The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Medicine

  • ‘How herbal medicine can exist with orthodox practice’

    ‘How herbal medicine can exist with orthodox practice’

    The Nigerian Association of Medical Herbalists (NAMH) has urged its members to close ranks to develop the profession.

    Its President, Chief Felix Esho, said in unity, lay their strength and the profession’s progress.

    Esho, who spoke at the monthly meeting of the National Working Committee (NWC), the  association’s  ruling body,  said practitioners must work together to avoid being swallowed by  orthodox medicine practitioners.

    “This is the only profession I know. I have been practising before I got married. I joined NAMH in 1965. The late Chief Joseph Lambo was our General Secretary then,” he said.

    He berated orthodox doctors for dissuading people from patronising herbalists,  saying: “We are not evil, neither are we crude.”

    Esho said: “For instance, in 1974, doctors in a gazette said nobody should take oral herbal medicine. This affected our practice but we have moved on since then.

    The association, he said, had been building the capacity of  practitioners to ensure they are current.

    “Moreover, we are engaging in research so that we can produce evidence-based herbal drugs,” Esho said.

    To him, herbalists are knowledgeable: on physical and spiritual healing.

    The NAMH president said the association fought for the legal framework of the profession. So, herbal medicine is now on its own devoid of unnecessary interference and control.

    NAMH Vice President Prince Johnson Idowu said herbal medicine has come of age in Nigeria.

    ‘’Besides, we are the real care-givers in the country’’, he said.

    The association, Idowu said, was stifled by litigation by factions which want to head it, adding: “The court gave judgment on Monday, February 29 that Chief Omo Oleabhiele should continue as president of the National Association of Nigerian Traditional Medicine Practitioners (NANTMP), which is the umbrella body for all herbal medicine associations”.

    He continued: “Leadership crisis had rocked the association since it was established in 2006. This was borne out of personal interest”.

    The Second Vice President of the association, Dr Lasisi Olakoyo, said disharmony almost marred the purpose for establishing NAHM by the founding fathers of herbal medicine.

    “But, today the association is promoting the practice in Nigeria’’.

    He said many herbal drugs are being produced and marketed by members of the association locally and internationally.

    “Our profession is quite unique because we make and prescribe our drugs. We also diagnose before we treat anybody. But orthodox practitioners can only diagnose and treat. The prescription is done by pharmacists. We perform an all round function, which makes our profession unique,” he said.

    The chairman, Lagos State chapter of NANTMP, Dr Yekini Akande, said practitioners are still trying to have a common factory for manufacturing of herbal drugs.

    He said his association had approached the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to inspect its facility for herbal production factory in Badagry.

    “The agency came and told us to make some adjustments to the herbal factory, which we have started doing,” he said.

    A member of the Council, Chief Jimoh Bakare urged the Federal Government to help herbal medicine grow.

    He said herbal medicine has been with the country for many generations,and as such, should not be allowed to die.

    President, NAHM, Ogun State, Alhaji Fasasi Badmus said practitioners have since changed their stand after the court judgment that the incumbent president should carry on.

    He said the practice is gradually growing in Ogun State.

    “The practice suffered a bit of setback when the late Chief Joseph Lambo returned from Cairo in Egypt where he had gone to receive an award in traditional medicine as a healer. Our people then took the practice as the association of healers. So, this affected the NAHM a lot,” Badmus said.

  • Seven years to study medicine, says NUC

    Seven years to study medicine, says NUC

    Medical students are required to do seven years in the universities and not 11 as erroneously reported in some news media recently.
    The National Universities Commission (NUC), made the clarification during interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Monday.
    The Director, Quality Assurance of the commission, Professor  Chiedu Mafiana, told NAN on telephone that every student in Medical science must have a first degree in anatomy, physiology and medical biochemistry.
    “Another basic requisite is that there must be clinical skill laboratory, whereby in teaching, students would use mannequins, dolls, to simulate diseases.
    “The students will then use the mannequins to practice, rather than using human beings.
    “This will also assist the students to mature psychologically for the profession’’, Mafiana added.
    NAN recalls some newspapers had quoted Executive Secretary of NUC, Prof Julius Okojie, as saying student wishing to study medicine would henceforth spend 11 years in the university.
    Okojie reportedly made the remark at the maiden matriculation and inauguration of the University of Medical Science, Ondo, in Ondo

  • Red algae 2016 upcoming herbal medicine… (8)

    We live in a world of colours. Back in primary school, we learned about ROYGBIV… Red, Orange, yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo and Violet. ROYGBIV is the formula for tracking them. We had Crayons of some, if not all of them. Also, we had the water colour box. We learned that not all these colours exist naturally on their own. Some, called the primary colours do.

    They all speak to us. But we no longer understand their language. And, because we do not understand this language any longer, we do not understand the message they bring to us from Mother Nature about how to use them to obtain radiant health. Knowing people of old knew the health benefits of the various colours which we are exposed to every day in the plant kingdom. For example, they knew each organ of the body expresses a different colour from another. This colour is its radiation or aura or frequency on which it is broadcasting its existence to the world. Thus, clairvoyant physicians of old could tell if an organ was healthy or sick or likely to be sick from the brightness or dullness of its colour or radiation.

    The radiation is no more than a physical expression of the rays which occurs in the organ. And every organ feeds on rays from food or the environment which are homogenous with its own constituent rays. And this is why, in bygone days, water kept in white glass bottles was left in the sunlight from sunrise to sunset to absorb radiations from sunlight. Sunlight is a powerhouse of ROYGBIV. It is thus assumed that such water exposed to ROYGBIV in sunlight hours would provide all the rays needed by every organ of the body. If the blue ray absorbed by that bottle of water was needed to revive the health and radiation of a blue-ray organ, water was kept in a blue glass bottle and kept in the sunlight as already described.

    The medics of old believed the blue bottle would eliminate absorption into the water of other ROYGBIV colours except the blue, thereby making this bottle of water very rich in the blue ether and medicinal for the ailing blue organ. The water colour of healthy living is, therefore, an interesting one provided in the various colours which plants, food crops, fruits and marine life presents to us.

     

    The red algae

    The foregoing is an introduction to the Red Algae. Red is one of the three natural primary colours of Red, Green and Blue. The Red algae is different from the deep Blue-Green algae, such as Spirulina and Chlorella, which have been mentioned in this series. Spirulina, for example, is one of the richest nutritional plants on earth. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has described it as the “super food of the 21st Century.” The Americans make it a part of the diet of their astronauts in their space voyages. WHO recommends it for the growth of children and up keep of the health of adults. And children? The WHO recommends Spirulina for their nutritional health, especially in situations where they obtain little protein in the diet, and are not growing well. Equally nutritional, it is an antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory and excretes heavy metals from the body apart from fighting cancers, among its various benefits. There are about 10,000 species of Red algae, but not all of them are edible. It is a plant form in the water or sea which provides food for marine animals. In the web site www.disabledworld.com, Jane Lantree says:

    “Red marine Algae has long been known to assist the body’s immune system to respond to virus attacks and their severity. It has been used traditionally for many ailments, including boils, urinary infections, asthma, goitreand stomach problems, and also for ulcers and tumors with varying degrees of success. The scientific basis of these applications is varied, but it is the typical use to eradicate cold sores that is is best known for in the West, though it has been claimed to be an effective means of reducing the cholesterol levels in the blood.”

    “At one time, those who suffered chronically from cold sores had no long-term relief. In fact, frequently, the short-term relief was sleep. It is not so much the pain that cause the distress of a cold sore but the constant irritation much like a painful itch. Temporary relief could be obtained by the use of some herbal remedies such as chamomile and Licorice root, although they were no genius remedies in that they did not cure the condition but provided relief from the symptoms for a short time.

    “However, St. John’s Wort and Lemon Balm were real remedies in that they killed the virus and were likely to be the best anti-viral remedies available other than Red Marine Algae. The virus killed, however were the active soldiers while the main body remained dormant deep within the nerve cells, ready to become activated at some future date. Herpesor cold sores are not nice viruses because they can lie dormant for years and then be activated by one trigger or another. These triggers include menopause, stress, dental work (so probably stress!), other infections, sunburn and fatigue caused by over work…

    “There are many species of red algae used in China, Japan and the Pacific Region in general, though the family dumontiaceae has been particularly useful in the treatment of Herpes I and II. Herpes I is the cold sore and Herpes II is the genital herpes. It has been proved unequivocally to alleviate the symptoms of Herpes topically and to prevent a recurrence by oral administration.

    “The active agents of Red algae are Carrageenans, a family of sulfated polysaccharide that in 2006 were found to be effective against the sexually transmitted diseases, HIV and genital herpes. In fact, it is already being used in some condom lubricants where it has been found to inhibit HPV,  human Papillo viruses that cause genital warts. Carrageenans seem to be able to identify unfriendly proteins such as viruses and prevent them from bonding to human cell surfaces. The polysaccharides are thought to stimulate the production of interferons which work with the immune system as antiviral agents. They also improve the activity of T cells and B cells that destroy virus-infected cells in the body. These polysaccharides are generally contained within the top cell walls of the dumontiaceae that also bind with heavy metals, carcinogen and other harmful impurities before they do any damage. It is a very useful seaweed. In fact, the sulfonated Carregeenans of red Marine algae are now thought to be natural anti-viral agents superior in effect to ACYCLOVIL, and to effectively cure Herpes zoster (shingles) infections which is a definite breakthrough on the treatment of viral infections and the understanding of the immune system. The effects of extracts from Dumonticeae delivered orally on other viral infections such as Candida have been very encouraging, resulting in very rapid improvement of the condition. ACYCLOVIL can create immunity if used frequently, in much the same way that antibiotics do. But Red Marine Algae, do not appear to. The full benefits of these supplements used by the Chinese and Japanese for thousands of years, have yet to be determined but it is thought of to be of more value to those that suffer regularly from cold sores than Acyclovil which, chemically, is a glucosamine named “Acyclogualosine”.

    hat sounds a mouthful. Jean Langtree has provided a great insight into the health benefits of Red algae marred only, in my view, by the polemic discrepancy that suggests that pharmaceutical antibiotics promote immunity whereas Red algae doesn’t. If antibiotic drugs promote immunity, why do doctors warn against self-medication or are sometimes reluctant to prescribe them. Why do we have to take probiotics to re-boost immunity after a course of antibiotics? Why has the immune function so failed with the use of antibiotics because micro-organisms against which they are used have developed resistance against them? Why is the medical profession searching desperately for a new generation of antibiotics?

    Anne Gordon, in www.naturaldoc.com agrees that red algae builds immunity. She speaks of GIGARTINA, a specie of red marine algae, which is indicated for hair, nails, skin and immunity. She says:

    “Gigantin is a type of ocean growing algae commonly known as sea vegetable that could be one of the most important new therapeutic foods sea vegetables. It contains 10 – 20 times the minerals of land plants as well as an abundance of vitamins and other elements necessary for proper metabolism. They have been sought for thousands of years for their ability to prevent disease and prolong life. While sea vegetables have been a common part of the diet of many healthy cultures to prevent aging and prolong life, scientific research has only recently reinforced the nutritional and medical importance of sea vegetables. In the mid-70s and early 80s, scientists identified some 30 species of red marine algae (RMA) which enhance the immune system regulatory response and were shown to be antiviral. The most promising part of this discovery was that these species had an antiviral effect against a wide varietyof pathogens. Current research on red marine algae has shown promising results in the control and reduction of both the candida albicans yeast (a fungus) and the herpes simplex virus. Clinical trials have shown that these sulfated polysaccharides can suppress HIV, herpes and influenza viruses, and patients have reported a lessening and even a halting of their growth within the body. Researchers believe that Red Marine Algae may serve as a gateway to resist many other types of bacteria, fungal and viral pathogens.”

    Anne Gordons reports a personal experience when she and some of her other family members travelled to care for a senior family member admitted to hospital for about three months in the United States. She says:

    “While hospitalised, this elder contacted MRSA (Methiguin resistant staphylocusaureus, virulent staph infection)and Clostridium difficile, an intestinal bacteria commonly referred to as cdif by hospitals. Both are very hard to treat hospital-borne bacteria infections that have evolved from the overuse of antibiotics. These bacteria had colonized in our bodies and could never be fully eradicated. With frequent courses of antibiotics, they were able to be kept under control briefly. Then, they would return in a few days due to her weakened immune system and poor overall health. I tried to talk to the hospital and get some of the natural alternatives that I would discuss below as part of my own case, but at the time I did not have the personal experience that I now have to support any assertions about their effectiveness. While frequenting my relative’s hospital for two weeks straight, I myself contracted an acute eczema outbreak that spread all over my body. Doctors at a local urgent care facility could not diagnose the particular pathogen I had, and we figured it was some sort of hybridized hospital-borne super bug. Then, my sister got it, too. So, it became clear that it was caused by an infection pathogen and not just an allergic reaction. I called my naturopathic doctor for a phone consultation, and he advised myself and my sister to get several supplements at a local health food store. Colloidal silver (which I took both orally and topically), freeze-dried Nettle and Pantothenic Acid (vitamin B5) we also took Naturodoc domatium product known as 1918, a powerful immune boosters that was the method the Western Indian tribes used to survive  the great influenza 1918 epidemic unscathed.

    These were dramatic support for my adrenal functions and seemed to help control the terrible itching and fight the infection. But my skin was still dried out, hardened and scaly all over my body. It was still uncomfortable and looked terrible.

    Within three days of taking Gigartina I, a strain of red marine algae, upon returning home, her lackluster skin began to improve.

    “The scaliness and scably, lesions cleared up, Anne Gordons recalls, and the skin lost its angry redness, the tormenting itch completely subsided, my skin became healthier and clearer the next month. I noticed another effect from the Gigartina that I hadn’t expected. For over a year, I had been experiencing increasing amounts of hair loss (Alopecia) that had become a significant concern for me. I knew the hairloss had something to do with a skin problem in my scalp, and I had been battling scaliness and even eruptions and scabs in my scalp for which I could not find any obvious explanation. I had suspected that my hair loss might be due to a candida yeast infection, so I had been taking yeast-fighting formulations, drinking Pau d’ Arco tea and changing my diet to fewer carbohydrates, but my problem still hadn’t improved much.”

    hatever my skin problem was, it was obviously hurting the hair follicles and lots of hair were falling off every time I washed or brushed my hair. My hair had been getting noticeably thinner, and none of the therapeutic shampoos I was using was having a positive effects either.  About a month after starting to take Gigartina, it suddenly dawned on me that the hair loss to which I got accustomed to was greatly diminished. My scalp was less itchy and disrupted, and there was a lot of hair coming out when I washed my hair. I believe the skin strengthening effect that result from taking Gigartina is actually reversing the cause of my hair loss. I don’t know if my scalp irritation was caused by Candida or some other pathogen, or whether Gigartina, would work this way for everyone. However, because of my own experience, I am convinced the power of this sea vegetable extract to correct chronic and acute skin problem by boosting immunity.

     

    Any side effects?

    Jan Millehan tell us in www.lifestrong.com that red marine algae, too, may have its problems. It is said to be a heavy source of Vitamin K, which is a blood clot forming agent. This may disturb the work of blood thinners. The large Calcium load may also lead to constipation and calcium-hardening of the arteries. And this may cause high blood pressure. But a Korean study, published in the 2006 edition of the Journal ALGAE “observed the inhibition effects of the red algae extracts on an enzymes linked to high blood pressure.”

    In that study, “Angiotensin -1 converting Enzymes or ACE, plays a significant role in combating blood pressure, according to researchers. Scientists reported that some red algae specie produce remarkable anti ACE activities when compared with other marine organism.”

    Everything which goes on to the mouth, even water, had side effects when more than is needed is taken.

    Welcome, again, to the water colour of life. Red is the colour of the blood… life. It is active, energetic, even boisterous. Blue calms. Look at the sky. It is also the colour of love. And green? It is the colour of the formula of the blood…. Life. Isn’t there a reason the earth’s vegetation is green? On account of this, when a proprietary brand of liquid chlorophyll arrived in Nigeria, this column suggested: “Let’s drink green, for the earth is not green for the fun of it”.

  • Mango Peel: 2016 upcoming herbal medicine (7)

    Last Thursday (17 February, 2016), I hinted that I could hardly wait for this year’s mango season to break in full steam. Mangos are here in trickles, I said, noting that, being premature, they were force ripened by burying carbide in their heaps. This isn’t good for health. When the season is in full bloom, we should enjoy healthier mangoes. I obtained deeper insights into the healthbenefits of mangoes than I did in ‘O’ Level class from H.K Bakhru Foods that heal. He is a versatile Indian author of such other books as Herbs that heal and Vitanins that heaL. From Foods that heal, I was reminded of such nutritional endowments as Vitamin A and Beta Carotene, which are good for the eyes, skin and the immune system, for example, of fiber, which is beneficial for digestion, of the use of the kernel of the seed as a spermicide in Indian and for vaginal candidiasis. In this nutritional age when the eating of fruit peels has become a nutrition vogue, we can add, as I suggested last Thursday, Mango Peel to our collection of orange peel banana peel, pineapple peel and pineapple stem, as this series has been advocating. I have been eating mango peel for many years. I void the ones with spots. And I smile in the small room when my poop smells mango! I have spoken with many people who confirm they, too, eat mango peel. But not many people know the good they are adding to their health by doing so. So, what are some of the benefits we enjoy when we eat mango peel?

    The benefits

    One of our tour guides is Dr. Jeffery Shapiro, M.D, who say’s in www.doctorhealthpress.com:

    “The mango is a delicious fruit that is readily enjoyed the world over. The mango skin, on one hand, is often discarded without a second thought. This is a shame since mango peels after a delightful array of nutrients and health benefits to any-one who chomps down on one. Although cancer bitter and tough, mango peels are perfectly edible and will readily reward anyone who tries them.

    “The mango peel contains many of the same nutrients as the flesh and some of them are even higher quantities than the main ‘meat’ of the fruit. Why then, would you bother eating the peel instead of a few extra mango slices to make the difference?

    Sugar:

    “A mango has around 24 grammes of sugar and 28 grammes of carbs (carbohydrate) almost all of which come from the flesh itself. Going for the skin lets you get ball of the lovely nutrients and avoid much of the carbs and sugar that would otherwise bog down your diet. But that’s what a mango peel doesn’t contain. Here is what it does contain:

    • “Vitamin A is an import nutrient for anyone who wants strong eyes and a healthy immune system.
    • “VitaminsC helps in wound repair, the absorption of Iron, and the growth and restoration of skin, tendons, ligaments and blood vessels. C is antioxidant Vitamin-rich, meaning it is able to sweep off any free radicals bouncing about before they can cause too much trouble.
    • Fiber is a big consideration when it comes to mango peel. Like with most fruits, the fiber content found in the rougher skin dwarfs any found in the flesh by a significant margin. Mango peels can add much needed mobility to your digestive system and help keep bowel movement comfortable and regular.
    • Phytonutrients …a fruit peel is filled with special nutrients that are meant to protect against insects, fungi and other annoyances that could threaten the plant. Although many of thesephytonutrients are not used by the body directly, they do have antioxidant properties that can help lower cholesterol and reduce your risks of cancer.Of specific note is a phytonutrient called Margiferin, which is highly available in the peel but only has trace amounts in the flesh of the fruit.Margiferinis known to be a powerful antioxidant capable of easing inflammation and protect against UV (ultra violet) damage and skin cancer”

    Dr. Shapiro responds to the question of safety often raised by some people.

    “There is a common belief”, he says, “that the skin of a mango is not safe to eat because it contains Urushiol, the active chemical behindPoison Ivy and Oak.  Mango trees are part of the same family as thus less than edible plant and they do contain some amount of Urushiol, but this is not normally an issue. The reason is because the mango Urushiol is most concentrated in the tree sap and in the stem.neither of which is eaten as part of the peel. Having said that, people who are sensitive to Urushiol may still develop an allergic reaction from a mango peel.  But there is an easy way to tell if this applies to you. Pick up an unpeeled mango with your bare hand. Are you developing a reaction? If not, then you are good”.

    Bitter and had to chew, mango peel may be juiced in a smoothie with other fruits or chopped and baked in an oven to make crunches. The powdered peel may be added to meals such as rice or beans or pap. This makes it possible to enjoy the nutritional benefits of mango peel a long time after the mango season is over.

    WHAT do researchers say about human consumption of mango peel? In www.thehindu.com: we are advised some compounds in mango peel help fight diabetes and some forms of cancer. The website said:

    “My father was fond of mangoes. During the summer season, he would polish off two mangoes at each mealtime…juice, pulp and skin with relish. My wife, who is from Gujarat, wondered why he would eat the skin too, while she did not. When she asked, he would say ‘you North Indians are missing out a good part of the fruit’ I, the son and husband, take the safe mid course and eat it from time to time.

    “ At het Australian Health and Medical Research at Melbourne, by Ashley Wilkinson and SarahThompson of Queensland University, show that some compounds in the mango skin help fight some metabolic diseases such as diabetes and some forms of cancer. These compounds modulate some receptor molecules called PPARs in our cells. These receptors help in controlling the levels of cholesterol and related fatty compounds in the bloodstream on one hand, and the levels of glucose in the other hand. Thus, mangoes might have positive benefits from diabetes and heart conditions. Since PPARs are also related to some cancers, the substances in the mango may also have anti-cancer effects.These compounds are more abundant in the mango skin than in the pulp.  We do not yet have a full catalogue of all the compounds in the skin, but some of them are already well known and found elsewhere, one isQuercetin, an antioxidant molecule that helps our cells from “cellular overburn”or oxidative damage. It is found in several other fruits, in some greens and also in onion. The other is Mangiferin, found in the mango skin, which, as the name applies, Quarantines away excess free iron in the body and, thus, offers protection against iron-caused oxidative damage. The third is a by-product of MangiferincalledNorathyriol, which, too, is an antioxidant.

    “It is likely that the mango skin also has Resveratrol,which also lowers cholesterol level. The skin of the blue of grapes are rich in resveratrol,  which found its way into red wine, wines and juices from all dark-coloured berries are rich sources of resveratrol. Hence, the recommendation of red wines as health aids. Green grapes are not high on this score, hence neither is white wine, incidentally the punkish skin of peanuts (groundnuts) is another rich source of resveratrol and other health-aiding agents. Here, my wife evened up to my father. She would bring roasted salted peanuts with (skins intact) from Baronda, and my father would remove the skin from them by rubbing the nuts off his palms and eat the nuts. She would then peep in: ‘you Tamilians don’t know a good thing when given to you’ eating mango skin and peanut skin may thus be useful against diabetes, a disease that has become a pandemic across India.

    “But is eating the mango pulp a good idea? Afterall, it contains a high amount of sugar. While sugars such as glucose are the fuel for the body and give us energy, not using them up efficiently and having them lying around in the cells and bloodstream is harmful. Glucose is ‘burnt’ or oxidized in our cells to yield energy, but too much of it can lead to ‘overburn’ and oxidative damage. Glucose also chemically combines with proteins and alters their properties and functions. This leads in time to impaired eyesight, neuromuscular functions, kidney damage and so on. In discarding the skins of many fruits, he throw away useful health aids. Other herbivorous mammals such as cows, goats, horses and elephants eat the white fruit with skin intact and gain health benefits.”

    Mrs. BukolaAzeez, chief executive officer of Lagos based Budget Travels, an air line ticket booking and tour guide agency, should now understand why I eat my peanuts with the skin intact. Our offices are nearby. The same vendor brings her peanut and mine. I reject naked nuts she expresses wonder on her face when I eat the nuts and their skin. Incidentally, I and other pig farmers in Oke Aro, Ogun State, near Lagos, mixed pig feed with sacksful of peanuts peel when I farmed pigs in the 1990s. We did this for the vitamins and minerals said to be present in peanut peel.

    For people who fear that peanuts may be dangerous to their health, and their vision in particular, isn’t the resveratrol in peanut skin an antidote for whatever troubles the excessfact in peanut may wish to forment? From Maryellen Cicione, and Award winning writer, comes the following in www.gardenguide.com!

    There is difference of opinion about eating the skin of mango. Since the mango skin is acidic, it can be toxic for some people, causing a rash similar to poison Ivy. But many people eat mango peel with no consequences. And find its taste appealing. Like a mango, the flavour of the peel differs according to its varietal type. Some have a detectable fragrance and others a stronger, astringentodour. Mango peel is high in Calcium, Vitamin B6 and antioxidants; and isa good source of fiber. Besides eating the skin raw, it can be chopped and added to Chuchey, chilli and other to give the dish some fruity acidity as it cooks.

    “According to researchers at the Central Food Technological Research Institute in Mysora, India mango peel provides high quality pectin.

    This means the skin of the tropical fruit is ideal as a thickening agent for making jams and jellies. Since the peel makes up to 20 – 25 percent of the total fruit weight, the average yield from the fruit makes it a sufficient and effective pectin source.”

    In some cultures, mango peel is used as a digestive and, particularly for treating Gastritis. For example, people in India with inflamed  stomach mucus membranes take mango peel to relief symptoms in this applications, the skin of the mango is mashed and then  boiled to extract its oils (of course, never use mango peel for medical reasons without consulting a medical professional).

     

    The Kernel.

    The peels of fruits are becoming popular as diet supplements,  just as the grasses (wheat grass, Bailey grass, Alfalfa, etc.) and the algae, such as deep blue Spirulina and deep blue Chlorella, and the red algae, of which we may soon learn.

    Mango seeds, thrown away after the mango flesh is eaten, can be powderised to become useful medicine.

    The powder of the seeds get rid of dandruff when made into mango seed butter and applied to the hair. It helps to cure female reproductive health problems. A teaspoonful paste of mango paste applied inside the vagina eliminates such conditions as vaginitis and leucorrhea relaxes vaginal wall after many pregnancies. A little bit of the powder brushed on the teeth is reported to prevent tooth cavities and support enamel health. When the powder is used to gargle, it checks throat inflammation and cough. Dysentery and diarrhoe, too, succumb to this therapy. Mango seed extract taken with lemon juice is reported to the behelpful for weight loss and detoxification. When added to mustard seed oil and applied to the hair, mango seed extract offers hope for hair growth and a remedy against premature greying. This seed extract is reported as well to promote blood circulation, reduce high cholesterol and C-reactive protein levels, this should be good for inflammation and related diseases. Good for digestion and acidosis, mango seed extract is an antioxidant packed with the power phenols and phenolic compounds. Women and men who suffer from dry and champed skin are often advised to apply mango seed butter on the affected areas The foregoing benefits of mango seed extract comewww.dryhealthremedy.com.

    It offers about 15 health benefits of a wonderful gift from Mother Nature which we thoughtlessly or foolishly thrown away.

    Aren’t we blessed? Aren’t we foolish? Don’t “my people perish in ignorance”?

    Mrs. Azeez, with this column, I hope Mr. Azeez will now be persuaded to take orange peel as a dietary supplement. With him, a long time ago, I discussed the book MAN AND NATURE. It is and enlargement of the doctoral thesis of an Islamic scholar who discoursed in it the distancing of Christians and Muslims from Mother Nature, through whose work the Almighty Creator, Allah, reveals himself in part to us.

    This Revelation, even in terms of our diet or nurture back to health when we are ill, express His will. Let us all in humbly gratitude consume that which Mother Nature offers us in this light.

  • Bromelain… 2016 upcoming herbal medicine (6)

    The promise made last week (4 February, 2016) to give Dr. Axe the floor today is kept in the following article in which he shares his knowledge of pineapple and Bromelain, one of its enzymes.There are contributions, also, by other people. They suggest pineapple is good for human health and for overcoming all sorts of human health challenges. Dr. Axe has the floor:

    “Of the 600 plus articles evaluating the medicinal benefits of Bromelain, I decided to narrow down this brief review to some of the more important topics because of their prevalence in our society and because of the sheer volume of research that supports its use.

     

    Cancer

    “Not just an effective treatment against lung cancer, the journal ANTICANCER DRUGS published the results of a Clinical trial this past February that evaluated how Bromelain affected malignant peritoneal mesothelioma (MPM)… a rare cancer caused by asbestos exposure. According to the study, it was uncovered that the addition of Bromelain increased the die off of cancer cells (cytotoxicity) significantly… Bromelain has the potential to being developed as a therapeutic agent in treating malignant cancer.”

     

    Digestive disorders

    “Because it’s an enzymes that specifically digests proteins, Bromelain has been found to help your body digest food and absorb nutrients more efficiently, as well as being extremely effective at healing issues in the gastrointestinal tract:

    • Inflammatory bowel disease
    • Ulcerative colitis
    • Dyspepsia
    • Colon cancer
    • Constipation
    • Crohn’s disease

     

    Faster recovery from surgery and injury

    “Just this past July, a study was published that evaluated Bromelain’s ability to treat patients who just had impacted third molars extracted.

    Most patients who undergo this surgery experience significant post-operative pain and swelling. Unfortunately, antibiotics and pain killers are not only quite effective, they bring with them a slew of side effects.

    “Of the 80 people participating in the study, those who were prescribed Bromelain ‘significantly lowered’ post-operative pain, swelling and even redness compared to the control group that were prescribed a generic pain killer. Bromelain’s anti-inflammatory properties makes it a natural replacement to harmful medications like Aspirin.

     

    Allergies and asthma

    “Last year, the journal EVIDENCE BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE highlighted the results of a study that investigated how Bromelain affected mice with asthma. The study produced some interesting results. In addition to showing that Bromelain reduced allergic sensitisation, it was discovered that the development of allergic airway disease was also markedly decreased. ‘This is actually quite profound because it suggests that Bromelain helps modulate the entire immune system’.  It was observed in the study that CD 11c (+) dendritis cells and DC. 44 anti-antigen presenting cells were kept at bay, which proves that Bromelain does more than masks the primary immune response that most people suffering from allergies experience (stuffy/runny nose, itchy eyes and skin e.t.c.). It can actually prevent allergies by addressing the root cause… a hyperactive, oversensitive immune system!

     

    Sinus infections (rhinosinusitis)

    “To see whether or not a daily dose of Bromelain (300 fip units) (600mg tablets) could help people suffering from chronic sinusitis (inflammation of the sinuses), the University of Cologne, Germany researchers recently took 12 patients who had already had sinus surgery and treated them with Bromelain for three months. They discovered the following Bromelain benefits:

    • “Total symptoms scones improved
    • “Total rhinoscopy scones improved
    • “Overall quality of life was enhanced
    • “And no adverse effects were reported.

    “Because surgery can oftentimes be effective at treating sinusitis, this research brings a lot of hope to people suffering for irretraceable sinus problems!

     

    Joint pain

    “Due to its powerful anti-inflammatory and analgesic characteristics, Bromelain is fantastic for acute or chronic joint pain. This past winter, the journal Alternative therapies in health and medicine published a research trail that evaluated 42 osteoarthritis patients with degenerative spine or painful joint conditions.

    “Two 68mg capsules of Bromelain were given to the patients two to three times each day on an empty stomach (depending on whether they had acute or chronic pain) and it was discovered that pain decreased up to 60 percent for acute  situations and more than 50 percent for chronic disorders.

    “There are three primary ways to incorporate Bromelain in your natural health regimen: ONE: Eating the fibre-rich core of a juicy, ripe pineapple is the right way to consume natural sources of Bromelain. Keep in mind that the riper the fruit is, the softer the core will be. So, make sure you keep it out on your counter an extra day or two to make sure that you are not growing on a tough steam! Note that the flesh of a pineapple is also good for you, but doesn’t have a high Bromelain content like the core does.

    TWO: Juicing the stem of the pineapple or throwing it into
    a smoothie along with other vegetables like cucumber.

    Drinking fresh pineapple juice has been shown to be a powerful remedy against inflammatory disease. I recommend drinking four ounces a day to help prevent digestive issues and up to eight ounces to treat illness like ulcerative colitis, inflammatory bowel disease or constipation.

    “THREE: Taking a natural Bromelain supplement or protolytic enzymes supplement with Bromelain can also be quite effective if you are targeting some specific inflammatory or chronic disease. If you are trying to improve digestion, you will take it with meals but for all other health conditions, you will take it on an empty stomach.

     

    Dosages

    “The most common prescribed dosage for Bromelain is 500 mg daily. However, for various conditions, many physicians may recommend: Arthritis 400mg one to two times daily, Allergies 1,000mg daily of Bromelain plusQuercitin/ Cancer 2000mg of Bromelain with other proteolytic enzymes /Digestion 500mg with meals/Surgery recovery 1,000mg three times daily between meals. Bromelain should be taken on an empty stomach, unless you are taking it to improve digestion.

     

    Side effects

    “Because it helps prevent blood clots, be especially careful when consuming excess pineapple or a Bromelain supplement if you are taking blood thinners. Make sure you get your platelet count regularly checked by your natural health care provider and keep your iron levels up so you don’t develop a blood thinning disorder.”

    Thanks, Dr. Axe.

    This column suggests that you visit his website regularly for more health tips. You will also find useful, I believe, the contributions of Dr. Edward in www.Globalhealingcenter.com which has helped many people improve their knowledge of the health benefits of Bromelain and pineapple. Dr. Edward says:

    “Bromelain breaks down protein. This has daily obvious benefits when you consider that many of the foods you eat contain high amounts of protein and they have been thoroughly cooked, destroying most of the naturally-occurring enzymes. As a proteolytic enzyme, it assists the body’s own digestive mechanism in reducing very large, complex protein molecules into smaller peptide units or individual amino acid.

    “These smaller components are crucial for your own production of muscle, neurotransmitters and other protein-shared molecules that your body produces.”

    Dr. Edward links the acceptance in Europe of Bromelain for wound healing after surgery to a double-blend controlled studies. “One double-blend study of over 150 women who received episiotomies (surgical cuts in the perineum) during child birth,” he says, “found that women given large servings of oral Bromelain over a period of three days, beginning four hours after delivery, experience a huge decrease in swelling and discomfort. Ninety percent of women taking the supplement showed excellent recovery compared to 44 percent of women in placebo group.”

    Dr. Edward cites studies in which Bromelain helped all degrees of burns, sports injuries, osteo-arthritis, hemorrhoids, varicose vein, cardiovascular health, coughs, mucus related to Sinusitis, and many other conditions. People who need to upgrade the capacity of their immune system are advised by Dr. Edward:

    “One German Clinical study of 16 breast cancer patients found that oral supplementation of Bromelain could help stimulate immune. Other studies suggest that it may also boost the amount of certain immune system hormones, called CYTOKINES (made in our white blood cells). Recent studies suggest that Bromelain may help relieve some of the standard cancer side effects related to lowered immunity. Animal studies suggest that Bromelain possesses action against harmful organisms, and it may be effective for ailments resulting from their presence. For women challenged with uterine fibroids, the website www.shrink.com may offer a lead into how to combine such enzymes-rich food supplements as Bromelain, Serrapeptase and Nattokinese in a warhead. Bromelain is mentioned also in www.electroherbalism.com as a possible answer to tissue explosion in the uterus. It says:

    “Bromelain in large amounts is helpful to assist processing the ludge tissue as can gaira herbs scudder’s, alternative, a deep tissue cleanser. Non acidic enzymes like Megazyme or Bromelain are used when large amount are taken since ones which contain acid components can upset or burn the stomach when taken in large amounts.

  • Social Medicine

    Sex and the risks

    There was a mix up  in the introductory portion of the first part of this article; the correct  sentence is“superfluity comes sooner by white hairs, but competency(sufficiency),lives longer”. The error is regretted. The take away message from that quotation taken from William Shakes speare’s comedy book ; Merchant of Venice as applied to sex,is that it can in deed be excessive and too much sex has its consequences. Added to that is the fact that though, young boys and men may not know it, too much sex by way of frequency, associated with ejaculationor not, can be harmful to human health.

    Complete  copulatory sex occurs through a cycle and several stages of the cycle have been studied to make the work of sex therapist much more scientific and less subjective . It is essentially a matter , of ask-give receive, or give-receive ask give , depending on how it started. Though it will not be very appropriate to discuss them  in any details here,it will be sufficient to say that at one time or the other during the sex cycle, nearly every major organ in the body is involved. Of particular importance are the heart, lungs, brain, kidneys, the penis, clitoris, vagina, the spine which contains the spinal cord . These structures and their repertoire of blood vessels and nerves are recruited into action during sex, Little wonder then that a young man who has diabetes mellitus and allows himself to take a few bottles of beer while partying with friends may be courting  very serious danger if  under the influence of Alcohol he goes further to engage in passionate physically demanding sex. He may go into coma from which there may be no recovery.

    The risk of dying while having sex, copulatory or non copulatory is increased for certain individuals and conditions  as hereunder:

    Age

    Erectile dysfunction or persistent inability to achieve and maintain penile  erection is a major problem now tormenting men ,the world over. More common after the age of 40, it is one reason many men are killing themselves with sex stimulants . Women are partly to blame for the amount of indecent exposure available for people of all ages to see. However, they (women ) argue that it is the ultimate responsibility of every man to know himself. Arguably,It is unreasonable for a man older than 50 to expect that his sex drive and performance will be the same as it was when he was 20 years old; libido and performance will wane with age, and while a wife of similar age may understand and wait patiently, a young lady with mountains of energy and sex drive will not . A  man will  resort to all sorts of ways and means to match a young and energetic wife . Many of these ways  are capable of leading  to untimely death

    Genetics

    As stated earlier, being a male of African descent is on it’sown  a risk factor for many diseases of the heart and it’s blood vessels. The black male is naturally endowed with sex organs which  on the average  are remarkably sizeable and efficient . Perhaps it is wise to remember that the maker designed the African males so no one has it all. And so from all over the world, there are more males of African descent dying from complications associated with sex performance enhancing drugs

    Alcoholics

    For the African male, the geometry or Anatomy of the heart is not exactly the same as what you find in  a White  man of the same age. The pace maker in the heart(SAN) is set to kick start the heart earlier and to make the heart beat faster, Beyond that, the male African is more predisposed to have abnormal pacemakers, or double conduction pathways (wolf Parkinson white syndrome), etc. Because  it requires expensive equipment to diagnose many conditions of the heart , many patients are not aware they are not as strong as they think. Alcohol increases heart rate , causes it’s blood vessels to relax and widen. It  stimulates the brain and then later depresses it. It maytherefore stimulate the man, and then while the spirit is willing, the flesh is too weak to respond . The man goes for more alcohol until he goes into coma, or the heart beats faster and faster, until it stops(from excessive stimulation)

    Men In Primary Seated  And Standing Occupations

    Men whose jobs require sitting down  orstanding for long periods of time as required by occupation, are liable to problems of the lower part of the spine. A common symptom being low back pain. As they grow older, the problems are likely to get worse even to the extent that the bones may shift from normal positions. Because the spine is like a beam, it requires one little snap as may occur during one memorable time of wonderful sex and death may occur or paralysis from waist down may pacify the man.

    Underlying Medical Conditions

    Diabetes Mellitus  and Hypertension

    Diabetes and hypertension occur frequently in the Nigerian African, mostly separately but sometimes together. Scientists and physicians think that the connection may lie somewhere between the small  blood vessels and the equally tiny nerves that keep them alive. What ever the case, it is safer for couples  to go slow and easy on sex if the man is obese, has diabetes, mellitus, hypertension, or both. Inability to achieve and maintain erection is very common among patients undergoing treatment for these conditions, including obesity. It is important to note that many  of the drugs used in the treatment of many conditions such as hypertension, and others like peptic ulcer which incidentally is most likely to  afflict  the man whose blood pressure is chronically high have a major side effect; they cause impotence, the man has difficulties getting an erection, or if he manages to have one ,it is not strong enough for him to achieve penetration or maintain it. Again, he needs an understanding wife to keep his marriage. If she complaints, it gets worse. He is forced to resort to drugs, that  willfurther give him stress and the  effect is to increase his blood sugar ,  increase his blood pressure ,death

    Obesity

    Whether it is Gyenoid or Truncal obesity, it is bound to affect the heart and the blood vessels, truncal obesity being much more dangerous. Sex on it’s own is a form of  exercise . Tolerance and exhaustion  after any exercise characterize obesity, particularly when BMI is above 35. Death during sex, worse after a meal and wine is not uncommon in obese men.

    Adult  onset Asthmatics

    Asthma,characterized by difficult,noisy and wheezy breathing is  a medical condition that is generally understood to be inherited. It is now believed that it could be acquired as a result of persistent exposure to various  allergens . Even early exposure to broad spectrum antibiotics is being increasingly recognized as a risk factor for developing asthma. Because of the similarities in morphology between muscles of the heart and the respiratory tree, adult onset asthma is particularly dangerous as it may actually be coming from a poorly treated or undiagnosed heart condition. An attack can occur any time, but not frequently during sex because the stress response to sex, has a protective effect, but not when the system is over stretched . It will not be out of place to suggest that affected individuals  should be smart enough to ensure they have a cup of inhaler or  nebulizer close by when necessary

    Sickle cell disease . Patients with sickle cell disease; the heterozygous AS or homozygous SS have issues with flow properties of blood(haemorheology). Particularly for those with SS, there is a possibility of throwing emboli, and developing stroke. This is not to say that they should avoid sex. There are many AS African males who have four to seven children or more and never suffered any  of the crises that take sickle cell patients to Hospital . Moderation is  simplythe watch ward.

    Drugs

    Sex steroids, morphine, and other pain killers have body building as well as performance enhancing properties, and hence, users are mainly athletes and footballers. What these drugs or preparations  also do and which unfortunately is usually untold is that they can kill at any time, mostly while the user is actively performing. Staying away from them is the best decision any young person can make

    Sex Toys/sex Games/experiments

    All you need to do is watch the DSTV cable program; “1000 ways to die” and the import of the message will hit you without pain. Sex toys ,games and experiments are designed to make men ,but particularly women express extremes of pleasure. The risk of dying from multiple organ failure as the body is pleasured  may be rare but very real.

    Multiple Partnerscommercial Sex Workers

    Commercial sex workers can be brothel based, where they do their business out in the open and  in certain locations, or non brothel based, where you have to be an ‘area piper’ or belong to know them from other women. What is common to them however is that, they are willing to do any thing anytime, any where and at whatever price. That price may be the death of the young man who wants something new ,strange or different from sex. Those who patronize commercial sex workers often complain that they no longer find  their wives  or partners of many years sexually appealing. Unfortunately the excitement and peaks of pleasure derivable from the uninhibited sex available from these people come with no emotion whatsoever . They take control of every thing including the  capacity of a client to negotiate himself out of danger. Sex in such circumstances clouds judgment and even the strongest of men may become willing to pay more to have extraordinary sex ,even when he knows he might die in the course of it.

    Same Sex  Partners

    For reasons not yet fully understood , individuals in same sex relationships have many issues to contend with . Partner fidelity, disclosure status and peculiar ideations feature prominently in the intuitive perceptions capable of flaring when such individuals are behind closed doors.

    Sex Fights

    Strangely, some individuals grow up with certain patterns of behavior considered  deviant or abnormal depending on the society. Some women become interested in sex or get  turned on only after a quarrel or a fight, with a partner, husband or wife. It might be alright  for young couples, but for older men, a sudden rise in blood pressure occasioned by a strong argument may  rupturethe blood vessels of the brain. Bleeding into the brain may go on silently for some time and then progress to a major blow out like a burst pipe later during sex, and commonly at some time in the night when help is difficult to find.

  • Food as medicine

    Food as medicine

     The Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Health Forever Products Limited, Otunba Olajuwon Okubena writes on the role of food as ‘medicine’.

    Hippocrates lived about 2,500 years ago. The interpretation of his quote is that the ideal food should have, in addition to normal food, nutrients, such as sugar, elements, vitamins and fatty acids.

    The quote is a confirmation of what the scriptures had said from beginning of creation. Going through the scriptures, Genesis 1:29 said: “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food”.

    In Ezekiel 47:12, the Bible says: “ Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river, their leaves will not wither nor their fruit fail, every month they will bear fruit because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing. Another interesting portion of the Bible is Daniel Chapter 1:5-15, where Daniel in captivity refused to defile himself with portion of the King’s meat, nor the wine which he drank, but preferred to eat vegetables and drink water.

    At the end of 10 day’s trial, he looked much better than those who were fed with the King’s meat. The last chapter of the Bible, Revelation Chapter 22:12, also confirms the importance of plant that it is for the healing of the nations.

    The Holy Quran contains an interesting portion in Chapter 16:69, where it states: “Then eat of all fruits and walk in the ways of your Lord submissively. There comes forth within it a beverage of many colours, in which there is healing for men”.

    Holy Prophet Muhammed lived about 1600 years ago and with this portion of the Quran prophesied what in modern times is known as Antioxidants. They are produced from plants with colours. Examples are Acai berry, tart cherry, blue berry, etc.

    All health authorities, including the World Health Organisation (WHO), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA), and European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) confirm that it is only food and nutrition that could prevent you from chronic diseases, such as cancer, heart  diseases, diabetes, arthritis etc. No drug has yet been discovered to play this role.

    First, about half of all American adults—117 million individuals—have one or more preventable, chronic diseases, and about two-thirds of U.S. adults—nearly 155 million individuals—are overweight or obese. These conditions have been highly prevalent for more than two decades. Poor dietary patterns, overconsumption of calories, and physical inactivity directly contribute to these disorders. Second, individual nutrition and physical activity behaviours and other health-related lifestyle behaviours are strongly influenced by personal, social, organisational, and environmental contexts and systems. Positive changes in individual diet and physical activity behaviours, and in the environmental contexts and systems that affect them, could substantially improve health outcomes.

    Humans require a wide range of essential micronutrients and macronutrients for normal growth and development and to support healthy aging throughout the life cycle. Essential nutrients, including most vitamins, minerals, amino acids and fatty acids, water and fiber, must be obtained through foods and beverages because they cannot for the most part be endogenously synthesised, or are not endogenously synthesised in adequate amounts to need recommended intakes.

    Nutrition is coming to the fore as a major modifiable determinant of chronic disease, with scientific evidence increasingly supporting the view that alterations in diet have strong effects, both positive and negative, on health throughout life. Most importantly, dietary adjustments may not only influence present health, but may determine whether or not an individual will develop such diseases as cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes much later in life. However, these concepts have not led to a change in policies or in practice. In many developing countries, food policies remain focused only on under nutrition and are not addressing the prevention of chronic disease – WHO.

    Unfortunately, no single food item has been identified to prevent these chronic diseases  to fulfill the famous Hippocrates quote that: “Let food be thy medicine and let thy medicine be food.The pharmaceutical companies in an attempt to fill the gap have formulated dietary and  food supplements to supply the nutritional items in the ordinary man’s food intake.The companies have assembled synthetic equivalent of the essential nutrients as  supplement. In most cases, they are not bio-available.‘’

    Researchers from various parts of the world have published documents pointing in the direction of Sorghum as the a grain that would fulfill Hippocrates quote because it combines both food and medicine. There are different varieties of the Sorghum plant. These are mainly the edible and the medicinal Sorghum. The latter contains food and almost all the essential ingredients but it is poisonous. At the time the Americans saw the potential of this plant and decided to propagate it in the United States, they were only interested in the edible variety which they have improved over the centuries using the plant genetic engineering.

    A recent publication by Nancy D. Turner Associate Professor of Nutrition, Food Science and Genetics Texas A&M University, College Station  advocated that the  national goal is to “avoid preventable diseases from occurring in the first place “ and suggested that Sorghum is the grain that Americans should be consuming for this purpose. She concluded that Sorghum grain and their bioactive phytochemicals appear to contribute toward the suppression of several chronic diseases , that the national goal is to “avoid preventable diseases from occurring in the first place”and that to achieve the  Target to double whole grain consumption ,  Sorghum should be included in our food supply to derive these health benefits.

    In another recent publication by Anita Stefoska-Needham School of Medicine, Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Australia , it was stated: Sorghum is an important cereal grain food, grown globally, that is rich in nutrients, dietary fiber, and bioactive components yet is considered of low value to humans and often used as an animal feed. This review provides an overview of key sorghum grain components, including starches, dietary fiber, protein, lipids, and phytochemicals, with functional properties that have potential to impact on health. Though acknowledging the impact of the whole food will reflect the synergy between the components, studies of these components implicate effects on energy balance, glycemic control, lipids, gut microbiota, and cell-mediated immune responses, including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. For these to be confirmed as contributory effects from sorghum consumption, evidence from quality randomised controlled trials is required. If proven effective, there may be a role for sorghum grain–based diets to assist in the prevention of chronic diseases such as diabetes, obesity, and heart disease. Future research addressing effects of sorghum consumption may help drive a paradigm shift from sorghum as a low value food to a potentially health-promoting, highly valued human grain food.

    From Nigerian folk medicine, the medicinal sorghum, which had been in the custody of the people of the Southwest, had been developed to a product (Jobelyn) that had been researched to contain food and medicine.  Recent laboratory research from GMP Laboratories in the USA confirmed that it contained Vitamins, Selenium, Calcium, Potassium, Magnesium, Iron, Zinc, Phosphorus, Sodium, Copper, Omega3, 6 & 9 and other  fatty acids.

    For millennia, the indigenous people of western Africa have relied on this botanical to support whole health and a balanced inflammation cycle.

    A simple bunchgrass, Sorghum bicolour’s superior antioxidant capacity is revealed only through a traditional folk preparation of its leaf sheath.

    Modern science has been working hard in the past 15 years to isolate the plant’s antioxidant components in an effort to create a synthetic version. The results? It doesn’t work. The impressive ORAC rating, higher than grapeseed extract and well-known antioxidant berries and fruits, is seen only within the traditionally prepared African remedy using the sorghum leaf in its complete natural state.

    We call our Sorghum ingredient “Jobelyn” after the Jubi River where it originally grew wild. Now a domesticated plant, it is grown on our own organic plantation.

    3-Deoxyanthocyanidins are rare flavonoids found in only a few plant species. These unique flavonoids are the major pigments in the flowers of Sinningia cardinalis, and they are found in silk tissues of certain types of corn. Sorghum is the only dietary source of 3-deoxyanthocyanidins.

    Many plants use secondary metabolites, such as flavonoids, to protect themselves against pathogen attack. In sorghum, this defense is an active response resulting in the accumulation of high levels of 3-deoxyanthocyanidin phytoalexins in infected tissue. This defensive mechanism is the power that Jobelyn uses to strengthen the body and promote whole health.

  • Banana Peel: 2016 upcoming herbal medicine…(4)

    When I told Sunday Papa Danson last week that banana peel has caught my attention as a nutritional or food supplement, he screamed:

    “Are we now animals?” Papa is an always funny young man who makes light of anything, including the serious. Asking a young man like him to eat banana peel, so soon after introducing orange peel to his dining table (21 January 2016 column), isn’t a playful matter at all. “Aren’t we supposed to be higher animals?,” I asked him, as a way of playing back the joke like a table tennis, Ping-Pong game, but clear in my heart that we human beings aren’t higher animals. Charles Darwin made many people think so with his theory of evolution. Many people have interpreted or misinterpreted this theory to mean that from single-celled plants, complex life forms such as the human cell form emerged over millions of years after intricate adaptation to the environment.

    Today in some spiritual circles, it is even thought that the evolutionary process involves many earthly incarnations in which plants become animals and animals become human  beings. By this thinking, humans will one day become gods.

    In serious spiritual circles, however, it is known that each plant or animal specie as a creation idea, does not abandon its primordial family or specie and evolve into another creative idea in creation. Thus goat can never become dog nor can mosquitoe become lion. What actually happens is that each specie evolves to the highest point possible for it development and then becomes extinct on earth after this achievement or turns its cloak, covering or body to another specie of a higher origin which can further develop that body or covering to the ceiling of its own capacity. The dinosaur disappeared because there was no inheritor of its cloak. The human spirit, set for its sojourn on earth, inherited the body of the most developed animal at that time which was to vacate the earth.

    Thus, the human spirit from the spiritual world, a world far, far above the animistic world from which the souls of animals come, made that inherited body not only to be able to stand erect and walk on two feet instead of fours, but to also develop the vocal cord and speak, and the brain so that, today, it builds houses, even skyscrapers better than any animal can, makes and fly aeroplanes and made the computer among other things.

    But we cannot write off Charles Darwin. Our bodies are derived from the animal kingdom and has gone through an evolutionary process which has made our children look and think better than we do, as we also belooned beyond our parents, and they beyond theirs. Is Papa Danson listening? Primates eat banana and the peel. So do Asians, who cook or eat it raw. In Babanki Village in the Cameroun, the peel is roasted to fine powder in earthen wave pots and added to foods such as pap to treat peptic or duodenal ulcer. This is not surprising, given the wide range of nutritional factors found in banana peel.

    Foremost among this is potassium, which may help to resolve primary hypertension, that is elevated blood pressure which may develop when there is not enough of potassium in the bloodstream. Another important constituent of banana peel is tryptophan, a chemical substance which improves the level of Serotonin in the body especially in the brain. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that is a brain chemical. Insufficiency of it may cause insomnia or depression or most swings, irritability and agitation. Two banana skins eaten every day for three days is reported by researchers to increase Serotonin levels in the blood by about 16 percent.

    Owen Bond reports in www.lifestrong.com that “banana skin contains Lutein, a powerful antioxidant that protects the eyes from free radicals and harmful frequencies of UV radiation from the sun. Lutein has been proven to reduce the risk of cataracts and macular degeneration, as cited in BIOCHEMICAL, PHYSIOLOGICAL and MOLECULAR ASPECTS of HUMAN NUTRITION”

    Owen Bond adds that Asians parboil banana peel, juice it and add the puree to other juices, eat it raw or fry it.

    “In addition to eating banana peel,” he says, “they can be used to rub on your skin to stop inching, reduce inflammation, remove warts, smooth out wrinkles, get rid of stains, control psoriasis, and improves skin tone and texture.”

    Even in the United States, efforts are being made to sell banana peels a food form in the bid to cut food wastages says Samantha Oison 2035.

    One of the leaders of the efforts is the Educational Outreach and Environmental Advocacy Group Sustainable America. www.healthyliving.com says that this organisation “created an all-encompassing infographic to help banana lovers and newbies everywhere reap the many benefits and their peels have in store for us.”

    Their target is to cut the current 40 percent food wastage in America to 20 percent by 2035. For every one who would like to try banana peel, www.starcraze.com is a good guide it says: “The flesh of the banana is rich in many nutrients and carbohydrates. It is high in Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, magnesium and potassium. The sugar content is the highest when the banana peel turns black. Role the banana peel every day on your teeth for about a minute. This actually results in teeth whitening which can cause a lot of money otherwise.

     

    REMOVES WARTS

    The banana peel helps in removing warts and eliminate the occurrence of new ones for this, simply rub the peel on the affected area or tie the peel overnight on it this is one of the simplest ways to use banana peel on the skin.

    “EAT THEM

    Face, skin clear facial hair remover, permanent weight loss retreat. Reduce wrinkles. Hair loss solutions. Best acne scar treatment. Lose belly fat quickly.

    “CURES:

    PIMPLES. Just massage banana peels on your face and body for five minutes every day to cure pimples. The result should be visible within a week. Keep applying the skin until the acne disappears.

    “REDUCES WRINKLES.

    The banana peel helps to keep your skin hydrated. Add an egg yolk to marshed banana peel. Apply this mixture on your face for five minutes. Wash up after five minutes.

    “PAIN RELIEVER.

    Apply the banana skin on the painful area. Leave it for 30 minutes till the pain is gone. A mixture vegetable oil and banana peel also helps in pain relief.

    “HEALS PSORIASIS.

    Apply the peel on the psoriasis affected are. The banana peel has moisturising properties and also reduces itchiness. It will quickly heal psoriasis and you can see reasonable results within no time.

    “HEALS BITES BY BUGS.

    Apply the peel on the mosquitoes bite to get instant relief from itching and pain.

    “SHOE, LEATHER, SILVER POLISH

    Role the banana peel on shoes and silver articles to make them shine instantly.

    “UV PROTECTION.

    Banana peel helps in protecting the eyes from the harmful UV rays. Make sure you leave the peel under the sun before rubbing the banana peel on your eyes. It is also proven to reduce the risks of cataract!

    We learn a little more from www.businessinsider.com, which says: “People around the world are eating banana peels because they know something that Westerners do not. That’s right, we can eat banana peels. And not only are they edible, they are also good for you. If you live in the US, you are probably used to tossing banana peels in the trash. But people in other countries, including India, have been taking advantage of their nutritional benefits for decades. While banana flesh is soft and sweet, the skin is thick, fibrous, bitter. To eat the peel, you can either blend it into smoothies or fry, bake, or boil them for at least 10 minute. Heat brakes down the skins fiber and loosens up that tough texture, making the peel easier to chew and digest. Also, the riper you allow the banana to get, the thinner and sweeter the peel becomes. That’s because of a natural plant hormone called ethylene the fruits release as they ripen. Ethylene interacts with the sugars and fibre in the banana skin, changing complex sugars into simple sugars and breaking down pectin, a form of fibre in banana that keeps them stiff.” The sweet flesh of a medium sized banana contains significant percentages of your Daily Recommended Intake (DRI) of various nutrients such as:

    “ONE, 12 percent of your daily fibre, which helps with digestion and may help lower your risk of diabetes.

    “TWO, 17 percent OF YOUR Vitamin C, which is important for your immune system as well as growth and development.

    “THREE, 20percent of Vitamin B6 which aids the body’s ability to convert food into energy.

    “FOUR, 12 percent of your potassium, which helps in development of cells’, Tissues and organs throughout the body.

    “FIVE, eight percent of Magnesium, which is important for the body’s energy production and regulating glucose and blood pressure level”.

    Potassium is important for people who would like to avoid or combat abnormal growths such as uterine fibroids. Dr. Max Gerson of Germany resolved his terrible migraines with a potassium extract from fruits and vegetables, and went on to prescribe it for skin troubles such as tuberculosis of the skin, and then various cancers considered hopeless by his colleagues. He believed that tumours occur because the affected tissues or organs do not have enough potassium in them, leading to the infiltration of sodium. In this condition, the cell adapts itself from an oxidative (oxygen using) lifestyle to a fermentative one in which oxygen is not required.

    Papain, pawpaw seeds and pineapple peel

    Is Sunday Papa Danson still out there… and listening? Has he heard? Of papain tablets? Pawpaw seeds, like the leaves, sap of the unripe fruit and skin are medicinal. So is the peel of the pineapple. Both are rich in papain, a chemical substance which resembles Pepsin, an enzymes found in the stomach which helps us to digest proteins. Papain tablets, sold for the digestion of proteins and elimination of dangerous protein molecules foreign to the body, such as those of germs (typhoid e.t.c) are, made from pawpaw extracts from pawpaw (carica papaya) sources.

    Many people need Papain because their bodies no longer produce enough pepsin in the stomach or other protein-digesting enzymes in the Pancreases and intestine. Such people may not have enough hydrochloric acid in their stomachs to induce the production of pepsin. Such people are, therefore unlikely to be able to efficiently digest meat (beef) or even fish and milk. Such people may complain that they have heart burn when they eat beans or other protein-rich foods. Such people may end up with food overstaying in the stomach. And this may cause food to become rotten in the stomach. Germs visit rotten food and may cause such damage to stomach tissue we call peptic ulcer. In this case, delayed digestion in the stomach makes the stomach over acidic.

    Trying to heal such acidic stomach with acid-blocking antacid tablets or drinks may worsen the situation. In other cases, incomplete digestion of protein either in the stomach or intestine may cause protein slidges in the system which may cause allergies and related problems.

    To top it this week, let’s listen to Dr. Paul Haider’s 10 amazing health benefits of papaye seeds:

    “ONE: Liver Disease. Papaye seeds contain vital nutrients that help heal cirrhosis of the liver. Take five or six papaye seeds and grind them all or crush them and take them with juice, especially lime juice. Do this every day for 30 days. And some people have amazing results healing liver cirrhosis with papaye seeds.

    “TWO: Detoxin. Eating just a little small amount of papaye seeds can detox the liver. Eat a small amount every day.

    “THREE: Antibacterial. A small amount of papaye seeds also kill bacterial such as E.coli, Staphylococcus, Salmonella, and poisoning gases.

    “FOUR: Viral Infection. Papaye seeds also work as a good antiviral agent helping heal viral infection, papaye seeds have been used extensively in Costa Rica for dengin fever infections.

    “FIVE. Cancer. Papaye seeds contain agent that stop the growth of cancer cells and tumours. Papaye seeds contain Isothiocyanate which work well for colon, breath, lung, leukemia and prostate cancer.

    “SIX. Parasites. Papaye seeds contain an alkaloid. ‘Carpaine’ that kills intestinal worms and amoelia parasite. And papaye fruits help to break down protein and, this, make the Gastro Intestinal Tract a hostile place for parasites to live. Studies show that drinking papaye seed juice for seven days helped children in Nigeria get rid of parasites at the time.

    “SEVEN: Fertility. Research shows that eating papaye seeds can greatly reduce sperm production without affecting libido.  Taking a teaspoon of papaye seed daily for three months seem to work well. Studies with rats and monkeys showed no sperm production after taking papaye seed for 90 days without side effects. And when papaye seeds were removed from the diet, fertility came back to normal. And women in Asia used the sap of the papaye sap and the grape fruit to prevent pregnancy. And many people make a papaye seed and pulp smoothie with approximately a teaspoon of seeds in each smoothie which seems to work well for male fertility. Of course, there is no money in natural products so research has stopped. But that does not mean it is not effective.

    “EIGHT: Anti-inflammatory. Papaye seeds are anti-inflammatory, making them great for arthritis, joint diseases, swelling, pain, and redness.

    “NINE: Pepper substitute. Some people dry papaye seeds and grind them in their pepper grinder. They are peppery in flavour with a little bit of bitterness. But once you get used to the flavour, they are a nice substitute for pepper.

    “TEN: Kidney disease. At the University of Karachi, they found that papaye seeds can be used for treating kidney disease and preventing herbal failure, and works especially great for poisoning related kidney disease.”

    Sunday, Papa Danson, let’s call it a day.

  • Chlorella: 2016 upcoming herbal medicine… (3)

    CHLORELLA

    Shock to learn in this column last week that orange peel has medicinal powers to burn blood sugar,  check asthma, lower high blood cholesterol and cure inflammation, among several benefits, some readers of this column asked: what other local  food wastes have potent healing powers? I am all apologies that I cannot answer that question this week. For this series is meant to highlight herbal remedies in vogue in this country or elsewhere which have  made some inroads into Nigeria and may gather sufficient steam in a new year to become a mega trend in the herbal medicine chart. I can take a safe bet that, already, orange peel in one form or another adorns the medicine chart of such people as Mrs. Veronica Momoh and Dr. Isaac Idehen, both of Benin, engineer Osiki of Auchi, biochemist A.A.Iriferi of Warri, Mr. Tope Adebayo of Lagos, Mrs. Ronke Fashokun, Mrs. Folake Sanusi, Mrs. Caroneo, Mrs. Bukola Azeez, of all Lagos, and many more converts. In part answer to the question earlier mentioned, I would for now reply: let’s look forward to the medicinal benefits of banana peel. I hesitate today to mention plantain peel for many people confuse the herb plantain with the fruit plantain, an elder in the family to which banana also belongs. Even Mrs. Florence AkibomFusi, in whose native Babanki village, in Bermanga Region of the Cameroon where banana peel is a delicacy would make this mistake. Today, I’d rather talk about CHLORELLA, a blue-green algae which couldn’t have popped up in Nigeria at a better time than now, if we relate the upsurge of terrible diseases such as brain tumour to poisons in food, air, water and medicines, and we are looking for ways other than poisonous chemical drugs to get these poisons out of our bodies.

     

    Chlorus and Ella

    Thanks to the Greeks who gave almost everything known a name we can now trace it to, Chlorella comes from the two Greek words Chlorus and Ella. Chlorus means green, and Ella, small. Actually Chlorella is a single-celled blue-green algae which is believed to be the first plant form on earth with a well-defined nucleause. So small is chlorella that it wasn’t until the late 19th Century that scientists discovered it. Now, Chlorella is the most researched blue-green algae with immense benefits for animal and human health. And, some animal studies suggest, it may help to prevent or reverse about 40 major human health discomfitures. Originally, it was found native to Taiwan and Japan where it is consumed as food by about 100 million people apart from its several uses as medicine.

    Detoxification

    One of the advantages of Chlorella over many herbs is its powers to remove toxins from the body. Toxins are like plagues in the modern world. In the water we drink, Chlorine are poisonous to the germs in water we intend to kill, and are also poisons to our bodies eventually. As the well known halogens, for example, they block iodine absorbtion by the thyroid gland, infiltrate this glands and cause all sorts of thyroid gland problems which, in turn, are related to many degenerative diseases. Like the food we eat, drinking water also supplies our bodies with heavy metals which may include lead, mercury.

    According to www.nord.com: “Heavy metal poisoning is the accumulation of the heavy metals in toxic amounts in soft tissues of the body. Symptoms and physical finding associated with heavy metal poisoning vary according to the metal accumulated.

    Many of the heavy metals such as Zinc, Copper, Chromium, Iron and Manganese, are essential to body function in very small amounts. But, if these metals accumulate in the body in concentrations sufficient to cause poisoning, then serious damage may occur. The heavy metals often associated with poisoning of humans are lead, mercury, arsenic and cadmium. Heavy metal poisoning may occur as a result of industrial exposure, foods, medicines, improperly coated food containers or the ingestion of lead based paints… the symptoms of heavy metal poisoning vary according to which type of metal over-exposure is involved. Some specific examples are:

    (1) “Arsenic Poisoning: Arsenic is used in the manufacture of pesticides. The over-exposure may cause headaches, drowsiness, confusion, seizures,and life threatening complications.  Neurological symptoms include brain damages, (encephalopathy), nerve disease of the extremities (peripheral neuropathy) pericapillary hemorrhages within the white matter and loss or deficiency of the fatty coverage (myelin) around these nerve fibres (demyelination). Skin problems include transverse white bands on the singer nails (mees lines) and excessive accumulation of fluid in the soft layers of tissue below the skin (edema). Gastrointestinal symptoms include a flu-like illness (gastroenteritis) that is characterised by vomiting, abdominal pain, fever and diarrhea, which, in some cases, may be bloody. Other symptoms include breakdown of the hemoglobin of red blood cells (hemolysis), a low level of iron in the red blood cells (anaemia) and low blood pressure (hypotension). Some individual may experience a garlic like odour that may be detectable on the breath. “In cases of chronic poisoning, weakness, muscle aches, chills, and fever may develop.”

    If I may quickly say something, I would add that many Nigerians consume arsenic with food every day without realising they do. Now, we have all recognise the need to eat fruits and vegetables. But how many people realise these crops are sprayed with insecticides on the farms? I stopped eating cucumbers when I realised from a young woman named Lofty that she lost her cucumber farm in Imeko, Ogun State, because she stubbornly refused to have them sprayed with insecticide. She was trying her hands on organic farming which abhors insecticides and chemical fertilisers. Her farmer neighbours protected their farms with insecticides. The pest found a haven in Lofty’s farm. Poor girl!

    What of mosquito sprays. The mosquitoes seemed to sprout heavily in the searing of Nigerian heat of two weeks ago. Many people went for the mosquito spay. They believed that if they stepped out of the sprayed room for about two hours and the mosquitoes died, that was the end of the matter and they could return and enjoy a mosquitoes free night. That is true. But, do they realise that the molecules of the chemical sprays are non-degradable, that is, they are not destroyable. They settle on bed linen where they may be inhaled or absorbed through the skin during contact!

    The website www.nord.com warns us that: “Inorganic arsenic accumulates in the liver, spleen, kidneys, lungs and gastrointestinal tract. It then passes through these sites but leaves a residue in tissues such as skin, hair and nails. Symptoms of acute inorganic arsenic poisoning include severe burning of the mouth and throat, abnormal pain nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, low blood pressure (hypotension), and muscle spasms. Individual with severe inorganic arsenic poisoning may experience heart problems (cardiomyopathy), accumulation of acid in the tubes of the kidneys (renal tubular acidosis), breakdown of the hemoglobin of red blood cells (hemolysis), irregular heart rhythms (ventricular arrhythmias), coma, seizures, bleeding within the intestines (intestinal hemorrhage) and yellowing of the skin mucus membranes and whites of  the eyes (jaundice).”

    HENEVER I read of mercury build-up I pay serious attention because a dentist trick me about 20 years ago to fill three of my otherwise healthy teeth with mercuryamangal fillings. He said six of them would develop holes within three months. But here we are today, 20 years after, and those “worst” three I didn’t let him refill have not won off or developed holes. I have since then relied on chelated zinc to remove from my system any mercury from mercury vapours in my month. We are informed by the www.nordwebsite: “Symptoms of mercury poisoning includes fatigues depression, sluggishness (lethargy), irritability and headaches… coughing, breathlessness (dyspnea), tightness or burning pain in the chest and/or respiratory distress some affected individuals may experience abnormal build up of fluid in the lungs (pulmonary edema), pneumonia, and/or abnormal formation of fibrous tissue (fibrosis). There may be behavioral and neurological changes associated with over exposure to mercury poisoning, such as excitability and quick-tempered behavior, lack of concentration and loss of memory. Shock and permanent brain damage may also result from mercury poisoning.” There is no end to mercury exposure. People who have given up meat (beef) in the diet and turned to fish may end up consuming mercury every day. For the deep sea is poisoned by mercury waste dumping from industrial plants. Cadmium, another heavy metals, is present in underground water sources such as boreholes which many people drink without testing, believing the water is clear and clean. The symptoms of accumulation are similar to the ones already explained. Additions may be excess salivation and yellowing of the teeth, excessive excretion of protein in the urine and some minor changes in liver function and, perhaps, softening of some bones (osteomalacia).

     

    Chlorella

    There are far too many benefits that chlorella offers human health than this column can document. While sight will not be lost on some of them, this column will pay more attention to its prospects of ridding the body of toxins and heavy metals in particular.

    In www.naturalnews.com we learn: “A study on mice induced with the heavy metal Cadmium (found in chemtrial residues) should Chlorella vulgaris CV protected the mice from Cadmiums toxicity significantly and helped restore liver structure and function. Another study on mice using the CV. Powder-parachilorellabeyerinck, demonstrated that mice treated with CV had significantly less lead absorbtion in the kidneys and liver while showing more lead excreted in their faces than mice not fed the CV powder. This study produced stunning evidence of Chlorella’s unpulelicised anti-cancer property. This study involved hepatocarcinogenesis (liver becoming cancerous). With induced rats, Chlorella Vulgaris (CV) promoted apoptosis in the cancerous tumour cells. Apoptosis is programmed cell death which normal cells do naturally as they are being replaced by new cells. Cancer cells are not prone to this sacrificial programming. Cancer cells suicides have to be encouraged by metabolic interventions or they continue forming tumours.”

    n a three year Russian metal-detoxifying double blind placebo study, more than 350 people were given 20 natural compounds to remove four main metals from over-exposed people. These metals were Antimony, Arsenic, Lead and Cadmium. The study with Chlorella combined Cillatro. All heavy metals were eliminated without side effects. Detoxifying powers of Chlorella were first discovered in a milling industry where Chlorella was pumped in to collect residual metals after the completion of bulk milling.  Earlier studies on Chlorella were more interested in its nutrition potentials. It was a super food with all essential amino acids, about 20 minerals and vitamins, carotenoids, and the densest amount of ChlorophyII in the plant kingdom.  But its cell wall had to be broken or cracked to release the nutrients, in particular the proteins. While meat protein has to be broken down by pancreatic enzymes, Chlorella proteins do not require pancreatic enzymes to be digested. So pancreatic enzymes thus saved can be used to fight cancer cell, and this is one reason why in addition to giving cancer sufferers pancreatic enzymes supplements, they should be given Chlorella as a food supplement.

    In www.mercola.com, some other uses of Chlorella outside detoxification are explained. Says the website: “chlorella seems to fit the description of a wonder nutrient that serves far more than just one function. Here is a sampling of some of the health benefits associated  with this green algae… repairing nerve tissues, increasing your energy levels, enhancing  your immune system, normalizing your blood sugar , improving digestion, normalising your blood pressure, promoting healthy pH levels in your  gut which in turn helps good bacteria to thrive, removing potentially toxic metals from your body, enhancing your ability to focus and concentrate, eliminating lead breadth “ Chlorella can also be  of benefit to vegetarians and vegans looking for proteins and B vitamins from a non-animal source”, about 60 percent of it is protein, and because it contains all the essential amino acids your body needs, it is considered to be a complete protein. Chlorella is also rich in GABA, Follate, Vitamin B12 and iron. As mentioned earlier, chlorella has and still is being researched for a number of health condition. Here is a list of six common health problems and diseases where Chlorella may be of particular benefit:

    “Insulin resistance, detoxification, diabetes, hypertension, anaemia, protein uria and edema in pregnant women, fibromyalgia, liver cancer. We are also advised by www.mercola.com:

    “Heavy metal toxicity, just like chemical toxicity, has become one of the most pressing health hazards of our day, and this is where Chlorella may be profoundly useful. Its ability to bind to heavy metal toxins, allowing them to be safely excreted from your body, has been well established. It is particularly crucial for systemic mercury elimination, because the majority of mercury is rid through your stool. Once the mercury burden is lowered from your intestines, mercury from other body tissue will more readily migrate into your intestines where Chlorella will work to remove it. You can also add Cillantro which works as a synergetic detoxification aid along with the Chlorella. This combination is particularly useful to take when you are consuming sea food, as most are invariably contaminated with heavy metals and chemicals. Ideally, you will take it with the meal so that Chlorella can bind directly to the toxins while they are in your gut before they are absorbed into your body in other to optimize heavy metal detox, you’ll want to take at least four grammmes of Chlorella everyday, year round. Be aware that side effects may occur. As your body starts to detox, you may initially experience some slight nausea/or mild diarrhoe. If these symptoms are too bothersome, you may want to lower your dose initially and slowly increase the doses. As your body is cleansed of toxins, these side effects should disappear.”

    One hundred million Japanese users of Chlorella cannot be wrong. Where are Nigeria’s microbiologists to give us organic Nigerian cultivated Chlorella form exclusively Chlorella farms?

  • Kale: 2016 upcoming herbal medicine… (2)

    From her sick bed at Duro Soleye Hospital in Lagos more than one decade ago, Mrs. Semowo telephoned me to ask: Have you heard about Kale?

    “Yes, madam, I have,” I replied. “But it isn’t readily available here.”

    She wanted kale urgently. For she’d heard it was a wonderful herb which could help the condition for which she was in hospital. I didn’t know she was in hospital, having not heard from her in a long, long while. I met her through her husband in Iju Hills, near Lagos, in the 1970s and then at her shop at the Tafawa Balewa Square shopping Center, also in Lagos, when, in 1983, my wife and I went shopping for her wedding gown.Mrs. Semowo was motherly and warm, knew about herbs and, if my memory serves me right, helped Mrs. Elizabeth Kafaru for a while to bring herbs into Nigeria from Austria and the United Kingdom. In hospital, she had a sensing that she may soon be called away. But, like all of us, she didn’t stop fighting for her life, just in case she may still have a little time, or more time left, and didn’t wish to carelessly bow out. I do not think Kale was well known in Nigeria at that time. For even Mrs. Semowo thought it was a rapidly growing weed which, in South-west Nigeria, the Yoruba have nicknamed Ewe Akintola(Akintola’s leaf) or Ewe Awolowo(Awolowo leaf). Now we know kale is a member of the cruciferous vegetable family which includes cabbage, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower e.t.c. The interesting thing or good news today is that KALE has made an appearance in Nigeria and is one of the promising herbs for the 2016 neutriceutical market in Nigeria.

     

    King or queen?

    Many writers describe Kale as either the “King” or the “queen” of greens. Listen to Kris Gunnars, B.Sc in www.authoritynutrition.com: “of all the super healthy greens, Kale is the king. It is definitely one of the healthiest and most nutritious plant foods in existence.

    “Kale is loaded with all sorts of beneficial compounds… some of which have powerful medicinal properties.”

    I went in search of kale last year for it lutein and Zeazanthin, two great antioxidant which powerfully protect the lens of the eyes against Cataracts and the retina against oxidative stress and damage. About 20 years ago, I sold an eye defense food supplement called LUTEIN EYES. It improved day and night vision, and was good for my eyes for the stress my work as editor of a national newspaper subjected them to. One day, out of curiosity to confirm that I could read fine prints on the product label, I checked the nutritional facts and discovered that the product was extracted from Marigold flowers. Marigold flowers, I wondered. I was to discover that Marigold flowers was the commercial source of Lutein and Zeazanthin extracts for the health care industry. Since then, I have advocated that Nigeria agriculturalists encourage plantation cultivation of Marigold, which can be produced in capsules, fluid extracts, tinctures, bulk herbs or tea sachets like Lipton tea. There is no doubt that, added to food, this will help to improve the vision of many Nigerians who would then be able to consume Marigold as a part of the daily diet. I do not wish to digress into the many benefits of Marigold, either as a remedy against ulcer, promotion of menstrual health or even as an anti-cancer agents lest I digress from Kale. But I believe I can quickly say that, from my base in Lagos, I purchased fresh Marigold flowers from the farm of A. Air Vice Marshall Shekari (rtd) in Jos, dry it and take as tea or a spread on my rice or beans dish.

    If you cannot get Marigold, because it is expensive as it is used more in Nigeria for ornamental purposes, you can still obtain Lutein and Zeazanthin from deep green vegetables such as spinach. But do not overdo Spinach because, like pumpkin leaves (Ugu vegetable), it has a high content of oxalic acid. If you do not have enough Magnesium in your system, and this leads to a high amount of free calcium, the free calcium and the oxalic acid may crystalise into calcium oxalate salts which may course those familiar calcium oxalate kidney stones. Kale would, therefore, appear to be a better way of sourcing Lutein and Zeazanthin on a prolonged basis because it has less oxalic acid than Spinach.

     

    Kale nutrients

    Kris Gunnars advise that Kale is one of the herbs mostpacked with nutrients. He says: “A single cup of raw Kale (about 67 grammes or 2.4 ounces) contains Vitamin A: 206% of the RDA (Recommendation Daily Allowance)   (from beta carotene 2 / “Vitamin K: 684% of the RDA 3/ “Vitamin C: 134% of the RDA 4/ “Vitamin B6: .Nine percent of the RDA” 5/Manganese: 26% of the RDA 6/” Calcium: nine percent of the RDA 7/ “Copper: 10% of the RDA 8/ “Potassium: nine percent of the RDA 10/ “Magnesium: six percent of the RDA.

    “Then it contains three percent or more of the RDA for Vitamin B1 (Thiamine), Vitamin B2 (Riboflavine) Vitamin B3 (Niacin) Iron and Phosphorus.

    “This is coming with a total of 33 calories, six grammes of Carbs, (two of which are fiber) and three grammes of protein. Kale contains very little fat, but a large portion of the fat in it is the Omega 3 Fatty Acid Called Alpha Alph Linoleic Acid.Given the incredible low calori content, Kale is among the most nutrient dense food in existence.

    In the Antioxidant category, Kale is loaded with Quecetin, an anti-inflammatory, and Kaempferol, flavonoids and polyphenols. We know antioxidants protect the body against the oxidative damage of free radicals which promote aging and degenerative diseases. Quecetin and kaempferol appear in large quantum in Kales. They are believed to protect the heart and the circulatory system, fight viruses, reduce inflammation and pain, lower high blood pressure depression and fight even cancer.

    When it comes to Vitamin C, Kale is reported to be loaded four and a half times more than Spinach. Vitamin C is beneficial for a healthy immune system, well-being of the cells, and the formation of collagen. Many people look up to orange for their daily Vitamin C uptake. I, too, rely on the juice of two oranges into which I dissolve a quarter or half teaspoonful of Kale. I eat the fluid sack of the orange for bioflavonoids and eat the peel of the orange as well for all the benefits it offers (read last weeks column…14th January, 2016… on the health benefits of eating orange peel).

    Gunnar says that “as simple cup of raw kale actually contains more Vitamin C than in orange” what about cholesterol? Kale has a solution for high cholesterol levels, says Gunnars. Cholesterol isn’t a terrible bad thing as many people erroneously think. If we avoid it in the diet because we fear and hate it, the body will produce it because it needs it. All the cells of the body need it as a component of their cell walls. When they have taken what they need of it from the blood stream, they return the remainder to the liver which safely converts it to bile salts using minerals and Vitamins to achieve this. Where minerals and Vitamins are in short supply, cholesterol levels may, therefore, rise. Gannars says:

    “Kale may help lower cholesterol which may reduce the risk of heart disease. Cholesterol has many important functions in the body. One of them is being used to make bile acids, which are substances that help us digest fat. The liver turns cholesterol into bile acids, which are then released into the digestive system when we eat a fatty meal. When all the fat has been absorbed, and the bile acids have served their purpose, they are re-absorbed into the bloodstream and used again. Substances called bile acid sequestrates can bind bile acids in the digestive system and prevent them from being re-absorbed. This reduces the total amount of cholesterol in the body. Guess what… Kale actually contains Bile acid sequestrates which can lower cholesterol level. This should lead to reduced risk of heart diseases over time.”

    “One study found that daily consumption of juice for 12 weeks increased LDL (the good) cholesterol by 27% and lowered LDL levels by 10%, which also increases antioxidant status.” Steaming Kale is reported to dramatically increase its capacity to bind to bile acids. It is reported by Gunnars to be 43 percent as “potent as CHOLESTYRA MINE, a cholesterol-lowering drug that functions in this way.”

     

    Kale and Vision

    In the websitewww.sightmatters.com, we learn: “there are 20 carotenoids found in the human body, but only Lutein and Zeazanthin are found in the visual system. They are known to reduce disability from glare, enhance contrast and reduce photostress recovery times.”

    In www.co.langlight.com,we hear a similar story: Spinach and other dark, leafy greens are rich in two antioxidant stored in the macular… Lutein and Zeazanthin. The macular is a part of the retina that acts as a natural sun block, shielding the eye from damaging light. Lutein and Zeazanthin absorb blue light which is especially harmfull to the retina. This nutrient can also help the eye detect contract better, so eating foods rich in these antioxidants not only improves vision, but they help maintain your vision long-term. Since lutein and Zeazanthin are fat soluble, eating your greens with olive oil will help ensure that you absorb more of them.”

     

    General health

    There are no fewer than 17 reasons we should add Kale to the diet, according to www.bembu.com it says:

    “Brain food. The manganese in Kale helps your brain function at its best and that can help you focus on your daily tasks at work, as well as help you feel better in general. A healthy brain is responsible for how happy we fed, how active we are, and how well we are able to cope with the challenges life brings us. There are also amino acids in Kale that specifically help the brain give us a pick-up. That’s why you often feel lighter and brighter after a meal containing Kale, instead of being worn down and groggy like you can after eating other foods or drinking every drinks.

    “Protects against heart disease. After your brain, your heart is the most important organ.Anti-Cancer Benefits.  The phytonutrients in Kale help to battle free radical damage if you have cancer, you can use Kale as part of your plan to fight back and become cancer free again.”

    “Every-one thinks that beef is a rich source of iron, so let’s use that as a comparison. 100 grams of beef has 1.6mg of iron, while 100 grams of Kale has 1.5 mg. That’s why you will hear people say kale is the new beef since it does good job of contributing to your daily iron needs without the added calories and fat that come with beef.

    dd“High in Potassium Kale has a very respectable amount of Potassium, putting it on par with some of the biggest potassium wielding fruits and vegetables out there. Let’s start with the banana, which we all know is high in potassium at 358mg in a 100grm serving. The same serving of kale will net you 228mg. one better source than both is  Avocado, which gets you 485mg. the key takeaway here is that Kale boats a rather high level of potassium for being a vegetable, and is only outdone by Spinach and Swiss chard in the   leafy greens department.

    Helps you loose weight eating more Kale means you are getting full without adding much in the way of calories or fat. No matter which diet you are on, Kale should definitely be allowed, and is recommended as an aid for weight lose. It contains fiber to help kick your digestive system into gear and keep you regular. It also contains a bit of vegetable protein to help you with any strength training goals.

    Anti-inflammatory benefits kale is listed as an anti-inflammatory food, which means that it should help cure rampart inflammation in the body which can lead to certain diseases and conditions. Proponents of anti-inflammatory diet say that it can help you present things like heart disease as well as cancer.

    “There are many other benefit of Kale. It promotes heart and blood vessel health, has large amounts of Vitamin A and Vitamin C, has more calcium than milk, cleans upthe liver, is present in many detoxification formulas designed to rid the liver of toxins and supply it with nutrients for optimal performance.

    Now, I have a faint, if not clear sensing, of why someone on a sick bed who has heard of the amazing health-supporting work of Kale would wish to have it as an ally on the journey of recovery.

    Naturopathic physician Deirdre orceyre of the center for integrative Medicine of the Gerge WashingtonUniversity Medical Center says:

    “Any vegetable that has a very deep colour the way kale does that means there is a high concentration of nutrients, and that translates into a range of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects in the body.”

    He is quoted by Carolyn Butler in www.health.com. Says Carolyn Butler. “This wide array of vitamins, nutrients and minerals result is several documented, distinct health advantages. Brassica vegetables are known to help with general health as well as heart disease and cancer, but even among this group kale stands out.”… A new laboratory study also found that kale extracts inhibitsthe production of existing colon cancer cells. Orceyre highlights the fact that the green contains indole-3- carbinol, a nutrient that seems to play a role in how estrogen is metabolized in the body and may play a protective role against breast cancer. We sometimes use it as a supplement in patients with breast cancer. Any-one who has a reason to be concerned about developing breast cancer and for those with estrogen-dominant illness like fibroids, fibrocytic breast disease or endometriosis, to try to help modulate negative estrogenic effects in the body, taking kale is a natural way to do that.”

    Caution

    Like all herbs, Kale is not to be overdone. It has large amounts of vitamin K which promotes blood clotting. For this reason, it may be taken with blood thinners such as garlic, onion and cayenne. That’s why I’d rather add it to soups and stews. Besides vitamin K, there is some oxalate in Kale, though not as much as in Spinach, which, enlargedoses, has been linked to kidney stones and gall bladder stones. It has gostrogens which can suppress thyroid function in some people, although people with over-active thyroid glands (hyperthyroidism) will like this. Finally it may cause gas formation and bloating. But this may be overcome easily when kale is eaten with gas-absorbing foods.