Spices

Power Of Spices in Day-To-Day Life

In the art of Cooking Spices are the magic ingredients without which the art of cooking is dull & flavorless.. Few of these Spices have their own Medicinal Values & healing power which prove helpful in day to day life.

Here are some common herbs right off your kitchen shelf which have their health uses and help in herbal healing.

This information is educative not prescriptive. Always consult your doctor before treatment.

Aniseed	Aniseed helps improve eyesight, is a good diuretic  and carminative for bottle-fed babies.Fennel is  antiseptic and stimulating to the circulation and  respiratory systems.It is eaten after meals to aid digestion and sweeten the breath.Decreases bloating .  Aniseed tea is prepared by boiling aniseed in water and  is considered beneficial in the treatment of insomnia.
Asafoetida	Asafoetida cures diseases of the digestive system,  it’s the best remedy for flatulence and found in  almost  all digestive powders.

Basil - Tulsi	Stimulates digestion and blood circulation. Lowers fever. Daily consumption on empty stomach keeps bad breath at bay. Crush and apply on insect bites for quick relief. Drinking water boiled with basil leaves helps in relieving sore throat.
Black Pepper	Used to treat sore throats and gastric problems.
Betel Leaf - Paan	An anti-flatulent, betel leaf juice can function as a diuretic when mixed with diluted milk and honey. Crushed betel leaves can be applied externally to relieve headaches.

Celery	Regular use of celery leaves prevents kidney stone formation. Celery juice mixed with a spoonful of honey induces sleep.
Coriander Leaves	A teaspoon of fresh coriander juice added to buttermilk is beneficial in t reating indigestion and nausea. It also has soothing, calming properties.  Coriander juice is highly beneficial in deficiencies of vitamin A, B1, B2, C and iron

Curry Leaves

Eating 10 leaves every morning for three months is said to prevent diabetes due to hereditary factors. A teaspoon of fresh curry leaf juice coupled with lime juice and sugar helps in morning sickness, nausea and vomitting due to indigestion and excessive consumption of fatty foods

Dill Leaves

Dill leaves promotes breast milk in lactating mothers. Eating cooked dill regularly aids digestion and prevents constipation.

Fenugreek Leaves		Being highly mucus-solvent and soothing it works as an excellent internal body cleanser. Fenugreek tea taken regularly prevents body odour and bad breath. Fenugreek greens are a remedy for coughs, asthma, and rheumatism.
Fenugreek Seeds		The seeds are also used to temper food, helps in cases of constipation and lumbago. Also known as Kasoori methi.

Lemon	Lemon is an excellent source of Vitamin C and is widely used for making cosmetics, doing away with skin blemishes etc. It’s a treatment for enlargement of the spleen, jaundice and other ailments.
Lemon Grass	For relief from painful menstruation have lemon grass tea with black pepper. This tea is also useful in treating fevers. Lemon grass paste mixed with buttermilk can be applied externally to effectively treat ringworm.

Marjoram

It helps in regulating menstruation if taken regularly. It is also known to promotes milk flow in nursing mothers.Marjoram oil an be applied externally in case of sprains and bruises.

Onion	Leave chopped onions, rock sugar and jeera (cumin seeds) in a bowl for a few hours, it will soon secrete a thick syrup. This syrup works wonders against colds and coughs. Consuming finely ground onion mixed with sugar twice daily brings relief to patients with bleeding piles within a few days.
Oregano	It relaxes muscles, known to promote menstruation. It is rich in flavnoids (which strengthen blood vessels, improve circulationand are anti-inflammatory). Keeps liver troubles away, it is said to clear stuffy head and soothe coughs and sore throats.

Parsley

Parsley is a great herb for cooking and is also a medicinal herb. It is a natural diuretic. It is also good for the liver and stomach. Parsley can be used by women to alleviate irregular menstral cycles and ease the bloating that occurs during the time of the month. Chewing parsley will help with bad breath from food odors such as garlic.

Poppy Seeds	Poppy seeds are used in many tonics for insomnia, itchy skin, gripping pain, colic etc. with lime. Means kasa kasa.

Tamarind	Diluted tamarind water mixed with a teaspoon of hot ghee and half a teaspoon of black pepper clears up stuffed nose. Tamarind pulp is digestive, antiflatulent and a cooling laxative.
Turmeric	20 drops of the raw turmeric juice taken with a pinch of salt first thing in the morning is an effective worm expeller. If anemia is your problem then have a teaspoon of raw turmeric juice mixed with honey in the morning. Turmeric paste mixed with lime and salt can be applied to sprains and swellings caused by sprains. Half a teaspoon of turmeric mixed with fresh warm milk is an effective remedy for cough and throat irritations. Turmeric powder when applied to boils speeds up the healing process.

Saffron	Saffron paste can be used as an effective dressing for bruises and sores. It helps in promoting and regulating menstruation.
Sandalwood	Sandalwood paste is a cooling dressing in inflammatory and eruptive skin diseases. It is a natural deodarant , it prevents excessive sweating when mixed with rose water.

coffee

Caffeine- Good or Bad?
Are you a member of your family consuming too much caffeine? Before you rule out the possibility on the grounds that no one in your family drinks more than two cups of coffee or tea a day, note that many popular foods, drinks and medications contain as much caffeine per average serving as an average cup of coffee.

Today, with heavy promotion of coffee and other caffeine containing products, many people are taking in caffeine indiscriminately.

What is caffeine?
Caffeine is a drug. It is a powerful stimulant with substantial addictive potential. It belongs to a class of chemical compounds called methyxanthines, which are found naturally over 63 different plant species. Its most common sources include coffee beans, tealeaves, cacao seeds (from which cocoa is made) and kola nuts (from which, the cola flavoring used in many soft drinks is derived). Caffeine is often used in small quantities in flavoring agents for pastries, frozen dairy desserts, gelatin puddings, and soft candies.

Caffeine- A double-edged sword
Caffeine has many effects on the human body, harmful effects outnumbering the beneficial.

Some beneficial effects of caffeine on the human body are:
- It increases alertness, helping us wake up or stay awake.
- It sharpens our mental edge.
- It elevates low moods.
- It helps boost the confidence and energy levels.
- It helps to relieve pain.
- It increases the effectiveness of certain medications.

All these effects are due to caffeine's stimulation of the central nervous system (which includes the brain) or the cardiac muscle (heart).

Caffeine Concern
Caffeine has several harmful effects that may go unrecognized:

- It stimulates the central nervous system.
- It stimulates excessive gastric acid secretion.
- Too much caffeine can make a person restless and irritable.
- It may speed up heart rate or alter cardiac rhythms in some people.
- It causes increased urination and therefore dehydration.
- Coffee prepared in Espresso, French press or boiled fashion may increase levels of   LDL, or low density lipoprotein- the "bad" cholesterol- which can lead to heart attack.
- Caffeine causes the body to excrete calcium more readily, and if one's calcium   intake is already less than required, as little as two cups of coffee a day may   increase the risk of osteoporosis.
- It elevates blood glucose (sugar) levels.
- Caffeine may also decrease a woman's fertility and increase the risk of miscarriage;   pregnant woman who consume more than 300 mg of it daily run a higher risk of   having an underweight baby.
- Too much caffeine can cause nocturnal enuresis (bed-wetting).
- Caffeine may be the cause of headaches.
- Caffeine may cause rectal pain or itching.

Despite so many unpleasant side effects, many of us still continue indiscriminate use of caffeine.
Some of the reasons are that caffeine is relatively inexpensive, socially acceptable, easily obtainable and heavily advertised.

How much is too much?
Each individual's threshold is different. Some individuals do not experience the effects of excess caffeine until they've had the equivalent of eight cups of coffee or more. But, in some sensitive people, even the barely measurable quantity used to flavor a candy is enough to trigger symptoms. The safest answer regarding intake of caffeinated or decaffeinated beverages is to limit oneself to one or two cups daily i.e. if you have any at all. Anyone who drinks more than two or three cups of caffeinated or decaffeinated beverages is taking unnecessary risks

Is decaf better?
The concern about decaffeinated coffee was about a possible link between cancer and the chemicals used to extract the caffeine from coffee and tea. But scientists have found no justification to support this. And for people who are still worried, water-processed decaffeinated beverages are available- which are more expensive and slightly less flavorful.

Since the decaffeination process removes 97 to 99 percent of the caffeine, a cup or two a day of decaffeinated brew will probably not cause harm to anyone.

Caffeine Withdrawal
If you are addicted to caffeine, and want to cut down, do it gradually. In some people, caffeine withdrawal can cause depression, sluggishness, headache, fatigue, irritability, anxiety or even nausea and vomiting. The withdrawal symptoms often persist for three days and may last as long as seven. Taking a multiple vitamin-mineral supplement and eating foods rich in vitamin C reduces the severity of caffeine-withdrawal symptoms.
It is advisable to always consult your doctor before embarking on a caffeine elimination diet. 


CAFFEINE CONTENT OF SOME COMMON BEVERAGES AND FOODS:

Source		Approximate caffeine content (mg)
Coffee	Espresso (60ml/2 oz)	120
	Espresso, decaf (60ml/ 2 oz)	10
	Regular, brewed (180ml/6 oz)	103
	Brewed, decaf (180 ml/2 oz)	2
	Instant (6 oz / 1 rounded tsp)	57
	Instant, decaf (6 oz / 1 rounded tsp)	2
Tea	Black (180 ml/ 6 oz)	53
	Oolong (180 ml/ 6 oz)	36
	Green (180 ml/ 6 oz)	32
	Iced tea, instant (360 ml / 12 oz)	46
Soft drinks
(diet or regular)	Coca-cola (360 ml / 12 oz)	45.6
	Pepsi (360 ml / 12 oz)	37
Chocolate	Baking chocolate (28 gms / 1 oz)	58
	Dark chocolate bar (41 gms / 1.45 oz)	31
	Milk Chocolate bar (44 gms / 1.55 oz)	11
	Chocolate flavored syrup (30 ml/ 1 oz)	4
	Hot cocoa (180 ml / 6 oz)	5

1 healthy habit by Babyfit.com

BabyFit's calendars will help you focus on one healthy habit each month. To download your monthly calendar, click on the link below. (You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to download these PDF documents.) 

January: 31 Days to Unbreakable Resolutions

February: 28 Days to a Healthier Heart

March: 31 Days to a Healthier Diet

April: 30 Days to a Greener Lifestyle

May: 31 Days to Stronger Bones

June: 30 Days to an Active Lifestyle

July: 31 Days to Less Stress

August: 31 Days to Better Sleep

September: 30 Days to More Fruits & Veggies

October: 31 Days to Healthier Kids

November: 30 Days to Greater Happiness

December: 31 Days to Healthier Holidays

This is an adopted content from the website babyfit.com which really catched my interest and benefits any reader. You can directly read this content from the website or by clicking on each month that opens in a seperate page.

Bilberry aka blueberry

Bilberry is a relative of the blueberry, and its fruit is commonly used to make pies and jams. Bilberry grows in North America, Europe, and northern Asia.

Common Names--European blueberry, whortleberry, huckleberry

Latin Names--Vaccinium myrtillus

What It Is Used For

• Bilberry has been used for nearly 1,000 years in traditional European medicine.
• Historically, bilberry fruit was used to treat diarrhea, scurvy, and other conditions.
• Today, the fruit is used to treat diarrhea, menstrual cramps, eye problems, varicose veins, venous insufficiency (poor blood flow to the heart), and other circulatory problems.
• Bilberry leaf is used for entirely different conditions, including diabetes.  

How It Is Used

The fruit of the bilberry plant can be eaten or made into extracts. Similarly, the leaves of the bilberry plant can be made into extracts or used to make teas.

What the Science Says

• Some claim that bilberry fruit improves night vision, but clinical studies have not shown this to be true.
• There is not enough scientific evidence to support the use of bilberry fruit or leaf for any other health conditions.

Side Effects and Cautions

• Bilberry fruit is considered safe. However, high doses of bilberry leaf or leaf extract are considered unsafe; animal studies have shown high doses to be toxic.

asian ginseng

Common Names--Asian ginseng, ginseng, Chinese ginseng, Korean ginseng, Asiatic ginseng.

Latin Name--Panax ginseng

What It Is Used For

Treatment claims for Asian ginseng are numerous and include the use of the herb to support overall health and boost the immune system. Traditional and modern uses of ginseng include:

• Improving the health of people recovering from illness
• Increasing a sense of well-being and stamina, and improving both mental and physical performance
• Treating erectile dysfunction, hepatitis C, and symptoms related to menopause
• Lowering blood glucose and controlling blood pressure

How It Is Used

The root of Asian ginseng contains active chemical components called ginsenosides (or panaxosides) that are thought to be responsible for the herb's medicinal properties. The root is dried and used to make tablets or capsules, extracts, and teas, as well as creams or other preparations for external use.

What the Science Says

• Some studies have shown that Asian ginseng may lower blood glucose. Other studies indicate possible beneficial effects on immune function.
• To date, research results on Asian ginseng are not conclusive enough to prove health claims associated with the herb. Only a handful of large clinical trials on Asian ginseng have been conducted. Most studies have been small or have had flaws in design and reporting. Some claims for health benefits have been based only on studies conducted in animals.
• NCCAM is supporting research studies to better understand the use of Asian ginseng. NCCAM is studying how Asian ginseng interacts with other herbs and drugs and exploring its potential to treat chronic lung infection, impaired glucose tolerance, and Alzheimer's disease. 

Side Effects and Cautions :

• When taken by mouth, ginseng is usually well tolerated. Some sources suggest that its use be limited to 3 months because of concerns about the development of side effects.
• The most common side effects are headaches and sleep and gastrointestinal problems.
• Ginseng can cause allergic reactions.
• There have been reports of breast tenderness, menstrual irregularities, and high blood pressure associated with ginseng products, but these products' components were not analyzed, so effects may have been due to another herb or drug in the product.
• Ginseng may lower levels of blood sugar; this effect may be seen more in people with diabetes. Therefore, people with diabetes should use extra caution with Asian ginseng, especially if they are using medicines to lower blood sugar or taking other herbs, such as bitter melon and fenugreek, that are also thought to lower blood sugar.
• It is important to inform your health care providers about any herb or dietary supplement you are using, including Asian ginseng. This helps to ensure safe and coordinated care.