Benefits of Potatoes – Staple food for many, Healthy for most.

In earlier posts, we have seen the benefits of onions and tomatoes. Now must see the other vegetable that is regular used, that is POTATOES and how they help for healthy living. Potatoes belong to Nightshade family like tomatoes and eggplants. And potatoes are considered a staple family vegetable. As most of you know, It is one of the root vegetables.

Potato flowers
Image by: ARS, USDA

Potatoes are a very popular food source. But unfortunately many people eat them in the forms of chips, French fries, baked potatoes etc. These types are loaded with fats and may be one of the reasons to contribute to heart attack. But without deep frying and without adding fat, potatoes are a high fiber food and with low calories that help significant protection against cardiovascular diseases and many others.

They are very good sources of Vitamin B6, Vitamin C with Potassium, Copper, Manganese, Phosphorous, Niacin, Pantothenic acid etc., Vitamin B6 helps our nervous system. B6 is necessary for creation of amines.

Potatoes also contain anti-oxidant properties. A study reveals that regular consumption of potatoes can lower high blood pressure. Another theory reveals that LECTINS contain in the potatoes inhibit cancer cells. One medium skin on potato provides 45 percent of our daily value of vitamin C and more potassium than a banana. This family favoured vegetable is just 110 calories.

Note: Lectins (contained in other nightshade plants, dairy etc) can cause problems for some. They should avoid the foods with high source of Lectin and also use fermentation, soaking etc, before cooking to get rid of Lectins in the vegetables before cooking

Boiled potatoes are naturally rich in vitamins and minerals like Potassium, Phosphorus with B complex Vitamins. Please note, potatoes are not inherently Fattening.

Colorful varieties of Potatoes
Image by Agricultural Research Service,
agency of USDA

There are more than 4000 varieties of potatoes with different in sizes (Check out the wikipedia link on Varieties of Potatoes) , in colours with different content of starch and flavour according to the cultivation.

Potatoes have natural starchy flavour, they serve as a good complement to many dishes in cooking and widely used by us. The skin of the potato is a concentrated source of dietary fiber. So to get the full benefit do not peel the skin fully. Just wash potatoes well and remove the unwanted bruises, deep eyes with the help of a knife and use it with the skin. Potatoes help to build a strong bones and muscles in our body.

So do not omit potatoes in your regular diet. Onions, Tomatoes and Potatoes are good combination is it not?

Your comments are welcome. Request you to give your comments regarding this post in the comments column and request to share the benefits with others.

Drumstick, Moringa tree and leaves – Simple, Pocket friendly and healthy Vegetable

In my previous post we discussed about health benefits of the natural energy drink coconut water.

Drumsticks in my tree

Now we will see the common usage stick like vegetable Drumstick. Many medicinal properties of the drumstick tree have long been known in India and other parts of the world. This tree grows very quickly and gives quick yields also. Here you can see drumsticks from the tree in my home. 

All parts of this tree are very useful and have long been used for medicinal purposes. Drumstick pods are used in curries, soups and in many Indian dishes.  

This vegetable and its leaves contain Protein, Calcium, Iron, Vitamins A, B and Vitamin C. These medicinal properties are present more in the leaves. Hence the leaves are used as wonderful tonic for kids, teenagers for building strong healthy bones and increasing body resistance.  

Easy recipe for soup:  Take a hand full of these leaves in half a cup of water, boil it for 5 minutes. Soup is ready. You can add a pinch of salt and pepper. You can also use flowers instead of leaves. This soup can be used to help treat Respiratory problems, Asthma, Wheezing, Bronchitis also even for Tuberculosis. This soup helps to ease any kind of Chest congestion, Sore throat, Cough.

Pregnant women should often use this plant in their diet as it helps ease any kind of pre and post-delivery complications.

Fresh Flowers in my tree

UTI can be treated by drinking this medicinal juice. Mix a table spoon of leaf juice with a glass of carrot or cucumber juice by adding a pinch of rock salt.

Here is another simple recipe for good energy. Boil a hand full of flowers in a cup of milk. Energy drink is ready to use. Can be used only once in a week.

Oil is extracted from the seeds of drumstick and the oil is called Ben oil. This kind of oil is used in salad, in cooking, in lubricating machines, in hair products etc.,

Other benefits: The root of this vegetable tree can be boiled in sufficient water and should be inhaled deeply to clear the nasal passage to get rid of mucus blocking. A paste of this root can be used to treat itching over the skin. Drumstick can help to treat digestive disorders, to reduce the pain and discomfort caused by stomach ulcers, mouth ulcers. And help to heal these ulcers faster.

Please do not cut the leaves with knife. Just wash them and drain the water.

Drumstick tree is called one of the power houses of minerals and one of the common trees in many countries. No doubt it is used in many dishes. But excessive consumption of this plant may harm to our health. It is better to have once or twice in a week. The amount consumption may be varied from person to person according to their body conditions.

The above mentioned benefits and usages are few. If you know anything more about this plant please mention here so that,  it may benefit all of us.  

Benefits of Radish - Di-uretic,helps Blood Pressure and other benefits.

Radish is also one of the root vegetables. Originally it was cultivated in Europe and china. Now it becomes a common vegetable being consumed around the world because this root vegetable is quick in growing and contains many health benefits.

Radishes are extremely low in calories and also fat free. 

Bunch of Radishes

A cup of radish slices contains only 19 calories. Even the leaves of this root vegetable can be used in cooking as well as in medicine. Radish contains fiber, vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, copper, calcium, manganese, and other B complex vitamins.

A Cup of thin sliced radish can be eaten raw or can be cooked. Before using it should be washed well and should be peeled.

Radish helps in purifying blood. It can be used to treat kidney and urinary problem. It is one among our grandma’s remedies.  This is a wonderful remedy to treat some Urinary problems and also it helps to cleanse kidney.

All of us know the varieties of this root vegetable are white and red in colours. There are red cells in RED RADISHES which help to cancer cells in our body it is proved by a study conducted by Jawaharlal Nehru technical university that these red cells contain the medicinal property called isothiocyanates and anthocyanin helps fight against cancer cells. The fiber content in the red radish is also very helpful in preventing cancer. Check out the link to the study papers. Check out the Chapter pdfs regarding Radish’s benefits.

Further this root vegetable contains many vitamins and minerals which help to maintain cardiovascular functions and also maintain lower cholesterol levels. The fibre content in this root vegetable helps to regulate blood pressure and blood sugar levels.

Radish can be a part any weight loss diet. The water and fibre content creates a full feeling, thereby helping in weight loss. Further it is in low calories. No Wonder it helps in fighting constipation problems because of high fibre content which helps to clear the food stuck in colon and also helps facilitate the secretion of bile.

It can be used to fight against cold and cough. The anti-congestive properties help in clearing the mucus formed in the throat. It also helps to keep the immune system in our body. In the cases of SINUS infection or asthma, these radishes are acting as natural de-congestants.

After knowing the number of health benefits of this root vegetable, I hope you may definitely add this vegetable in your daily dishes frequently.

What is A C V – Apple Cider Vinegar?

Apple Cider
Vinegar

We have seen many remedies for our health benefits in our posts. There is another remedy called APPLE CIDER VINEGAR. Some of you would have heard of this drink/tonic or even would have used this drink for home uses or for cooking. It is being observed that many people are turned to this A C V. Why? Because they know the health benefits of A C V.  What is this A C V and what are all its health benefits? Let us see in this post. Ok?

Benefits of this are plenty. This product A V C is also known as CIDER VINEGAR. This drink is a type of vinegar made from cider or apple must. The main ingredient in A V C is acetic acid. It also contains other acids like vitamins, minerals, salts and amino acids.

A C V will help to fight Heart problems, High cholesterol, Diabetes and is also said to help in fighting Cancer. Amino acids help to break down the protein blocks arising from the food we eat, so that amino acids are free to fuel different processes in the body. One hormone that is particularly important for weight loss is growth hormone. This hormone is instrumental in the breakdown of fat cells. The acid in the A CV helps to increase the availability of amino acids to create more growth hormones.

A C V is high in pectin. If you drink a glass of water with one or two teaspoons of A V C before your meals, the insoluble fibre will make you feel full and you will eat less food.

The acid contains in A V C helps to release iron from the food we take, so that iron can be used throughout our body. This process is very important because iron is a key component of haemoglobin and myoglobin. These two properties are responsible to carry oxygen to the cells throughout our body. Iron also gives the ability to burn calories in the body. This way ACV is very helpful in Weight loss.

Other health benefits are: A V C can be used to clear the stuffy nose. Mix a teaspoon of A C V in a glass of water and drink it fully. This will help to clear sinus blockage.

To treat sore throat, Just take ¼ cup of warm water and one spoon of A C V, mix well and gargle every one or two hrs.

The amino acid contained in the A C V acts as antidote and it contains potassium, and enzymes that may relieve the tired feeling. A table spoon of A C V with a glass of chilled veg soup will help to get relief from exhaustion.

By gargling with A C V mixed with water will help in removing stains and whiten the teeth and also help to kill the bacteria in the mouth. Don’t forget to brush as usual after gargle.

A study reveals vinegar slows the rise of blood sugar levels after consumption of meals and when taken at bedtime it helps to lower sugar levels.

Unfiltered & Natural
ACV

A C V is available in most of the departmental stores in India. Look for the import and expiry dates as many are imported.  The best one to buy is “Natural and unfiltered one” – Check out a sample from one company here.

Note: Be careful about the concentration. ACV is Acidic in Nature.  Do not take A C V as it is. Based on the concentration. It should always be diluted with water (2 spoons in one glass of water etc) before consuming otherwise it can harm the tooth enamel and cause throat trouble. Take two spoons of ACV in diluted water a day. Not more.

Wonder medicine Triphala - To help Diabetes, Blood pressure, Urinary problems etc.

Dear friends,

So far we have seen about many medicinal plants and herbs for treating Type II Diabetes, Heart problems, Blood Pressure and other diseases. Check out the posts to select the herbs or plants according to the condition of your illness. Even you can take one or two of these natural healthy products each day, it will be good for your overall health. Further, these natural products have very limited or no side effects.

One more natural medicine for treating Type II Diabetes is none other than TRIPHALA.  In one of my earlier posts regarding cure for constipation I have suggested about this Triphala and also mentioned that, we will discuss about the other medicinal benefits of this medicine in our later posts. (Just a note, here are my many posts regarding constipation)

Now let us see the other benefits of this Triphala. This medicine is available in tablets and in powder forms and available at Traditional Indian medical stores such as Ayurveda and Siddha etc.,

Three fruits of Triphala

The word TRI-PHALA means "Three Fruits". It is an Ayurvedic medicine consisting of equal parts of 3 fruits namely AMLA (Nellikkai), BAHERA (Thanikai) and HARADE (Kadukai). Names of these herbal fruits may differ from place to place. 

In the picture, you will find AMLA on the outermost circle, Bahera on the middle circle and Harade (Kadukkai) on the innermost circle.

These three fruits are having many medicinal properties that help to cure/prevent many illnesses.

These three herbal fruits in Triphala help for smooth functioning of bowel system and relieve constipation.

The other benefits are, it helps internal purification, improves Digestion, reduces Serum Cholesterol. This Indian medicine contains 31% of linoleic acid which reduces high blood sugar and improves liver function.  It is good for nutritional as well as blood and liver cleansing actions. It has got anti-inflammatory and anti-viral properties. Triphala can also be used for eye disease.

And also this medicine prevents urinary track disease. How? The urinary system in particular is supported by Amalaki (amla or nellikkai). This fruit is helpful in treating symptoms such as a mild burning sensation while urinating. And also acts as a mild diuretic, helping the body by eliminating excess water in natural way. This kind of action is very helpful in purifying the urine toxins.

The medicinal properties of HARITAKI (Harade or Kadukai) helps to enhance the absorption of nutrients in food and also acts as a cardio preventive by helping to promote heart health.

The other fruit contained triphala is BIBHITAKI (Thanikai).  It helps by creating balance and pure blood in nourishing the eyes and also strengthening the root of the hair.

I have given only few benefits of this wonder drug as an introduction. Here is the wikipedia link about Triphala.  

If you have any comments or if you have got benefits from this medicine, request you to please add your comments.

Garlic – Natural food related to Heart and blood systems

In our previous post, we saw the uses of “Insulin Plant” as natural remedy for diabetes. Now, we'll see about another useful plant that is regularly used as a flavour in cooking.

Garlic Plant is a close relative of onion and other bulbous plants. For many generations garlic is in use because of its medicinal value. Garlic has been used widely to prevent or help in the cure of many illnesses like Ulcers, Headaches, Cancers, Diabetes, High cholesterol, Blood pressure, Fatigue, Liver disorders, Bronchitis and more. It is even helpful in curing Snakebite. 

Some of these effectiveness have been confirmed by “NIH” – National Institutes of Health, U.S.A (mainly in case of BP, Hardening of Arteries, Prevention of Colon, Rectal and stomach cancers etc.). Check out the NIH Link here.

The main medicinal ingredient in garlic is ALLICIN which is an anti-biotic and antifungal compound. This is released when crushing garlic cloves and ALLICIN is what gives the famous garlic smell.

  

Garlic is a natural plant used widely in cooking as a flavour in various cuisines in Asia, Middle east, Southern Europe etc. It is also used as a medicine in ancient and modern to cure many diseases because of its medicinal properties.

Garlic is recommended for the prevention of some types of cancers like Rectal Cancer, Prostate cancer and colon cancer etc.  It is a good herb for prevention of cancer.

Garlic helps to boost up our metabolism rate, thereby helping to reduce over weight easily. It is sometimes called the miracle food in reducing weight. Also garlic lowers or helps to regulate blood sugar. Hence diabetic patients can also take this wonderful drug regularly.

Garlic is also referred in many places as a repellent and even as an antidote for insects and snake bites.  

In the case of earache, just crush one or two cloves of garlic and put two or three drops of oil in to the ears, it will give immediate relief.

For the best result use only Raw garlic because if cooked it will have very little medicinal effect. Use only 1 or 2 cloves of raw garlic a day. Taking more than 1 or 2 cloves daily is not advisable since it may harm to health.

In the cases of children, heart patients, diabetic patients have to consult your doctor before consuming this natural herb.

Next post will cover some more usages of this wonderful nature product.

Sunflower Seeds - Good seed/snack for Heart problems

Friends, so far we saw posts regarding Homeopathy and its types of medicines, potency etc. I also want to share you information regarding Nature foods, Natural and Healthy living.

Nature is God’s creation and natural products like Plants, Trees, Roots, Vegetables, Fruits, Seeds, Nuts, Water etc., help us lead a healthy life. Most of the nature’s products are identified as natural herbs because they contain medicinal properties of their own.

In this post, we will discuss about one such natural product SUNFLOWER SEEDS and how it can help us with its medicinal effects.

Sunflower seeds are an excellent source of vitamin E, which has a significant anti-inflammatory property. Vitamin E plays an important role in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases.  They help in managing diabetes since they are low in carbohydrate. 

Sunflower Seed

These seeds are very good source of magnesium, hence it will help to reduce severity of Asthma, BP and work well to prevent migraine headache. Sunflower seeds also helps to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke.

Since these seeds contain Selenium which will act to reduce the risk of cancer. The usage of this seeds will also help to control cell damages, thus playing a role in preventing cancer because of the Selenium content.  

Further it should be noted these seeds contain minerals like Calcium, Magnesium, Copper which help to make bones stronger. Since these seeds contain Vitamin E it will help to reduce arthritic pain also.

See this interesting information, if you take just a handful of sunflower seeds a day it will keep heart troubles away. Why? Because these seeds disallow cholesterol from sticking to the walls of arteries, by this way it helps to prevent heart attack.

Now you may understand the importance of this nature food and how it acts in our body with its medicinal properties.

I hope this information will be very useful to you. These seeds are available in most of the departmental stores and are not too costly also..  Don’t use roasted one, use only plain seeds. 

Hint: Although the closed seed is cheaper, I prefer buying the opened seed, otherwise it is a big bother breaking the seeds to get the kernel :).  

Try this to avoid heart problems. Give your comments and also share if you have any information with regards to this topic. It will be much appreciated and useful to all. Ok?

Calcarea Carbonica (Cali-car)

In our last post, we discussed Barberry, which can be used to cure a variety of symptoms ranging from Rheumatic pains, Fistula in ano to Urinary problems.

In this post, we'll see about Calcarea Carbonica that is also another useful medicine for a wide variety of common problems.

Calcarea Carbonica is one of the most commonly used medicines in homeopathy. It is made from the middle layer or inner lining of shells and is prepared by a process of grinding into a very fine powder to purify the same.

This is specially used for high Blood Pressure patients.

It will also be of a good help to people who get easily tired due to poor stamina with breathing trouble. It is to be noted that this breathing problem will worsen when walking up slopes or stairs and also when looking down.

It is very good medicine for old people for boosting their stamina. It is used for giving nutrition to bones.

In case of Mouth, the indications are Dryness of tongue during night, Bleeding on gums, Toothache and also Feeling of Burning sensation at the tip of the tongue.

In Head, the symptoms are Feeling sense of weight on top of head, Head ache with cold in hands and feet, Vertigo on ascending and or turning of head.

This Cali-car medicine is very useful to cure eczema.

In the case of Stomach, it is used to cure stomach ache occurring during fasting and after intake. Other symptoms occurring after eating like Nausea, Head ache, Palpitation and feeling of blood rushing to the head and feeling sleepiness.

In the case of urinary, it will be useful for the following problems. Burning sensation in the urethra during urination and Desire for frequent urination.

So this Calcarea carbonica can be used for energy booster and to cure high B.P. and also for strengthening of bones. Please note this one of the fine remedy for old people. 

Try this medicine first for a limited period of week or 10 days. Stop it if symptoms are cured, otherwise try again for limited period.  

Dosage: Can work well with 6^th to 200^th potency and Adult dosage is 4…..4…..4 and for children 2…2…2