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Tag: Benefits

  • Benefits of exercise. Your solutions to manifold diseases (4)

    Human fertility. It’s well- established that regular exercise can help you shed weight. Obesity is bad for your fertility either as a male or female. For the female, obesity can distort the female reproductive organs and thus delay or even prevent conception from occurring. Further, excessive weight may require or produce excess hormones that regulate female function and appearance. The result is that excess circulating hormone such as estrogen may lead to uterine fibroid, cancer of the breast as well as infertility. A lean body or “figure 8” is a great helper of female fertility.

    For the man, generally what is said above for the female is applicable for the male save that excess testosterone (male hormone) may not be healthy for the prostate gland. High testosterone may also lead to high blood pressure. A recent research advised men to maintain a lean body mass so as to improve their own fertility.

    Regardless of the gender, obesity can impair fertility by creating diseases that affect fertility. Such illnesses include diabetes mellitus, high cholesterol and hypertension. These set of infirmities for the man can lead to erectile dysfunction.  For the woman, polycystic ovarian disease may result.  In both genders, obesity may physically impair enjoyment of sexual intercourse.

    Benefits of exercise on Cardiovascular System: Low levels of physical exercise increase the risk of death from cardiovascular diseases (diseases of the heart and blood vessels).  For children, children who take part in in physical exercise produce greater loss of body fat and improved cardiovascular fitness. Experience has shown that academic stress in the young poses increased risk of cardiovascular disease in subsequent years; nonetheless, these dangers can be significantly lowered with structured physical exercise. Exercise can be used to lower high blood pressure or prevent one from developing.

    On  Metabolism: There is scientific evidence to support the fact that exercise lowers blood pressure, LDL and total cholesterol as well as body weight. Exercise increases HDL cholesterol, insulin sensitivity, and exercise tolerance of the individual thus lowering the risk of diabetes mellitus.

    On Immune System: reasonable exercise has an advantageous consequence on the human immune system. For example: modest exercise has been linked with a 29  per cent lowering of occurrence of upper respiratory tract infections (URTI).

    On Cancer: There is abundant evidence that structured physical exercise can prevent up to 13 different cancers in human beings: In particular, cancer of the breast, cancer of the lung, cancer of the stomach, cancer of the colon, cancer of the womb, cancer of the oesophagus, cancer of the blood such as myloid leukaemia and myeloma.

    Other cancers that exercise can keep at bay are cancer of the bladder, cancer of the head and neck as well as cancer of liver and rectum.

    Rehabilitation: Even in patients that had unfortunately suffered from cancer, exercise has been shown to improve the outcome of cancer treatment. Remember, though, that exercise is a non-medication and has no toxic side effects.  Regardless of the age and gender, the same thing can be said for anyone who is recovering from surgery, accidents, fractures and long term bed immobility.  Exercise helps in rehabilitation and recovery from countless number of diseases.

    On the bones and muscles: In women and men, exercise can help to strengthen the bone and muscles. In no age is this more important and well demonstrated as in middle ages in women who had undergone or undergoing menopause. Later in life, men tend to have their own “menopause.” Exercise helps to prevent osteroporosis and muscle wasting. This is especially so in older women.  Regular and determined exercise is the preferred choice, ironically, to prevent and treat osteoarthritis of any bone or joints.

    Mental Illness: Its well documented and indeed proven that exercise has positive impact on our mental health. Let us examine this fact a little further. A mammoth body of research in human beings has shown that consistent aerobic exercise (for example, 30 minutes of every day) encourage continual enhancement in certain brain and intellectual functions.

    Individuals who regularly carry out aerobic exercise (such as, running, jogging, brisk walking, swimming or cycling) have superior score on brain functions and performance tests such as attention control, inhibitory control, working memory updating and capacity, and information processing speed. Clinical proof also maintains the use of exercise as an additional therapy for certain brain illnesses in particular Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. Structured exercise is also associated with a lower risk of developing neurodegenerative disorders. Exercise and in particular, aerobic exercise is also a powerful antidepressant as well as producing euphoria leading to improvements in mood and self-esteem.

    On depression: Exercise is well established form of as an antidepressant in persons with depression.  In fact, clinical evidence supports the use of exercise as both a preventive measure against and also supportive therapy with antidepressant medication for depressive illnesses. Persons suffering from anxiety can also benefit from moderate exercise.

    Exercise can thus banish sadness and improve happiness in individuals.

  • Benefits of Exercise. Your solutions for manifold diseases: (3)

    One way to do your recommended 150 minutes of weekly physical activity is to do 30 minutes on five  days a week. All adults should also break up long periods of sitting with light activity. What counts as moderate aerobic activity? Examples of activities that require moderate effort for most people include: walking , water aerobics, riding a bike on level ground or with few hills, doubles tennis, pushing a lawn mower, hiking, skateboarding, rollerblading, volleyball, basketball.

    Please take note that if you cannot exercise every day, a new research in January 2017 has given support to “Weekend Warriors” who chose to exercise on weekends only.

    Moderate activity will raise your heart rate and make you breathe faster and feel warmer. One way to tell if you’re working at a moderate level is if you can still talk, but you can’t sing the words to a song. What counts as vigorous activity?  There is good evidence that vigorous activity can bring health benefits over and above that of moderate activity. Examples of activities that require vigorous effort for most people include: jogging or running, swimming fast, riding a bike fast or on hills, singles tennis, football, rugby, skipping rope, hockey, aerobics (see above), gymnastics, martial arts

    Vigorous activity makes you breathe hard and fast. If you’re working at this level, you won’t be able to say more than a few words without pausing for breath. In general, 75 minutes of vigorous activity can give similar health benefits to 150 minutes of moderate activity.

    What activities strengthen muscles? Muscle strength is necessary for: all daily movement to build and maintain strong bones, to regulate blood sugar and blood pressure, to help maintain a healthy weight. Muscle-strengthening exercises are counted in repetitions and sets. A repetition is one complete movement of an activity, like a bicep curl or a sit-up. A set is a group of repetitions. For each strength exercise, try to do: at least one set, eight to 12 repetitions in each set. To get health benefits from strength exercises, you should do them to the point where you struggle to complete another repetition. There are many ways you can strengthen your muscles, whether it’s at home or in the gym. Examples of muscle-strengthening activities for most people include: lifting weights, working with resistance bands, doing exercises that use your own body weight, such as push-ups and sit-ups, heavy gardening, such as digging and shovelling.

    You can do activities that strengthen your muscles on the same day or on different days as your aerobic activity – whatever’s best for you. Muscle-strengthening exercises are not an aerobic activity, so you’ll need to do them in addition to your 150 minutes of aerobic activity.

    Some vigorous activities count as both an aerobic activity and a muscle-strengthening activity. Examples include: circuit training, aerobics: running, football, rugby, netball and hockey.

    Exercise for Babies: Before your baby begins to crawl, encourage them to be physically active by reaching and grasping, pulling and pushing, moving their head, body and limbs during daily routines, and during supervised floor play, including tummy time. Once babies can move around, encourage them to be as active as possible in a safe, supervised and nurturing play environment.

    Children who can walk on their own should be physically active every day for at least 180 minutes.(three hours). This should be spread throughout the day, indoors or outside. The 180 minutes can include light activity such as standing up, moving around, rolling and playing, as well as more energetic activity like skipping, hopping, running and jumping.

    Ages 5-18years: To maintain a basic level of health, children and young people aged 5 to 18 needs to do: at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day – this should range from moderate activity, such as cycling and playground activities, to vigorous activity, such as running and tennis on three days a week, these activities should involve exercises for strong muscles, such as push-ups, and exercises for strong bones, such as jumping and running.

    Older adults aged 65 or older, who are generally fit and have no health conditions that limit their mobility, should try to be active daily and should do: at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity such as cycling or walking every week, and strength exercises on two or more days a week that work all the major muscles (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders and arms).

    Benefits/Advantages of Exercise: Physical leisure activities have phenomenon amount of benefits. Exercise has incredible social and medical advantages. Human beings after all, seem to have been made to frequently be in motion. That is to say, sedentary lifestyle poses a danger to a person’s existence. For example, sitting too long or lying down for too long a period may lead to obesity, diabetes, deep vein thrombosis and anxiety.

    Engaging in physical exercise does help in maintaining overall physical well-being, contributing to ensuring healthy weight amongst others. Physical exercise induces happiness, improve the mood, helps overcome pain and prevent mental health breakdown.  Let us now go in more details on the benefits of physical exercise.

  • Benefits of exercise. Your solutions for manifold disease (2)

    Benefits of exercise. Your solutions for manifold disease (2)

    In today’s article, we shall deal with various forms of recommended exercises. There are various forms of exercises that individuals and groups or families can engage in. I will set out below, these types of exercises. Physical exercises are in generally classed into three types, based on the particular effect that the said exercise have on the body. In contract to the random and chaotic nature of some individuals who are claiming to be exercising, these classes of exercises will help guide us to know what activity we are engaged in at a particular time.

    Let us deal with aerobic exercise:  This is a form of physical activity that uses big or large muscle groups. In effect, such activities cause the body to expend more oxygen fuel (hence the name aerobic) than it would while at rest. The aim of aerobic exercise is to increase the heart and blood vessels’ staying power or stamina. Examples of aerobic exercise include cycling, swimming, and brisk walking, jogging, skipping rope which women and children often ask me if rope skipping is a form of acceptable exercise, rowing and playing table or lawn tennis. The list goes on.

    Anaerobic exercise on the other hand is another form of exercise. Anaerobic means going without oxygen. This class of exercise includes strength training for example: weight lifting. Other form of anaerobic exercise includes leg and hands resistance training. Anaerobic exercise does strengthen, and tone muscles. Similarly, anaerobic exercise serves to improve bone strength, balance, and coordination. Examples of strength exercise, according to online Encyclopaedia (Wiki) are push-ups, pull-ups, lunges, and bicep curls using dumbbells. As I mentioned earlier, anaerobic exercise also include weight training, functional training, sprinting, and high-intensity interval training increase short-term muscle strength.

    On the other hand, the third class of exercise is called flexibility exercises. Flexibility exercises involve stretching of joints and lengthening of muscles. Examples will be abdominal exercises, squatting, backward bending, bending and extending the joints and various muscles that are attached. Activities such as stretching help to improve joint flexibility and keep muscles agile. The objective is to improve the range of motion and degree of movements of the joints including their attached muscles which can as a result reduce the chance of damage.

    As can be seen therefore, the claim that frequently loitering in the kitchen, mindless walking along the street with heavy emotional load or jumping into commuter buses cannot be, in the true senses, considered as a form exercise.

    Meanwhile, physical exercise can also include an activity that focuses on acurateness, dexterity, power, and speed. Thus, sometimes the terms ‘dynamic’ and ‘static’ are used instead of above categorisations.  ‘Dynamic’ exercises include such activities as steady running (jogging) which tend to produce a lowering of the diastolic blood pressure during exercise, due to the improved blood flow. On the contrary, static exercise (such as weight-lifting) can cause the systolic pressure to rise significantly again during the exercise.

    The moral of this explanation is that one should get involved in a mixture of different classes exercises (aerobic or dynamic as well as say stretching exercises) to enhance the overall benefits.

    Now, having dealt with the types or classes of exercises as discussed above, you will be right to ask me: what is the amount of exercise that is scientifically recommended to ward off illnesses? In other words, how much physical activity should I do? For this let us turn to some official guidelines. I will refer to the National Health Service (NHS Choices) in the UK for guidance which is copied but slightly edited below:

    For 19-64 years: To stay healthy or to improve health, adults need to do two types of physical activity each week: aerobic and strength exercises which I also mentioned above. I will deal with other ages later.

    How much physical activity you need to do each week depends on your age. To stay healthy, adults aged 19-64 should try to be active daily and should do: at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity such as cycling or fast walking every week, and  strength exercises on two or more days a week that work all the major muscles (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders and arms).  75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity, such as running or a game of singles tennis every week and strength exercises on two or more days a week that work all the major muscles (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders and arms); A mix of moderate and vigorous aerobic activity every week. For example, two 30-minute runs plus 30 minutes of fast walking equates to 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity, and strength exercises on two or more days a week that work all the major muscles (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders and arms). A good rule is that one minute of vigorous activity provides the same health benefits as two minutes of moderate activity.

  • Benefits of exercise. Your solutions for manifold disease: (1)

    I have been labelled as Exercise Evangelist by the many who receive my regular electronic messages on the subject.

    A lot of such people are taking my messages. Nothing can gladden a medical doctor than when he sees his patients and followers following his advice and getting better health. From all indications, it appears human beings are not made to be stationary. We are supposed to be in motion.

    It’s on the basis of such joy that I now write the public health promotion and education series.  The message in the next couple of weeks will focus on exercise, also called physical leisure activity.

    As it’s the custom here, let us start by looking at the definition and scope of exercise.

    What is exercise?  The medical dictionary says: “Exercise is physical activity that is planned, structured, and repetitive for the purpose of conditioning any part of the body.” We may also consider physical exercise as being any bodily activity that enhances or maintains physical fitness and overall health and wellness. Whereas, brain exercises are those activities which give the brain new experiences by use of physical senses of hearing, smelling, touching, tasting, visual and emotional activities. I once told someone living in Lagos to exercise as part of clinical consultation, he responded by telling me that running after “danfo” or “BRT” and walking home when there is no bus to join is enough exercise for him. Pointing at his relative slim figure, he reminded me of the “benefits” of such “exercise” as struggling daily to catch a “danfo” bus as a commuter had made him slim.  Yet, this individual’s blood pressure and sugar remained very high in spite of his perceived “exercise”.

    As we can see from the above definition, to have any reasonable and beneficial effect, exercise should be “planned and structured”. Exercise is not a sudden, chaotic and irregular activity embarked upon on an impulse due to imposing transport challenges.

    Another common error is in matter of sexual intercourse. While there is a definitive scientifically published article indicating that sexual activity results in a loss of energy up to 200 kilocalories (about 10 per cent of daily energy requirement for a standard male) in one sexual encounter lasting 30 minutes and intercourse is considered as a form of exercise, it is clearly irrational to use sexual intercourse as a “planned, structured and repetitive” form of exercise. Sex is vulnerable to emotion, subject to mood changes and because sex involves two individuals, intercourse may be unplanned as well as being seriously influenced by the feelings or motives of the other person. Exercise may not be so influenced by the variables which I have mentioned. Any reasonable exercise by adults is a definite and determined course of action.

     

    What exercise is not

    One of my very good clinical and a personal friend once sent me a message asking for my view if arguing with one’s spouse can be considered as a form of exercise.

    Well, mere loss of or expenditure of energy as in the case of arguing with anyone not the least, one’s spouse, should not be considered as a form of exercise. Such argument does not fit the definition of an activity that is “planned and structured.”  While I concede that conjugal argument may result in sweating, expenditure of energy, squabbling may be purposeless. What is the point in engaging in useless expenditure of energy? Argument may lead to mental stress, headache, impaired judgement, poor sleep and body aches -the very opposite features that real exercise is meant to achieve as we shall see later.

    As I explained earlier, sex cannot be said to be structured, reasonable, planned activity meant to improve on certain muscles and organs of the body outside the muscles and organs that are involved in reproduction.

    To our mothers and housewives, going about several times around the kitchen, living room and bed room in pursuit of domestic chores cannot be considered as a form of structured and planned physical exercise. Often, by the end of the day, a mother chasing after youngsters and housewives trying her best to ensure orderliness at home cannot be said to be exercising. Very often, the consequences of the activities that I have described in this paragraph, frequently leads to stress, hypertension and obesity: the very illnesses that physical exercises is meant to prevent as we shall see later on.

    Exercises, such as physical labours,  civil and mechanical construction workers restlessness, subsistence farmers’ tedious efforts, market women and men hassling, bus drivers and conductors wearisomeness,  endless times on the office chair pouring over intractable problems by political and business executives as well as continuous mindless walking on city streets are not beneficial or structured exercises. At best, they are a waste of time and energy, resulting as it often does, in actual illnesses that structured, purposeful exercise is meant to prevent.

    Therefore, the subsequent articles will elaborate on exercise, the scope, the advantages and scientific recommendations on how best to get the highest benefits from exercise.

  • The many benefits of velvet beans

    The many benefits of velvet beans

    Although it itches, Velvet Bean, also called devil’s bean, is a neurotransmitter that promotes pleasure as it contains Dopamine (the L-Dopa (Levodopa). OYEYEMI GBENGA-MUSTAPHA writes. 

    Velvet beans, also known as cowhage or itching beans, is called Mucuna pruriens by botanists. It belongs to the legume family called Fabaceae.

      It grows from trees and is very itchy because of serotonin on its surface. It is called Werepe in Yoruba. Agbala or Akugba in Igbo.

    According to phytotherapists (users of plant-derived medications in the prevention and treatment of disease), the plant has more benefits to offer than its singular discomfort.

    A natural medicine practitioner who specialised in Phytotherapy, Dr Gilbert Ezengige, the plant can be used to address mirage of heath challenges, when more people are becoming depressed and lethargic about life.

    Ezengige, also Chief Executive Officer (CEO), HealthBubbles, said: ‘’It has many traditional uses, but promoting enjoyment and interest in life is on the top of the list.’’

    He explained thatVelvet Bean has many uses, including treating pains, cholera, diabetes, infertility, scorpion bites, snakebites, toothaches, increases testosterone, reduces inflammation, increases libido, kills some parasites, reduces spasms, calms nerves, lowers blood sugar, reduces fever, lowers cholesterol, and serves as a blood purifier.

    He said its use varies from country to country. For instance, Germans use Velvet Bean to treat diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, intestinal gas, muscle pains, rheumatism, dispelling “worms. Brazillians use it as an aphrodisiac, diuretic, and nerve tonic, and for curing edema and intestinal worms.

    Indians use it for treating cancer, catarrh, cholera, cough, debility, delirium, diabetes, diarrhea, diuretic, dysentery, edema, fertility, gout, impotency, kidney stones, menstrual disorders, nervousness, scorpion sting, snakebite, sterility, tuberculosis, worms, and as an aphrodisiac and uterine stimulant.  So, as you can see, this is a very good herbal remedy, he said.

    Explaining the way its active properties,  Ezengige said HHA Velvet Bean Extract contains 15 percent L-Dopa, which is the immediate precursor of Dopamine.

    “Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that promotes enjoyment and interest in life. The 120 mg. of L-DOPA (3,4-dihydroxy-L-phenylalanine) is a compound found in some food and made from L-Tyrosine, which is an amino acid naturally occurring in the human body. L-DOPA is converted into dopamine in the brain and body. DOPA Mucuna provides the body with what it needs to make this important neurotransmitter,” he said.

    In Nigeria, Ezengige said velvet beans are used for treating the following health challenges: “It is a good herbal adaptogen. An adaptogen helps the body to adapt to stress and also normalises all bodily processes. It is a good source of natural L-DOPA (Levodopa), which provides symptomatic relief in parkinson’s disease.’’

    According to Parkinson’s disease Foundation, the disease is a chronic and progressive movement disorder which involves the malfunction and death of vital nerve cells in the brain, called neurons. Parkinson’s primarily affects neurons in an area of the brain called the substantia nigra. Some of the dying neurons produce dopamine, a chemical that sends messages to the part of the brain that controls movement and coordination. As Parkinson’s Disease progresses, the amount of dopamine produced in the brain decreases, leaving a person unable to control movement normally. Primary motor signs of Parkinson’s disease include Tremor of the hands, arms, legs, jaw and face, Bradykinesia or slowness of movement, rigidity or stiffness of the limbs and trunk, postural instability or impaired balance and coordination. Calms nerves reduce spasms and relieves pain.”

    Fertility challenged adults also can find this marvel bean essential because it lowers the level of prolactin in the body.

    “Prolactin is the female hormone responsible for lactation. When the level of this hormone gets so high in trying-to-conceive women, conception becomes an uphill task. Velvet bean can correct that. Velvet bean increases testosterone and helps men last longer in bed i.e. it corrects quick ejaculation. Research actually shows that over 70 percent of erectile dysfunction cases are attributed to high prolactin in men. Velvet bean increases semen volume, sperm count and sperm motility. It is also a good aphrodisiac which simply means that it increases libido (sexual urge). Scientists are of the consensus that the outstanding effect mucuna has on the male reproductive system lies in its ability to correct the hypothalamic-pituitary-testes axis,” he assured.

    Besides, people with diabetes will find velvet bean useful as it has significant blood sugar lowering action. “It lowers blood pressure, and cholesterol in the blood. Velvet bean is a muscle builder and helps those who are weak and unintentionally losing weight to regain their strength and stature. Velvet bean seeds have several alkaloids, antioxidants, antitumor and antibacterial compounds in them. The medicinal actions of Mucuna pruriens are indeed much.”

    Ezengige cautioned pregnant or lactating women against using velvet beans, saying it can lower prolactin and increase testosterone. ”It should not be used with MAO inhibitors. Monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors are a class of drugs used for depression and Parkinson’s disease.  Be aware that altering the levels of brain chemicals, such as dopamine and serotonin, also affect many hormones, enzymes, and other chemicals which keep the body in balance.

    ‘’It may not be suitable for some glaucoma patients. The long-term impacts on healthy humans taking high levels of L-dopa are unclear and warrant further research. It is best to proceed with caution when taking mucuna pruriens or its extracts and to follow the labeled dosages. It is a powerful plant with many biological actions that should be respected. In other words the belief system of some people taking herbals or its supplements of: ‘if some is good, more is better,’ does not apply with velvet bean.”

    Ezengige said the seeds of mucuna pruriens must be removed from the pods and roasted before consumption. “Nutritionally, Mucuna pruriens beans are high in the amino acids leucine and lysine and the following minerals- sodium, potassium, manganese, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, zinc and copper,” he added.

  • Benefits of waterleaf

    Benefits of waterleaf

    Pax Herbal Clinic and ResearchLaboratories (Paxherbals) Founder and monk, St. Benedict Monastery, Ewu in Edo State, Rev Father Anselm Adodo, answers the question.

    Waterleaf (Talinum triangulare) is one of those underrated and undervalued plants in Nigeria. Some regard it as a nuisance, a stubborn weed that grows all year. It flourishes more during the rainy season.

    Like grasses in the fields, we match, piss on them and uproot them from our gardens in preference to other plants which we consider more important. But the more we weed them out, the more they grow again, as if in defiance.

    If you care for your health, not satisfied with just being alive, but being well, then you should read this article carefully.

    Waterleaf is an edible leafy vegetable that belongs to the Portulacea family. It was originally from West Africa before spreading to other parts of the world, such as Asia and South America. Waterleaf is a herbaceous perennial plant that has its stem above ground. The seed sprouts as a tiny, aqua-coloured plant before growing into a more conspicuous plant with larger leaves.

    As the name suggests, this green leafy vegetable is referred to as waterleaf due to its high moisture contents of approximately 90.8gm  per 100 gm of the leaf. The leaf is sticky when cut and this is attributed to its high pectin content that supplies the dietary fibre.

    I make bold to say that waterleaf is one of the most valuable healing herbs in nature’s pharmacy. As is usually the case, the best and most valuable things are available, accessible and cheap. Name them: air, sunshine, sleep and good vegetation. Because they are cheap and available, we tend to take them for granted. As I have said on many occasions, if only to drive home the point, money is not the most important factor in preventive healthcare. Most people think that rich people are healthy because they are rich. Money may help you to get better treatment when you fall sick, but it won’t prevent you from falling sick.

    To prevent falling sick, you need knowledge: knowledge of what to eat and not to eat; knowledge of the right combination of food and fruits. And the best food and fruits are easily grown and available. The harmful food is more expensive and more difficult to find. What I mean by having the right knowledge of what to eat is that even though fruits are good, not all fruits are good for everybody. Even though herbs are good, not all herbs are good for everybody. You must find out the right food and fruits for yourself.

    Like most succulent plants, waterleaf leaves and stems, especially young ones, are easy to crush. It is also very sensitive to cold conditions and its roots will rot when water is logging the soil. This tenderness often makes it to appear growing wild as a yearly plant. It thrives in humid conditions, in rich compost or acidic well-drained soil under partial shade. But it can also grow under direct sunshine and fully exposed places, on pore sandy soils and in places on elevations. Waterleaf can stand scorching sun, excessive heat and draught. It can be easily propagated from seeds and cuttings, and is ready to be harvested in less than two months. It spreads so easily from seed and in some places it is classified as agricultural weed.

    Waterleaf is called Gbure in Yoruba, Ebe-dondon in Edo, and in English is nicknamed Philippine spinach, sweetheart, flame flower, Florida spinach etc.  The leaves are excellent for diarrhea, liver enlargement, and hepatitis. It is an excellent immune booster to those who often feel weak and tired, and those prone to frequent attacks of malaria. In many scientific studies and trials, waterleaf showed that it can inhibit proliferation of cancerous cells and shrink tumors.

    Other studies have been focused on its cerebral-protective potential and it indicates that consumption of waterleaf enhances brain activities and protects brain tissues. Waterleaf is also a good remedy for insomnia (sleeping disorder).

    Water leaf contains more proteins than cashew nuts, more pectin (a food fibre that helps digestion) than apples, and also have high level of vitamin B, essential amino acids, omega3-fatty acids, resins, iron, calcium, copper, lead, manganese and zinc. It is also a rich source of carotenoids, vitamin C, A, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, alpha and beta tocopherols. Proper food digestion is essential for preventing gastrointestinal disorders such as indigestion, constipation, flatulence and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

    The pounded waterleaf is applied to soothe inflammations. An infusion of the leaves can be taken as a diuretic. For prostate enlargement, the roots are boiled. The dosage is half a glass twice daily.

    Waterleaf is good and safe for pregnant women and growing children, as it boosts their blood levels. Waterleaf should be part of pregnant women’s diet as the vegetable helps to prevent anaemia as well as boosts the blood level. This is because the plant has the ability to clear bilirubin from blood, which suggests that it can help the red cells to remain longer and be effectively utilised by the body.

    Eating waterleaf regularly as soup helps to regulate hypertension and diabetes.

    Waterleaf is packed with essential antioxidants and soluble fibres that act as a mild laxative. So, if you want to treat any irregularities in your body and restore your body to normalcy, eat enough waterleaf. It regulates the blood sugar level because it has Talinum triangulare, which is essential for managing diabetes mellitus.The high dietary contents of this vegetable can help to slow down the digestion and conversion of starch to simple sugars. It is worthy to note that this is essential for managing diabetes mellitus.

    It also regulates the cholesterol level due to the high dietary fibre content of waterleaf. Vegetable is essential for regulating the cholesterol level. This is because the dietary fibre reduces the absorption of cholesterol from the gut thereby protecting the body from any sicknesses associated with bad cholesterol in the body.

    Wateleaf prevents cancer due to the high antioxidant found in it. Studies reveal that it is suitable for preventing the onset of cancer and tumour growths.

    Waterleaf is also good for the management of cardiovascular diseases as it can be useful for preventing the onset of cardiovascular diseases, such as stroke, just as it helps in weight management. The high dietary fibre in waterleaf provides bulk in the diet thus minimising the intake of starchy foods. This helps to prevent obesity and excess body weight.

    One can substitute Waterleaf for poultry feed as animal feeds are presently becoming so expensive thus the need for cheaper alternatives. Nworgu et al. (2015) evaluated the use of waterleaf meal as supplements for soya bean meal and groundnut cake while formulating broilers feeds. The waterleaf meal was partly used to replace soya bean meal (SBM) and groundnut cake (GNC) in the broiler feed.

    However, other ingredients remained constant. The broilers were weighed at the onset of the experiment and on a weekly basis throughout the experiment. The result shows that waterleaf meal is an ideal protein supplement for broilers, especially for broiler finishers without any detrimental effects on their performance.

    While waterleaf is beneficial when it is taken as vegetable, dried herbs and infusion, however, juicing is the way to go if you want the best out of waterleaf.

    What is juicing? Juicing is a process whereby you extract vitamins, minerals and liquids from fruits and vegetables. This is usually done with an electric blender or juice extractor. There are lots of such blenders in the market, but ask advice from a knowledgeable technician about the right blender for your need.

    To juice waterleaf, simply chop waterleaf, both stem and leave, into pieces, in the same way as you do if you want to cook it. Then put two or three handfuls in the blender and add one litre of water. Blend in the same way as you blend your tomato or fruit. Sieve out the chaff and you will be left with a dark green liquid, packed with vitamins and minerals. Ensure you drink and finish the whole drink within 10 minutes. This is one big mistake many people make. They blend fruits and vegetables and then store them in the freezer for days. If you do that, you have already lost 60 percent of the active ingredients in the juice. So if you want to get a 100 percent benefit from your waterleaf juice, drink it within 10 minutes.

    How to grow Waterleaf plant

    Waterleaf thrives well in a humid and cloudy environment and here are the procedures for growing your waterleaf at home.

    • Till the ground, manure and water the soil. Alternatively, you can add sand mixed with manure and water in a bucket.
    • Plant the waterleaf seeds on the tilled ground.
    • Remember to water the waterleaf on a daily basis if you planted it during the dry season.
    • After planting, it takes approximately eight to 12 weeks to harvest the waterleaf.
    • Use a knife to cut the waterleaf young shoots at the branches. After a few days, young shoots and leaves will begin to sprout out from the cut edges.

    Do you feel tired and weak every time? Are you battling with diabetes, hypertension and arthritis? Are you prone to frequent bouts of malaria? Have you been diagnosed with cancer or you want to prevent it? You want a glowing and youthful skin? I strongly recommend you take waterleaf juice twice a week. A trial will convince you.

     Culinary purposes

    Waterleaf is highly nutritious, refreshing and tasty and, as such, used in several cuisines for preparing assorted dishes, such as waterleaf soup, waterleaf stew, waterleaf sauce, waterleaf pizza, and vegetable soup (Edikaiko, ofe mgbolodi, gbure, afang soup). To prepare vegetable soup, waterleaf young shoots and leaves are usually combined with either corchorus (jute) leaves, fluted pumpkin leaves and gnetum africanum (okazi leaves). This sort of vegetable soup is a popular soup among Igbo, Yoruba, Efik and Ibibio communities.

    Waterleaf sauce can also be eaten with roasted yam, roasted plantains or roasted potatoes. You can also pair waterleaf sauce with any best candied yams recipe of choice. Whichever way you want to prepare your waterleaf dish, always remember not to overcook the vegetables in other to avoid significant loss of its vitamins and minerals contents. Besides, overcooking destroys most of all the soluble oxalate present in the vegetable.

  • Many benefits of coconut oil

    Many benefits of coconut oil

    Coconut oil has made the journey from villain to victor in the health food world. What used to be deemed an evil saturated fat and dangerous for anyone worried about heart disease and high blood pressure, has become a healing, nourishing substance soaring in popularity.

    How did such a drastic change come about? What made people change their minds about the numerous benefits of coconut oil? This story is tied to the saturated fat myth that to this day spreads misconceptions.

    Coconut oil is one of the most beneficial ingredients for health and beauty. In this article, with additional information from holisticlivingtips.com, we present you some recipes, which will enable you to produce and use coconut oil and  enjoy its benefits.

    Cuticle softener

    Massage coconut oil into dry, hang nail prone cuticles, your nails will thank you.

    Overnight skin care

    Use coconut oil regularly before bedtime and your skin will be pure, clean and refreshed. It penetrates into the skin, leaving it soft, flexible and nourished.

    Varicose veins

    Apply coconut oil daily to varicose veins and massage very well; anecdotal reports show this to be an excellent method for dealing with varicose veins naturally.

    Whipped coconut oil cellulite cream

    Many women are facing the problem of cellulite and they are struggling to find the best solution which will work. To overcome this problem, you will need to prepare one simple and easy recipe, which will surely help you. You will need only three ingredients.

    Makeup remover

    Coconut oil is an impressive eye makeup remover; it dissolves gucky mascara in an instant leaving your skin moisturised and clean.

    Coconut oil hand cream

    Often, our hands become a bit rough when the weather is cold. To repair your dry skin, you will need to pay more attention  to them. So, if you want to solve this problem, you will need to use coconut oil hand cream and nourish your hands and they will become softer and smoother.

    Eyelash treatment for super lush lashes

    Apply little coconut oil to your lashes before going to bed; this is especially useful if you wear eye makeup as it can cause hair loss and breakage over time.

    Chemical-free shaving cream

    The shaving cream you are using contains many chemicals and it is quite expensive. Avoid the shaving creams you are using on your underarms and legs; instead, use coconut oil. Coconut oil is cheap, natural and it smells good. Also, it has antimicrobial effects.

    Coconut is effective because it soothes the skin and after shaving the skin will be well hydrated.

    Homemade liquid hand soap

    Prepare natural hand soap and improve the state of your skin and family members and save money at the same time. This hand soap is natural compared to the products we are buying which are loaded with chemicals. Prepare liquid soap from coconut oil which is very effective, and wash your hands to feel the benefits.

  • Benefits of pineapple

    Benefits of pineapple

    Pineapple manages to perform this feat, thanks to the massive amount of vitamins and minerals in each serving. Most importantly, it manages to rejuvenate the skin and keep it elastic, hence ensuring that your under-breast skin won’t succumb to the weight.

    Not only that, but some women have noted a definite enlargement of their breasts after eating pineapple for a month. The fruit managed to make their breasts fuller, firmer, and higher without the use of any other type of cream, wonder bra, or breast supplements.

    Of course, the ability of pineapple to rejuvenate your breasts is just one of its many benefits. Considered to be one of the most nutritious fruits today, here are the other perks of pineapple:

    • Collagen production: Pineapple promotes the production of collagen, which is an essential element of the skin. With more collagen in your system, you’ll be able to enjoy an elastic skin with excellent repair and recuperating properties. It keeps the skin hydrated and helps prevent wrinkles.
    • Rich in antioxidants: Pineapples are also incredibly powerful antioxidants. They have the capacity to remove harmful elements in the body. The fiber content of the fruit is perfect for digestion and aids with the removal of waste — both solid and fluid.
    • Better immune system: A rich source of vitamin C, pineapples will help lower the risk to numerous health problems, including cancer. In fact, studies have linked pineapple consumption with reduced risks of throat, oral, and breast cancer! The generous amounts of vitamin C in the fruit also help keep your oral health perfect.
    • Regulate blood pressure: They’ve also been shown to help maintain blood pressure as well as promote proper blood circulation. In fact, they contain minerals that support the production of red blood cells and lower the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s. It can, therefore, be said that pineapples also contribute to brain health.

    Fresh Fruit Only!

    Note though that if you’re going to rejuvenate your breasts with pineapple, it’s best to purchase fresh fruits instead of those you can get in cans.

    Conclusion

    Of course, it’s best not to rely entirely on pineapples to get that bust blooming. Exercises focusing on the pectorals should also help keep the breasts uplifted. Avoiding unnecessary activities that could speed up breast sagging — like excessive exercises — is also ideal.

    • Source:www.healthbubbles.com

     

  • Benefits of pineapple

    Benefits of pineapple

    Pineapple manages to perform this feat, thanks to the massive amount of vitamins and minerals in each serving. Most importantly, it manages to rejuvenate the skin and keep it elastic, hence ensuring that your under-breast skin won’t succumb to the weight.

    Not only that, but some women have noted a definite enlargement of their breasts after eating pineapple for a month. The fruit managed to make their breasts fuller, firmer, and higher without the use of any other type of cream, wonder bra, or breast supplements.

    Of course, the ability of pineapple to rejuvenate your breasts is just one of its many benefits. Considered to be one of the most nutritious fruits today, here are the other perks of pineapple:

    • Collagen production: Pineapple promotes the production of collagen, which is an essential element of the skin. With more collagen in your system, you’ll be able to enjoy an elastic skin with excellent repair and recuperating properties. It keeps the skin hydrated and helps prevent wrinkles.
    • Rich in antioxidants: Pineapples are also incredibly powerful antioxidants. They have the capacity to remove harmful elements in the body. The fiber content of the fruit is perfect for digestion and aids with the removal of waste — both solid and fluid.
    • Better immune system: A rich source of vitamin C, pineapples will help lower the risk to numerous health problems, including cancer. In fact, studies have linked pineapple consumption with reduced risks of throat, oral, and breast cancer! The generous amounts of vitamin C in the fruit also help keep your oral health perfect.
    • Regulate blood pressure: They’ve also been shown to help maintain blood pressure as well as promote proper blood circulation. In fact, they contain minerals that support the production of red blood cells and lower the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s. It can, therefore, be said that pineapples also contribute to brain health.

    Fresh Fruit Only!

    Note though that if you’re going to rejuvenate your breasts with pineapple, it’s best to purchase fresh fruits instead of those you can get in cans.

    Conclusion

    Of course, it’s best not to rely entirely on pineapples to get that bust blooming. Exercises focusing on the pectorals should also help keep the breasts uplifted. Avoiding unnecessary activities that could speed up breast sagging — like excessive exercises — is also ideal.

    • Source:www.healthbubbles.com

     

  • NNPC ‘ll optmise gas sector benefits, says Baru

    NNPC ‘ll optmise gas sector benefits, says Baru

    The Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Dr. Maikanti Baru yesterday pledged the support of the NNPC to help the Nigerian Gas Association (NGA) achieve its objectives of ensuring that the country derives maximum benefit from its huge gas resource base.

    Speaking while receiving the NGA delegation led by its President, Mr. Bolaji Osunsanya, at the NNPC Towers Abuja, Dr. Baru noted that as the midwife of the nation’s premier gas association in 1999, the NNPC has a moral and strategic interest in ensuring the continuous existence and sustained growth of the association.

    The corporation’s Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Malam Garba Muhammad disclosed this in a statement yesterday.

    Describing the NGA as a reflection of the development of the gas industry in Nigeria, the GMD said the Corporation would continue to provide the association with human and material resources.

    While thanking the members of the NGA for their advocacy in ensuring a review of existing Production Sharing Contracts (PSC), gas terms, Baru noted that the NNPC is working round the clock to ensure the maximisation of the nation’s vast gas resources by incentivising all parts of the gas value chain.

    Osunsanya thanked the NNPC and Dr. Baru for the unflinching support for the association and pledged the readiness of members to work with the NNPC in this regard.

    Osunsanya called on government to create incentives which would promote deliberate and well-funded projects in the search for gas as against the practice of accidental gas discoveries.