THE MIRACLE TREE OR MORINGA OLEIFERA

IMPROVE YOUR DIET WITH THE MIRACLE TREE, THE LEAST KNOWN NUTRITIONAL TREE OF THE CENTURY

Three months ago, I was having a conversation with a Indian friend. Somehow we talked about foods and herbs. Then she introduced to me a herb that has been existing here in Singapore, but known mostly by the Indians of Singapore.

The plant or the tree is called drumstick tree . I eventually went to The Little India of Singapore and bought some drumsticks and fresh leaves. Some of the pictures are shown here. They are inexpensive and so available, both air flown from India on a daily basis.
Let me explain the wonders of this plant. It is the most unknown most nutritious plant, all the parts of this tree can be used as nutrition to the body. However, due to economic reasons, the leaves and the pod are used more widely.

MORINGA OLEIFERA OR THE MIRACLE TREE
The botanical name for this tree is MORINGA OLEIFERA.
It is extremely rich in vitamins and minerals, amino acids so crucial for our body.
In addition, this plant contains anti-toxin and anti-oxidant materials which helps to strengthen the body’s immune system, for gout and arthritis, for lactating mothers, and much more.
It is of no wonder that this tree is known all over the world as the miracle tree.

I found this tree has been planted in Singapore, one of the example is at a house in the east side of Singapore, near Bedok.

The origin of this tree is from India, and was grown over thousand of years to treat various diseases and for nutritional supplements. This tree is known by different names in different parts of the world. Please see below for information.

NUTRITIONAL VALUE AS VERSUS OTHER FOOD

If you compare the nutritional values of this plant with other natural foods, you will have some ideas how nutritious this plant is.

It is 3 times more iron than spinach
It is 4 times more vitamin A than carrot
It is 4 times more calcium than milk
It is 2 times more protein than milk
It is 3 times more potassium than banana

The vitamin contents of this tree are as follows:
Vitamin A, vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3, Vitamin C, Calcium, Copper, Iron, magnesium, Phosphorous, Potassium, Zinc.
Amino acids are arginine, histidine, isoleucine, lysine,methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, valine

USES OF MORINGA OLEIFERA
The use of Moringa Oleifera are as follows:
• Strengthen the immune system
• Cleanses body from toxins and heavy metals
• Exterminate parasites in the intestines
• Support treatment during radiation and chemotherapy
• Support treatment during lack of appetite in children and adults
• Help with osteoporosis treatment
• Help with diabetes treatment
• Intestine infections
• Gum infections
• Prostate infections
• Various skin disease
• Breathing disease
• Headaches and migraines
• Arthritis
• Gout
• Hair loss

MORINGA SUPPLEMENTS


Consistent intake of Moringa will help the following supplement :
1. Prevent glaucoma and cataract
2. Treat insomnia
3. Increase sperm count and motility
4. Rebuild weak bones and prevent osteoporosis
5. Enrich anemic blood, prevent anemia
6. Increase milk flow for lactating mothers, nourish breastfed babies
7. Decrease liver disorder
8. Relieve colds
9. Promote a healthy circulatory system
10. Provide anti-inflammatory effects
11. Combat malnutrition
12. Prevent childhood blindness
13. Promote normal serum cholesterol
14. Enhance red blood cells
15. Mitigate the aging process
16. Remove fine lines and wrinkles
17. Aid metabolism and digestion
18. Stimulate the brain and enhance mental alertness, alleviate stress
19. Improve strength and endurance
20. Ease the symptoms of menopause , hormonal changes and depression


MORINGA IN VITAMIN FORMS
I have bought several ready prepared Moringa Oleirfa in powder and tea bag forms. This is for those who have no available stocks of the tree or they are too busy to purchase the fresh ones on a regular basis.

I found the followings from some companies and have bought them.

These are in powder forms from 4 companies:

 1) Ilovemoringa.com

2) Enjoymoringa.com




3) Themoringa.com


4) Moringaoleifera.org
5) moringa.com.my

After all the explanations, I would encourage you, the readers to introduce this plant into your diet, whether you take them in the fresh natural form, if available in your country, or to take then in vitamin forms.
You may read more from the following websites:
http://www.treesforlife.org/our-work/our-initiatives/moringa/names-of-moringa
http://www.treesforlife.org/our-work/our-initiatives/moringa

DIFFERENT NAMES OF MORINGA IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE WORLD

Other names for the Moringa in English include:
Drumstick tree, from the appearance of the long, slender, triangular seed pods.
Horseradish tree, from the taste of the leaves, which can serve as a rough substitute for horseradish.
Ben oil tree, from the oil derived from the seeds
The Chinese name of the Moringa (辣木), pronounced "la mu" in Putonghua and "lat mok" in Cantonese, means "spicy (hot) wood", and is reminiscent of the English name "horseradish tree".
In some Indian languages, the name is phonetically somewhat similar to "moringa", while in others it is quite different:

In Tamil it is called Murungakka in singular form, the plural form being Murungakkai.

In Hindi it is called Munuga.
In Marathi is it called Shevga.
In Kannada it is known as Nuggaeekayee.
In Telugu it is called as Mulakkaya.
In Gujarati is it called Saragvo.
In Oriya is it called Munika.
In Bengali it is called Sojne danta.
In Kerala state its known as Muringa Tree and the fruit called Muringakka in Malayalam.
In Nepali it is known as Sajiwan or Swejan.
In Guyana it is called Saijan
The Tagalog name, in the Philippines - Malunggay - is also phonetically similar to "moringa". In Ilocano, another Filipino language, its called Marungay. It is called "Kamunggay" in Bisaya.
In Haiti, the moringa is called the benzolive (or benzolivier).
In Nicaragua the plant is referred to as Marango.
In Indonesian, the moringa is called kelor. In Javanese, it is called limaran.

DO YOU KNOW SOMEONE WHO IS DIABETIC? READ ON!!! IT CAN HELP SOMEONE OR EVEN YOURSELF

UNDERSTANDING
DIABETES

 
Recently, I took a taxi to Gleneagles Medical Centre. In the course of talking with the Malay taxi man, I found that he is also a diabetic.

The reason why I said that he is also a diabetic, because it seems that everywhere I turn to, there is someone who is his or herself diabetic or has someone in their cycle of friends that is diabetic.

I understand from some medical reports that almost 15% to 20% of the peoples in Singapore, maybe even in the affluent countries are diabetic.

I have a personal experience on this matter. My mum suffers from this sickness for almost 33 years . At first, none of her children paid much attention to it, as she always played down her symptoms of the sickness, which is constant thirst, frequent urination , hunger and tiredness.

During those years, she was under the attention of a general practioner and eventually an endocrinologist. It begun with simple diabetic medications to eventually insulin injections.

In 1998, her endocrinologist diagnoised ,in addition to her diabetes, that she had 3 blocked heart arteries. We were shocked that a simple sickness could develop to something so serious and life-threatening.

Immediately after this discovery , she underwent a triple heart bypass operation in Mount Elizabeth Hospital that costed about  S $ 120,000/- including 2 weeks stay in the hospital.

Anyone suffering from this sickness or has a family history must be aware that this sickness can lead to complications like heart problems and kidney problems. It is thus prudent to take careful measures in their intake of the right food and to start doing regular exercises without delay. I will discuss in detail the type of foods to take and what foods to avoid.

Let me explain what happens in our human body. Our blood has sugar in the bloodstream. This level of sugar is to ensure that we have energy to do things, to walk, and to do physical activities.

The level of sugar in the blood is controlled by the organ  pancreas, which is behind the stomach. The pancreas controls the production of insulin that regulates the blood sugar level . If the blood sugar is too high due to high intake of high glucose food, the pancreas will produce sufficient insulin which is a hormone, to bring the blood sugar back to normal.

Diabetes happens when the pancreas begin to malfunction due to aging, hereditary, reasons, sickness and many other factors, like stress.

To find out about one's potential of being a victim, one could request a doctor to carry out a simple test called the oral glucose tolerance test. Usually the individual arrives at the clinic early in the morning after an overnight fast. A blood test is taken to find out the level of the sugar in the blood after the fast.

After blood has been drawn out, the individual will be given a bottle of high glucose solution. He/She will have to return 2 hours later, and a fresh set of blood is drawn. Both blood samples are then sent to the laboratory for analysis. The difference is these two figures will ascertain whether the individual is diabetic.

The readings of the blood sugar is recommended as shown below:
1.   72 to 108 mg/dl   ( 4 to 6 mmol/L) as ideal ( after overnight fast )
2.   110 to 145 mg/dl ( 6.1 to 8.0 mmol/L )  as optimal
3.   150 to 180 mg/dl ( 8.3 to 10 mmol/L)   as sub-optimal
4.   above 190 mg/ dl ( above 10.5mmol/L)   as   unacceptable

I will now discuss the foods that a diabetic can take and what foods they should reduced in their daily meals.

Avoid high glycemic foods like white bread, potatoes, yam, pancake, doughnut, biscuit, white flour and rice (other than basmati rice).  Avoid fast foods ,ice cream,fruit juices with added sugar. 

Be careful of sweet fruits like durian, water melon and mango. Only consume them in small quantity and divide them into small portions of few meals.

Some of the foods that can help lowering the sugar levels are as follows:

 

1.    mini- bittergourd ( momordica charantia) , known as Ampalaya in Philippines

2.   petai seed (parkia speciosa), known as bitter bean, sticky bean

3. cinnamon stick ( cinnamomum zeylanicum) - take 6 grams daily on food throughout day.

4. Garlic ( allium sativum )

5. Onion (allium cepa )

6. Avocado ( persea Americana)

 7. Cherries ( prunus sertina)                                     

8. Lemon ( citrys limonium )

9. Artichoke ( cynara cardunculus)

10. grapefruit ( citrus paradise)

11. Asian Ginseng ( panax ginseng)

12. Starfuit (averrhoa carambola)

13. Green Tea  ( camellia sinensis)

14. Oyster Mushroom ( pleurotus ostrestus )

Keeping sugar level under control is a tedious and lifelong commitment. There is no room for laziness or slackness. The affected person should obtain a glucose reading meter, available in most pharmacies. He/She should check on the blood glucose level 2 hours after eating and compare the reading with the standard guidelines given and act accordingly.

In addition, it is prudent to have some glucose tablets readily at hand. Again, this is available at most pharmacies. This is used for diabetic who find themselves hypoglycaemic or shaking because their food intake has been burned up and their glucose level have drop drastically. Don’t despise this simple tablet, because it could save you from fainting and even unwanted injury from falling due to shaking and dizzy spells.

Ok, I have only so much to share with you. Please use it to educate your friends , family members who are in this category.

I wrote this blog  for the Malay taxi man who asked me all about diabetes. I hope he will get to read it and be familiar with the right foods to take. Take good care and help bring the diabetes population down.

Remember to eat healthily and to exercise frequently. The quality of your health and length of your lifespan are in your hands.