Sunday, September 26, 2010

HEALTH BENEFITS OF LEMON

Health benefits of lemon include treatment of throat infections, indigestion, constipation, dental problems, fever, hair care, skin care, internal bleeding, rheumatism, burns, overweight, respiratory disorders, cholera and high blood pressure. Known for its therapeutic property since generations, lemon helps to strengthen your immunity system and cleanses your stomach. It is not only a blood purifier but also enables body to fight diseases. Lemon juice, especially, has several health benefits associated with it. Useful for treating kidney stones, curing heart strokes and reducing the body temperature, lemonade helps you to stay calm and cool.
Health benefits of lemon are due to many nourishing elements like vitamin C, vitamin B, phosphorous, proteins, and carbohydrates present in it. Lemon is a fruit that contains flavonoid, a composite that holds antioxidant and anti-cancer properties. It helps to prevent diabetes, constipation, high blood pressure, skin care, fever, hair care, dental care, indigestion and many other health problems. Studies conducted at the American Urological Association highlight the fact that lemonade or lemon juice can cure kidney stones by forming urinary citrate, which can prevent formation of crystals.
People use lemon to make lemonade by mixing lemon juice with water. Many people use lemon as a washing agent, as it can remove stains. Lemon can also repel mosquitoes.  Drinking of lemon juice with olive oil helps to get rid of gall stones. Lemon is well known for its medicinal control and is used in many different ways. As per the results reported in a study of Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, lemon provides human guard against inflammatory polyarthritis and arthritis.

Various health benefits of lemon can be described as under:
Indigestion and Constipation: Lemon juice helps to cure problems related to indigestion and consitpation. Add a few drops of lemon on your dish (take care lemon does not go well with milk), and it will aid in difestion. Lemon acts as a blood purifier and a cleansing agent. A good drink post lunch or dinner is fresh lemon soda (also called fresh lime soda in many places). The recipe is add lemon juice, some cold water, soda, salts (common salt or rock salt) and sugar/honey (if you want it sweet), and mix it in a glass. You can also add some mint leaves or crushed fennel seeds for added taste. Drink this whenever you have a heavy lunch/dinner.
Fever: Lemon juice can treat a person who is suffering from cold, flu or fever. It helps to break fever by increasing perspiration.
Dental Care: Lemon juice is used in dental care also. If fresh lemon juice is applied on the areas of toothache, it can assist in getting rid of the pain. The massages of lemon juice on gums can stop gum bleeding. It gives relief from bad smell and other problems related to gums. In addition, lemon can also be used in regular cleansing of your teeth. You can look for a toothpaste containing lemon as one of the ingredients, or add a drop of lemon juice on your toothpaste. Some people also rub their teeth with the outer shell (the inner side touching your teeth) of a lemon after removing the juice. Take care - if you mouth starts burning, quickly put some water in your mouth.
Hair Care: Lemon juice has proved itself in the treatment of hair care on a wide scale. Lemon juice if applied on the scalp can treat problems like dandruff, hair fall and other problems related to hair and scalp. Lemon juice if applied on the hair, gives a natural shine to hair.
Skin Care: Lemon juice, being a natural antiseptic medicine, can participate to cure problems related to skin. Lemon juice can be applied to stop sun burn also. It helps to get relieved from bee sting as well. Lemon juice can also be applied on the skin for acne and eczema problems. It acts as an anti ageing remedy and can remove wrinkles and blackheads. Drinking of lemon juice mixed with water and honey brings glow to the skin. If you search thoroughly in the market, you will find some soaps containing lemon juice also.
Burns: Lemon juice if applied on the areas of burns can fade the scars. As lemon is a cooling agent, it reduces the burning sensation on the skin.
Internal Bleeding: As lemon has antiseptic and styptics properties, it can stop internal bleeding. You can apply lemon juice on small cotton and place inside to nose to stop nose bleeding.
Rheumatism: Lemon is also a diuretic and can treat rheumatism and arthritis. It helps to flush out bacteria and toxins out of the body.
Weight Loss: If a person takes lemon juice mixed with lukewarm water and honey, it can reduce the body weight as well. Read more
Respiratory Disorders: Lemon juice assists in curing respiratory problems, along with breathing problems and revives a person suffering from asthma. Lemon, being a rich rich source of vitamin C, helps in dealing with respiratory disorders.
Cholera: The diseases like cholera or malaria can be treated with lemon juice, as it acts as a blood purifier.
Foot Relaxation: Lemon is an aromatic and antiseptic agent and is useful in foot relaxation. Add some lemon juice in warm water and dip the foot in the water to get foot relaxation.
Corn: Lemon juice can dissolve lumps on the skin. It can be applied at the places where the skin has been hardened up. Drinking of lemon juice with water can facilitate the patient to get rid of stones.
Throat Infections: Lemon is an excellent fruit that aids in fighting problems related to throat infections as it has an antibacterial property.
High Blood Pressure: Drinking lemon juice is helpful for people suffering with heart problems as it contains potassium. It controls high blood pressure, dizziness, nausea as provides relaxation to mind and body. It reduces mental stress and depression.
Lemon: Nature’s Boon
Lemon has proved to be nature’s boon to the entire mankind. It gives solution to many health related problems. It has its own set of antiseptic and natural medications. Make sure you eat atleast one-fourth or half lemon daily.

Saturday, September 18, 2010

HEALTH BENEFITS OF DRUMSTICK

The drumstick is a fairly common vegetable grown all over India and Pakistan. It is valued mainly for the tender pod. It is antibacterial and a wonderful cleanser. The drumstick tree is perennial, erect, slender, medium sized with many arching branches. It is mostly grown as a backyard tree in most of the South Indian homes. It has drumstick like fruits, small white flowers and small and round leaves which are cooked and eaten as vegetable.

Food Value of Drumstick

Nutritionally, drumstick pods and leaves are of great value as sources of acrotene, calcium, phosphorus and vitamin C. The leaves, flowers and fruits of drumstick which are used as vegetable have great nutritional value. The tender fruit is used in samber and most dishes in South Indian homes. The leaves and flowers are used to prepare curry and cake.
Natural Benefits and Curative Properties of Drumstick

Almost all parts of the drumstick tree have therapeutic value. The leaves are especially beneficial in the treatment of many ailments due to their various medicinal properties and their rich iron content. They are used as food also.
Tonic for Children :- The leaves serve as a tonic for infants and growing children. For better results, juice should be extracted from leaves, filtered and mixed with milk. This mixture becomes an excellent tonic for healthy and strong bones and for purifying bloodstream.
Pregnancy and Lactation :- Taking this tonic regularly by expectant mothers will provide them with necessary calcium, iron and vitamins. It will also help them overcome sluggishness of the uterus, facilitate easy delivery and reduce post delivery complications. A vegetable prepared from leaves increases breast milk after child birth. The vegetable is prepared by boiling the leaves with salt and water. The water is then drained off and they are smeared with ghee and eaten.
Respiratory Disorder :- A soup prepared from drumstick leaves is highly beneficial in the treatment of respiratory diseases like asthma, bronchitis and tuberculosis. This soup is prepared by adding a handful of leaves to 80 ml. of water and is allowed to boil for five minutes. It should then be allowed to cool. A little salt, pepper and lime juice may be added to this soup
Infections :- Drumstick soup made with leaves and flowers as well as boiled drumsticks are highly valuable in preventing infections of all kinds such as that of the throat, chest and skin. This is because drumstick has antibacterial properties very much like penicillin and other antibiotics.
Sexual Disorders :- A soup made with drumstick flowers boiled in milk is very useful as a sexual tonic in the treatment of sexual debility. It is also useful in functional sterility in both males and females. The powder of the dry bark is valuable in impotency, premature ejaculation and thinness of semen. About 120 gm. of the powder of the dry bark should be boiled in 600 ml. of water for about half an hour and 30 ml. of this. mixed with a table spoonful of honey, should be taken three times daily for a month to cure these conditions.
Digestive Disorders :- Drumstick is also valuable in digestive disorders. A teaspoonful of fresh leaf juice, mixed with honey and a glassful of tender coconut water, is given two or three times as a herbal medicine during the treatment of cholera, dysentery, diarrhea, colitis and jaundice.
Urinary Disorders :- A tablespoonful of coagulated fresh leaf juice, mixed with a glass of fresh juice of cucumber or carrot, is an effective medicine for scanty urination and constant burning in urethra due to high acidity of urine. A teaspoonful of the juice with 10 gm. of rock salt once daily, is used to cure excessive urination of non diabetics.
Beauty-Aid :- Fresh leaf juice applied with lime juice is useful in the treatment of pimples, black heads and keeps one's face fresh



Saturday, September 11, 2010

HEALTH BENEFITS OF PINEAPPLE

Pineapple is one of those foods that is heaven to eat. A good, juicy ripe pineapple can satisfy a sweet craving as well as any chocolate bar. In addition to being a delicious food, there are many health benefits of pineapple.
Pineapple is Loaded with Vitamins and Minerals
The obvious benefits of pineapple are all the vitamins and minerals the fruit is loaded with. Its nutrients include calcium, potassium, fiber, and vitamin C. In addition it is low in fat and cholesterol.
The benefits of pineapple can be achieved through eating fresh, canned, or frozen pineapple or by drinking its juice. 
Pineapple Strengthens Bones
One of the benefits of pineapple is that it helps to build healthy bones. Pineapples are rich in manganese, a trace mineral that is needed for your body to build bone and connective tissues. Just one cup of pineapple provides 73% of the daily recommended amount of manganese. The benefits of pineapple can effect the growth of bones in young people and the strengthening of bones in older people. 
Pineapple is Good for Colds and Coughs 
While many people often take extra vitamin C or drink extra orange juice when they have a cold, few consider eating pineapple. The benefits of pineapple when you have a cold or cough are the same as the benefits of orange juice, but there is an additional benefit of pineapple. Bromelain, which is found in pineapples, has been found to help suppress coughs and loosen mucus.