besides its medicinal value, banaba is also cultivated and known for its pretty flowers.

Banaba is widely used in the Philippines as herbal medicine for diabetes for hundreds of years. It is now gaining popularity and getting recognition as a herbal medicine not only in the Philippines but worldwide. Banaba is often known as Queen’s Flower, Crepe Myrtle and the Pride of India. In India, Banaba has also been used to cure diabetes in Ayurvedic medicine for a long time.


Studies conducted shows that it has active ingredient, known as corosolic acid and is a potent compound that has insulin like effect to lower glucose in the body and is effective in treating diabetes. For a quick time Banaba is becoming known as natural plant insulin, and what makes it great is that, the herbal preparation is very simple and can even be taken orally, without any risk of adverse side effects.


Some studies that were focused on this plant resulted to the discovery of other potential medicinal benefits. These include antibacterial functions of seed extracts from this plant, as well as a water extract of the same manifest anti-oxidative functions. Another is the significant protection that Banaba seems to exhibit to treat HIV-infected cells. This is brought about by its ellagic acid constituents.


Aside from the medicinal value of Banaba, as a herbal medicine, it is also nice for the health. Banaba contains high concentrations of dietary fiber and minerals such as zinc and magnesium. The leaves can be boiled and taken every day as tea.

However, caution is advised against taking Banaba with any diabetic drug or any other drug simultaneously. Always consult with a qualified physician or a medical practitioner before taking any medication or any herbal medicine for an correct dose. Also, additional precaution is highly recommended as preliminary findings show that Banaba extract may delay and reduce the absorption of carbohydrates in the body and promote weight loss, despite its useful medicinal value.

The coming of health products from banaba makes Banaba popular in the Philippines, capsules and tablets of Banaba can be purchase in herbal stores as well as Banaba herbal tea.

Scientists disarm HIV to prevent it damaging the immune system

HIV

After a long battle against HIV researcher found new hope in their study about HIV, from tokay gecko issues that hit South East Asian Countries which is believe to cure HIV, now scientist able to control HIV from damaging Immune system I have found a great article from www.wellcome.ac.uk I hope this will insight everybody and give us new hope.

Here is the article read:

Scientists disarm HIV to prevent it damaging the immune system

Researchers have found a way to prevent HIV from damaging the immune system, in a new lab-based study published in the journal 'Blood'. The research could have important implications for the development of HIV vaccines.

AIDS, which results from infection by HIV, is the third most common cause of death in low-income countries, killing around 1.8 million people a year worldwide. An estimated 2.6 million people became infected with HIV in 2009. No vaccine against the virus currently exists.

Usually, when a person becomes infected with a virus or bacteria, the body's innate immune response provides an immediate defence. However, some researchers believe that HIV causes the body's innate immune system to overreact, weakening the immune system's next line of defence - the adaptive immune response.

Now, in research funded by the Wellcome Trust and the National Institutes of Health, scientists from Imperial College London and Johns Hopkins University have shown that HIV is unable to damage the immune system if cholesterol is removed from the virus's membrane. When the researchers removed the cholesterol, they found that this stopped HIV from triggering the innate immune response.

This led to a stronger adaptive response, orchestrated by immune cells called T cells. These results support the idea that HIV overstimulates the innate response and hence weakens the immune system.

Dr Adriano Boasso, a Wellcome Trust Research Career Development Fellow at Imperial College London, said: "HIV is very sneaky. It evades the host's defences by triggering overblown responses that damage the immune system. It's like revving your car in first gear for too long. Eventually, the engine blows out.  

"This may be one reason why developing a vaccine has proven so difficult. Most vaccines prime the adaptive response to recognise the invader, but it's hard for this to work if the virus triggers other mechanisms that weaken the adaptive response."

Cell membranes contain cholesterol, which helps the membrane remain fluid. The cholesterol in the cell membrane is not connected to cholesterol in the blood, which is a risk factor for heart disease. HIV envelops itself in the membrane of the cell that it infects and uses it to interact with particular types of cell.

Normally, a subset of immune cells called plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) recognise HIV quickly and react by producing signalling molecules called interferons. These signals activate various processes, which are initially helpful but damage the immune system if switched on for too long.

In collaboration with researchers at Johns Hopkins University, the University of Milan and Innsbruck University, Dr Boasso's group at Imperial has discovered that if cholesterol is removed from HIV's envelope, it can no longer activate pDCs. As a consequence, T cells, which orchestrate the adaptive response, can fight the virus more effectively.
The researchers removed cholesterol using varying concentrations of beta-cyclodextrin, a derivative of starch that binds cholesterol. Using high levels of this molecule, they produced a virus with a large hole in its envelope.

This 'perforated' virus was not infectious and could not activate pDCs but was still recognised by T cells. Dr Boasso and his colleagues are now looking to investigate whether this inactivated virus could be developed into a vaccine.

"It's like an army that has lost its weapons but still has flags, so another army can recognise it and attack it," he said.

Let's pray that these study will be a great success.

Source of original article: http://www.wellcome.ac.uk/News/2011/News/WTVM052755.htm

Is ginseng improve sex life?

Ginseng Root

For how many years use of ginseng to improve sex life is very popular. In Asian country ginseng is very well cultivated and taken care of. China, Korea, and other Asian countries produce juice extracted from ginseng. An old question, do you want to improve your sex life? Most peoples answer is no other than yes. If the stresses, demands, or monotony of everyday life have cooled your desire, what can you do to bring back the fire?

The root of ginseng plant is praised for centuries having rejuvenating powers that are said to help enhance vitality and sex drive in both sexes.

This Asian herbal discovery helped much to boil the growth of the ginseng-supplement industry – making it one if not the best-selling herbal remedies world.

Ginseng Benefits

For over the 2 decades, lot of clinical studies has been conducted to test if ginseng can help arouse or increase sexual activity. A studies in animal suggested that Asian ginseng may help treat male erectile dysfunction (ED), there is little compelling evidence at this time that suggests ginseng has the same effect if use in humans.

Due to the fact that human sexuality is complex than those of animals, the results from animal studies do not necessarily translate to humans.

Studies to humans reveal:

For Men

In a result of seven studies investigating the effect of Korean red ginseng on erectile dysfunction for men concluded that, while there seemed to be some suggestion that ginseng may have a beneficial effect on ED, the studies were ultimately too small and not methodologically robust enough to support the use of ginseng for ED.

For Women

Due to the difficulty of establishing a standard means of measuring female sexual response a studies involving women are rare. Another study reported that sex drives of female participants is improve by a dietary supplement containing extracts of Korean ginseng as well as ginkgo and other ingredients. But still it is not clear how the supplement act to enhance function and it needs more study and research to determine the role, if any, of ginseng tested. Clinical studies using consistent doses of pure ginseng are needed in order to assess the effect of ginseng on female sexual response.

Consistency and Claims

It is very difficult to identify the potency of ginseng supplements and pose another problem for consumers. The extracts in ginseng that are thought to be relevant to sexual function are called ginsenosides. However, because independent laboratory analysis reveals considerable variation in ginsenoside content among supplements, consumers can't be sure what they're getting when they buy ginseng supplements. Each products could contain very little of the active ingredient or could be contaminated with other substances.

In addition, the makers of herbal products are not required to submit their health claims to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) prior to marketing their products, so claims of ginseng benefits made by the manufacturer may not be evaluated or assessed before the products hit store shelves. Consumers may be seduced by product claims that don't stand up to scrutiny and must exert and extra careful in choosing any products that claims to be effective.

Careful in using Ginseng

Patients having diabetics who are being treated with insulin or similar medications should be careful it might experience a hypoglycemic reaction from American ginseng, also may trigger hypertension and rapid heart beat, so it should not be taken if you the above mention problem.

We don't hope that use of Ginseng may be the fastest solution we wanted for, but there are several other ways to improve our sex life, including healthy diet and life style, regular exercising is one of it.

I'm also using ginseng enhanced supplement and in my experienced it work well for me.

A study reveals that more Coffee may help women fight depression

Coffee

A U.S. researcher said on Monday that women who drink four cups of coffee a day are 20 percent less likely to become depressed than women who rarely drink coffee.

Caffeine is the most frequently used central nervous system stimulant in the world, and coffee consumption accounts for about 80% of caffeine use.
Alberto Ascherio of Harvard Harvard School of Public Health said that drinking coffee offers a boost of energy and a lift in well being.

He also said that "This short-term effect is what drives the consumption of caffeine," whose study appears in the Archives of Internal Medicine.
"Here we are looking at long-term chronic use of caffeinated coffee," Ascherio said in a telephone interview.

Ascherio team studied more than 50,000 women enrolled in a health study of nurses. These women had an average age of 63, and none were depressed when they enrolled in the study.

The Team Ascherio measured coffee consumption based on data on the women for 14 years dating back to 1976 and classified the women according to how much coffee they drank and followed them for an additional 10 years.

"We found that those women who regularly drink four or more cups of coffee a day have 20 percent lower risk of developing depression than those who rarely or never drink coffee," Ascherio said.

The team focused specifically on coffee, but they had similar findings when they looked at overall caffeine consumption, including caffeinated soft drinks and chocolate. They found that women who were in the top 5th of caffeine consumption had a 20 percent lower risk of depression than women in the bottom 5th.

The team built a two-year gap or latency period between when they measured caffeine consumption and their assessment for depression to make sure they were not just capturing women who were too depressed to be regular coffee drinkers.

Ascherio said there have been very few studies that look at the long-term effects of coffee consumption. One smaller study in Finland showed men who drank a lot of coffee were less likely to commit suicide.

And Ascherio's own team has shown that drinking a lot of coffee may be protective against Parkinson's disease in both men and women.
He said it is not yet clear how coffee might protect against depression, but there are some hints.

Animal studies have shown that caffeine protects against certain neurotoxins. And brain receptors that respond to caffeine are concentrated in the basal ganglia, an area that is important for both depression and Parkinson's disease.
Ascherio said low-dose, chronic stimulation of these receptors may make them more efficient. He also stressed out that the study does not prove that coffee lowers depression risk -- only that it might be protective against depression in some way.

There are lots of studies are needed to show whether coffee can be used to prevent depression, according Ascherio.

Original article http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/lifestyle/09/27/11/coffee-may-help-women-fight-depression-study

9 Natural Fertility Boosters that we must know

Many of us suffering from infertility and always searching for its development and remedy. An article written by By Lisa Farino for MSN Health & Fitness discusses about 9 Natural Fertility Boosters. I'm hoping that by sharing this article it will help to most of us.

1. Limit caffeine consumption

Several studies have shown reduced fertility for women who consume more than 300 mg of caffeine each day. Fortunately, the threshold is high enough that you can still indulge in that morning cup o' joe, since the average 8-ounce cup of coffee only has 100 to 130 mg of caffeine. Don't forget, though, that black tea, green tea, chocolate, and some sodas also contain caffeine.

For women undergoing in vitro fertilization, however, the threshold is much lower: A mere 50 mg of caffeine—the equivalent of one cup of tea—can negatively impact success rates.

Alice Domar, an assistant professor at the Harvard Medical School who also counsels women dealing with infertility, suggests that you may want to further restrict your caffeine intake if you've been trying unsuccessfully to get pregnant, even if you're not doing IVF. Since only limited research has been done on the topic, Domar worries that further research may show that lower amounts of caffeine still impact fertility.

2. If you're overweight, lose weight

Obesity can inhibit ovulation and wreak havoc with hormones. It also puts women at risk for a variety of health problems (such as diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure) that negatively impact fertility and can create complications during pregnancy. Women who are morbidly obese are also less likely to be successful with fertility treatments.

Part of the problem is the hormonal imbalance that's created by the fat cells themselves. Fat cells produce extra estrogen, says Gerard Letterie, a reproductive endocrinologist at the Northwest Center for Reproductive Sciences. The more fat cells, the more estrogen, so being overweight is very similar to being on birth control pills.

Domar explains that although female fertility peaks with a body mass index in the low- to mid-20s, weight-related fertility problems are most common in women with a BMI greater than 34, which is considered obese. For instance, a woman who is 5 feet, 4 inches tall and weighs 200 pounds isn't just obese; she's also jeopardizing her fertility.

3. If you're underweight, gain weight

A normal, healthy Body Mass Index ranges from 18.5 to 24.9. Anything lower than 18.5 is underweight. For instance, woman who is 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighs 105 pounds has a BMI of 18 and is considered to be underweight.

Being even slightly underweight can dramatically reduce your fertility, as fertility starts to plummet for women with BMIs of 18 or lower.

Women who are underweight are less likely to ovulate. Some will stop menstruating completely. Others will menstruate irregularly. But experiencing a monthly period doesn't necessarily mean you're fertile, since it's possible to menstruate without ovulating.

For low body weight caused by an eating disorder, it's important to seek professional treatment.

Simply gaining some weight is usually enough for women to begin ovulating again, says Letterie. For those women who don't, Letterie stresses that there are simple treatments to help women ovulate again, but only after they've gained the necessary weight.

4. Try acupuncture

In May 2006, the journal Fertility and Sterility published two studies showing significantly increased pregnancy rates for women receiving acupuncture treatments in conjunction with the embryo transfer stage of in vitro fertilization. In one study, women receiving acupuncture were more than twice as likely to become pregnant. In another, acupuncture prior to embryo transfer increased rate of pregnancy by 50 percent.

Researchers aren't sure why acupuncture may be helpful. Some speculate that acupuncture may positively impact hormonal levels or increase blood flow to the ovaries and uterus. Another theory: Since acupuncture can induce a relaxation response, it may be counteracting the stress that often accompanies infertility. Reducing infertility-related stress and anxiety has been shown to increase success for IVF treatments.

Despite the positive findings, scientists agree that more research needs to prove that acupuncture is truly effective.

Although Domar herself has called for more rigorous testing of acupuncture, specifically to sort out the issue of the placebo effect, that hasn't stopped her from recommending acupuncture to her infertility patients. "There is some very promising data out there," Domar says. "Acupuncture is a safe, cheap, non-invasive and easy way to potentially increase your chances of getting pregnant."

5. Walk 30 minutes per day

Walking just 30 minutes each day is a simple, inexpensive form of exercise that helps ward off problems like heart disease and diabetes, diseases which may impact fertility and can cause complications during pregnancy. In addition, regular exercise helps maintain a normal body weight, which is an important part of maximizing fertility.

Walking may also help boost fertility by increasing circulation to the pelvis and the reproductive organs, since some research has linked decreased blood-flow to the ovaries with ovarian aging and reduced success with in-vitro fertilization.

"Many couples I see have jobs that require them to sit all day in front of the computer. This doesn't do much for circulation to the pelvis and the reproductive organs," says Dr. Susan Carr, a naturopathic physician at Fertile Path in Washington state. "Exercise is one way to support circulation to these organs."

6. Deal with depression

While many experts believe that depression doesn't cause infertility, proper treatment for depression can help increase fertility.

Since it's not uncommon for women struggling with infertility to become depressed, try joining a fertility-focused mind-body group. These groups teach techniques to relax and manage the stress and anxiety associated with infertility. Research conducted at the Harvard Medical School found that women undergoing in vitro fertilization who participated in a 10-week mind-body program were more than twice as likely to get pregnant.

If you were seriously depressed before attempting to get pregnant, it's important to seek prompt treatment from a mental health professional. "Women with severe clinical depression are much less likely to eat well, exercise, and otherwise take care of themselves," says Domar. "And women who are less healthy are less likely to get pregnant."

While anti-depressants can be effective in the short term, Letterie encourages women to work with their doctors to get on the lowest dose possible. Ideally, he'd like to see women weaned off of prescriptions before getting pregnant, since taking medication during pregnancy is not without risks.

7. Eat a balanced diet

To maximize your chances of conception and a healthy pregnancy, Carr and Domar both recommend eating a healthy, unprocessed diet rich in whole grains, beans, fresh fruit and vegetables, raw nuts and seeds (skip the ones with added oil and salt), healthy oils (like olive oil), lean meat, and cold-water fish like wild salmon that are high in omega-3 fatty acids.

A balanced, whole-foods diet will help you maintain a normal BMI, a critical component in maximizing fertility. In addition, by eating well and minimizing unhealthy fats, white flour, sugar, and salt, you'll reduce your risk of diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure—diseases that can decrease your fertility and also cause complications in pregnancy.

To further boost your chances of conception, Carr recommends emphasizing foods that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as wild, cold-water fish, walnuts, and flax seeds. "Omega-3 fatty acids promote fertility, since essential fats are required for hormone balance and healthy cell function," says Carr. "Unfortunately, most diets are deficient."

8. Strictly limit alcohol consumption

Most reproductive experts agree that one or two drinks each week shouldn't impact a woman's chances of getting pregnant, while excessive drinking is clearly problematic. However, the jury is still out on exactly how much a woman can drink before her fertility is affected.

While a couple of studies have found no link between moderate alcohol (one to two drinks each day) intake and fertility, one Danish study from 2003 found that just seven drinks a week could negatively impact the chances of conceiving for women more than 30 years old. Another Danish study from 1998 found that even moderate drinking (6 to 10 drinks each week) reduced a woman's chances of getting pregnant, with more excessive drinking further decreasing the chances of conceiving.

For women who are heavier drinkers, Letterie recommends that they get their drinking problem under control before they try to conceive, especially since it's critically important that women cut out alcohol completely once pregnant.

9. Stop smoking and avoid second-hand smoke
More than 100 research studies have consistently linked smoking to decreased fertility and increased problems in carrying a birth to term, says Dr. David Adamson, a reproductive endocrinologist at Advanced Reproductive Care in Palo Alto, Calif.

Smoking damages eggs, reducing the chances of getting pregnant during any given cycle, and smokers may hit menopause several years earlier than their non-smoking peers. Smoking also negatively impacts hormone levels, further reducing fertility.

The problems don't end when a smoker gets pregnant. Smokers are more likely to suffer from miscarriage and complication during their pregnancies, and babies born to smokers are more likely to be underweight.

Although smoking does damage eggs, quitting now can still help boost fertility. Going smoke-free will prevent further reduction in egg quality, help reverse hormonal changes, and increase the chances of carrying a healthy baby to term.

According to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, it's not enough for just the woman to stop smoking, since second-hand smoke has been shown to be almost as bad for a woman's fertility as actually smoking.