How to use Banaba Plant for Weight loss?

In a study conducted patients who are taking Banaba herbal tea reduce weight without side effects. The corosolic acid in Banaba leaves and flowers acts by delaying and reducing the absorption of carbohydrates by the body, thus continued drinking of banaba tea causes weight loss without any side effects.

Preparation and application of Banaba herbal tea for weight loss management 

•    Dry Banaba leaves and fruits without exposing the sunlight
•    Cut Banaba leaves and fuits into small peices
•    Boil the dried leaves and fruits in water,
•    Boil one cup of dried banaba leaves and fruits to 2 cups of water.
•    Seep for 30 minutes, strain the leaves and fruits.
•    Take the Banaba herbal tea for 2 to 5 times day

According to studies Banaba has no known toxic. But if you feel of discomport please stop using Banaba. And the most important thing is before you take Banaba herbal Tea it must be first consulted to doctor.

How to use Banaba Herb for Diabetes?

Banaba leaves

Banaba medication can be made simple:

Dry Banaba leaves or fruits but do not expose to sunlight

Cut Banaba leaves of fruits into small pieces

Boil the cut Banaba leaves having a ratio of 1 Cup banaba to 2 cups of water

Wait for 30 minutes then strain the fruit and leaves

Drink the Bolied Banaba tea 3 to 5 times daily

Banaba is also famous being use as herbal medicine for the following illness;

•    blood pressure control ,
•    kidney disorders,
•    urinary dysfunctions (helps ease urination) ,
•    controls the cholesterol levels,
•    treatment of diarrhea,
•    facilitates bowel movement
•    treatment of fevers and others.

According to studies Banaba has no known toxic. But if you feel of discomport please stop using Banaba. And the most important thing is before you take Banaba herbal Tea it must be first consulted to doctor.

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.

Acid Reflux Home Remedies

Acid Reflux Home Remedies

1. Increase the amount of water you drink daily. This is beneficial for your overall health as well. However, increasing your water intake will help to dilute the acids in the stomach, thus minimizing the acid reflux symptoms. You should also try to drink a glass of water after you have eaten, possibly two.

2. Almonds is another great way to eliminate the effects of acid reflux. In the morning, chew on a few almonds and after each meal. It is important that you chew them very well, the longer the better and you will soon begin to see relief in your acid reflux symptoms.

3. Fennel tea or chamomile tea have a soothing effect on the individual drinking it and it has been successfully connected to the relief of acid reflux discomfort. It is important that you take your time drinking the tea, only sipping it.

4. Could it be true, an apple a day keeps the doctor away? Maybe not, but eating an apple after a meal can surely keep your acid reflux symptoms at bay! Organically grown apples chewed slowly and well can reduce the acid in the stomach, thus eliminating the acid reflux.

5. Ginger in almost any form can be great for reducing acid reflux. You can have candied ginger, ginger tea or take ginger in a capsule form.

6. Apple cider vinegar is another of the top acid reflux home remedies. It is important that you are drinking organic apple cider vinegar and that you shake it well. There should be a pulp looking substance floating within, this is actually what you need to consume. This substance has enzymes that are ideal for keeping the symptoms of acid reflux a distant memory for you. Add the apple cider vinegar to a half a glass of water and drink it shortly before or after a meal.

7. Chewing gum, as you might already know is great for assisting in the digestion of food. However, did you know that this also stimulates the production of saliva? This in turn does the same thing as drinking water; it will dilute the stomach acids and limit the acid reflux symptoms.

Acid reflux diseases

Acid reflux

When I waking up early morning I feel too much pain in my chest that scared me of having a heart attack. Since I have lot of works in the office to accomplish I force my self to go to work even I have an intense pain in my left chest. My shift schedule is 6:A.M. to 2 P.M. before logging in to my office I go first to our company clinic and consult our company. Doctor diagnosed me of having heartburn causes by Acid reflux disease. According to wikipedia Acid reflux disease is chronic symptoms or mucosal damage caused by stomach acid coming up from the stomach into the esophagus.

Like most health conditions, there is no specific or accurate cause of acid reflux:

The most common cause of acid reflux follows:

• stress
• some antidepressants and sedatives
• elevated hormone levels during pregnancy
• eating before going to bed
• eating large meals
• slower emptying of the stomach
• frequently eating greasy, fried, and fatty foods
• smoking
• alcohol
• drinking lots of bubbly (carbonated) beverages such as soda
• diseases that weaken the esophageal muscle (such as scleroderma, mixed connective tissue disease, or hiatal hernias)

Most common symptoms of Acid reflux disease are:

• Heartburn
• Regurgitation
• Trouble swallowing
• Pain with swallowing
• Increased salivation
• Nausea
• Chest pain

Certain foods are considered to promote Acid reflux disease or lifestyle. A study found that too much body weight also causes acid reflux. Antacids based on calcium carbonate also used to reduce acidity. Sleeping position is also supported to help prevent acid reflux disease. Sleeping on the left side has been shown to reduce Acid reflux during night time in the patient. Elevating the head in the bed is an effective therapy.

Food diet is one way to avoid acid reflux disease below listed are safe foods that will help avoid Acid reflux disease and food to avoid.

Fruits – Apple- fresh, dried or juice, banana

Vegetables – Broccoli, carrots, cabbage, peas, green beans, baked potato

Meat Products – Skinless chicken breast, extra-lean ground beef, London broil steak, egg whites and substitutes, no fat fish

Dairies – Fat free cream cheese, goat cheese, low-fat soy cheese, fat-free sour cream

Grains – Brown or white rice, multi-grain or white bread, cereal like bran or oatmeal, corn bread, Graham crackers, pretzels, rice cakes

Beverage – Mineral water

Salads/Sweets – Low-fat salad dressing, fat-free cookies, jelly beans, red licorice, baked potato chips

Foods to Avoid:

Fruits – Tomato, lemon

Juices – Orange juice, Cranberry juice, Grapefruit juice, Lemonade

Vegetables – Raw onion, french fries, mashed potato

Meat Products – Ground beef, chicken nuggets, Buffalo wings, marbled sirloin

Dairy Products – Regular cottage cheese, sour cream, ice cream, milk shake

Grains – Spaghetti with sauce, macaroni and cheese

Beverages – Wine, liquor, decaffeinated or regular coffee/tea

Salads/Sweets – Creamy salad dressing, oil and vinegar salad dressing, high-fat butter cookies, chocolate, doughnut corn chips, brownies.

Health benefits of Lemon grass

Lemon grass abundantly grown in the Philippines it is widely used as spice in Philippine cooking. Lemon grass is locally known to us Filipinos as tanglad (Citronella Grass). The Lemon grass is the number one additive to chicken tinola a famous recipe in cooking chicken. Most of us did not know the health benefits of Lemon grass in this article we discuss some health benefits that we must know.

Lemon grass is beneficial in many ways; continue to know more about the health benefits provided by lemon grass. Lemon grass has antibacterial and antifungal properties which help to deal with lot of health problems. It is the herb which is used in many homes to cope mainly with cough, cold and fever. However, lots of people are unaware that this wonderful herb can provide lots of health benefits.

Health Benefits of Lemon Grass:

• It contains an antibacterial and antifungal properties
• It helps to detoxify the liver, pancreas, kidney, bladder and the digestive tract.
• Helps boost the immune system
• Helps reduce uric acid, cholesterol, excess fats
• It helps alleviates indigestion and gastroenteritis.
• Helps improve the skin by reducing acne and pimples
• It helps tone the muscle and tissues.
• Helps to cope with fever
• Helps battle with cough and cold
• Helps battle with stress
• Makes battle with high blood pressure easier
• It help lowers the cholesterol level
• Will helps to cleanse the body by eliminating toxic substances
• Cleanses other organs of our body including kidney, pancreas, liver, bladder etc.
• Helps to improve the digestive system
• Helps to improve blood circulation
• Helps to cope with excessive fats in body
• Helps to deal with menstrual problems
• Proves beneficial to cope with acne and pimples

How to us Lemon Grass

Lemon grass can be boiled and consumed in tea form it can also included in diet in many forms. Some people make use of lemon grass oil to add its flavour to food. Lemon grass is best when added in flavour along with ginger.

You can also prepare an extraordinary and medicinal drink with lemon grass. Just take few fresh strands of lemon grass, two to three cloves, a small piece of cinnamon stick, and turmeric powder and boil it with milk. After this mixture is properly boiled, drain it and drink it when it cools down to get relief from cough and cold.

This plant can be easily grown in backyard and resistant to different weather condition.

Health benefits of lemons we must know



Lemon Fruit



The origin of Lemon is mystery. Lemon is abundantly grown in South East Asia it has know having antiseptic properties and it was used as an antidote for various poisons. Lemon has a lot of nutritional value that is very good in our body and also in culinary.

Lemon has lot of varieties that came from different places of the world, namely Bush lemon tree, Eureka, Lisbon, Meyer, Ponderosa, Variegated Pink, Verna, Villafranca, Yen Ben and Yuzu.

Below is a compilation of Health Benefits we can get from lemon.

Good for stomach

Lemon can help relieve many digestion problems when mixed with hot water. These include nausea, heartburn and parasites. Due to the digestive qualities of lemon juice, symptoms of indigestion such as heartburn, bloating and belching are relieved. By drinking lemon juice regularly, the bowels are aided in eliminating waste more efficiently. Lemon acts as a blood purifier and as a cleansing agent. The intake of lemon juice can cure constipation. It is even known to help relieve hiccups when consumed as a juice. Lemon juice acts as a liver tonic and helps you digest your food by helping your liver produce more bile. It decreases the amount of phlegm produced by your body. It is also thought to help dissolve gallstones.

Excellent for Skin Care

Lemon, being a natural antiseptic medicine, can participate to cure problems related to skin. Lemon is a vitamin C rich citrus fruit that enhances your beauty, by rejuvenating skin from within and thus bringing a glow on your face. Daily consumption of lemon water can make a huge difference in the appearance of your skin. It acts as an anti-aging remedy and can remove wrinkles and blackheads. Lemon water if applied on the areas of burns can fade the scars. As lemon is a cooling agent, it reduces the burning sensation on the skin.

Aids in Dental Care

Lemon water is used in dental care also. If fresh lemon juice is applied on the areas of toothache, it can assist in getting rid of the pain. The massages of lemon juice on gums can stop gum bleeding. It gives relief from bad smell and other problems related to gums.

Cures Throat Infections
Lemon is an excellent fruit that aids in fighting problems related to throat infections, sore throat and tonsillitis as it has an antibacterial property. For sore throat, dilute one-half lemon juice with one-half water and gargle frequently.

Good for Weight Loss

One of the major health benefits of drinking lemon water is that it paves way for losing weight faster, thus acting as a great weight loss remedy. If a person takes lemon juice mixed with lukewarm water and honey, it can reduce the body weight
as well.

Controls High Blood Pressure

Lemon water works wonders for people having heart problem, owing to its high potassium content. It controls high blood pressure, dizziness, nausea as well as provides relaxation to mind and body. It also reduces mental stress and depression.

Assist in curing Respiratory Disorders

Lemon water assists in curing respiratory problems, along with breathing problems and revives a person suffering from asthma.

Good for treating Rheumatism

Lemon is also a diuretic and hence lemon water can treat rheumatism and arthritis. It helps to flush out bacteria and toxins out of the body.

Reduces Fever

Lemon water can treat a person who is suffering from cold, flu or fever. It helps to break fever by increasing perspiration.

Acts as a blood purifier

The diseases like cholera or malaria can be treated with lemon water as it can act as a blood purifier.

Other known health benefits of Lemon

• Lemon being a citrus fruit fights against infection. It helps in production of WBC's and antibodies in blood which attacks the invading microorganism and prevents infection.

• Lemon is an antioxidant which deactivates the free radicals preventing many dangerous diseases like stroke, cardiovascular diseases and cancers.

• Lemon lowers blood pressure and increases the levels of HDL (good cholesterol).

• Lemon is found to be anti-carcinogenic which lower the rates of colon, prostate, and breast cancer. They prevent faulty metabolism in the cell, which can predispose a cell to becoming carcinogenic. Also blocks the formation of nitrosamines in the gut.

• Lemon juice is said to give a glow to the skin.

• A few drops of lemon juice in hot water is believed to clear the digestive system and purify liver as well.

• The skin of lemon dried under the sun and then ground to make powder can be applied to the hair for a few minutes before bath which relieves head ache and cools the body.

• Applying lemon juice to acne dries the existing ones and prevents from getting more.

• Lemon juice acts as a natural hair lightner and skin bleach which reduces the pigment melanin and prevents the risk of chemical allergic reactions which is common with hair dyes and bleaches.

• Lemon juice is given to relieve gingivitis, stomatitis, and inflammation of the tongue.

• Lemon juice is given to prevent common cold.

• Lemon juice is given to prevent or treat urinary tract infection and gonorrhea.

• Lemon juice is applied to the sites of bites and stings of certain insects to relieve its poison and pain.

• Lemon juice relieves colic pain and gastric problems.

• Lemon juice soothes the dry skin when applied with little glycerin.
• Lemon juice used for marinating seafood or meat kills bacteria and other organisms present in them, thereby prevents many gastro-intestinal tract infections.

• Lemon juice with a pinch of salt (warm) every morning lowers cholesterol levels and brings down your weight.

• Lemon juice is the best drink to prevent dehydration and shock in case of diarrhea.

• Lemon juice can also be used as a mouthwash. It removes plaque, whitens the teeth and strengthens the enamel.

• A table spoon on thick lemon syrup everyday relieves asthma.

• Lemon juice relieves chilblains and itchy skin.

• Gargling lemon juice relieves throat infection and also used as a treatment for diphtheria.

• Lemon juice is an excellent treatment for dandruff and greasy hair.

• Lemon applies over the face removes wrinkles and keeps you young.

• Lemon juice helps to prevent and cure osteoarthritis.

Drink lemon everyday to keep healthy all day.