Malunggay - "A Miracle Palnt"

Health is wealth, a very popular saying which has widely influenced people in many aspect. People aspire to have a healthy and strong body - being able to fight against all kinds of harmful diseases. And the good news is that there is one plant that is able to help you achieve this goal and is definitely worth keeping - that is Malunggay (Moringa Oleifera). Malunggay is a popular plant and considered as a "Miracle Plant". Aside from giving wonders in your health, Malunggay is also a multi-purpose plant where you can reap all its health benefits in various forms, as well as using its leaves, pods, fruits, flowers, roots and bark of the tree . Malunggay plant grows in the tropical climates such as Philippines, India, and Africa.It is also referred to as Drumstick Tree by the Britishers. 

Malunggay, Nutrition and Herbal Medicine

Malunggay leaves - are widely used as a vegetable ingredient in many cookings, can be also be used in making vegetable salads.

Malunggay pods - is the most widely used part of this plant. It can be fried and may produce “Ben Oil”, clear, odorless and sweet aromatic oil which contains essential amino acids. It can also be eaten raw or may be prepared or cooked.

Malunggayflowers - are cooked and eaten either mixed with other foods or fried in batter.

Malunggay Health Benefits

·        Antibacterial; Anti Fungal - Malunggay or Moringa Oleifera leaves contain a compound "pterygospermin" that is known in medical science as having antimicrobial, antibacterial, anti fungal properties.

·        Malunggay -used to combat malnutrition, especially among infants and nursing mothers vitamins A, B and C, calcium, iron and protein

·        Anti Cancer- Malunggay or Moringa has known to have an anti-tumor capacity. Malunggay contains benzyl isothiocyanate. There are many studies that have shown that this chemical and compounds to have anti-cancer and chemoprotective capabilities. This chemoprotective helps strengthen cells so that they can tolerate chemotherapy. Malunggay is also considered int he treatment of prostate cancer and skin cancer. 

·        Anti-inflamatory: Malunggay is traditionally used to prevent and treat inflammations associated with rheumatism, arthritis and joint pains.

·        Reproductive health:  Malunggay or Moringa Oleifera is widely believed to have an aphrodisiac action that enhances the sexual activity. Its leaves are also widely used to increase the flow of milk for lactating mothers.

Malunggay Preparation 

As food – cooking ingredients for different kinds of viands

Washing sores and wounds - Boil Malunggay roots and let it cool to tolerable warm temperature and use it to wash wounds and sores, it may also be used to wash mouth sores and sore throats.

As poultice - Grounded Malunggay seeds, leaves and bark may be applied topically as poultice onto swollen flesh to relieve inflammation.

As oil – May also be taken internally as mixed with foods, it is known to be a powerful antioxidant even used by the early people from Egypt. Malunggay oil also known as Ben oil is widely used as oil base for perfumes and cosmetics. The oil is extracted from Malunggay seeds by pressing.

Tips for a Fresh, Clear and Beautiful Skin

Want a fresh, clear and beautiful skin? There are lots of facial products that promise to clear up your skin that cost a fortune and have no guarantee that they will work. So, you have to be practical. You can achieve a fresh, clear and beautiful skin without even losing a single coin from your pocket by trying some of this home remedies.

Tips for a Fresh, Clear and Beautiful Skin 

>Wash your face at least twice a day with pure soap and clean water. Hot water tends to opens pores in your skin, so wash with hot water. Cold water closes pores, so splash your face with cold water after washing to ensure that your pores are protected from the environment. This blood flow and is really good for the skin. If you wear makeup, make sure that it is hypoallergenic.
>Always remove your wake up before you go to sleep. Clogged pores are one of the main causes for skin imperfections. In addition, during the night time the skin repairs itself, so it needs all the oxygen it can get to do so. Sleeping with your make-up on denies your skin from oxygen, preventing it from self-repairing, thus causing a dull and dry looking skin.
>Keep your hair and hands off your face. Hair and hands contains oil and microscopic bacteria that can cause irritations to your skin and acne breakouts. Oil can make your skin feel greasy. 
>Maintain a balanced diet. Fruits and vegetables contain Vitamin A and E which is essential for skin care.
>Always drink 8 glasses of water. Water keeps your skin hydrated. Hydrated skin is a healthy skin. Water helps to detoxify our skin by ridding elements that can cause acne and other skin problems.
>Limit your time in the sun and use a good sunscreen. Over exposure to sun, or ultraviolet rays, not just cause acne but can damage your skin cells quickly. It can also cause skin cancer. Make sure you wash the sunscreen off when you come in from the sun to avoid getting clogged pores.
>Never ever squeeze pimples or pick it at any sores. This can cause to spread the acne and can leave scars in your face as well. Just leave them alone.
>Avoid stress as much as possible. Stress is bad for the skin.
>Change your pillow case more often. Pillow case may contains dust mites and some microscopic bacteria that irritates the skin
>Make a routine. Exfoliate once a week with normal skin, and twice a week for oily. This keeps the skin fresh and helps to reduce black heads
>Take a look at your makeup products, if any foundation, concealer or any other facial product looks or smells off get rid of it. If the makeup is old and expired it could be causing acne.
>Exfoliate your skin, you can make your own by mixing one table spoon of sugar, and one table spoon of olive oil, and rubbing it on your face.

Health Benefits of a Cucumber

Want to beat the scorching summer heat? Why not try this wonderful, crunchy vegetable that is incredibly rich in water content, Cucumber. Cucumbers are 95 % water. Because of its high water content, many health benefits of cucumber are physical, such as clear skin, reduction in eye swelling and sunburn relief. The water content in cucumbers is also responsible for helping rid your body of toxins that causes several diseases. And aside from its high water content and electrolytes, cucumber is known as one of the very low calories vegetable. It provides just 15 calories per 100 grams.

Knowing the Cucumber

The cucmber is one of the oldest cultivated crops and believed to be originating in the northern plains of India. The plant is a creeper (vine) just like other same cucurbita family members, for example gourds, squashes, zucchini, etc. Botanically, it belongs to the cucurbitaceous family; and is known scientifically as Cucumis Sativus. Cucumber is very easy to grow. There are different varieties, varying in shape, size and color, are cultivated all around the world. In general, cucumbers feature a dark green skin, crispy in moisture, and small edible seeds concentrated at its center. Fresh Cucumbers are mostly used in vegetable salads.

Health Benefits you can get from Cucumber

>Skin care - The high water content, vitamins A, B & C and the presence of certain minerals like magnesium, potassium, and silica make cucumbers an essential part of skin care. Facial masks containing cucumber juice can be used for skin tightening. Cucumber skin also can bring relief to the skin caused by sunburn or windburn.
>Fight cancers - Cucumber are known to contain lariciresinol, pinoresinol, and secoisolariciresinol – three lignans that have a strong history of research in connection with reduced risk of several cancer types, including breast cancer, prostate cancer, uterine cancer, and ovarian cancer.
>Control Blood Pressure - Cucumber juice contains a lot of potassium, magnesium and fiber that work effectively for regulating blood pressure.
>Beneficial for teeth and gums - Cucumber is a good source of dietary fiber and this fiber massage in the teeth and gums.
>Aid digestion - The high water content and dietary fiber in cucumber are very effective in driving away the toxins from the digestive system and hence aid digestion. Daily consumption of cucumbers can be regarded as a remedy for chronic constipation.
>Promotes Joint health - Cucumber is an excellent source of silica, which known to help promotes joint health by strengthening the connective tissues.

>Nail care - The high silica content of cucumber also helps to prevent splitting and spoiling of nails of the fingers and toes.
>Relieve gout and arthritis pain - Cucumber is rich in vitamins A, B1, B6, C & D, Folate, Calcium, Magnesium, and Potassium, when mixed with carrot juice, they can relieve gout and arthritis pain by lowering the uric acid levels.
>Stimulate hair growth - Cucumber contains silicon and sulphur and thus a regular intake of cucumber can help promote healthy hair growth. For best results, mix cucumber juice with the juices of carrot, lettuce or spinach.
>Acts as a diuretic - The water content of Cucumber acts as a diuretic. It encourages the elimination of waste products from the body through urination.

Spice Up your Cucumber

When possible, slice or chop cucumbers with the peel on to maximize health benefits.

Follow these helpful tips to soak up all cucumber nutrition facts:
  ^Slice tomatoes, cucumbers and shallots. Mix with red wine vinegar and 1 tbsp. olive oil. Toss and enjoy!
  ^Dice cucumbers and watermelon for a refreshing summer salad.
  ^Chop 1 cup cucumbers and add to low fat Greek yogurt and the juice of 1 lemon for raita sandwich topper.
  ^Add 1 cup cucumber to blender or juicer for cucumber juice. Add a splash of lime juice for additional flavor.
  ^Use cucumber sticks or rounds instead of potato chips for your favorite dip!

Adding a little cucumber to your diet can boost fat burning and give you plenty of health benefits. Knowing cucumber nutrition facts can help increase fat burning efforts.

"Get Some Sleep!" - Issues in Insomnia

 Finding it hard to sleep no matter how tired you are? Waking up in the middle of the night and lie awake for hours and anxiously watching the clock? Having trouble in getting back to sleep when awakened? Oh, you are probably experiencing Insomnia. Insomnia is a common sleep disorder where people have a difficulty in initiating or maintaining sleep, or both. As a result, they may get too little sleep or have poor quality of sleep. You may not feel refreshed when you wake up. Though insomnia is a most common sleep complaint, insomnia is not just a single sleep disorder. It’s more accurate to think of it as a symptom to another health problem. The problem in insomnia differs from person to person. Others are caused by extreme intake of caffeine. Others are caused by emotional issues such as stress, anxiety, depression, etc. Anyway, there are two types of Insomnia.
Transient Insomnia or Short-term Insomnia – It is very common and often brought by situations such as stress at work, school, family pressure or traumatic experience that lasts for days or weeks
Chronic Insomnia or Long-term Insomnia – This one lasts for a month or longer. Most cases of chronic insomnia are secondary, in which it is a symptom or side effect of some other problem. In contrast, primary insomnia isn’t due to medical problems, medicines, or other substances. It is its own distinct disorder and its caused isn’t well understood. , any life changes can trigger primary insomnia, including long-lasting stress and emotional upset. Some people experiencing this kind of insomnia for years, passing it off, as their normal “sleep pattern”.

Common Mental and Physical Causes of Insomnia

Psychological problems that can cause insomnia: anxiety, depression, chronic stress, bipolar disorder, depression, traumatic disorder.
Medications that can cause insomnia: anti-depressants, cold and flu medications that contains alcohol, pain relievers that contain caffeine, high blood pressure medications
Medical problems than can cause insomnia: asthma, allergies, Parkinson’s disease, hyperthyroidism, acid reflux, or chronic pain
Sleep disorders that can cause insomnia: sleep, apnea, restless legs syndrome

Insomnia Cures and Treatments
Changing habits that disrupt sleep - Like for example, you drink excessive amounts of coffee during the day, or maybe you’re using sleeping pills or alcohol to fall asleep. Oftentimes, changing the habits that are reinforcing sleeplessness is enough to overcome insomnia altogether. It may take few days for your body to get used to the change, but once you do, you will sleep better.
Take a Warm Bath - It’s a great way to relax your body but don’t overdo it. Too long in hot water will drain your vitality. Use bath salts or throw Epsom salt and baking soda – one cup of each. This will relax you and also help remove toxins from your body.
Stick to a regular sleep schedule - Support your biological clock by going to bed and getting up at the same time every day, including weekends. Get up at your usual time in the morning even if you’re tired. This will help you get back in a regular sleep rhythm.
Avoid naps - Napping during the day can make it more difficult to sleep at night. If you feel like you have to take a nap, limit it to 30 minutes before 3 p.m.
Avoid stimulating activity and stressful situations before bedtime - This includes vigorous exercise; big discussions or arguments; and TV, computer, or video game use.
Limit caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine - Stop drinking caffeinated beverages at least 8 hours before bed. Avoid drinking in the evening. While alcohol can make you feel sleepy, it interferes with the quality of your sleep. Quit smoking or avoid it at night, as nicotine is a stimulant.
Dietary Supplements for Insomnia
Melatonin - A naturally occurring hormone that your body produces at night. Melatonin is also available as an over-the-counter supplement.
Valerian - A herb with mild sedative effects that may help you sleep better. However, the quality of valerian supplements varies widely.
When to consider seeking for a Professional Insomnia Treatment

If you’ve tried the insomnia cures and treatments listed above, and are still having trouble getting the sleep you need, a doctor or sleep disorder specialist may be able to help.

>If your insomnia doesn’t respond to self-help strategies
>If your insomnia is causing major problems at home, work, or school
>If you’re experiencing scary symptoms like chest pain or shortness of breath
If your insomnia occurs almost every night and is getting worse

Quitting Junk Foods

Don’t Eat that Junk!

That tempting appeal of a bag of salty, crispy, and greasy snack chips whenever watching your favorite movie, doing your home works, surfing the net or simply brought by emotional stress is what you call craving for junk foods. But craving is simply not just “craving” for it. It is the same response of our brain which is similar as to what we call “addiction”. Well, junk foods are definitely bad for our health. Junk foods are loaded with flavor enhancing chemical like monosodium glutamate, high fructose corn syrup, and aspartame, all of which are known as highly addictive. Monosodium glutamate (MSG) over excites the brain to the extent that it causes neurological brain damage but of course because it taste good, people become addicted to it. Natural foods and spices do not trigger the same addictive effects in the brain as junk food chemicals do, because they have not been chemically processes to over stimulate our taste buds and brain. Other than that, it contains high levels of saturated fats which may cause obesity. I know quitting junk foods habit is really difficult but when the health effects of eating junk foods are fully understood, those hoping to acquire a healthy living are likely to get the motivation they need to succeed.

Harmful effects of eating Junk Foods

· It contains much of sugar which can make you prone to diabetes
· High levels of salt and saturated fats found in junk foods can cause
heart disease and blood pressure
· It can cause obesity or excessive gain weight for those who prefer junk foods and skipping important meals
· It contains preservatives and food coloring which contain carcinogenic substances that are harmful for your body system, specifically in your cardio-vascular system
· High level of oil and cholesterol resulting strains on the liver
· High levels of salt may increase the risks of kidney stone
· Poor concentration and lower the memory
· It can also depress our mind, resulting in the poor mental health and concentration which generally creates an unhappy outlook in our life.

To make it short, Junk foods do not contain any Vitamins or Minerals and does not have any health benefits. But the biggest irony regarding junk foods is the fact that it is mostly prepared out of healthy food. Nevertheless junk foods are popular because of their appeal to manufacturing industry and of course their taste. People prefer to eat them without even thinking the possible effects of junk foods in their body. Other may say eating junk foods occasionally is not a major threat to a healthy living, eating such food immoderately can quickly become a serious problem. We should always remember that it is important to have a healthy and balanced diet in order for us to keep going and be able to fight against harmful diseases. But how can you guard yourself from those diseases if you are constantly eating unhealthy foods such as Junk foods? Well, think again. Making a wiser eating choice is a lot easier.

Creepy Sinkholes

A hole that appears all of a sudden that could swallow anything on it? This usually happens in cartoons, anime and other fictional movies, sounds magical but very creepy in real life. Imagine a hole that will appear all of a sudden that could “eat” anything” on it. And yes it is possible, and is very common in some places. Sinkhole, sometimes called snake hole, swallow hole, or devil's hole, is a natural depression or hole in the Earth's surface caused by karst processes where the rock below the land surface is limestone, carbonate rocks, salt bed or rocks that can naturally dissolve by circulating ground waters through them. As the rocks dissolves, spaces and caverns are formed underground. If there is not enough support for the land above the spaces then a sudden collapse of the land surface can occur. These collapses can be small, or can be huge and can occur where a house or road is on top. Sinkholes can also be formed in retention ponds from large amounts of rain. It can also form in coral reefs and islands that collapse to enormous depths which are known as Blue Holes. Blue Holes become popular diving spots though nobody know its depth.

Sinkholes have some various names, like

Blue Holes - This name initially has been given to the deep underwater sinkholes of Bahamas but often is used for any deep water-filled pits formed in carbonate rocks. Name originates from the deep blue color of water in these sinkholes, which in turn is created by the high lucidity of water and the large depth of sinkholes – only the deep blue color of the visible spectrum can penetrate such depth and after reflection return back. The deepest known undersea sinkhole is Dean’s Blue Hole in Bahamas.

Tiankengs - These are extremely large sinkholes which are deeper and wider than 100 m, with mostly vertical walls, most often created by the collapse of underground caverns. This term is proposed by Chinese geologists as many of the largest sinkholes are located in China. The largest tiankeng is the 662 m deep Xiaozhai tiankeng, which is also the largest known sinkhole of the world.


Sotano - This name is given to several giant pits in several states of Mexico. The best known is the 372 m deep Sótano de las Golondrinas – Cave of Swallows


Cenotes - Characteristic water filled sinkholes in Yucatan, Peninsula and Belize and some other regions. Many cenotes have formed in limestone which deposited in shallow seas created by Chiczulub meteorite impact.

Black Holes - Group of unique round, water filled pits in Bahamas. These formations seem to be dissolved in carbonate mud from above, by the sea water. Dark color of water is caused by the layer of phototropic microorganisms concentrated in dense, purple colored layer in 15 – 20 meter depth – this layer "swallows" the light. Metabolism in the layer of microorganisms causes heating of water – the only known case in natural world where microorganisms create significant thermal effects. Most impressive is Black Hole of Andros.

Unusual things and place in an Upside-Down position

"What goes up, must come down", well literally it is possible. I will show some pictures that may look like edited but are 100 percent real.                                          
                                                               Upside-Down Tree 

By looking at this tree you will notice that something is not right, like the roots are in the air and not in the ground as they are supposed to be. This is a Baobab tree or sometimes called "upside-down" tree. These trees can get amazingly high up to 30 meters and have a very big trunk with a diameter of up to 11 meters, that means they are giant trees. Baobab trees grows in low-lying areas.

                                             
                                                                     Upside-Down House
An upside-down house? It looks really weird. But two Polish architects have spent eight months building a “house upside down”.And it has become a tourist spot in Austria.

                                             
                                                                     Upside-Down Map
Upside Down maps also known as Reversed maps, offer a completely different perspective of the world we live in.Perhaps your first impression of this reversed map is that it's wrong...Or you may immediately wonder why you haven't viewed this before...Or you may wonder what the reasoning is for North typically being at the top. After looking at the map more closely, you may realize that the South-Up orientation may change your perception of the relative status of different places. For example, South America suddenly looks to have more prominence, and Africa and the Middle East completely dwarf Europe. Likewise, tucking Northern Europe, Canada, and Russia away at the bottom of the map, subconsciously takes away their status.

                                           
Upside Down Wineglass
Handmade is definitely in while bland, boring centerpiece designs are definitely out. Well, this one is a creative way of making a centerpiece for different occasions with just using a wine glass.

                                             
Upside-Down Restaurant
Pan de Amerikana restaurant in Katipunan, Quezon City branch is a themed restaurant featuring an upside down full size Land Rover 4x4 defender 90 with working lights. As the first and Only upside-down in Southeast Asia, it aims to take part in the Department of Tourism mission of developing interesting spots for local and international recognition thereby attracting more investments and revenues thru Philippine tourism.


                                             
                                                                  Upside-Down Mountain
Bugarach, a 1,230 metres (4,040 ft) mountain peak and the highest summit in the Corbieres mountains . As you see in the photo, it does not look literally upside-down. The peak is also called the "upside down mountain" as the top layers of rock are older than the lower layers due to uplift of the Pyrenees.

                                 
                                                                  Upside-Down Mansion
The House of Katmandu is an upside-down Tibetan style mansion full of msysteries, magical illusions and best robotics ever seen. It a tourist spot in Mallorca where you have to buy a ticket in order to enter this treasure-filled world.

                                           
                                                                    Upside Down Statue
Well, balancing a statue in an upside-down position would be very difficult to picture out. But in Bundoora, you can see an upside down statue known as "Melbourne statue" of Charles La Trobe located at La Trobe University.The picture was taken when the 5m statue was installed oposite the new City Museum in Gordon Reserve as part of the Making Melbourne exhibition at the Old Treasury building.