HerbHealtH is all about attaining good health via natural & herbal ways. Today, people are well aware of the fact that Herbal alternatives are safe, gentle and work in harmony with the body system as compared to pharmaceutical medicines. The new mantra today is to go natural, as everything around us is too polluted with chemicals and synthetic stuff. The more we use things from Nature's bounty the better it is for our overall health. Let's go back to our roots, by opening up our Grandma's treasure chest box & use what Nature has given us in plenty.

Showing posts with label weight loss. Show all posts
Showing posts with label weight loss. Show all posts

Friday, January 15, 2016

Amazing Health Benefits of Guava (Amrood)


Guavas (Psidium guajava) are tropical fruits of Myrtaceae family, cultivated and enjoyed in many tropical and subtropical regions. Packed with a myriad of hard, tiny seeds at the centre, guavas have a distinct flavour and lovely aroma. These fruits are also known for their high-profile nutrients and multiple health benefits. It is consumed raw or in the form of jams and jellies. Guava is low in calories and fats but contains several vital vitamins, minerals, and antioxidant compounds that play a pivotal role in preventing and curing various health problems.
Health Benefits of Guava
Health Benefits of Guava (Amrood)
  • Guavas being one of the richest sources of vitamin C, provide the immune system a huge boost in antioxidants and protect against common infections and pathogens. This fruit is a very good source of vitamin A and flavonoids like beta-carotene, lycopene, lutein and cryptoxanthin. The compounds are known to have antioxidant properties and therefore essential for optimum health.
  • Guavas are a rich source of vitamin C and iron, which are known to prevent against cold and viral infections. The juice of the fruit or a decoction of guava leaves is helpful in relieving cough and cold since it helps to get rid of mucus and disinfects the respiratory tract, throat and lungs. (Note: one should avoid drinking water immediately after eating guava as it can lead to a sore throat).
  • Antioxidants are the major lines of defense against the proliferation of free radicals in the body, which are one of the main causes of serious conditions like cancer. Clinical studies have shown that the potent antioxidants present in guava tend to reduce the risk of prostate cancer, breast cancer and oral cancer by preventing the growth of metastatic cells. Guavas are also rich in lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that has been shown to be successful in reducing risk of prostate cancer. Lycopene has also shown to inhibit the growth of breast cancer cells, although further human trials need to be done.
  • Owing to its high fibre content and low glycemic content, guavas helps to regulate the absorption of sugar, which decreases the chances of major spikes and drops in insulin and glucose in the body. Studies have shown that consuming guava can help prevent the appearance of diabetes.
    Amazing Health Benefits of Guava
    Health Benefits of Guava (Amrood)
  • Guava is one of the richest sources of dietary fibre. Consuming one guava fulfils about 12% of our daily recommended intake of fibre, which makes it extremely beneficial for healthy bowel movement and overall digestive health.
  • Fresh guavas are a rich source of potassium, an important component of cell and body fluids that controls heart rate and hypertension. These fruits, being rich in fiber and hypoglycemic in nature, help reduce blood pressure. Further this also helps reduce cholesterol in the blood and prevents it from thickening, thereby maintaining the fluidity of blood. Guavas help lower the levels of triglycerides and bad cholesterol (LDL), which lead to the development of heart diseases.
  • Guavas are extremely good sources of vitamin A, known to prevent degradation of vision, slow down the appearance of cataracts, macular degeneration, and improve eyesight.
  • Owing to their anti-inflammatory action and antibacterial ability, guava leaves have been known to cure toothache, swollen gums and oral ulcers. Being a good source of vitamin C, consuming guavas also protect against scurvy.
  • The magnesium present in guavas is helpful in giving our body system a good energy boost and combat stress. Vitamin B3 (niacin) and B6 (pyridoxine) present in the fruit, help in improving blood circulation to the brain, stimulating cognitive function and relaxing the nerves.
  • Guava aids weight loss by regulating the body metabolism. Being high in fiber content, it satisfies the appetite easily. Guava also nourishes the body with its rich supply of vitamins, proteins and minerals, less of carbohydrates and no cholesterol!
    Benefits of Guava for Skin
  • The astringent property of the fruit is useful in maintaining a healthy glowing skin! Application of the fruit pulp as a face scrub or a face mask is believed to help cure skin discoloration, wrinkles, premature aging and acne irritation. Also, it helps tone up and tighten the facial muscles! Guavas being high in vitamin A, B, C and K, minerals and antioxidants like carotene and lycopene, are helpful in maintaining skin’s radiance and keep other dermal disorders at bay.


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Friday, September 11, 2015

5 HERBS THAT ARE EFFECTIVE FOR WEIGHT LOSS

It is actually tiring to go through the day and week, planning out the meals and the workout routine. Yet, even days after days you don’t seem to notice any visible form of change in your body. This condition probably can be due to your body’s rigid form of fat that needs some external stimulant to simply project it towards the process of weight loss. 
This might not sound as a very effective and well thought of plan but it is indeed true that there are actually some naturally available catalysts or we can even call them weight loss stimulants that directly affect the fatty portions of the body and helps promote healthier weight loss. To keep in mind here, we are talking about naturally available herbs and not the ones that have been added as ingredients in chemically produced medicines. 
Herbs found in nature have been used for centuries to fight diseases and look out for cures to injuries. There is a huge variety of herbs that have a number of benefits for the skin, hair, nail and body. For instance, one benefit of herbs includes use of soaked tea leaves to get rid of eye bags. There are numerous herbs associated with effective weight loss and we have worked up the best of 5 in this article for your successful and effective weight loss journey.

1.      GREEN TEA:
People have been having tea for as long as one can remember. Having tea is considered to be the favorite time pass of the English and there seems to be no doubts about it. Green Tea however, is the charm of the Asian capital China, which had been the greatest producer of green tea since forever and now the cultivation tradition is moved on to different parts of the world where the conditions are found to be favorable. Green Tea is actually the oxidized/dried form of Camellia sinensis.
Green Tea 
The most important compound being part of green tea that results in effective weight loss is the polyphenol EpigallocatechinGallate. These compounds actually stimulate an increased level of metabolism which in terms helps body to work out on the stiff fats that are stuck around.
Research has reported visible differences in weight loss and body activity levels in a sample of volunteers that had been consuming green tea for over a period of 3 months in-comparison to those who did not consume any.

2.      GREEN COCOA BEAN:
Women do not believe when they are introduced with the fact that chocolate indeed helps in weight loss. This sounds very much like a myth but truth is it isn’t a myth at all. Why is it difficult to believe is because the form of chocolate we describe that promotes weight loss is the original, dark and bitter form of chocolate that is completely different than what is commercially available after adding tons of sugar at the time of manufacturing. Many herbalists wouldn’t directly consider cocoa as an herb but it is very much cultivated in the same way as other herbal teas.
Green Cocoa Bean
The form of cocoa referring to weight loss is the original green cocoa bean or the powdered form that is completely empty of fats. The form that is involved in the making of chocolate bars comes from cocoa butter. There are a handful of healthy minerals and nutrients present in cocoa including, phosphorus, vitamin B, sodium, potassium, manganese, sulfur, caffeine, theobromine, and calcium. These nutrients are involved in increasing the levels of urination that results in an amount of weight reduction that might be caused due to water retention. The others help in suppressing hunger and appetite.

3.      DANDELION:
Dandelion actually appears as a form of weed plant in different gardens. It is basically a flowering plant that belongs to the family of Taraxacum. Dandelion is known to be an effective part of many teas and drinks that are known to stimulate healthy and fast digestion. Thus, dandelion is found to be an ingredient in different teas, parts of beer and wine. Just like cocoa, dandelion is also a rich source of a number of minerals and nutrients that directly affect the weight gaining activity of the body and combat unhealthy conversion of food into bad fats. Dandelion is also comprised of diuretic properties that increase the levels of urination, effectively resulting in loss of water weight.
Dandelion
The same herb is responsible for stimulating helpful digestive activities and also promotes a healthy appetite. The herb can be found in a number of different ways from dried leaves, to root tincture, dried roots or even leaf juice.

4.      GARCINIA CAMBOGIA:
This miracle herb helps in weight loss in a very different manner. The secret behind the effectiveness of this herb is its ability to enable the body to inhibit the conversion of carbohydrates to fats. The herb is planted in the tropical regions of Africa and Southeast Asia and is commonly known as Gambooge. The part of the fruit/herb that is basically used to promote weight loss is the rind of the fruit (skin). The fruit looks more like an undersized pumpkin in a different color. The way in which Gambooge enables inhibition of carbohydrate conversion is by controlling the workability of enzymes like citrate lyase. This prohibition occurs with the help of Hydroxycitric acid that is a phytochemical present inside Garcinia.
Garcinia cambogia
This lack of conversion of carbohydrates in to fats enables the liver to generate and produce glycogen which thus becomes the primary source of energy for the body, reducing the production of further fats. The herb is available in a number of different supplementary forms including capsules, powder and tablets.

5.      GINGER:
Many would argue over the fact of considering Ginger an herb but naturally ginger is found to be the rhizome (root shoot cluster) of the plant Zingiber officiale. Ginger is found as an active ingredient in many herbal teas and this is because of its effective properties that promote healthy metabolism. The herb is also capable of a wide range of medicinal properties that include being anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antipyretic, antibacterial, has sedative effects and also promotes gastrointestinal motility. Any herb with such a wide range of benefits is for sure to be one of the best.
(Ginger) Zingiber officiale
Works of ginger include increasing the levels of rapid digestion and suppressing hunger by increasing levels of fullness (due to its fibrous content). Research has found that ginger increases metabolism to levels as high as 20%. Ginger promotes feeling of fullness and this suppression of appetite results in a very controlled intake of calories that result in weight gain.

It should be noted that we have only generated the information regarding the herbs and do not share any remedies as to how the herb should be used. It is advised to consult an experienced herbalist before trying out any of the specified herbs to get rid of the notion of going through any naturally occurring side effect.

Catherynne Johns is the Senior Writer, an avid reader, fashion and make up enthusiast who simply lives to write and talk about all kinds of stuff. 


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