Fitofarmaka - Si Obat Herbal Yang Kaya Manfaat

Fitofarmaka - Si Obat Herbal Yang Kaya Manfaat

Kompas, 29 Juni 2008

Sumber alam herbal yang sangat kaya sejak zaman nenek moyang kita sudah dimanfaatkan sebagai ramuan untuk mengatasi berbagai masalah kesehatan. Sayangnya apresiasi masyarakat terhadap obat herbal masih belum seperti yang diharapkan.

Menurut BPOM RI klasifikasi herbal dibedakan menjadi 3 tingkatan herbal, antara lain :

1, Jamu, aman dikonsumsi dan khasiatnya dikenal berdasarkan pengalaman empiris.

2. Herbal terstandar, aman dikonsumsi dengan bahan baku herbal yang telah terstandarisasi dan klaim khasiat sudah diuji secara pre-klinis terhadi hewan percobaan.

3, Fitofarmaka, sampai saat ini obat herbal yang satu ini adalah yang paling tinggi tingakatanya karena selain aman dikonsumsi, bahan baku herbalnya telah terstandariasi dan klaim khasiat sudah teruji secara klinis terhadap pasien,

Meniran (Phyllantus Nirruri ), merupakan tanaman herbal asli Indonesia. Hasil uji pre-klinis ( uji khasiat dan keamanan pada hewan percobaan ) sangat baik untuk memperkuat system imun ( daya tahan tubuh ).

Produk ini sangat dibutuhkan bagi pasien karena dapat mengurangi keparahan penyakit infeksi dan mempercepat penyembuhan serta mencegah terulangnya penyakit infeksi.

Penelitian tersebut pada saat ini dilakukan oleh DR Soeprapto, Maat, Apt ( doctor imunologi UNAIR dan juga seorang aphoteker sejak 1999. Penelitiannya kemudian dilanjutkan melalui berbagi uji klinis seperti terhadap penderita TB Paru, Herpes, Candidiasis. Berbagai uji klinis ini menjadi pembuktian bahwa ekstrak meniran yang kemudian diberi merk stimuno dapat memperkuat system imun tubuh. Baru pada tahun 2004 extrak ini memperoleh sertifikat fitofarmaka dari BPOM Ri. Dan stimuno mulai dikspor ke Kamboja, Vietnam dan Singapura sebagai obat resep dolkter.

Release Headache by Your Hands

Release Headache by Your Hands

By Ridwan

What has you did if your headache? You just sleep or take some medicine to release that pain? Sometimes I released headache by massaging with my own two hands before I eat a medicine.

If my headache feels heavy, I always try to release the pain by massaging my hands. Start it from the muscle between your thumbs and your index fingers. Massage this area until the muscle not too tight and / or the pain in your two hands disappears if you massage that area.

The next area that I massage and rub are muscle around the elbow area and then shoulder blade, shoulder and back neck. You can feel and reach that area by yourself. The area with a tight muscle and fell painful is an area you must massage and rubs. After you finish on that area, you can continue to do it with around of head, and forehead.

The Importance of Play

The Importance of Play
by: Judy Hansen

For children, play is naturally enjoyable. And since it is their active engagement in things that interest them, play should be child-led, or at least child-inspired, for it to remain relevant and meaningful to them. Children at play are happily lost in themselves; they are in their own realm of wonder, exploration, and adventure, pulling parents in at times with a frequent “Let’s play, mom!” as an open invitation into that world.

As early as infancy, children immerse themselves in play activities with the purpose of making sense of the world around them. Play gives children the opportunity to learn and experience things themselves, which is vital for their development. Although peek-a-boo games seem pointless to adults, tots are awed by the surprise that awaits them as they see the suddenly emerging faces of people they love.

(Stages of Play)

During toddlerhood, children experience a motor-growth spurt that equips them to solitarily fiddle with anything they can get their hands on – be it a construction toy or the box from where it came.

Toddlers also love breaking into song, wiggling and jiggling to tunes, and imitating finger plays they are commonly exposed to.

Preschoolers begin extending their play to involve others, whether they bring others in at any stage of their game or they plan their game and its players’ way ahead. Their physical and motor skills allow them to widen their lay arena, from dramatic play to table games to outdoor pursuits.

School-age children start appreciating organized play – such as innovated songs and rhymes, games with rules, relays and other physical activities, sports and projects that they can accomplish over a certain time frame.

Play Perks:

Why the big fuss about playing? Play benefits the child in ways that might be a tad difficult for adults to imagine.

1. Play brings pure and utter joy.

A toddler who jumps into an empty box and runs around the house ‘driving a car’ shows the sheer happiness that play brings him or her. When children are asked what they did in school and they answer ‘play,’ it is a clear sign that these kids remember a feeling of genuine joy that is captured in this four-letter word.

2. Play fosters socio-emotional learning.

What does a ten-month-old baby who shrieks at the sight of her stuffed toy have in common with a ten-year-old boy who plays basketball with his friends? They both deal with their confidence as they choose to embark on their play activities. At the same time, they are displaying their independence in the decisions that they make. These two children are also internalizing social rules in their respective play situations: the baby waits patiently for her stuffed toy to appear, while the school-age child has to contend with an impending loss in a ball game.

3. Play hones physical and motor development.

Play often involves the use of the senses, the body, and the extremities. When children play, they exercise their bodies for physical strength, fluidity of movement, balance and coordination.

Perceptual-motor ability, or the capacity to coordinate what you perceive with how you move, is an essential skill that preschoolers need to develop. A three-year-old who is engrossed in digging, scooping, and pouring sand into a container must match his or her perception of the space in front of him or her with actual hand movements, so that he or she can successfully fulfill the motor activity.

4. Play facilitates cognitive learning.

Play is vital to the intellectual development of a child. We live in a symbolic world in which people need to decode words, actions, and numbers.

For young children, symbols do not naturally mean anything because they are just arbitrary representations of actual objects. The role of play is for the child to understand better cognitive concepts in ways that are enjoyable, real, concrete, and meaningful to them. For instance, through play, a child is able to comprehend that the equation 3 + 2 = 5 means ‘putting together’ his toy cars by lining them up in his makeshift parking lot. When he combines 2 triangles to make a square during block play, or writes down his score is a bowling game, the child is displaying what he knows about shapes and numbers.

Through play, the child is constructing his or her worldview by constantly working and reworking his understanding of concepts.

5. Play enhances language development.

Toddlers who are still grappling with words need to be immersed in oral language so they can imitate what they hear. They benefit from songs and rhymes that provide the basis for understanding how language works.

When these tots are playing with toys, adults model to them how language is used to label objects or describe an event. At play, preschoolers use language to interact, communicate ideas, and likewise learn from dialogues with more mature members of society.

6. Play encourages creativity.

Barney the dinosaur was right about using imagination to make things happen. A lump of Play-Doh suddenly turns into spaghetti with meat sauce and cheese; a small towel transforms into a cape that completes a superhero’s wardrobe; and a tin can serves as a drum that accompanies an aspiring rock artist. Play opens an entire avenue for children to express themselves, show what they know and how they feel, and to create their own masterpieces.

7. Play provides bonding opportunities.

Play is an important factor in child development. It provides for interaction, experimentation, and moral development. Here are some ways by which parents can encourage and support their children’s playtime.

- Let your child be the player-leader. Let children initiate their activity, set their own theme, choose the parameters where the play will take place. Play becomes a venue for children to express their feelings and be in control.

- Help them help themselves. When your 5-year-old asks for help, say, figuring out how to piece a puzzle together, stop yourself from coming to her rescue and first ask your child questions that allow him or her to help himself or herself. Say, “Where do you think this piece should go?” Afterward, commend his or her success.

- Play attention. Once you make a commitment to play with your child, watch for the following signals: Does he or she want you to actively play a part in the activity? Does he or she need encouragement? Is he or she tired or hungry? Does he or she need to take a break?

- Have a play plan. If you seem to have little time for playing with your child, consider using self-care chores to have fun with him or her. Also, get support from other people in your household, like older siblings, household help, or the child’s grandparents, so that they understand why play is important and how they should continue to encourage it.

About The Author

Judy Hansen is a web administrator of http://www.child-central.com

She is also a mother of 2 girls and a preschool teacher with Child's Minder School House.

PREVENTING YOUR HEALTH

Preventing your health is much better than cure. You can do more things and happy when you are in good condition, but when you get sick sometimes you blame the other unless it caused by your neglected to unprotected your health – e.g. Irregular eat and less drinking water, consume junk food and other unhealthy food. Not enough rest and exercise, air pollutes, etc.

Here are several simple tips to prevent your health

• Avoid the pollutions area.

- Go sometimes to the village or an area that have clean and fresh air.

- Stop smoking / cigarettes

- Avoid using pesticides in your home to kill insects

- NO DRUGS!

• Consume health and natural food

- Vegetables and fruits better than meat, but it do not mean you cannot eat meat. Almost all foods: vegetables, fruits and meats pollute by synthetics chemical or chemical additions.

- Consume enough vitamins and mineral or supplement if it necessary. NO DRUGS!.

- Get enough vitamins, good balances of mineral and nutrition.

• Drink enough fresh and clean water

- Drink the warm water is better than cold water.

- Drink fresh and natural milk

- Avoid alcohol, chemical additive water

• Rest Enough and Exercises

- Rest or sleep, 8 hours per day optimally. Sleep quickly at night and wake up early in the morning.

- Exercise regularly once a week minimum

- Always keep clean your environment, keep clean your body, do not wasting time or arrest your biological needs to pees and keep control your health once a month.

Remember that your health is your responsibility.

Uji Coba dan Test Terhadap Metoda dan Produk Herbal

Uji Coba dan Test Terhadap Metoda dan Produk Herbal

Pemeliharaan kesehatan dan pengobatan pada era modern, seolah-olah terpaku pada obat-obatan modern, padahal berdasarkan penelitian WHO, pada dasarnya 25% pengobatan modern berasal dari pengobatan tradisional dan juga tanaman / tumbuhan yang awalnya dipergunakan secara tradisional oleh masyarakat.

Misalnya saja akupunktur yang terbukti efektif untuk penyembuhan beberapa penyakit, menyembuhkan sakit kepala pada ibu hamil, menyembuhkan efek kemoterapi (pusing dan muntah muntah ), sakit gigi, maag / gangguan pencernaan, insomnia dan beberapa penyakit lainnya.

Yoga, dapat mengurangi penderitaan astma sementara teknik Tai chi dapatmenolong para manula mengurangi rasa takut jatuh.

Beberapa ramuan herbal bahkan dapat menyembuhkan penyakit infeksi. Contohnya ramuan herbal cina Artemisia annua, yang ditemukan hamper 2000 tahun yang lalu terbukti sangat efektif menolong para penderita malaria dan jutaan orang tertolong setiap harinya karena ramuan tradisional ini, terutama anak-anak.

Di Afrika Selatan, Badan Penelitian Kesehatan meneliti keampuhan tanaman Sutherlandia Microphylla dalam penyembuhan pasien AIDS. Secara tradisional digunakan sebagai stimulant, taanaman ini meningkatkan energi, menambah nafsu makan dan meningkatkan berat badan para penderita HIV AIDS.

Traditional medicine

What is traditional medicine?

Traditional medicine refers to health practices, approaches, knowledge and beliefs incorporating plant, animal and mineral based medicines, spiritual therapies, manual techniques and exercises, applied singularly or in combination to treat, diagnose and prevent illnesses or maintain well-being.

Countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America use traditional medicine (TM) to help meet some of their primary health care needs. In Africa, up to 80% of the population uses traditional medicine for primary health care. In industralized countries, adaptations of traditional medicine are termed “Complementary“ or “Alternative” (CAM).

Increasing use and popularity

TM has maintained its popularity in all regions of the developing world and its use is rapidly spreading in industrialized countries.

• In China, traditional herbal preparations account for 30%-50% of the total medicinal consumption.
• In Ghana, Mali, Nigeria and Zambia, the first line of treatment for 60% of children with high fever resulting from malaria is the use of herbal medicines at home.
• WHO estimates that in several African countries traditional birth attendants assist in the majority of births.
• In Europe, North America and other industrialized regions, over 50% of the population have used complementary or alternative medicine at least once.
• In San Francisco, London and South Africa, 75% of people living with HIV/AIDS use TM/CAM.
• 70% of the population in Canada have used complementary medicine at least once.
• In Germany, 90% of the population have used a natural remedy at some point in their life. Between 1995 and 2000, the number of doctors who had undergone special training in natural remedy medicine had almost doubled to 10 800.
• In the United States, 158 million of the adult population use complementary medicines and according to the USA Commission for Alternative and Complementary medicines, US $17 billion was spent on traditional remedies in 2000.
• In the United Kingdom, annual expenditure on alternative medicine is US$ 230 million.
• The global market for herbal medicines currently stands at over US $ 60 billion annually and is growing steadily.

Traditional medicine

What is traditional medicine?

Traditional medicine refers to health practices, approaches, knowledge and beliefs incorporating plant, animal and mineral based medicines, spiritual therapies, manual techniques and exercises, applied singularly or in combination to treat, diagnose and prevent illnesses or maintain well-being.

Countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America use traditional medicine (TM) to help meet some of their primary health care needs. In Africa, up to 80% of the population uses traditional medicine for primary health care. In industralized countries, adaptations of traditional medicine are termed “Complementary“ or “Alternative” (CAM).

Increasing use and popularity

TM has maintained its popularity in all regions of the developing world and its use is rapidly spreading in industrialized countries.

• In China, traditional herbal preparations account for 30%-50% of the total medicinal consumption.
• In Ghana, Mali, Nigeria and Zambia, the first line of treatment for 60% of children with high fever resulting from malaria is the use of herbal medicines at home.
• WHO estimates that in several African countries traditional birth attendants assist in the majority of births.
• In Europe, North America and other industrialized regions, over 50% of the population have used complementary or alternative medicine at least once.
• In San Francisco, London and South Africa, 75% of people living with HIV/AIDS use TM/CAM.
• 70% of the population in Canada have used complementary medicine at least once.
• In Germany, 90% of the population have used a natural remedy at some point in their life. Between 1995 and 2000, the number of doctors who had undergone special training in natural remedy medicine had almost doubled to 10 800.
• In the United States, 158 million of the adult population use complementary medicines and according to the USA Commission for Alternative and Complementary medicines, US $17 billion was spent on traditional remedies in 2000.
• In the United Kingdom, annual expenditure on alternative medicine is US$ 230 million.
• The global market for herbal medicines currently stands at over US $ 60 billion annually and is growing steadily.

Safety and efficacy issues

Scientific evidence from randomized clinical trials is only strong for many uses of acupuncture, some herbal medicines and for some of the manual therapies. Further research is needed to ascertain the efficacy and safety of several other practices and medicinal plants.

Unregulated or inappropriate use of traditional medicines and practices can have negative or dangerous effects.

For instance, the herb “Ma Huang” (Ephedra) is traditionally used in China to treat respiratory congestion. In the United States, the herb was marketed as a dietary aid, whose over dosage led to at least a dozen deaths, heart attacks and strokes.

In Belgium, at least 70 people required renal transplant or dialysis for interstitial fibrosis of the kidney after taking a herbal preparation made from the wrong species of plant as slimming treatment.

Biodiversity and sustainability

In addition to patient safety issues, there is the risk that a growing herbal market and its great commercial benefit might pose a threat to biodiversity through the over harvesting of the raw material for herbal medicines and other natural health care products. These practices, if not controlled, may lead to the extinction of endangered species and the destruction of natural habitats and resources.

Another related issue is that at present, the requirements for protection provided under international standards for patent law and by most national conventional patent laws are inadequate to protect traditional knowledge and biodiversity.

Tried and tested methods and products

• 25% of modern medicines are made from plants first used traditionally.
• Acupuncture has been proven effective in relieving postoperative pain, nausea during pregnancy, nausea and vomiting resulting from chemotherapy, and dental pain with extremely low side effects. It can also alleviate anxiety, panic disorders and insomnia.
• Yoga can reduce asthma attacks while Tai Ji techniques can help the elderly reduce their fear of falls.
• TM can also have impact on infectious diseases. For example, the Chinese herbal remedy Artemisia annua, used in China for almost 2000 years has been found to be effective against resistant malaria and could create a breakthrough in preventing almost one million deaths annually, most of them children, from severe malaria.
• In South Africa, the Medical Research Council is conducting studies on the efficacy of the plant Sutherlandia Microphylla in treating AIDS patients. Traditionally used as a tonic, this plant may increase energy, appetite and body mass in people living with HIV.

WHO efforts in promoting safe, effective and affordable traditional medicine

The World Health Organization launched its first ever comprehensive traditional medicine strategy in 2002. The strategy is designed to assist countries to:

• Develop national policies on the evaluation and regulation of TM/CAM practices;
• Create a stronger evidence base on the safety, efficacy and quality of the TAM/CAM products and practices;
• Ensure availability and affordability of TM/CAM including essential herbal medicines;
• Promote therapeutically sound use of TM/CAM by providers and consumers;
• Document traditional medicines and remedies.

At present, WHO is supporting clinical studies on antimalarials in three African countries; the studies are revealing good potential for herbal antimalarials.

Other collaboration is taking place with Burkina Faso, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Mali, Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, and Zimbabwe in the research and evaluation of herbal treatments for HIV/ AIDS, malaria, sickle cell anaemia and Diabetes Mellitus.

In Tanzania, WHO, in collaboration with China, is providing technical support to the government for the production of antimalarials derived from the Chinese herb Artemisia annua. Local production of the medicine will bring the price of one dose down from US $6 or $7 to a more affordable $2.

In 2003, WHO support has so far facilitated the development and introduction of traditional and alternative health care curricula in seven tertiary education institutions in the Philippines.

Training workshops on the use of traditional medicines for selected diseases and disorders have also been organized in China, Mongolia and Vietnam.

Priorities for promoting the use of traditional medicines

Over one-third of the population in developing countries lack access to essential medicines. The provision of safe and effective TM/CAM therapies could become a critical tool to increase access to health care.

While China, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the Republic of Korea and Vietnam have fully integrated traditional medicine into their health care systems, many countries are yet to collect and integrate standardized evidence on this type of health care.

70 countries have a national regulation on herbal medicines but the legislative control of medicinal plants has not evolved around a structured model. This is because medicinal products or herbs are defined differently in different countries and diverse approaches have been adopted with regard to licensing, dispensing, manufacturing and trading.

The limited scientific evidence about TM/CAM’s safety and efficacy as well as other considerations make it important for governments to:

• Formulate national policy and regulation for the proper use of TM/CAM and its integration into national health care systems in line with the provisions of the WHO strategies on Traditional Medicines;
• Establish regulatory mechanisms to control the safety and quality of products and of TM/CAM practice;
• Create awareness about safe and effective TM/CAM therapies among the public and consumers;
• Cultivate and conserve medicinal plants to ensure their sustainable use.

For more information contact:

Ms Daniela Bagozzi
Telephone: +41 22 791 4544
Mobile phone: +41 79 475 5490
E-mail: bagozzid@who.int

WHO Media centre
Telephone: +41 22 791 2222
E-mail: mediainquiries@who.int

TRADITIONAL HERBAL REMEDY OF INDONESIA - JAMU

By Ridwan

Jamu, “the ancestor heritage” a traditional herbal remedy of Indonesia, trusted by the peoples of Indonesia as a traditional remedy with a helpful ability. This herbal remedy had been used since centuries ago until this time.

Preventing the traditional herbal remedy that called Jamu for the several centuries, not a slogan only. It proved by believing of Indonesian peoples to this traditional product. it is consumed by people from the various economic and educational levels, children or teenagers, man and woman, old man or young, in the villages and even in the big cities. Jamu, is the same as other traditional herbal remedy from other country, it use the various types of 'medical plants', either from the leaves, the fruits, the roots, the flowers or the barks, etc. Those pieces of materials with an according dose then it boil in the water. Let it cold and ready to serve.

Jamu in Indonesia usually sale in package / sachet, bottle package or even direct sales by person to person (it called jamu gendong). Some are consumed by drinking it and some are for outside application by rub it to the sickness/wound area.

There are various kinds of jamu to combat different kind of illness. there are two types of jamu; the first is jamu to maintain physical fitness and health, to keep slim body for woman or to keep body healhy for man. There are jamu for restoring virginity . to keep a man have a strong sexual ability, to cure cold, etc.

Are you interest with this traditional herbal remedy of Indonesia that called Jamu?.

The Dummies and Tips to Quit Smoking

By Ridwan

Are you a heavy smoker? How many packs of cigarettes that you smoke in a day?, two or three packs or even more than five packs of cigarettes?

What time you tend to smoke?, do you tend to smoke when feeling stressed? When you are out at night with friends? When you are drinking coffee or tea? When you are bored? While you are driving?, While you are alone or feel lonely? While relaxes? Or every time of your time you tend to smoke.

In fact is harder for someone to quit bad habits of smoking. You have to do your best way to quit this habit but still you do not succeed. The result is you had decreased this habit but several days ahead you start to smoke again.

Do you really want to quit smoking?

Here are the tips to quit smoking.

1. Always remember that sooner you stop smoking the quicker your body will begin to heal and you can experience the benefits being a natural non-smoker.

2. If you usually smoke after you wake up in the morning, do not drink coffee and/or tea in the morning; try to drink the warm clean water. The clean water makes tasteless the cigarettes. In the other side, you decrease the sum of coffee you drink.

3. If you are in the no smoking area, you are not smoking certainly. If you want to quit smoking, you must stay or work in the no smoking area.

4. Stay away other smoker because if you see they smoke, you will smoke too. Except if you have a strongly opinion to quit smoking.

5. Do not smoke on the way to home or go to work, even you are ride your own car.

6. Exercises regularly, do the sport.

7. Not to smokes before you sleep, more over you sleep.

If you still have a trouble to quit smoking by performing my tips above, something you must to do is:

1. Go to the hypnotherapy

2. Enroll in a smoking cessation program (hospitals, health departments, community centers, and work sites frequently offer programs).

3. Ask your health care provider for advice, including whether prescription medications

4. Smokes your cigarettes without fire

5. Burn your two sides of your cigarettes

6. Get your cigarettes wet.

7. Do not even buy a cigarettes

8. Let your body get sick caused by your lovely cigarettes, and then you will know how to quit smoking

I am the dummies that are why my tips like above.

If you do not want to quit smoking, do not read these tips, because it is useless for you.

Baby Health - Five Ways To Insure A Healthy Baby

by Debbie Davis

Raising a healthy baby has always been a big responsibility, and probably even more so today with the wealth of information available to us. It is sometimes difficult to know what choices will ultimately mean better health for your baby. By focusing on 5 major categories, your choices will become clearer thus easier to make.

*Food

Select foods that are organic, not to be confused with the term natural. The label of natural means different things to different companies, and is nebulous in terms of genetic engineering, pesticide, and chemical exposure. Organic foods have a label certifying that they have not been genetically engineered and that pesticides, antibiotic use, and chemicals have not been part of the process. Bypassing the chemicals, pesticides, and antibiotics will give your baby a head start down the road toward good health. Not mention, that organically grown foods generally taste better, and will encourage your baby to eat foods just because they taste so good.

*Water

Choose a water filter for drinking water, particularly if you live in an older home where the supply pipes are possibly made of lead. This lessens the chance of your baby ingesting lead and causing irreversible damage to baby's newly developing systems. Many such filters can be purchased for under $100 dollars and can be installed on top of or under the counter.

*Air

Have you heard the saying, If you can' not breathe nothing else matters? Providing clean air for your baby means your baby's respiratory system is not bombarded with typical airborne pollutants that are found in all our homes. Dust, dust mites, mold and mildew spores, smoke, and many airborne chemicals that are released by common household building materials and products can wreak havoc with a newborn's respiratory system and long term health and development. Portable high efficiency particle arresting air purifiers will remove these pollutants making your home safe from both seen and unseen dangers.

*Clothing

Choose fabrics for clothing, bedding, towels, diapers that are made from natural fibers that are chemical-free. Organic clothing stores in your community and online are a good starting place. Also, many other larger stores and chains now carry clothing and bedding for babies. Consignment shops are also a great way to find organic products at great savings.

*Baby Products

Really read product labels on items for your baby such as soap, shampoo, toothpaste, laundry detergent, lotion, baby wipes, insect repellent, and sun screen lotion to insure that they are free of additives that might be harmful to your baby's long term health. Your pediatrician is the best source for information on products that have been proven to be the best.

Making decisions early on about food, water, air, clothing, and other products for your baby will make day to day decisions easier, and more importantly, will result in better health for your baby.

About the Author

Debbie Davis is President of Purer Air.com which offers portable high efficiency arresting air purifiers for the improvement of indoor air quality. Visit us at http://purerair.com/blueair_201.html now to see an air purifier that will help your baby stay healthy, the Blueair 201 Air Purifier, or call our 24 hour customer support line at (800) 997-2989 for expert advice.

From the Nature for Health – Sirih The Piper Betle

By Ridwan

Piper Betle in Indonesia and Malaysia known as Daun Sirih. This creeping plantations in its scientists classification including Piper Betle from Magnoliopsida class with the scientific name as Piper betle L. Some of the peoples in villages in Indonesia, sometimes this leaves of Sirih or Piper Betle have a fresh herbal aromatic and sometimes it used as chewy with areca nuts, other leaves and lime/chalk as a This leaves usually used in traditional ceremony, especially in tribe of Melayu.

This leaves used as a medicine plantations have many helpfulness. For internal of the human body, it used as a cough medicine, bronchitis, even in traditional community it used as a medicine for restoring virginity or it used as antiseptic and antioxidant, mouth disease, tooth ache, etc. Piper Betle also used as a medicine for wounds, healing of burns, and skin problems for external body.

How are sirih leaves used for internal of the human body? Some 10 to 20 leaves wounds to a short boil. The water is then left to cool down. This water can then be used to increase and eject phlegm, use to rinse the mouth, or to wash the female genitals. However, more effective is to have the water in a small basin, and then to sit inside for 15 to 30 minutes.

Another simple way to use this leaves for external body, Sirih leaves used as antiseptic for wound and healing of burns, By pounded or crush the leaves and rub the essence to the sick area.

Back to Nature

By Ridwan

This time at least 7.500 of the medicine plants have founded and 10 % of those purposed as a medicine plants for hearth disease and hypertension. Those medicine plants have a function for diuretic, increasing the urine production and burn fat in the body. Examples: Star Fruits ( Averrhoa carambola L ) for urines launching, White onion (Allium sativum L ) for preventing strokes and deceases the blood pressures.

In this era, the commercial industries of traditional medicine plants have been plantation those plants intensively. Medicine plants expected to compete with non-traditional medicines, and these traditional medicines have proved their effectiveness and advantage.

Like the two sides of coin, some peoples plant these traditional medicines in their garden, the other side of peoples behaving skeptic. The other sides of peoples have more practically thinking and pragmatically. Even to choose the medicine. They more like to buy an instant medicine from the drug store.

Some Universities in Asia have been researching the kind of the medicine plants which having the flavonoid chemical compound, which proved ability to decrease blood pressures and hearth diseases.

By the research of some universities, the phenomena above have changed with raising the people’s consciousness for back to nature

Try These Anti-Aging Foods For A Youthful Appearance

by Bob Cotto


Today's society values beauty above intelligence and youth above wisdom. A lot of people look for anti-aging answers in bottles or pills.

Basically a youthful appearance revolves around a well maintained body which involves monitoring of saturated fats, total calories and increasing consumption of fresh vegetables and fruits. Anti-aging strategies include eating less sugar, white flour and salt.
Avocados are an excellent source of vitamin E (for healthy skin) and vegetable fat that reduces high density lipids levels (bad cholesterol).

Berries like blueberries, blackberries and raspberries are an excellent source of the powerful antioxidants, flavonoids, which helps prevent free radical damage in the body.
Other excellent anti-aging foods include cauliflower, cabbage, kale, broccoli, watercress and radishes (cruciferous vegetables). Eat these raw or lightly cooked to avoid destroying important enzymes which help the body combat toxin build up and cancer.

Garlic is excellent. Attempts have been made to imitate its benefits in pill form, however fresh garlic remains the best. A clove of garlic daily (cooked or raw) in a meal helps protect the body against cancer and heart disease. Research shows that women aged between 55 years and 69 years who ate a clove of garlic once weekly were less likely to develop cancer of the colon by 50%. Research in India shows that garlic reduces cholesterol and assists in thinning the blood.
The spicy root ginger helps the circulatory and digestive systems. It is beneficial to elderly people and it is said to lessen rheumatic pains and aches.

Nuts are a good source of minerals and vegetable fat and help lower cholesterol levels. Raw almonds are rich in vegetable protein while walnuts are a good sources of iron, potassium, zinc, magnesium, selenium and copper.
An brilliant source of beta carotene (a powerful antioxidant) is carrots and helps combat cancer, numerous diseases and aging. Studies show that carrots eaten daily reduce the risk of a number of cancer types and actually helps maintain good vision, protecting the eyes from diseases associated with age. Carrots are most beneficial eaten raw or as a freshly made juice. They are great in salads.

Other anti-aging foods are lentils, sprouts, brown rice, raw nuts and seeds, green leafy vegetables, wheatgrass juice and seaweed. These foods provide nutrients the body needs to regenerate cells that are more youthful and stronger.
Drinking a lot of good quality water is essential as is plenty of sleep. Water hydrates the cells, giving them essential minerals required for proper functioning while sleep helps the body to regenerate each day.

About the Author
Bob Cotto spent most of his life as a Sr. Sales & Marketing executive. Two years ago his wife of 43 years, Joanne was told that she had 4th stage cancer. Since then, Bob and Joanne have devoted all of their energy to assisting her in maintaining a high quality of life. Find out more about his efforts at his site 4-Ideal-Health.

Enjoy healthy eating with citrus fruits

By Tony Robinson

There are few single food groups with as much to recommend them, and as many health benefits, as citrus fruits. Citrus fruits are packed full of a number of important vitamins and minerals, as well as fiber. In addition, citrus fruits are delicious, abundant, and usually quiet inexpensive.

Citrus fruits abound in most modern grocery stores, even in the winter months. Thanks to modern distribution networks, citrus fruits grown around the world are easily accessible in the supermarkets of this country.

Of course many people prefer locally grown citrus fruits, but when they are not available, shipped citrus is a good substitute. There is a growing season for each kind of citrus in various parts of the country, so it pays to familiarize yourself with those seasons in order to take advantage of the freshest locally grown tomatoes, oranges, grapefruits and more.

Citrus fruits are perfect for anytime of day, from a grapefruit in the morning to an orange at lunchtime to a dinner salad piled high with locally grown tomatoes.

Citrus fruits contain so many important vitamins and minerals that it would be impossible to list them all. Citrus fruits are a good example of why fresh fruits and vegetables are a better source of complete nutrition than vitamin supplements. While some of the important vitamins and nutrients contained in citrus fruits have been identified and synthesized, others, particularly the many trace minerals, have not. There is simply no pharmacological substitute for healthy eating.

Vitamin C is probably the most important, and the most well known, nutrient provided by citrus fruits like oranges and grapefruits. Vitamin C has been widely studied, and it is thought to play an important role in keeping us healthy.

Vitamin C plays a vital role in keeping skin and gums healthy, and in protecting the cells of the body from damage by free radicals. And since vitamin C is a water soluble vitamin, it is important to eat foods high in vitamin C every day. Vitamin C is not stored in the body like fat soluble vitamins are, and any vitamin C not used each day is excreted.

Fortunately, it is easy to get the vitamin C you need each day from citrus fruits. For instance, a single orange contains over 150% percent of the RDA (recommended daily allowance) of vitamin C.

Many people do not realize, that in addition to vitamin C, oranges, grapefruits and other citrus fruits also contain significant amounts of fiber. Fiber plays an important role in digestion, and it is thought to have protective qualities against heart disease and some forms of cancer. In addition, fiber is thought to have the ability to lower high levels of cholesterol in the blood.

Perhaps the most important benefit of citrus fruits is the presence of folic acid. This important vitamin is known to prevent many neural cord birth defects such as spina bifida when consumed early in a pregnancy, and for this reason folic acid has been added to everything from bread to cereal. It is best, however for women and men alike to get this important nutrient from the foods they eat, and citrus fruits are rich in folic acid.

Potassium is another important benefit of citrus fruits. When many people think of potassium, they think of bananas, but bananas are not the only fruit that contains significant levels of potassium. Many citrus fruits also contain plenty of potassium.

Potassium levels are very important to good health, since potassium plays a role in maintaining proper levels of bodily fluids, and it also affects the absorption of other nutrients. The stresses of modern life, including consumption of caffeine and alcohol, stress and dehydration, can all play havoc with potassium levels, so it is important to eat foods rich in potassium every day.

With all these advantages, it is easy to see why citrus fruits are so popular. Even people who do not normally eat fruits and vegetables often have a hard time saying no to a great glass of orange juice or a nice juicy grapefruit.

The Key to Long and Healthy Lifestyle

by Joi Hernaez, an SEO specialist.

It’s very easy to give you the keys on living a long and healthy life. In fact, you may already know what the answers are. These are the basic fundamentals on living a healthy life:

Eat the Right Food
When we say right food, we are talking about those healthy foods like organic fruits and vegetables. I’m not saying that you would have to be a vegetarian just to live longer. What I’m saying here is don’t eat too much of those unhealthy junk foods. The key here is to eat in moderation. You may not know that there are known five absolute worst foods you can eat. Those foods that is high in Trans fats and lots of toxins. The five worst foods are doughnuts, soda, fried non-fish sea foods, French fries, and chips. Doughnuts actually contain trans fats, almost all of the varieties, and can actually give you 200 to 300 calories, mostly from sugar. Soda is loaded with artificial colors and sulphites which can harm your body; one can of soda has about 10 teaspoons of sugar which contain about 150 calories. Diet varieties are loaded with aspartame, a known artificial sweetener that can cause cancer. Fried non-fish seafood like shrimps and clams are loaded with toxic mercury and trans fats. French fries is well known to be loaded with trans fats. Chips are also high in trans fats.

Exercise Regularly
Regular exercise can help you lose weight, improve your resistance to fight infections, lower your risk of having cancer other diseases, it can also help your brain work better and can make you smarter. When you exercise, it helps your body to work and helps in improving your blood circulation. If you are overweight, don’t push too hard with the exercise, you can start by walking. And then increase the intensity of your exercise routine so you’ll get used to it. The trick here is being consistent with your exercise. Discipline yourself and don’t be too lazy, once you’ve discipline yourself, it’ll become a routine and you’ll be happy because you have done what you have to do. You will feel proud of yourself because you can see that you are improving with your life.

Drink a Lot of Water
Human body is mostly water; this fact is one of those reasons why ongoing intake of water is essential for the body to function. It’s been said many times that one person should drink at least eight-ounce glasses of water per day but did you know that you need more water than that? According to Dr. Joseph Mercola, the rule of thumb is, for every 50 pounds of body weight you carry, drink one quart of bottle spring or filtered water per day.

Social Ties and Having Good Friends on your Side
Staying healthy and living longer is not simply a matter of eating fruits, vegetables, exercising, drinking lots of water, or getting good medical care. Good friends can also help you live longer and have a healthy lifestyle.
Harvard researchers investigated the effect of social ties, death and heart disease, in a 10-year follow-up study of nearly 30,000 male health professionals. Roughly half of the men reported belonging to large social networks that included a spouse, a large number of friends or relatives, and/or community group involvement.
Men who were more socially isolated, however, were nearly 20% more likely to die from any cause than their more socially integrated peers, the investigators found. Socially isolated men were also 53% more likely to die from a heart-related cause than those who reported the highest number of social ties. Further, those with a moderately low number of social connections had a more than twofold greater risk of death from accidents and suicides than did their peers with the most social ties.
Social isolation is a 'risk factor' for ill health that deserves as much attention as other risk factors for cardiovascular disease and other ailments.