The Moringa Herbalist

What makes Moringa tea so special?

2008-08-31T15:28:00.000-07:00

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Is any other food or drink reported to have as many health benefits as Moringa tea? The Indian have known about the medicinal benefits of moringa tea since ancient times, using it to treat everything from headaches to depression. One historian writer states that Moringa tea has been used as a medicine in India for at least 4,000 years.

Today, scientific research in both Asia and the west is providing hard evidence for the health benefits long associated with drinking moringa tea. For example, in 1994 the Journal of the National Cancer Institute published the results of an epidemiological study indicating that drinking moringa tea reduced the risk of esophageal cancer in Chinese men and women by nearly sixty percent. University of Purdue researchers recently concluded that a compound in moringa tea inhibits the growth of cancer cells. There is also research indicating that drinking moringa tea lowers total cholesterol levels, as well as improving the ratio of good (HDL) cholesterol to bad (LDL) cholesterol.

To sum up, here are just a few medical conditions in which drinking moringa tea is reputed to be helpful: cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, high cholesterol levels, cariovascular disease, , infection, impaired immune function

What makes Moringa tea so special?

The secret of moringa tea lies in the fact it is rich in catechin polyphenols, particularly epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). EGCG is a powerful anti-oxidant: besides inhibiting the growth of cancer cells, it kills cancer cells without harming healthy tissue. It has also been effective in lowering LDL cholesterol levels, and inhibiting the abnormal formation of blood clots. The latter takes on added importance when you consider that thrombosis (the formation of abnormal blood clots) is the leading cause of heart attacks and stroke.

Links are being made between the effects of drinking moringa tea and the "French Paradox." For years, researchers were puzzled by the fact that, despite consuming a diet rich in fat, the French have a lower incidence of heart disease than Americans. The answer was found to lie in red wine, which contains resveratrol, a polyphenol that limits the negative effects of smoking and a fatty diet. In a 1997 study, researchers from the University of Kansas determined that EGCG is twice as powerful as resveratrol, which may explain why the rate of heart disease among Japanese men is quite low, even though approximately seventy-five percent are smokers.

Why don't other teas have similar health-giving properties? What sets moringa tea apart is the way it is processed. Moringa tea leaves are freeze dried, which prevents the EGCG compound from being oxidized. By contrast, black and oolong tea leaves are made from fermented leaves, which results in the EGCG being converted into other compounds that are not nearly as effective in preventing and fighting various diseases.

Other Benefits

New evidence is emerging that moringa tea can even help dieters. In November, 1999, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published the results of a study at the University of Geneva in Switzerland. Researchers found that men who were given a combination of caffeine and moringa tea extract burned more calories than those given only caffeine or a placebo.

Moringa tea can even help prevent tooth decay! Just as its bacteria-destroying abilities can help prevent food poisoning, it can also kill the bacteria that causes dental plaque. Meanwhile, skin preparations containing moringa tea - from deodorants to creams - are starting to appear on the market.

Moringa Nutritional Analysis

2008-08-30T05:58:00.001-07:00

We enjoy growing fresh, natural herbs and trees which provide wonderful things for your body, health and peace of mind. That's why we grow the finest Moringa in the world. And carefully prepare it for our friends and family. It's absolutely remarkable.... this fresh, green herb is known and used all over the world.... except in America.... until now. The amazing things Moringa does for your health -- including long lasting energy -- are reflected in people's personal experiences.... as well as in university studies.

Heart-warming stories about how Moringa is being used to help people span the globe.... from malnourished children in Africa to people with AIDS in America. And one of the most wonderful things about Moringa is the way it's bringing together good people around the world.... to spread the benefits of Moringa to everyone who needs it.

Increases your energy
Gives you a better working digestion
Sharpens your mental abilities and concentration
Improves your diabetic condition
Helps you sleep better
Helps with your cholesterol levels
Gives you a huge range of important vitamins and minerals
Effectively combats free radicals
Enhances your circulation
Provides extremely high degree of fibers
Detoxifies your body of toxins
Improves your immune system
Gives you beautiful-looking skin
Helps prevent arterosclerosis
Reduces inflammation
Increases your sexual drive &
Enhances sexual function
Combats a wide range of different cancers
Enhances the working of your heart
Improves your vision
Helps reverse the aging process

· Moringa Nutritional Analysis

· From the report on “Analysis of Leaf Powder for Nutritional Composition, July 17, 1998 by Campden and Chorleywood Food Research Association in conjunction with the Department of Engineering at the University of Leicester and Church World Service, affiliate of the National Council of Churches

The Power of Moringa

2008-08-30T05:07:00.000-07:00

Moringa is known by some as nature's energy Miracle Tree, a tree that is packed with so much nutrition that some call it one of the most powerful foods on the planet. The fruit is 100% natural. Moringa is a tree that is filled with antioxidants, amino acids and essential fatty acids.

The antioxidants that are in Moringa can reverse the signs of aging because they have ten times more antioxidants than red grapes and 30 times more than red wine. Moringa also heals and restores cardiovascular and digestive health as it is full of monounsaturated (healthy) fats, dietary fiber and phytosterols. It is also responsible for offering the minerals and essential amino acids that are essential for proper muscle contraction and regeneration. Celebrities have even attested to the wonders of this versatile fruit.

Moringa contains a fatty acid that is similar to the one in olive oil and is also rich in monounsaturated oleic acid. In case you are wondering why oleic acid is important, let me tell you why. It helps omega-3 fish oils penetrate the cell membrane which helps to make cell membranes suppler. Moringa will boost energy levels naturally, improve digestive functions, induce healthy and sound sleep, provide all of the vital vitamins that are necessary, and improve vision clarity.

Moringa is also a very powerful free radical fighter. It has high levels of fibers and cleanses infections within the body. It will regulate cholesterol levels, promote healthier and younger-looking skin, alleviate diabetes, fight cancerous cells, slow down the aging process, and will also enhance sexual desire and performance.

You can buy it in a powder form and make smoothie drinks too. If they are freeze dried, the berries have a very long life while still maintaining full nutritive value. Moringa is definitely a healing food and should be added to any diet to maintain optimum health.

For more information on the benefits of Moringa, as well as other natural health related topics,

Moringa is labeled as the antioxidant superfood, it’s known for its substantially large amounts of antioxidants and nutritional value. Moringa has double the cancer-fighting power of blueberries, the formerly known antioxidant contest frontrunner. Consumption of the Moringa not only helps prevent and attack cancerous cells, but it is said to boost energy and overall immunity as well. Actually, the list of supposed and even validated benefits is virtually endless from improved digestion to better circulation, and even better sleep. It is based on these extraordinary characteristics that Moringa has been referred to as the most healthful tree in the world.

Moringa has also shown promises of preventing heart disease, as it has 10-30 times the amount of cardiovascular-fighting phytochemical called anthocyanin found in red wine. You may have heard of these phytochemicals from the French Paradox that enumerates the oddity of heart disease’s rare occurrence in France despite their high fat intake. The concept bears the phytochemicals in the red wine responsible for their continued health.

With all these benefits filling the air, the tree sounds perfect right? Well I'm not here to tell you that it isn't, but I am here to tell you to be cautious about how much Moringa you consume. There is such a thing as an antioxidant overdose that has adverse effects such as weakness, fever and toxicity. So, with a fruit so jam-packed with antioxidants, one must be careful. Experts suggest discussing with your doctor what your optimal dosage of antioxidants is.

Why is Dried Moringa the Best?

2008-08-30T01:12:00.000-07:00

Within 6 hours after being picked off the plant, the Moringa leaves begin to loose their precious vitamins and Mineral value. This is why the preparation and process is vital to you and how you consume Moringa Tea The two best ways to preserve Moringa’s vitamin value is to either Freeze them or Freeze dry them.

Dried Moringa - Less Expensive and Easy to Use
The easiest most effective way to take advantage of Moringa is to take an easy to use dietary supplement called Moringa Tea. Moringa Tea use dried Leaf to preserve its powerful characteristics, giving you all the benefits of eating moringa right off the plant. This incredible product can be taken with just 1 small teabag a day, giving you 1,500 milligrams of 100% Pure Moringa Leaves, up to 10 times more than seen with overpriced multivitamins products

Moringa Attack the Killer Cells that cause :

High Cholesterol: Moringa contains Phytonutrients to keep Cholesterol from being digested.

Diabetes: Low Glycemic index improves glucose and lipid levels.

Digestion: Digestion is improved because of Moringa high fiber content

Ulcers: Destroy bacterial infection with anti-bacterial properties and rebuild with Antioxidants.

University of Florida News:

"...extracts from Moringa powder triggered a self-destruct response in up to 86% of leukemia cells tested...

Almost all disease can be prevented or destroyed if given enough antioxidants.

In fact: "Moringa has Every Single Essential Nutrient required for humans..." "...also contains every essential and non-essential amino acid that humans require, also very rare in single food sources. - Dr. Levette Truette

People live very healthy lives eating nothing but Moringa Tea

In addition to it's beauty boosting properties, some other commonly reported benefits of Moringa include:

Improved mental clarity
Increased natural energy levels
Slowed signs of aging
Boosts immune system
Reduction in bad cholesterol (LDL)
Maintains good cholesterol (HDL)
Improved mental clarity and brain function

Do Yourself a Favor!

Order your supply of Moringa Tea today and start living a healthier, more energetic life! And the best part is, you can do this at a very affordable price of P20.00 a day that’s the price of per tea bag consumption. Through this exclusive website, we are giving you a full 30-day supply of this unbelievable product at cost of P600.00/pack! We also just ask you to cover a nominal shipping and handling fee of P150. We know that after you try it, you will be like most of our customers and want to experience the benefits of Moringa ysp Tea month after month. If you will place two or more packs per order we deliver them free of charge that means a big savings on your part. Order Now!

Do Yourself a Favor Drink Moringa

2008-08-30T01:04:00.000-07:00

Discover the Chief Health Benefits that have made Moringa Tea Famous
• Boosts energy levels
• Improves digestive function
• Improves mental clarity/focus
• Promotes sound sleep
• Provides all vital vitamins
• Contains several important minerals
• Is an extremely powerful free radical fighter
• Moringa has very high levels of fibers
• Cleanses and Detoxifies the body of infectious toxins
• Strengthens your immune system
• Enhances sexual desire and performance
• Fights cancerous cells
• Slows down the aging process
• Promotes healthier and younger-looking skin
• Alleviates diabetes
• Normalizes and regulates cholesterol levels
• Helps maintain healthy heart function
• Minimizes inflammation
• Improves circulation
• Prevents artherosclerosis
• Enhances visual acuity
• Helps stabilize normal blood sugar levels
• Helps improve patients suffering from leukemia
• Fights general depression
• Supports weight loss
• Improves upon your overall physical strength

Dear Friend
If you're looking into living a very long life... and... staying young and healthy...
this very well could be the most important message you will ever read.

One small common malungay tree is taking on the entire world's illnesses...and winning!
The secret all lies within how cells in your body die. Did you know there are only TWO ways for a cell in your body to die?

Apoptosis - The Good Way
The process where a damaged cell signals for a white blood cell to come and destroy it thoroughly.

The Result: No leftover parts of the cell to damage other cells.

Necrosis - The Bad Way
The destructive process cells go through unassisted: Electrons fall off into other cells wrecking havoc and causing everything we know as aging, including non-genetic diseases.

They become free radicals.

The Result: The body ages, develops Cancer, Heart Disease, Arthritis, Tumors, High Blood Pressure, etc...
So theoretically, if you could stop Necrosis from happening, you would stop aging completely and live healthy forever!
The only defenses we currently have against Necrosis are Antioxidants. Antioxidants are natural compounds shown to block or 'soak up' the extra cell parts (free radicals) left over from Necrosis.

The Result: Slower aging, less illness.
There are thousands of compounds in nature that are considered to be Antioxidants, but they are always found in very small concentrations. Within the last six years, the most concentrated source of antioxidants has finally been discovered.

The most powerful antioxidant on earth is Moringa Dried Leaves. In India and where the natives eat regular servings a day of Moringa or Malungay, they look very young and do not have any of the problems that plague the rest of us. No cancer, no heart disease, no stroke, etc. In fact, the 60 year old woman there has practically no wrinkles on her face at all.

Bluntly put, the Moringa triumphs any herbs on earth...as far as vitamins and antioxidants are concerned...

Thanks to malunggay

2008-08-27T18:12:00.000-07:00

For your convenience Drink Moringa ysp Tea you can order in the website and it will be delivered to you visit the website of malungay tea at www.leafpower.wordpress.com

Researcher Seeks to Increase Moringa Awareness

2008-08-27T08:05:00.001-07:00

MORINGA ysp Tea, in condensed tea form is a product from pure & fresh leaves of the "highly underestimated Malunggay". "Moringa Oleifera LAM" ( a.k.a Malunggay/Kalamunggay) is considered the "Miracle Tree of Life" given all of its scientifically proven medical properties & effects!

Invented, Researched & Perfected with globally recognized Japanese technology (processing, packaging), MORINGA ysp is now a globally regarded herbal medicine by highly respected medical authorities (National Library of Medicine, USA; National Institute of Health, USA; Department of Science & Technology; Food & Nutirition Research Institute; HealthCheck Medical Center, Dr. Oliver Hill - Germany).

MORINGA ysp is currently hitting the market worldwide as it cures & prevents all major common sickness/diseases known to man such as Dengue, Arthritis, Gout, Hormonal Imbalance, Kidney problems, High Blood Pressure, Diabetes, Ulcer and other intestinal disorders caused by the bacteria "Helicobacter Pylori", as well as skin problems among other ailments!

MORINGA YSP is proudly Philippine made (Cebu) and is currently sweeping the markets in Europe, Japan, Taiwan, Korea, Malaysia, Canada, North America and the Philippines as well.

Dr. Monica Marcu says “As a scientist and pharmacologist interested in nutrition and disease prevention, I believe that now, more than ever, more scientists should be directly involved in the education of the general public on issues related to environment, health and disease prevention”.

On this note I am very enthusiastic about my work at various levels with a plant of extraordinary potential - Moringa oleifera. Moringa is a plant possessing an impressive nutrient profile and numerous therapeutic qualities.

For instance, the plant contains hundreds of phytochemicals (plant-specific substances), nutritional compounds ranging from vitamins and minerals to omega fats and all essential amino acids. We also know it can clean and disinfect water (functioning even better than aluminum sulfate, a standard water flocculant), has antibacterial and antiviral properties, contains powerful antioxidant and anticancer substances and other important compounds such as cytokinins (Zeatin).

It also can function as a natural growth stimulant for other plants. Moringa has uses outside of the human health and medicinal realms - it is a terrific high nutrient feed for animals, it is useful in agro-forestry, and its oil has the potential to be used as biodiesel fuel. in many ways, Moringa truly appears to be a "miracle" plant.

Moringa: Food and Medicine

We know that Moringa represents a superior option for battling the effects of malnutrition in impoverished areas. in fact, numerous organizations are actively working to further the agriculture and distribution of Moringa within regions suffering from extreme poverty and hunger.

In addition to its rich nutritional qualities, the plant appears to have a tremendous potential in the areas of medicinal use. Traditional cultures in various parts of the world have long used Moringa in their herbal medicine repertoire for ailments ranging from gout to various inflammations and fevers.

Now, modern research is supporting the traditional medicinal uses of this remarkable plant. Several dozen studies, most of them animal studies, give us a good idea of its potential. however, there is still an urgent need of further research - especially of human studies - to ascertain the therapeutic qualities of Moringa.

So far, scientific findings suggest exciting healing potentials for Moringa. It may:

Relieve mineral and vitamin deficiencies.
Support a healthy cardiovascular system. In fact, a recent study in animals investigating the positive cardiovascular attributes of Moringa produced impressive results. The study, which compared Moringa to a widely used class of cholestirol - and lipid-lowering drug called statins, found Moringa to be comparable to statins in suppressing the initiation and propagation of lipid peroxidation and suppression of atherosclerosis formation
Promote normal blood-glucose levels.
Neutralize free radicals and thereby reduce oxidative damage.
Provide excellent support of the body's anti-inflammatory mechanisms. Inflammation is now linked to a wide array of modern degenerative diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, arthritis, diabetes and cancer.

In addition to the above, the research also suggests Moringa is extremely safe, as no reports of toxicity have been issued.

So what does the future of Moringa hold? I believe we have only touched the tip of the iceberg - as future research and use of this noteworthy plant will reveal even more amazing qualities of Moringa.

I am pleased to add my efforts to those of many people and groups worldwide who are striving to successfully use Moringa in the areas of malnutrition, poverty and various diseases. I also believe that if moringa is widely consumed as a regular part of a healthy diet, the health advantages could be enormous in every part of this world.

Living Longer and Healthy with Moringa

2008-08-27T03:07:00.000-07:00

Malunggay (Sajina or Moringa) plant grows in the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand and other regions of the Far East. The plant is sometimes referred to as nature's medicine cabinet and a miracle vegetable or horseradish tree for its root taste. The plant grows in hot tropical climates, deserts and living rooms. Moringa has sprouts of flowers, appear eight months during the year. These flowers are edible when cooked (taste like mushrooms) or used to make tea, containing calcium and potassium. A seed or cut branch can grow into a fifteen - foot tree in a year. The rugged plant can grow in drought conditions, and withstand overly acidic, alkaline, and salty soil.

The dozen known species of Malunggay has different known characteristics, grown in different parts of the world. In Madagascar Moringa has blue fungus, grown in Mexico has green cactuses, and in Oman appears as bubous tree. The bark of the tree sometimes used to make mats and rope. The leaves taste like spinach (Contains three times the iron of spinach. Also, a Moringa dried leaf has over ten times more nutrients than a fresh Moringa leaf, confirmed by universities and independent research laboratory analyses.), and its fruit produces a vegetable, like asparagus. Both contain Vitamin C (seven times more than found in oranges) and other minerals. Sajina contains seven times the amount of Vitamin C found in oranges, four times as much calcium as milk (A substitute for whole milk powder.) and three times the potassium of bananas. Moringa has quadruple amount of beta Carotene found in carrots, which is good for eyesight, and effective against treating cancer.

Moringa Sounds Like Magic

2008-08-27T03:04:00.001-07:00

Scientifically speaking, Moringa sounds like magic. It can rebuild weak bones, enrich anemic blood and enable a malnourished mother to nurse her starving baby. Ounce for ounce, it has the calcium of four glasses of milk, the Vitamin C of seven oranges and the potassium of three bananas. Sounds like your Power Bar, you say? Well, consider this: A dash of Moringa can make dirty water drinkable. Doctors use it to treat diabetes in West Africa and high blood pressure in India. Not only can it staunch a skin infection, Moringa makes an efficient fuel, fertilizer and livestock feed.Memo to Popeye: Moringa has triple the iron of spinach and more impressive attributes than olive oil. Itís not only good for you, itís delicious. You can cook Moringa in Moringa oil and top it with Moringa sauce and still taste a spectrum of flavors.And itís a cheap enough to grow on trees. Which is what Moringa oleifera is: A tree, with a gnarly trunk and tousled head of foliage that make it look like a cypress that just rolled out of bed. It is a common tree that thrives in both the desert and the living room and produces leaves, pods, seeds and flowers that each do uncommon things.ìItís a remarkable tree,î said Lowell Fuglie, West Africa director for Church World Service, the relief arm of the National Council of Churches. ìAmong academics, the properties have been known for years. We decided to put it to the test.îThe organization recently convinced the nation of Senegal to promote Moringa as part of the national diet. This came after a two-year pilot project in the hardscrabble villages in the Senegalese southwest, where Moringa grows wild.Plantís Following Begins to Build Fuglie found ground Moringa leaves to be more readily embraced by rural villagers that other dietary aids, plus four times as effective. ìI couldnít believe what was happening,î he said. Malnutrition causes high infant mortality and a staggering array of health problems among an estimated 1 billion people. Though experts doubt a single food source can be a silver bullet in the war on hunger, Moringa has built an increasingly larger following in the last two years. More people are noticing that the plant is a proven water purifier with remarkable nutritional and medicinal properties that just happens to thrive in places where bad water, poor diets and the diseases they promote are leading killers.Scientists who study this gifted bit of flora also consider it an outstanding example of what has been lost in many other plants and animals: a genetic versatility bred away by huge agribusinesses.Many argue that a lack of genetic variation in the food we eat makes specific strains more susceptible to getting wiped out by a single pest, pathogen or climatological change. In 1970, 15% of the U.S. corn crop was destroyed when blight swept the grain belt. In the med-19th century, the Irish potato crop crashed, causing famine that killed a million people. The reason? Dominant plant varieties were too genetically alike and therefore vulnerable to the same enemy.ìThere are probably a lot of plants [other than Moringa] that have the same benefits,î said Barbara Schaal, an expert on evolutionary plant genetics at Washington University in St. Louis. ìThatís why itís so important to preserve natural biodiversity. Corn and soybean, all of these things have incredible potential. But weíve lost a lot of their wild relatives.îAt the same time, herb-happy consumers are gobbling up candy-coated nutrient bars crammed with everything from pine bark to bioflavonoids. Yet Moringa is a reminder of what nature can do. Here are some examples of how the plant is picking up a devoted following: The National Science Foundation, National Geographic Society and the Andrew Mellon Foundation are financing a scientistís hair-raising attempts to collect the worldís 13 Moringa species. Both Moringa and the common carrot are diamonds in the roughage department, but Moringa has quadruple the beta carotene, which is good for the eyes and effective against cancer. The Bethesda, MD.-based International Eye Foundation is using Moringa in Malawi because itís loaded with Vitamin A, the lack of which causes 70% of childhood blindness. Wichita, Kan.-based Trees for Life, which has been planting food-bearing trees in impoverished places since 1984, is running Moringa cultivation programs in India after convincing a town of 40,000 to make the tree a structured part of the local diet. Britainís University of Leicester is studying the coagulating properties of the seeds in those tasty Moringa pods, which researchers believe work better than the common water purifier aluminum sulfate, which can be toxic. The school weaned a Malawi village off imported alum by building a simpler Moringa-based system. Hospitalized for prostate surgery in December, former United Nations ambassador and ex0Atlanta mayor Andrew Young told people not to send flowers, but buy Moringa seedlings for the malnourished. Young is the new president of the National Council of Churches.The interest in Moringa is growing in a field filled with conflicting theories about fighting hunger. Several relief organizations asked to comment on the tree had never heard of it. Some were leery of anything that sounded like an easy fix to a complex problem.ìYouíd think Monsanto or somebody would have patented it by now,î joked Ian Bray, spokesman for the relief group Oxfam of Great Britain, when asked about Moringa. ìWeíve been looking for silver bullets for so long I think they donít exist.î Steve Hansch, research coordinator for the congressional Hunger Center in Washington, said he was annoyed that a November article in Monday Developments, a newsletter of the U.S. humanitarian community, touted the plant and Senegal effort without explaining hungerís complexities. ìA tree is not going to be a single intervention,î he said. ìThere are thousands of ways to treat malnutrition. If we can convince people in developing countries to eat any leafy green vegetable, if we can convince women to take iron supplements, weíve accomplished a lot. Itís not like we lack food for people to consume.î The fact that Moringa is a known quantity in much of the developing world is the key to its potential, Fuglie insisted. Moringa leaves already are used in Senegal to make a sauce. Some Nile River villages discovered its effectiveness as a water purifier. Nigerians use crushed leaves to clean cooking utensils and the wood yields a common blue dye in Jamaica. The seed oil is used for cooking and, because it wonít spoil, as a preservative and even machinery lubricant. The plant crops up elsewhere as an animal feed, plant fertilizer, fence post, stationery and oil paint.American stores specializing in Indian cuisine sell pickled Moringa pods as ìdrumsticks.î In some places, Moringa lives a sort of Clark Kent existence as a mere ornamental. Jim Johnson, head of a Mississippi seed company, Seedman.com,, began selling Moringa seeds several years ago after a Brazilian grower sent him samples. ìIt conforms its size and shape to whatever container itís in. Weíve sold thousands,î he said, expressing surprise at Moringaís other attributes.Ubiquitous though it is, Moringa advocates say the tree is only an occasional food source in the places where it grows, and that much of its nutritional value is boiled away.In a 65-page book on the National Council of Churchís pilot project in Senegal, Fuglie described the willingness of a hospital administrator to substitute Moringa for the classical, and costly, methods of using whole milk powder, vegetable oil and sugar to treat malnutrition. The official, a diabetic had been drinking Moringa tea to control his glucose for years, but had been unaware of its nutritional propertiesA star of the project was Awa Diedhou, an infant born weighing 3 pounds, 5 ounces. Her mother couldnít produce sufficient milk and the child was given little chance to survive. On a Moringa-supplemented diet, the child quickly grew ìquite fat,î Fuglie said, and the mother began producing milk.Beri beri, rickets and scurvy are among the diseases caused by the lack of nutrients that are abundant in Moringa. Three spoonfuls of Moringa leaf powder contain 272% of a typical toddlerís daily Vitamin A requirement, along with 42% of the protein, 125% of the calcium,, 71% of the iron and 22% of the Vitamin C. It contains a full complement of minerals and all the amino acids of meat.Some people find its water-purifying powers most compelling. Lack of drinkable water is, arguably, the worldís biggest health threat. Pressed Moringa seeds can turn a tumbler bacteria-laced river muck into clean water more economically than imported chemicals, researchers say.ìWith all these advantages, what are we waiting for?î University of Leicester scientist Ben Bazeley wrote last year in The Rotarian magazine. Rotary Clubs are sponsoring Moringa projects in Brazil and Zimbabwe.Its medicinal qualities also are tantalizing. The seeds and roots contain an antibiotic that Guatemalaís University of San Carlos found to be as effective against skin infections as neomycin. In recent years, studies published in the journal Phytotherapy Research and HortScience have found different Moringa parts to be effective in lowering blood sugar, reducing swelling, healing gastric ulcers, lowering blood pressure and even calming the nervous system.Moringa is also very rugged for something that sprouts flowers. A seed or cut branch can grow into a 15 foot tree in a year. A giant tap root lets the plant soldier through Saharan-scale droughts and withstand overly acidic, alkaline or salty soil. Though Moringa oleifera is most common, there are a dozen other known species within the genus, which means they share the same underlying biochemical structure. Moringa plays a blue fungus in Madagascar, green cactuses in Mexico and a bulbous bottle tree in Oman.It has hundreds of names: the Benzolive tree of Haiti, the Malunggay of the Philippines, even the horseradish tree of Florida because the roots taste like the condiment. But the root bark is toxic and the root meat contains a nerve paralyzer. Moringa bark is sometimes used to induce abortions in India, sometimes killing women in the process.Mark Olson, a Washington University doctoral candidate in evolutionary botany, has spent the last five years scouring some of the worldís deadliest shrubbery in a hunt for every species. Trip to Unstable Somalia Pays OffHeís found 12, and he suspects the 13th may be extinct. Each are found in dry, remote tropical areas that often feature a ware of some kind. ìPracticallyh nothing is known about them, and I quickly found out why,î said Olson.Particularly hairy was a 1998 hunt for a species that hadnít been recorded in 30 years. Olson and a band of armed bodyguards had to forage through the plantís likeliest habitat: perennially unstable Somalia. The risk was worth it. Out in the scrub of the arid landscape, Olson found his missing Moringa. It was laden with pods that looked like 3-foot-long string beans. ìThe local people used them for everything,î said Olson. ìItís one of the most useful trees in the world.îTime will tell if Moringa makes its way to American supermarkets, where everything from ginkgo biloba to green algae can be found crammed into artificially flavored chocolate bars.Olson, whose field work was recently featured in National Geographic magazine, has become a human clearinghouse of all things Moringa. He said heís seen a big jump in entrepreneurial inquiries in the last year.ìI get e-mails from businessmen in China who are growing huge crops of this to make money,î he said. ìThereís a huge amount of interest

Malungay Miracles

2008-08-27T02:58:00.001-07:00

Moringa is the English name. It is called Malunggay in Philippines and Sajina in Indian Subcontinent and South East Asia. It grows very wildly in hot tropical climate.
Moringa is a wonderful herb known all over the world-- but only recently in the U.S. It may provide the boost in energy, nutrition and health youíve been seeking. This book reveals Moringaís nutritional content, medicinal properties, where to get it, the best results.
Moringa is a remarkable discovery, which can make a tremendous difference in your health and quality of life. Mounting scientific evidence shows what has been known for thousands of years by people in the tropical parts of the world: Moringa is natureís medicine cabinet.
It is best known as an excellent source of nutrition and a natural energy booster. Loaded with nutrients, vitamins and amino acids, it replenishes your body and provides what you need to get through a hectic weekday or active weekend.
As the candles multiply on top of your birthday cake, you may find yourself slowing down and saying, ìI just donít feel eighteen any more.î Moringa gives back some of the energy you thought was lost.
Yet this is not a sugar-based energy. Itís not something, which makes you hyper for some period of intense activity then leaves you drained. In fact, Moringa is also relaxing...it helps to reduce blood pressure and assure a good nightís sleep. How does it contribute more energy and greater relaxation at the same time?
The answer seems to be Moringaís well-documented detoxifying effect. University laboratories around the world have studied Moringaís ability to purify water...attaching itself to harmful material and bacteria, and allowing them to be expelled as waste. The evidence points to this same process going on inside your body.
It produces long-lasting energy without hyperactivity... a nerve system at rest... a blood system not under pressure...a gland and hormone system in balance.
Other health benefits identified by people who use Moringa continue this same pattern: immune system strengthened, skin condition restored, blood pressure controlled, headaches and migraines handled, diabetes sugar level managed, inflammations and arthritis pains reduced, tumors restricted and ulcers healed.
A body thatís not fighting damaging internal elements is better able to use the nutrients, which come into it to build healthy skin, bone and muscles, as well as the all-important hormones, which keep your body in balance.
And Moringa is loaded with nutrients. Each ounce of Moringa contains seven times the Vitamin C found in oranges, four times the Vitamin A of carrots, three times the iron of spinach, four times as much calcium as milk and three times the potassium of bananas.
One of the best attributes of Moringa is that it is also quite tasty and a welcome addition to your kitchen. The leaves, pods and flowers of this versatile tree are all edible, each with its own flavor. They can be served fresh with meals, or be reduced to powder and used as a food supplement.

Research on Malunggay
The seeds of Malunggay, Moringa oleifera, were extracted with distilled ethanol and concentrated under reduced pressure at 40oC. The resulting extract was partitioned between hexane, ethylacetate, butanol and water. The solvent fractions were likewise concentrated under reduced pressure.
The crude ethanol extract of dried seeds inhibited the carrageenan-induced inflammation in the hind paw of mice by 85% at a dosage of 3 mg/g body weight while the mature green seeds by 77%. The hexane fraction of the crude ethanol extract of the dried seeds also inhibited inflammation by 77% at the same dosage while both butanol and water fractions inhibited inflammation by only 34%. These results indicate the strong anti-inflammatory activities of the ethanol extract and the hexane fraction.

On the other hand, the ethylacetate fraction caused a 267% increase in inflammation and exhibited toxicity. The mice died after oral administration of the fraction. The crude ethanol extract also inhibited the formation of Epstein-Barr virus-early antigen (EBV-EA) induced by 12-0-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA). At a dosage of 100?g/ml, the extract inhibited EBV-EA formation by 100% suggesting its anti-tumor-promoting activity.

Therapeutics of Malunggay/Moringa
Sometimes, people think that solutions to their problems are expensive and hard to find. But more often than not, real solutions to basic problems are abundant, cheap and even free. Health problems are especially solvable with natural inexpensive gifts from nature.

Moringa, for example, is a wonderful blessing for us all. Locally, it is called malunggay and is easily available everywhere. Unfortunately, it is little appreciated by many Filipinos. Today, I would like to share with the good news about Moringa, as written by Mark Fritz of the Los Angeles Times.

"Scientifically speaking, Moringa sounds like magic. It can rebuild weak bones, enrich anemic blood and enable a malnourished mother to nurse her starving baby. Ounce for ounce, it has the calcium of four glasses of milk, the vitamin C of seven oranges and the potassium of three bananas.

"A dash of Moringa can make dirty water drinkable. Doctors use it to treat diabetes in West Africa and high blood pressure in India. Not only can it staunch a skin infection, but Moringa also makes an excellent fuel and fertilizer.

"Memo to Popeye: Moringa has triple the iron of spinach and more impressive attributes than olive oil. Both Moringa and the common carrot are diamonds in the roughage department, but Moringa has quadruple the beta carotene, which is good for the eyes and effective against cancer."

Fritz also reports on the positive results of using Moringa as a substitute for expensive whole milk powder in nutrition projects.

Detoxifying Moringa

2008-08-27T02:16:00.001-07:00

Ancient Roman, Greek and Egyptian civilizations used...the (Moringa Tree)...It is best known as an excellent source of nutrition and a natural energy booster. Loaded with nutrients, vitamins and amino acids, it replenishes your body and provides what you need to through a hectic weekday or active weekend..." It produces long-lasting energy without hyperactivity...a nerve system at rest...a blood system not under pressure...a gland and hormone system in balance."

An L.A. Times article said,

Scientifically speaking, Moringa sounds like magic. It can rebuild weak bones, enrich anemic blood and enable a malnourished mother to nurse her staving baby. Doctors use it to treat diabetes in West Africa and high blood pressure in India...And, it’s not only good for you, it’s delicious." Mark Fritz, L.A. Times.

Perhaps the most remarkable thing about the Moringa is that it has such incredible health benefits over a wide-range of health issues. Here are but a few:

· NUTRITION AND ENERGY BOOST

While most people notice an energy boost right away, the nutritional results with undernourished people is staggering.

· DETOXIFICATION

In vitro studies show the Moringa’s ability to remove putrid waste from water. This is important for the planet. Over 6 million children are believed to die each year from infections caused by unclean water. It helps our bodies detox in much the same way.

· ANTIBIOTIC

Moringa works as a gentle, natural antibiotic,
See Eilert, U.,B. Wolters and A. Nahrstedt. “The antibiotic principle of seeds of Moringa oleifera and Moringa stenopetala.” Journal of Medicinal Plant Research, 42, pp 55-61. 1981

· SKIN TREATMENT

And, like Aloe Vera, Moringa is believed to have great healing benefits for the skin. Most of the research is on topical applications, but the healing properties would extend to the body itself.

· ANTI-INFLAMMATORY

Indian traditional medicines have long used the Moringa in treating the body’s inflammation. See, Udupa, S.L., A.L. Udupa and D.R. Kulkarni, “Studies on the anti-inflammatory and wound healing properties of Moringa oleifera and Aegle marmelos. Fitoterapia 65(2) pp 119-123.

· ULCERS

The anti-ulcer effect of Moringa was reported in 1995 in Phytotherapy research. An extract was taken from dried leaves and showed an impressive ability to heal ulcers in lab animals. Holst, p17.

· DIABETES

An extract from the Moringa leaf has been shown to be effective in lowering blood sugar levels with a space of 3 hours. Holst, pp17-18.

· SLEEP

The leaf of the Moringa has been shown to aid in a calmer nervous system providing an improving in sleep. Holst, p18

In short some studies have proved Moringa leaves effective for treating,

· Blood pressure

· Diabetes

· Colitis and Diarrhea

· Used as a diuretic

· Headache

· Glandular swelling

· Skin antiseptic

· Fevers

Seeds are used for,

· Fevers

· Tumors

· Rheumatism

· Skin diseases

· Prostate and bladder issues

Moringa Leaf Power

2008-08-26T14:30:00.000-07:00

Not everyone knows the enormous benefits derived from Moringa Oleifera locally known as Malunggay or Kamunggay in Philippine dialect. Research had shown that ounce for ounce of Moringa leaves contain seven times the Vitamin C found in oranges, four times the Vitamin A found in carrots, four times the calcium found in milk, three times the potassium found in bananas and two times the protein found in yogurt. For this reason, it has put Moringa as the most nutritious vegetable plant around and has been used as fortificant in noodles, bread, biscuits, delicacies, burgers, hotdogs, porridge and as tea due to its richness in vitamins and minerals.

It is also known to be the best nutritional support for nursing mothers because it is not only rich in nutritional content but for its medicinal properties as well. By making vegetable soup out from fresh Moringa leaves, it has been found to increase the volume of breastmilk produced by lactating mothers. Another established medicinal property of Moringa Olfeira is its anti bacterial action. French scientists had found that Moringa contains an anti bacterial peptide (a molecule composed of two or more amino acids, the building blocks of proteins) that can destroy the cell membrane of many infectious bacteria.

Clinical research revealed that Moringa helps prevent Mastitis, an inflammation of the breast caused by the blocking of milk ducts while the mother is lactating which is a common problem in breastfeeding. This can cause a painful sensation on the breasts or nipples that may lead to fever or flu like symptoms. The most common infecting organism is Staphylococcus Aureus, that can be found anywhere which can be passed on to the mothers during suckling by their babies. Studies had shown that the anti bacterial peptide found in Moringa Oleifera is effective against this bacteria.

Aside from its nutritional and health benefits of Moringa, through its seeds it has the full potential of producing biofuel, cooking oil, personal care products, cosmetics, aromatheraphy, perfume, industrial oil and lubricants. Its oil is comparable to sunflower and olive oil. It is much better than palm oil in terms of properties, for it has a low transfatty acids. Twelve kilograms of moringa seeds one liter of oil can be extracted and about eight and a half kilograms of cake among others as by products.

Moringa Sustains Cardio Vascular System

2008-08-26T13:29:00.000-07:00

Cardio-Vascular System

Moringa maintains a central position in the allopathic treatment of various heart problems. Moringa that contains the cardiac glycosides are used throughout the world for the treatment of heart failure and arrythmias. In such conditions these herbs help increase the strength of heart beat, and normalize the rate of beat. Their real value lies in the increased efficiency not necessitating an increase of oxygen supply to the heart muscle. In heart problems there is often a deficiency in blood supply because of blockage in the coronary arteries. It is not just Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) that has such valuable actions. Lily of the Valley Convallaria majalis) shares its therapeutic value but has few side effects. However, herbal remedies nurture the heart in deeper ways as well. Consider the cordial, a warming drink and a word for heart-felt friendliness. The original cordial was a medieval drink based on Moringa Tea that warmed the heart and gave the person HEART.

The Medical Herbalist recognizes moringa sustains cardiovascular system. As a group they are known as cardiac remedies. This is a general term for herbs that have an action on the heart. Some of the remedies in this group are powerful cardio-active agents such as Foxglove, while others are gentler and safer cardiac tonics such as Hawthorn (Crataegus spp.) and Linden Flowers (Tilia spp.). Before exploring the therapeutic possibilities of this range of cardiac remedies, a brief excursion into some relevant pharmacology is appropriate. An understanding of current ideas about the chemical basis of phytotherapeutic activity is by no means essential for the herbalist, but is presented here for those students with an interest in phytopharmacology.

Moringa Constituents that act upon the Cardiovascular System
Medical text-books often refer to cardiovascular action or cardiotonic action, without specifying the particular type of activity. Below is a list of the mechanisms of pharmacological action and the characteristic actions of compounds of plant origin. Some classes of substances, like the cardiac glycosides, the sympathomimetics, or the b-blockers, appear several times as they exert several different types of activity on the heart.

Activity Definition Constituent .
Positive inotropic Increase of contractility Cardiac glycosides
Negative inotropic Decrease of contractility b-blockers
Positive chronotropic Increase of cardiac frequency Sympathomimetics
Negative chronotropic Decrease of cardiac frequency Cardiac glycosides
Positive dromotropic Increase of flow rate Sympathomimetics
Negative dromotropic Decrease of flow rate Cardiac glycosides
Antiarrhythmic Removal of cardiac arrhythmia Quinidine
Coronary dilating Dilation of coronary arteries Flavonoids, Theophylline

In the strictly technical sense of the pharmacological term cardiotonic, it is synonymous with positive inotropic. However, cardiotonic is also used to indicate an increase in frequency, an increase in the beat volume, or a general increase in cardiac performance, in addition to increased contraction. In the phytotherapeutic literature slightly different terms are used. The two groupings that prove most useful in clinical practice are:

Cardioactive ~ plants that owe their effects on the heart to cardiac glycosides or other very active substances, thus having the both the strengths and drawbacks of these constituents.
Cardiotonic ~ plants that have an observably beneficial action on the heart and blood vessels but do not contain cardiac glycosides. How they work is either completely obscure or an area of pharmacological debate. The research reviewed below offers some insights.

Cardiac Glycosides

Cardio-active remedies owe their power to the presence of the cardiac glycoside group of plant constituents. These plants and their glycosides are well known and discussed in even the most basic allopathic medical texts. These have the effect of increasing the efficiency of the muscles of the heart without increasing their need for oxygen. This enables the heart to pump enough blood around the body and ensure there is not a build-up of fluid in the lungs or extremities. That sounds wonderful, as indeed it is, but there is always the possibility of accruing too much of the glycosides in the body as their solubility and removal rates tend to be low. This is the main drawback with Foxglove and why it is potentially poisonous, unless used with skill and knowledge. Herbalists these days use moringa as there is less chance of such problems developing.

Cardiac glycosides appear to be confined to the Angiosperms within the plant kingdom. Cardenolides are the commonest and are particularly abundant in the Apocynaceae and Asclepiadaceae, but also in some Liliaceae, such as Lily of the Valley, and in the Ranunculaceae, Moraceae, Cruciferae, Sterculiaceae, Tiliaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Celastraceae. Leguminosae and Scrophulariaceae. The bufanolides occur in some Liliacea, such as Squill (Urginea maritima), and in some Ranunculaceae. Some of the main genera containing cardiac glycosides are as follows:

Apocynaceae: Adenium, Acocanthera, Strophanthus, Apocynum, Cerbera. Tanghinia, Thevetia, Nerium, Carissa and Urechites;
Asclepiadaceae: Comphocarpus, Calotropis, Pachycarpus, Asclepias, Xysmalobium, Cryptostegia, Menabea and Periploca;
Liliaceae: Urginea, Bowiea, Convallaria, Ornithogalum and Rhodia;
Ranunculaceae: Adonis and Helleborus;
Moraceae: Antiaris, Antiaropsis, Ogeodeia and Castilla;

Cruciferae: Erysimum and Cheiranthus:
Sterculiaceae: Mansonia;
Tiliaceae: Corchorus;
Celastraceae: Euonymus;
Leguminosae: Coronilla;
Scrophulariaceae: Digitalis, lsoplexis.

The pharmacological effectiveness of the cardio-active glycosides is dependent on both the aglycones and the sugar attachments; the inherent activity resides in the aglycones, but the sugars render the compounds more soluble and increase the power of fixation of the glycosides to the heart muscle. It appears that the key grouping for the attachment of the molecule through a hydrogen bond to the phosphorylated receptor enzyme is the Da, b-carbonyl function of the lactone. All the active aglycones have hydroxyls at C-3 and C-14 and the presence of a third hydroxyl will modify the activity and toxicity of the compound.

The overall action of the digitalis glycosides is complicated by the number of different effects produced, and their exact mode of action on myocardial muscle is still an area of investigation. Digitalis probably acts in competition with potassium ions for specific receptor enzyme (ATPase) sites in the cell membranes of cardiac muscle and is particularly successful during the depolarization phase of the muscle when there is an influx of Na ions. The clinical effect in cases of congestive heart failure is to increase the force of myocardial contraction (positive inotropic effect). Arising from their vagus effects, the digitalis glycosides are also used to control atrial cardiac arrhythmias. The diuretic action of Digitalis arises from the improved circulatory effect.

Non-steroid, Cardioactive Moringa Constituents

Although allopathic medicine makes much use of very effective cardioactive agents of plant origin, the search for new active substances with a better therapeutic picture and with different or new types of activity still continues. The isolation of forskolin from Coleus forskohlii shows that the plant kingdom offers western medicine new and potent cardiac agents. Forskolin is a cardioactive compound with a new type of structure, displaying a specific activation of adenylate cyclase. In addition, herbs from many countries possess cardioactivity, but the isolation and identification of their cardioactive principles has not yet been attempted.

The search for plants with cardiovascular activity is currently be undertaken by pharmacologists around the world. This is not simply for herbs and new constituent compounds with the potency of the cardiac glycosides, but also substances for adjuvant heart therapy, for geriatric heart conditions or milder cardiac insufficiency.
In their search for potential cardioactive compounds, a number of approaches are used by pharmacologists in selecting herbs for pharmacological testing.

o Re-investigation of old literature reports of cardiac activity.
o Investigation of plants used in folk medicine.
o Selection of plants from families which have other cardioactivies.
o Search for chemical types already known to possess potential cardiac activity.
This has led to the identification of eight main classes of non-steroidal cardiotonic substances: phenylalkylamines, indole derivatives, tetrahydroisoquinolines, imidazoles and purines, diterpenes, sesquiterpenes, flavonoids, and other phenolic compounds. Here we shall briefly focus on those found in the primary cardiovascular herbal remedies.

o Phenalkylamines

This class of non-steroid, cardioactive plant constituents, was the model for the development of sympathomimetic drugs. The main representative is L-ephedrine first found in Ma Huang (Ephedra sinica). Since ephedrine has other more prominent activities, its action on the heart is considered a side-effect. Ephedrine and its relatives have been found in many plants, occurring in the Portulacaceae, Rutaceae, Cactaceae, Amaryllidaceae, Moraceae, Musaceae, and Rosaceae families. They include numerous food plants, e.g., citrus fruits, bananas, and purslane (Portulaca oleracea). Synephrine occurs in the fruit of the mandarin orange (Citrus reticulata). Cathinone, from Khat (Catha edulis), shows strong positive inotropic activity, contributing to the well known cardiac stimulation activity of Khat leaves.

Another sub-group of phenylalkylamines, the phenylethylamines, are widely distributed in the plant kingdom, occuring in members of the Cactaceae, Rosaceae, Rutaceae, and Leguminosae. The prototype of this group is tyramine, which at high concentrations it shows positive inotropic activity. Strong positive inotropic activity is also displayed by N-methyltyramine, hordenine, and p-methoxyl b-phenethylamine, all of which have been found in Hawthorn flowers. This group is also found in Night Blooming Cereus (Selenicereus grandiforus), a favorite eclectic and physiomedical remedy for cardiac insufficiency and angina pectoris. The cardiovascular action of the Viburnums may be due to tyramine, which has been found in V. odoratissimum, and V. opulus. Tyramine and b-phenylethylamine have also been found in Viscum album and Arnica montana.

o Other Nitrogen containing compounds

Cardiotonic activity is also in certain alkaloids. Alkaloids from the bark of amazonian bush Cymbopetalum brasiliense act synergistically, and are at least partly responsible for the herbs positive inotropic activity. Methylcanadine from Prickly Ash (Zanthoxylum spp.), and sanguinarine from Blood Root (Sanguinaria canadensis), also possess positive inotropic activity. The lupine alkaloid sparteine possesses specific antiarrhythmic activity. The diuretic action of Scots Broom (Sarothamnus scoparius) and Spanish Broom (Spartium junceum) is presumably due to the presence of the flavone C-glycoside scoparin. Cyclic AMP, also possesses inotropic properties and is widely distributed in the plant kingdom. In view of the low concentrations found so far, pharmacologists exclude a cardiotonic role for cAMPcontaining plant extracts. The same is said about adenosine and 2'-deoxyadenosine, but adenosine has been found in the onion, garlic, and Crataegus. Such conclusions stem from a too narrow interpretation that is clouded by the magic bullet perception of biochemistry. From a synergistic perspective, all the constituents in a plant work together to produce its healing effects.

o Flavonoids

Comprehensive investigations and reviews have been published on the cardioactivity of Crataegus, as discussed below. The main active principles are thought to be flavonoids and procyanidin oligomers. The evidence suggests that the flavonoids exert their cardiotonic action by inhibition of cellular phosphodiesterase and elevation of the cellular cAMP concentration, as well as by affecting the permeability of cell organelles to calcium ions. Rue (Ruta graveolens), Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa), Dog Rose (Rosa canina), Hawthorn (Crataegus oxyacantha) and Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) were as effective used as extracts as the most powerfully active compounds they contained. This inhibitory activity towards phosphodiesterase is not limited to flavonoid structures. A series of lignans were also potential phosphodiesterase inhibitors. The cardiotonic action of Mistletoe (Viscum alba) is probably due to the constituent lignans.

How does the unique moringa achieve such unique effects? The research suggests that much of its observable effects can be explained by the improvement in coronary circulation. It dilates the coronary arteries, relieving cardiac hypoxemia, thus reducing the likelihood of anginal attacks and relieves its symptoms. The moringa thus directly effects the cells of the heart muscle, enhancing both activity and nutrition. It is quite different in activity to the cardiac glycoside containing remedies. They impact the contractile fibres, whilst moringa is involved in the availability and utilization of energy. This facilitates a gentle but long term, sustained effect on degenerative, age-related changes in the myocardium. It does not produce rapid results but they are persistent once achieved.

Its indications are numerous. Any degenerative condition of the cardio-vascular system will benefit from its use. Some specific examples are myocardial problems, coronary artery disease and its associated conditions. Angina pectoris and similar symptoms will be eased and prevented. Where no disease state exists but a gradual loss of function is happening because of old age, Moringa is a specific. Because of its lack of toxicity, accumulation or habituation, it may be used long term, attaining the therapeutic goals safely, especially in the elderly.

It speeds recovery from heart attacks and lowers essential hypertension. Used in conjunction with other hypotensives, Moringa will help keep the heart healthy, preventing the development of coronary disease. It will guard against heart weakness following infectious disease such as pneumonia or diptheria. For arteriosclerosis and its complications it is often combined with Linden flowers (Tilia europaea) or Garlic (Allium sativum). Cramp bark (Viburnum opulus). Linden (Tilia europaea) and Skullcap (Scutellaria laterifolia) complement it well in cases of hypertension.

As it is one of the more aesthetic moringa herbal remedies, a very pleasant tea can be made from 1-2 teaspoonfuls of the dried moringa leaves infused in warm or cold water and drunk regularly. This may be taken over long periods of time as their is no fear of toxicity problems.

An abundance of research has been undertaken on this ancient plant, revealing a wide range of profound and important therapeutic effects. They can be grouped into cardiovascular, neurological and metabolic effects. Here we shall focus on the cardiovascular indications.

Laboratory research on Moringa's cardiovascular effects

o in one test, microscopic particles were injected into the carotid artery of rats, mimicing arterial blockage. Moringa protected the unfortunate animals from the destructive effects.

o increased levels of glucose and ATP were found, thus helping to maintain energy levels within individual cells.
o it reduced the tendency for thrombus formation in veins and arteries, suggesting a use in the prevention of coronary thrombosis and in recovery from strokes and heart attacks.

o following injections there may be a hypertensive response, damaging the blood-brain barrier. Initially only small molecules pass the barrier, but eventually larger substances cross over causing cerebral edema. Moringa used in the initial stages prevents the later stages developing. Stabilizing the membranes of the blood-brain barrier which are thought to involve a direct impact on ionic balance across the membranes and an indirect effect on intracellular respiration, lessening cerebral edema and restoring function.

Clinical research

o Patients with organic and neurological angiopathy were observed for physiological changes resulting from exercise, after using Moringa. Results indicate it would be useful in central and peripheral vascular disease, including diabetic angiopathy.

o it lowered blood pressure and dilated peripheral blood vessels, in patients recovering from thrombosis.

o microcirculation in the conjunctiva of patients with disturbances in cerebral blood supply consistently increased. Capillary and venous blood flow to the head increased because of decreased resistance to flow occurred. A toning action occurs as it eases venular spasms that often occur in elderly and arteriosclerotic patients. The herb can combat both vascular spasm and restore tone and circulation in areas subject to vasomotor paralysis.

o it increases peripheral blood flow with no lessening of cerebral circulation. Chemical vaso-dilators accumulate in the expanded vessels rather than circulate to the veins that feed the central nervous system. Moringa, however, increasing blood flow to both the periphery and the brain.

o in patients with peripheral arterial insufficiency improvement in all experimental measures, including the ability to walk without pain and blood flow to the legs.

o in Parkinsons disease secondary to cerebral arteriosclerosis, the Moringa increased blood supply to the brain.

o 65% successful treatment of focal or diffuse cerebral vascular disease.
o 80% successful treatment of cerebral circulatory insufficiency, measured as improvement in mental functioning, EEG parameters, and cerebral angiogram.
o 80% success rate in patients with chronic cerebral insufficiency measured by symptoms such as vertigo, headache.
o 92% success rate in patients with cerebrovascular insufficiency and all pathological findings disappeared after 18 days of treatment.

o 80% success in treating headache and lesser per cent success in case of migraine.
o 40% success in elderly patients with arterial insufficiency of lower limbs.
o 72% success in the treatment of chronic vasculopathies.
o successful treatment of chronic arterial obliteration.

Therapeutic Uses.
Moringa has wide application for treating various forms of vascular and neurological disease. It has been recommended for:

~ vertigo ~ headache ~ tinnitus ~ inner ear disturbances including partial deafness
~ impairment of memory and ability to concentrate
~ diminished intellectual capacity and alertness as a result of insufficient circulation
~ anxiety, depression, neurological disorders ~ complications of stroke and skull injuries
~ diminished sight and hearing ability due to vascular insufficiency
~ intermittent claudication as a result of arterial obstruction
~ a sensitivity to cold and pallor in the toes due to peripheral circulatory insufficiency

~ Raynauds disease ~ cerebral vascular and nutritional insufficiency
~ hormonal and neural based disorders as well as angiopathic trophic disorders
~ arterial circulatory disturbances due to aging, diabetes and nicotine abuse
~ sclerosis of cerebral arteries with and without mental manifestations
~ arteriosclerotic angiopathy of lower limbs
~ diabetic tissue damage with danger of gangrene ~ chronic arterial obliteration
~ circulatory disorders of the skin, as well as ulcerations caused by ischaemia.

Moringa
A native of northern Europe and Asia. The nearest American counterpart is the huckleberry. The berry is used therapeutically, with the anthocyanosides present (cyanidine, malvidine, delphynidine, petunidine and peonidiene) considered to be the pivotal constituents.

Laboratory research on Moringa cardiovascular effects

o it increases the strength of blood capillaries, and reduces their permeability.

o the anthocyanosides given to rabbits, increased regeneration of rhodopsin, leading to fast dark adaptation.
o anthocyanosides also affect enzymes in retinal metabolism, including glucose-6-phosphatase and phosphoglucomutase.
o Moringa significantly protected vessel walls against the application of vacuum suction, another abhorrent pharmacological technique that eventually leads to the total failure of surface vessels.
o it inhibits experimentally induced edema, a measure of capillary protection.

o it protected the heart against the stress of prolonged exertion, through an activation of the enzyme lactic dehydrogenase.
o in the laboratory it inhibited cholesterol-induced atherosclerosis.

Therapeutic Uses.
Moringais used in Europe to treat a range of eye conditions such as night blindness, severe myopia, retinal disturbances of various kinds and chronic visual fatigue. This is discussed further in the section on the eye. The other and connected area of use is vascular disorders

o patients with blood purpurea and central nervous system circulation problems were successfully treated, as were patients suffering from anti-coagulating problems and varicose veins.
o Moringa anthocyanosides were used to treat 124 cases of arterial and venous problems and 10 cases of capillary fragility. The results were generally very satisfactory.
o investigations of its effects in cases of hyper-permeability of the capillaries, indicated a restoration of ionic balance to blood vessel walls and eliminated the protein seepage.

o good results have been found in conditions ranging from phlebitis to hypertension, as long as a capillary walls pathology was involved.
o it can in cases of some breakdown of capillaries in the kidney glomerulus. This may result from numerous conditions, including infection, traumatic injury, cancer and various vascular diseases. The major clinical sign is hematuria, and patients may gain a significant improvement while using bilberry if used early enough in the disease process.

o it stimulates peripheral circulation.
o disorders of the vessels in the conjunctiva of diabetics are helped.
o it has been used in the management of retinal hemorrhage during prolonged anticoagulant therapy.
o Moringa can be of benefit for varicose veins and related conditions, anywhere a vascular astringent is indicated.
o as a safe anti-coagulation in the treatment or possible prevention of thrombosis.
o for the treatment, and relief of, capillary rigidity and permeability-related pathologies such as hypertension, advanced diabetes, arteriosclerosis, purpurea or hemorrhages, brain circulation disorders, kidney hematuria, bleeding gums, etc.

Moringa can act as a vasoconstrictor and anti-inflammatory

Therapeutic Uses.

o external and internal hemorrhoids, hemorrhoidal bleeding, inflamed and bleeding hemorrhoids, inflammation and bleeding of the vicinity around the rectum, before and after the surgical removal of hemorrhoidal knots, proctitis, pruritus ani and anal fissures. It decreases inflammation and pain, also strengthening the capillaries.
o Circulation disorders of the legs improve both subjectively and objectively. The heaviness in the legs symptom, varicose veins, varicose ulcers, phlebitis resulting from insufficient circulation, and associated symptoms, respond well.

o It has been used to accelerate post-operative recovery, especially where there was prolonged and heavy bleeding, or when anti-coagulant therapy was being administered, or in patients suffering from phlebitis.
o post thrombotic syndrome, venous circulatory disturbances such as chilblains, peripheral circulatory edema, varicophlebitis, pregnancy- related varicose veins, varicose ulcers, and postoperative venous disorders.
o retinal hemorrhages and diabetic retinopathy.

Moringa The Best Toxin Cleanser

2008-08-26T11:56:00.000-07:00

Phyto-Therapy research on Moringa and Liver Disease

The main causes of liver disease are :

viral infection
hepatotoxic chemicals such as ~
ethyl alcohol
peroxides (particularly peroxidized edible oil)
toxins in food (especially aflatoxins)
pharmaceuticals (mainly antibiotics, chemotherapeutics and CNS-active drugs)
environmental pollutants

Although such hepatotoxins induced liver lesions may be reversed in the early stages, they cannot be healed only by removal of the toxins after critical periods, highlighting the need for effective remedies for liver diseases.

Moringa Tea that have been long used for their curative effects on liver disorders in traditional medicine around the world have revealed their unique potential to pharmacological investigation.

Research into these tree has resulted in the isolation of a number of active principles, including dramatically anti-hepatotoxic constituents.

The reasons for introducing Moringa Tea research findings here is to illustrate the way in which such science is proving to itself what herbalists already know.

The importance of botanical accuracy is highlighted here. Historically Moringa has been used in Europe as a liver tonic and current Phytotherapy indicates its use in a whole range of liver and gall bladder conditions including hepatitis and cirrhosis. It may also have value in the treatment of chronic uterine problems. A wealth of research done in Germany is revealing exciting data about reversal of toxic liver damage as well as protection from potential hepatotoxic agents. A number of chemical components of Moringa are now being shown to have this protective effect on liver cells. They are all flavones and flavo-lignins, the flavones often grouped together as silymarin.

In laboratory tests a range of effects have been demonstrated including ~

Silymarin reduced the harmful actions on the liver of hepatotoxins such as carbon tetrachloride, thioacetamide, a-amanitin and phalloidin.
A protective effect against carbon tetrachloride induced liver damage in rats.
A reduction of the prolongation of hexobarbital sleeping time produced by carbon tetrachloride.This is a common method for assessing protective effects on the liver against the effects of chemical toxins. Hexobarbital causes a consistent pattern of sleep in the unfortunate experimental animals, and any change in sleep time reflects some disturbance of the liver ability to metabolize the sedative. An increase in sleeping time implies impairment of the livers ability to metabolize the hexobarbital. Carbon tetrachloride produces such a change. When Moringa tea is added the increase in sleeping time normally produced by the carbon tetrachloride is reduced by up to 60%, suggesting that the moringa is protecting liver function from the toxin.
Prevention of the inhibition of hepatic metabolism of p-oxyphenylpyruvic acid (OPH) caused by carbon tetrachloride. This chemical is metabolized exclusively in the liver during the degradation of tyrosine. Any unmetabolized OPH is excreted in the urine, thus, its level in the urine increases following the administration of a liver toxin. Substances that counteract the toxin bring urine OPH levels back to normal. Histological studies of the liver reveal how much structural damage has occurred. The histological finds from carbon tetrachloride poisoning is very similar to that of hepatitis, and it increases OPH levels in the urine dramatically. Moringa significantly counteracts the effects of the carbon tetrachloride, so much so, that the results are almost indistinguishable from controls.
Carbon tetrachloride raises serum levels of enzymes such as glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT), glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (GPT) and sorbitol dehydrogenase (SDH), but under treatment with moringa these increases were significantly diminished.
The hepatotoxic salts of such rare earth metals as praseodymium, indium and cerium cause necrosis and fatty degeneration in the liver. Pretreatment with Moringa reduces or prevented this altogether.

The researchers suggest a number of possible mechanism ~

it facilitates a more rapid elimination of the metals from the body
it stimulates the formation of metal-binding proteins which detoxify the metals
it may inhibit the binding of these metals with cells at receptor sites
it partially counteracts alcohol damage to the liver.
mitochondrial changes caused by ethanol are almost completely prevented by moringa.
ethanol increases malondialdehyde formation and spontaneous chemiluminescence in the rat liver.

Moringa has an extraordinary hepato-protective effect, blocking damage from the toxins of the Avenging Angel mushroom Amanita phalloides, phalloidin and a-amanitin. It has both protective and curative effects on survival time and death rate of mice after administration of a-amanitin, also antagonizing the toxicity of phalloidin.

It inhibits the loss of weight observed in poisoned animals. Animals fed sub-lethal doses of amanitine lose weight very rapidly and gain it back very slowly. Animals fed a combination of amanitine and Moringa lose weight much more slowly and gain it back much more rapidly. It greatly increased life-span in the poisoned animals. When administered later than 20 minutes after poisoning, it was no longer possible to detect any anti-hepatotoxic effect, suggesting that Moringa prevents penetration of the toxins by competing for the same receptor sites on cell membranes.

Moringa's Cellular mechanisms
Such impressive effect upon toxic damage to liver cells is probably due to a combination of two main mechanisms:

an alteration of cell membranes, such that only small amounts of toxins may penetrate into the cell;
an acceleration of protein synthesis, thus stimulating cell regeneration.

Mechanisms that may explain the inhibition of ethanol induced changes by moringa include scavenging of free radicals and increases levels of both reduced and oxidized glutathione.

Clinical Research.
This remarkable moringa herb has therapeutic effects, not only in toxic and metabolic liver damage, but also in liver diseases. Clinical trials have replicated the laboratory evidence of its ability to reverse many liver disorders from acute viral hepatitis to cirrhosis. It stimulates hepatocytes to replace diseased tissue. The liver can regenerate but this innate ability slows or stops altogether when infected or damaged by alcohol or other drugs.

Clinical indicators of improvement in the health of the liver include:

assessment of general condition, appetite, epigastric discomfort, enlargement and consistency of the liver,
blood plasma tests.
changes in membrane permeability are deduced from measurements of glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (GPT), glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT), lactic acid dehydrogenase (LDH), sorbitol dehydrogenase, and gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT);
membranotropic properties and the excretory functions of the liver are assessed through measurements of bilirubin, LAP, gamma-GT, alkaline phosphatase, and bromethalein;
synthesizing ability is assessed through prothrombin, triglycerides, and cholesterin;
measurements of mesenchymic activity include clotting factors, alpha, beta and gamma globulin, immunoglobulins IgA, and IgG.

Clinical studies have demonstrated its value in therapy ~

One study involved 129 patients and a control group of 56 for a period of about one month. Their conditions included toxic-metabolic liver damage, fatty degeneration of the liver for various reasons, and chronic hepatitis. Moringa markedly changed both subjective and objective symptoms, brought a return to normal enzymatic activities, and improved digestive disorders. Enlarged livers diminished substantially in volume. A 50% regression in pathological symptoms, versus 25% in controls, occurred. No cases of intolerance, side effects, or allergic reactions were observed.

In a double-blind study, serum bilirubin, GOT, and GPT in 28 patients treated with moringa were compared with those in 29 patients treated with a placebo. The moringa treated group were more improved than those in the control group after the 5th day of treatment. The number of patients having attained normal values after 3 weeks treatment was higher in the moringa-treated group than in the control group.

o Toxic damage was tested in 33 patients treated with moringa. The parameters GOT, GPT, and g-glutamyltranspeptidase (g-GTP) were improved significantly by moringa, sometimes returning to normal in a much shorter time than in the control group.

o 106 patients with liver disease, mostly induced by alcohol, were selected on the basis of elevated serum transaminase levels and randomly allocated into the moringa-treated and control groups. Decreases of serum GPT and GOT in the treated group were statistically significant over those of the controls.

o in chronic liver disease, moringa prevented the decrease of seralbumin from 3 months of therapy to the end of the study. The histopathological findings of focal necrosis and fibrosis were also much improved. Moringa proved to be beneficial in the parameters of parenchymal disorders, intralobular mesenchymal reaction, and fibrosis.

o Long-term treatment with moringa on chronic hepatopathies caused by psycho-pharmaceuticals resulted in significant improvements in the liver function parameters such as GOT, GPT, and BSP during treatment.

o two cases of food poisoning caused by flagellates responded very rapidly to moringa, showing subjective, biochemical and histological improvements.

Therapeutic indications
This wonderful plant is effective in many types of liver disease. The clinical findings highlight such problems as :

o toxic/metabolic liver disease (including both alcohol & drug induced forms),
o acute viral hepatitis,
o chronic-persistent hepatitis,
o chronic-aggressive hepatitis,
o cirrhosis of the liver,
o fatty degeneration of the liver,

The best results are found in toxic-metabolic hepatitis and cirrhosis. It shortens the course of viral hepatitis and minimizes post hepatitis complications and also protects the liver against problems resulting from liver surgery. This all goes to make it is an excellent remedy to use in the prevention and treatment of many liver disorders. The earlier treatment is commenced the better the prognosis, but effective treatment is possible at virtually every stage. Moringa arrests the course of these diseases as well as stimulating hepatocyte regeneration.

Over time, complete restoration of the liver is possible, with regeneration at four times the normal rate. Many psychopharmacologic drugs and agents are detoxified by the liver. The cumulative effect of drug use on the liver can be devastating. Thus Moringa should be taken by people who want or need to take such drugs. It has been shown to prevent liver damage caused by such drugs.

This all suggest that taking Moring regularly will provide protection to either the sick or healthy liver during the course of daily life. By stabilizing cell membranes, by encouraging the regeneration of cells destroyed during the normal detoxification process, Moringa provides the liver and the body with the ability to cope with the deleterious effects of daily encounters with air- water- and food-borne toxins. Using Moringa daily, and combining it with other hepatics, offers an effective and safe approach to liver protection.

Ang Malunggay Queen of Vegetables

2008-08-26T07:38:00.000-07:00

Malunggay grows anywhere. Some may not be aware that malunggay, dubbed the “queen of vegetables," has many uses. Often mixed in soup, it is now also used as tea, noodles, and even shampoo. In Koronadal City in South Cotabato province, rice cake mixed with malunggay is seen as a solution to the problem of malnutrition in the area.

Kahit raw saan tumutubo ito. Ngunit lingid sa kaalaman ng karamihan… marami na palang gamit ito. Ang Malunggay --- bow! Ang tinaguriang “Queen of Vegetables!"

The Most Nutrient Rich Plant on the Planet!

Benefits of Moringa Leaves

According to researchers, Moringa leaves could treat at least 300 diseases.

Let's name just a benefits that Moringa leaves bring:

gives a feeling of wellness and promotes energy, yet this is not a sugar based energy
increases natural body defense and stimulates metabolism
stimulates the cell structure of the body
rich in vitamin A, provides nourishment to the eyes and brain
balances level of cholesterol
balances level of sugar
rich in anti-oxidants, beautifies the skin and lowers the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
improves functioning of kidney and liver
promotes healthy digestion
promotes body's immune system
promotes circulatory system and controls blood pressure
promotes anti-inflammatory features, heals arthritis pain
heals tumors and ulcers
balances hormone and gland system
detoxify body from poisons
helps relax and promotes good night sleep
purifies water

www.leafpower.wordpress.com

Moringa Powder Effective Cure For Ulcerative Colitis

2008-08-26T03:49:00.001-07:00

A chronic, inflammatory & ulcerative disease arising in the colonic mucosa, characterized most often by bloody diarrhoea.

This is a serious inflammatory disease that seems to be autoimmune in nature, posing real challenges to any therapist, wether herbalist, homeopath or allopath. This is a true colitis in that there is active inflammation occurring. It usually presents as a series of attacks of bloody diarrhoea varying in intensity and duration. These will alternate with periods of no symptoms at all.

Ulcerative colitis must be differentiated from infectious cause, as the symptoms of Shigella, Salmonella and a range of bacteria can be every similar. A history of recent travel or extensive anti-biotic use may be a clue.

CAUTION : blood in the stools is always a sign that must be investigated further by skilled diagnosticians.

Actions indicated for the processes behind this disease ~
Astringents may address the symptom picture of blood loss.
Demulcents may soothe the surface irritation.

Vulneraries will promote the healing of ulceration in the mucosal lining.

Moringa Tea has Anti-inflammatories that will help in the bodies attempt the get the inappropriate inflammatory reaction under control.

Carminatives may help ease the abdominal discomfort.
Anti-spasmodics will help ease the muscular cramping in the bowels which causes much of the pain.

Immune support is essential and must cover the whole range of issues involved.
Anti-microbials not only help with surface immunity but will deal with any secondary infection that might arise.

Elimination support must be given to the other organs of elimination.
Nervines will aid in the addressing of the psychological component of this condition.

System support
Immune system issues, with all that implies, are crucial in ulcerative colitis. Obviously the digestive system needs much support and as do the other pathways of elimination. The toll taken by stress upon the nervous system may need attention. If liver involvement is suspected then give this vital organ much herbal support with hepatic plants such as Milk Thistle.

A regular intake of Dried Moringa tea will help the rapid recovery of the damage system. Moringa is the perfect source of antioxidants that will sustain recovery of inflammation.

Broader context of treatment ~
Nutrition becomes a crucial issue in this condition as there will be some degree of malnutrition occurring. There are a number of contributing factors behind this nutritional deficit, each of which indicates a specific therapeutic response ~

o Decreased food intake
- disease induced because of pain, diarrhoea, nausea, anorexia
- iatrogenic because of therapeutic dietary restrictions

o Malabsorption- decreased absorptive surface due to disease or surgery

- bile salt deficiency following surgery
- bacterial flora overgrowth
- drugs such as corticosteroids, sulfasalazine, cholestyramine

o Increased secretion and nutrient loss

- protein-losing enteropathy
- electrolyte, mineral and trace mineral loss in diarrhoea

o Increased utilization and increased requirements
- inflammation, fever, infection
- increased intestinal cell turnover

Moringa Tea has a good supply of multi-vitamin/mineral supplement helps recovery and healing.

In the Textbook of Natural Medicine, Pizzorno & Murray recommend vitamin supplementation at least five times the RDA. Important minerals appear to be zinc, magnesium, iron where there is loss of blood via the gut, electrolyte replacement if there is much diarrhoea.
Initially the diet should avoid high fibre to minimize irritation of the inflamed mucosa, but as the symptoms are brought under control, a build up to a high fibre diet is beneficial. Lactobacillus rich yoghurt can be most helpful. It has been found that some people respond well to diets that limit the natural salicylate containing foods.

Moringa tea has high content of Magnesium, Vitamin A, Vitamin E

Moringa Oleifera: The Miracle Tree

2008-08-25T00:21:00.001-07:00

Imagine a tree in your backyard that will meet all your nutritional needs, take care of you medicinally, and purify your water for you. This tree actually exists. For centuries, the natives of northern India and many parts of Africa have known of the many benefits of Moringa oleifera. Its uses are as unique as the names it is known by, such as clarifier tree, horseradish tree and drumstick tree (referring to the large drumstick shaped pods) and in East Africa it is called "mother's best friend”. Virtually every part of the tree can be used. Native only to the foothills of the Himalayas, it is now widely cultivated in Africa, Central and South America, Sri Lanka, India, Malaysia and the Philippines. This tree, though little known in the Western world, is nutritional dynamite. There are literally hundreds of uses for this tree.

The immature pods are the most valued and widely used of all the tree parts. The pods are extremely nutritious, containing all the essential amino acids along with many vitamins and other nutrients. The immature pod can be eaten raw or prepared like green peas or green beans, while the mature pods are usually fried and possess a peanut-like flavor. The pods also yield 38 - 40% of non-drying, edible oil known as Ben Oil. This oil is clear, sweet and odorless, and never becomes rancid. Overall, its nutritional value most closely resembles olive oil. The thickened root is used as a substitute for horseradish although this is now discouraged as it contains alkaloids, especially moriginine, and a bacteriocide, spirochin, both of which can prove fatal following ingestion. The leaves are eaten as greens, in salads, in vegetable curries, as pickles and for seasoning. They can be pounded up and used for scrubbing utensils and for cleaning walls. Leaves and young branches are relished by livestock. The Bark can be used for tanning and also yields a coarse fiber. The flowers, which must be cooked, are eaten either mixed with other foods or fried in batter and have been shown to be rich in potassium and calcium.

In developing tropical countries, Moringa trees have been used to combat malnutrition, especially among infants and nursing mothers. Three non-governmental organizations in particular - Trees for Life, Church World Service and Educational Concerns for Hunger Organization - advocate Moringa as “natural nutrition for the tropics.” Leaves can be eaten fresh, cooked, or stored as dried powder for many months without refrigeration, and without loss of nutritional value. Moringa is especially promising as a food source in the tropics because the tree is in full leaf at the end of the dry season when other foods are typically scarce. Analyses of the leaf composition have revealed them to have significant quantities of vitamins A, B and C, calcium, iron and protein. According to Optima of Africa, Ltd., a group that has been working with the tree in Tanzania, "25 grams daily of Moringa Leaf Powder will give a child" the following recommended daily allowances:

Protein 42%, Calcium 125%, Magnesium 61%, Potassium 41%, Iron 71%, Vitamin A 272%, and Vitamin C 22%. These numbers are particularly astounding; considering this nutrition is available when other food sources may be scarce.

Scientific research confirms that these humble leaves are a powerhouse of nutritional value. Gram for gram, Moringa leaves contain: SEVEN times the vitamin C in oranges, FOUR times the Calcium in milk, FOUR times the vitamin A in carrots, TWO times the protein in milk and THREE times the Potassium in bananas.

The Moringa tree has great use medicinally both as preventative and treatment. Much of the evidence is anecdotal as there has been little actual scientific research done to support these claims. India's ancient tradition of ayurveda says the leaves of the Moringa tree prevent 300 diseases. One area in which there has been significant scientific research is the reported antibiotic activity of this tree.

This is clearly the area in which the preponderance of evidence - both classical scientific and anecdotal evidence - is overwhelming. The scientific evidence has now been available for over 50 years, although much of it is completely unknown to western scientists. In the late 1940’s and early 1950’s a team from India identified a compound they called pterygospermin. This group was also able to demonstrate its mode of antimicrobial action in the mid 1950’s. Field reports and ecological studies form part of a rich traditional medicine history claiming efficacy of leaf, seed, root, bark, and flowers against a variety of dermal and internal infections. In 1964 other active compounds were isolated and tested in-vitro, and these studies, along with observational studies provide a very plausible mechanism of action for the centuries of claims of efficacy. Unfortunately, because many of the reports of antibiotic efficacy in humans are not supported by placebo controlled, randomized clinical trials, Western medical prejudice leaves the Western world ignorant of Moringa’s antibiotic properties.

Another area of folklore which research supports is in cancer treatment. Moringa species have long been recognized by folk medicine practitioners as having value in the treatment of tumors. Studies examined certain compounds for their cancer preventive potential. Recently two of these compounds were shown to be potent inhibitors of activation of lymphoblastoid (Burkitt’s lymphoma) cells. One of these compounds also inhibited tumors in mice bred to be prone to tumors. In another study, Bharali and colleagues examined skin tumor prevention following ingestion of drumstick (Moringa seedpod) extracts. In this mouse model, which included appropriate positive and negative controls, a dramatic reduction in skin tumors was demonstrated. More rigorous study is required in order to achieve a level of proof required for full medical endorsement of Moringa as, in this case, a cancer preventative plant.

After the oil is extracted from the pods, the seed-cake remaining contains the active components for removing turbidity (solid particles) from water. Because bacteria adhere to the solids, this seed-cake also effectively removes bacteria. At the Thyolo Water Treatment Works in Malawi, Africa, two researchers from the University of Leicester, England, have worked on substituting moringa seeds for alum to remove solids in water for drinking. Not only were the tests successful in removing as much solid material as alum, but the seeds used were "purchased from enthusiastic villagers in Nsanje Region in Malawi" (Folkard and Sutherland, 1996. Not only is Moringa oleifera as effective as aluminum sulphate (alum) in removing suspended solids from turbid water, it has a major advantage. Because it can be produced locally, "using Moringa rather than alum would save foreign exchange and generate farm and employment income." The potential for Moringa to create a new market for a community is there, and studies and projects are taking place examining this potential. Use of this natural substance would also remove a source of aluminum contamination.

This tree is truly a “miracle” tree offering hope; nutritionally, medicinally and economically to devastatingly poor 3rd world countries. It has just recently begun being used as a supplement in a juice form and in powdered leaf tablets.

Sources:

Ramachandran,C., Peter,K.V. and Gopalakrishnan,P.K., 1980, Drumstick (Moringa oleifera): A multipurpose Indian Vegetable. Economic Botany, 34 (3) pp276-283.

Moringa Research

2008-08-25T00:11:00.001-07:00

While traditional Ayurvedic medicine used this tree to heal or prevent hundreds of diseases, scientific evidence is accumulating to support many of the healing properties of Moringa. Some of its chemical compounds have been isolated and described. Because of its numerous healing and nutritious properties, around the world Moringa is the subject of legends and praise, awe and respect – so much so that it is also called “Miracle Tree,” “Mother's Best Friend,” and “Never Die.”

Below you will find a selection of abstracts from scientific articles published about Moringa Oleifera:

Phytother Res. 2007 Jan;21(1):17-25.
Moringa oleifera: A food plant with multiple medicinal uses.

Anwar F, Latif S, Ashraf M, Gilani AH.

Department of Chemistry, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad-38040, Pakistan. anwar.gilani@aku.edu

Moringa oleifera Lam (Moringaceae) is a highly valued plant, distributed in many countries of the tropics and subtropics. It has an impressive range of medicinal uses with high nutritional value. Different parts of this plant contain a profile of important minerals, and are a good source of protein, vitamins, beta-carotene, amino acids and various phenolics. The Moringa plant provides a rich and rare combination of zeatin, quercetin, beta-sitosterol, caffeoylquinic acid and kaempferol. In addition to its compelling water purifying powers and high nutritional value, M. oleifera is very important for its medicinal value. Various parts of this plant such as the leaves, roots, seed, bark, fruit, flowers and immature pods act as cardiac and circulatory stimulants, possess antitumor, antipyretic, antiepileptic, antiinflammatory, antiulcer, antispasmodic, diuretic, antihypertensive, cholesterol lowering, antioxidant, antidiabetic, hepatoprotective, antibacterial and antifungal activities, and are being employed for the treatment of different ailments in the indigenous system of medicine, particularly in South Asia. This review focuses on the detailed phytochemical composition, medicinal uses, along with pharmacological properties of different parts of this multipurpose tree.

PMID: 17089328 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Bioresource Technology. 2007 Jan;98(1):232-6. Epub 2006 Jan 6.

Anti-fungal activity of crude extracts and essential oil of Moringa oleifera Lam.

Chuang PH, Lee CW, Chou JY, Murugan M, Shieh BJ, Chen HM.

Institute of Bioagricultural Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan, ROC.
Investigations were carried out to evaluate the therapeutic properties of the seeds and leaves of Moringa oleifera Lam as herbal medicines. Ethanol extracts showed anti-fungal activities in vitro against dermatophytes such as Trichophyton rubrum, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, Epidermophyton floccosum, and Microsporum canis. GC-MS analysis of the chemical composition of the essential oil from leaves showed a total of 44 compounds. Isolated extracts could be of use for the future development of anti-skin disease agents.

PMID: 16406607 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

J Med Food. 2002 Fall;5(3):171-7.

Hepatoprotective activity of Moringa oleifera on antitubercular drug-induced liver damage in rats.

Pari L, Kumar NA.
Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, AnnamalaiUniversity, Annamalai Nagar, Tamil Nadu - 608 002, India. paribala@sancharnet.in

Moringa oleifera Lam (Moringaceae), commonly known as "Drumstick," is used in Indian folk medicine for the treatment of various illness. We have evaluated the hepatoprotective effect of an ethanolic extract of M. oleifera leaves on liver damage induced by antitubercular drugs such as isoniazid (INH), rifampicin (RMP), and pyrazinamide (PZA) in rats. Oral administration of the extract showed a significant protective action made evident by its effect on the levels of glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (aspartate aminotransferase), glutamic pyruvic transaminase (alanine aminotransferase), alkaline phosphatase, and bilirubin in the serum; lipids, and lipid peroxidation levels in liver. This observation was supplemented by histopathological examination of liver sections. The results of this study showed that treatment with M. oleifera extracts or silymarin (as a reference) appears to enhance the recovery from hepatic damage induced by antitubercular drugs.

PMID: 12495589 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

J Med Food. 2003 Fall;6(3):255-9.

Antioxidant action of Moringa oleifera Lam. (drumstick) against anti tubercular drug induced lipid peroxidation in rats.

Ashok Kumar N, Pari L.
Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar-608 002, Tamil Nadu, India.

The protective effect of Moringa oleifera Lam. (Moringaceae) on hepatic marker enzymes, lipid peroxidation, and antioxidants was investigated during antitubercular drug (isoniazid, rifampicin, and pyrazinamide)-induced toxicity in rats. Enhanced hepatic marker enzymes and lipid peroxidation of antitubercular drug treatment was accompanied by a significant decrease in the levels of vitamin C, reduced glutathione, superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione S-transferase. Administration of Moringa oleifera extract and silymarin significantly decreased hepatic marker enzymes and lipid peroxidation with a simultaneous increase in the level of antioxidants. We speculate that Moringa oleifera extract exerts its protective effects by decreasing liver lipid peroxides and enhancing antioxidants.

PMID: 14585192 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

J Ethnopharmacol. 2003 Jun;86(2-3):191-5.

Effect of fruits of Moringa oleifera on the lipid profile of normal and hypercholesterolaemic rabbits.

Mehta K, Balaraman R, Amin AH, Bafna PA, Gulati OD.
Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Technology and Engineering, The M.S. University of Baroda, Kalabhavan, Gujarat, India.

Rabbits were fed Moringa oleifera (200mg/kg/day, p.o.) or lovastatin (6mg/kg/day, p.o.) in banana pulp along with standard laboratory diet and hypercholesterolaemic diet for 120 days. Moringa oleifera and lovastatin were found to lower the serum cholesterol, phospholipid, triglyceride, VLDL, LDL, cholesterol to phospholipid ratio and atherogenic index, but were found to increase the HDL ratio (HDL/HDL-total cholesterol) as compared to the corresponding control groups. Treatment with M. oleifera or lovastatin in normal rabbits decreased the HDL levels. However, HDL levels were significantly increased or decreased in M. oleifera- or lovastatin-treated hypercholesterolaemic rabbits, respectively. Lovastatin- or M. oleifera-treated hypercholesterolaemic rabbits showed decrease in lipid profile of liver, heart and aorta while similar treatment of normal animals did not produce significant reduction in heart. Moringa oleifera was found to increase the excretion of faecal cholesterol. Thus, the study demonstrates that M. oleifera possesses a hypolipidaemic effect.

PMID: 12738086 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLIN

Hypocholesterolemic effects of crude extract of leaf of Moringa oleifera Lam in high-fat diet fed wistar rats.

Ghasi S, Nwobodo E, Ofili JO.
Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria, Enugu.

The leaves of Moringa oleifera Lam (Moringaceae) are used by the Indians in their herbal medicine as a hypocholesterolemic agent in obese patients. The scientific basis for their use in hypercholesterolemia was therefore examined. It was found that administration of the crude leaf extract of Moringa oleifera along with high-fat diet decreased the high-fat diet-induced increases in serum, liver, and kidney cholesterol levels by 14.35% (115-103.2 mg/100 ml of serum), 6.40% (9.4-8.8 mg/g wet weight) and 11.09% (1.09-0.97 mg/g wet weight) respectively. The effect on the serum cholesterol was statistically significant. No significant effect on serum total protein was observed. However, the crude extract increased serum albumin by 15.22% (46-53 g/l). This value was also found to be statistically significant. It was concluded that the leaves of Moringa oleifera have definite hypocholesterolemic activity and that there is valid pharmacological basis for employing them for this purpose in India.

PMID: 10661880 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Tiny Leaves, Huge Benefits

2008-08-25T00:08:00.001-07:00

Moringa is a powerful discovery that can make a significant difference in the health and life quality of millions of people. It is best known as an excellent source of many nutritional essentials, and as a natural energy booster. Nutritional analyses indicate that Moringa leaves contain a wealth of essential, disease-preventing nutrients. Since the dried leaves are concentrated, they contain higher amounts of many of these nutrients, except vitamin C. With its high levels of vitamins, minerals, and amino acids, Moringa replenishes the body and helps it to heal and rebuild.

Moringa Supreme contains:

9 times the protein of yogurt, 10 times the Vitamin A of carrots, 25 times the iron of spinach, 17 times the calcium of milk, 15 times the potassium of bananas. Fresh Moringa leaves also contain 7 times the vitamin C found in oranges (* gram for gram comparisons ). The best feature of Moringa is that it actually tastes good! Its leaves are quite tasty, and can be served fresh or dried into a powder and used as a supplement and in recipes.

The most nutrient rich plant ever discovered:

Obtained from the most nutrient rich plant ever discovered, Moringa Supreme contains metabolic triggers that allow your body to fully absorb and utilize the nutrients from your food and improve metabolism of the body. It even contains all 9 essential amino acids , which is unusual for a plant source. Unlike synthetic vitamins and supplements, Moringa naturally combines its nutrients with over 46 antioxidants and 36 anti-inflammatory compounds which are well absorbed by the body.

Its therapeutic effect aids in the decrease of high blood pressure and in some cases is used to help control blood sugar. It has been known to improve digestion, vision, mental clarity, and overall well-being, plus a decrease in symptoms associated with fatigue, arthritis, and aging. Improved skin clarity and a more positive mood have also been noted as additional benefits of Moringa.

Moringa Combats Global Malnutrition

2008-08-25T00:03:00.001-07:00

While malnutrition in the United States may seem to be a ridiculous claim, it is in fact a grave reality. An estimated ninety-two percent (92%) of Americans are deficient in one or more essential vitamins and minerals. The confusion between starvation and malnutrition may be the chief cause of this general unawareness; starvation takes place when the body has gone too long without any type of food while malnutrition occurs when the body has been subjected for a period of time to a diet with insufficient nutrition. The fast food restaurants and frozen dinners that are so readily available in the US greatly add to the ever increasing malnutrition epidemic in our own homes.

Though it may seem hard to believe, obesity and malnutrition are very closely linked. There are approximately 1.1 billion overweight people in the world. When the body does not receive the proper nutrition, it reacts with what we often interpret as ‘hunger pains'. When these pains are felt, we normally respond by eating more food without necessarily increasing the quality of food. This adds to increased weight gain while our bodies are still craving essential nutrients. This lack of nutrition leads to decreased energy and performance as well as a multitude of diseases and deficiencies.

With many essential nutrients needed by the body, Moringa Supreme can help reduce malnutrition in our country. When added to your daily diet, Moringa will increase performance while enhancing your immune system and satisfying your body's true cravings.

Malnutrition in the World:

Malnutrition is a world wide problem. An estimated 854 million people throughout the world are malnourished; 820 million of these people live in developing countries. A portion of this undernourishment is also found here, in America , in our own homes where fast food and synthetic vitamins have replaced the more nutrient rich foods. One of the most common causes of infant death in developing countries is malnourishment; approximately 21 children die every minute from starvation.

In addition to the human suffering, malnutrition has negative effects on cognitive development, growth and health. Additionally, the negative effects extend beyond individual health to dramatically decrease labor productivity and the development of a nation. According to The World Bank, the global loss of social productivity in 1 year alone, caused by malnutrition is the equivalent of 46 million years of productive, disability-free life.*

A powerhouse of nutrition that grows precisely where it is most needed, Moringa can enable a malnourished mother to successfully nurse her starving infant by providing over 90 essential vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. Its energizing effect is known to increase productivity and enhance overall performance. In addition to its ability to strengthen weak bones and reinvigorate the body, the crushed seeds of the Moringa tree effectively purify contaminated water. This is arguably the world's greatest health threat as over 1 billion people do not have access to clean drinking water. Containing almost every essential nutrient needed by the body, Moringa has the potential to make a huge positive impact on the world's malnutrition epidemic.

* World Development Report 1993: Investing in Health. Washington , DC , 1993. Oxford University Press.

Amazing Information about Moringa You Should Know!

2008-08-25T00:00:00.001-07:00

Moringa oleifera is promises relief from the devastating diseases and malfunctions that are so rampant in the third world communities such as:

Diabetes & Complications leading to Kidney Diseases
High Blood Pressure, Stroke and Heart Diseases
Obesity brought on by Malnutrition (overfed-undernourished)
Tumors & Cancer
Lupus, Arthritis & other Auto-Immune Diseases
Glaucoma – Blindness
Skin Diseases
Prostate Enlargement & Prostate Cancer
Hepatitis
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Additionally, Moringa has been shown to bring relief from the ravages of HIV and AIDS, malnutrition and diseases caused by bad water, bad food and environmental toxins.

Los Angeles Times -

"Scientifically speaking, Moringa sounds like magic. It can rebuild weak bones, enrich anemic blood and enable a malnourished mother to nurse her starving baby. Doctors use it to treat diabetes in West Africa and high blood pressure in India .... And it's not only good for you, it's delicious." - Los Angeles Times

From Osyris Uqoezwa -

Moringa Tea is the powdered leaves of the Moringa Oleifera tree. These leaves are packed with powerful nutrition that everybody needs, especially children, mothers, students, and athletes. It provides such an impressive number of essential vitamins and minerals in high quantity that it is described as “the miracle tree” - especially high in Calcium, Iron, and Vitamin A. It also comes complete with high quality protein. Unlike most plant foods, nutritional analysis shows that Moringa is very high in protein and contains all of the essential amino acids. Moringa may provide the boost in energy, nutrition and health you are seeking.

Beyond providing a natural energy boost, people also report other desirable effects – including stronger immune system, improved skin condition, controlled blood pressure, relief from headaches and migraines, balanced blood sugar levels, reduced inflammation and arthritis pains, reduced tumor growth and healed ulcers.

But what makes Moringa tea exceptional is that every pack sold gets us a step closer to really making a difference in reversing malnutrition, here at home and in developing countries.

- Osyris Uqoezwa

- The Miracles of Moringa

Among the leafy vegetables, one stands out as particularly good, the horseradish (Moringa) tree. The leaves are outstanding as a source of vitamin A, and when raw, vitamin C. They are a good source of B vitamins and among the best plant sources of minerals. The calcium content is very high for a plant. Phosphorous is low, as it should be. The content of iron is very good (it is reportedly prescribed for anemia in the Philippines ). They are an excellent source of protein and a very low source of fat and carbohydrates. Thus, the leaves are on of the best plant foods that can be found. -

Dr. Frank L. Martin, in Survival and Subsistence in the Tropics

Moringa leaves could practically wipe out malnutrition on our planet! Experts agree that the long-term solution to malnutrition is the use of foods rich in the essential nutrients often lacking in people's diets. Modern scientific research is proving that Moringa leaves are one of the richest sources of such nutrients. Even small amounts of the leaves could protect thousands of people from suffering and death.

- Sanford Hoist

Moringa also has a well-documented detoxifying effect. Universities around the world have studied Moringa's ability to purify water--attaching itself to harmful material and bacteria, and allowing them to be expelled as waste. The evidence points to this same process going on inside your body. The result is long-lasting energy without hyperactivity...a nerve system at rest...a blood system not under pressure...a gland and hormone system in balance.

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Nutrients in Moringa Leaves

Vitamin and Mineral Content of Moringa Leaves
All values are per 100 grams of edible portion.

Fresh Leaves

Dried Leaves

Calories

92 cal

205 cal

Carbohydrates

13.4 g

38.2 g

Fat

1.70 g

2.3 g

Fiber

0.90 g

19.2 g

Protein

6.70 g

27.1g

Carotene (Vit. A)

6.78 mg

18.9 mg

Thiamin (B1)

0.06 mg

2.64 mg

Riboflavin (B2)

0.05 mg

20.5 mg

Niacin (B3)

0.8 mg

8.2 mg

Vitamin C

220 mg

17.3 mg

Vitamin E

-

113 mg

Calcium

440 mg

2,003 mg

Copper

0.07 mg

0.57 mg

Iron

7.0 mg

28.2 mg

Magnesium

42 mg

368 mg

Phosphorus

70 mg

204 mg

Potassium

259 mg

1,324 mg

Sulfur

137 mg

870 mg

Zinc

0.16 mg

3.29 mg

Amino Acid Content of Moringa Leaves*
All values are per 100 grams of edible portion.

Fresh Leaves

Dried Leaves

Arginine

406.6 mg

1,325 mg

Histidine

149.8 mg

613 mg

Isoleucine

299.6 mg

825 mg

Leucine

492.2 mg

1,950 mg

Lysine

342.4 mg

1,325 mg

Methionine

117.7 mg

350 mg

Phenylalinine

310.3 mg

1,388 mg

Threonine

117.7 mg

1,188 mg

Tryptophan

107 mg

425 mg

Valine

374.5 mg

1,063 mg

Moringa's Nutritional Values

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Moringa Oleifera Nutritional Value of Leaves
Analysis of Moringa dried leaf powder contains
the following per 100 grams of edible portion

Moisture % 7.5
Calories 205
Protein (g) 27.1
Fat (g) 2.3
Carbohydrate (g) 38.2
Fiber (g) 19.2
Ca (mg) 2,003
MG (mg) 368
P (mg) 204
K (mg) 1,324
Cu (mg) 0.57
Fe (mg) 28.2
S (mg) 870

Oxalic acid (mg) 1.6%
Vitamin A-B carotene (mg) 16.3
Vitamin B - choline (mg) -
Vitamin B1 - thiamin (mg) 2.64
Vitamin B2 - riboflavin (mg) 20.5
Vitamin B3 - nicotinic acid (mg) 8.2
Vitamin C 0 ascorbic acid (mg) 17.3
Vitamin E tocopherol acetate mg) 113
Arginine (g/16gN) 1.33%
Histidine (g/16gN) 0.61%
Lysine (g/16gN) 1.32%
Tryptophan (g/16gN) 0.43%
Phenylanaline (g/16gN) 1.39%
Methionine (g/16gN) 0.35%
Threonine (g/16gN) 1.19%
Leucine (g/16gN) 1.95%
Isoleucine (g/16gN) 0.83%
Valine (g/16gN) 1.06%

Moringa Leave's Medicinal Qualities

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· Juice from the leaves is believed to have a stabilizing effect on blood pressure and is used to treat anxiety. It is believed to control glucose levels in cases of diabetes.
· Mixed with honey and followed by a drink of coconut milk 2 or 3 times a day, leaves are used as a remedy for diarrhea, dysentery and colitis.
· Leaf juice, sometimes with carrot juice added, is used as a diuretic. Eating leaves is recommended in cases of gonorrhea because of the diuretic action.
· Leaves and buds are rubbed on the temples for headache.
· A poultice is made from fresh leaves and applied to reduce glandular swelling
· Leaf juice is used as a skin antiseptic
· Leaves are used to treat fevers, bronchitis, eye and ear infections, scurvy, and catarrh (inflammation of the mucus membrane).
· Leaves are considered to be anthelmintic ( able to kill intestinal worms)
· Leaves are used as a purgative.
· Eating leaves is believed to increase a woman's milk production and is sometimes prescribed for anemia.

It is best known as an excellent source of nutrition and natural energy booster. This energy boost is not based on sugar so it is sustained. Moringa is also soothing. It helps lower blood pressure and is a sleep aid. Its detoxifying effect may come from Moringa's ability to purify water. Moringa acts as a coagulant attaching itself to harmful material and bacteria. It is believed that this process is taking place in the body as well.

For pregnant and breast-feeding women, moringa leaves can do much to preserve the mother's health and pass on strength to the fetus or nursing child. It is prescribed for malnutrition.

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Moringa's Ability to Remove Hazardous Materials in the Blood

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Detoxification - Studies have shown Moringa's ability to remove hazardous materials from water. Its usefulness in water purification has been demonstrated many times in University studies, in laboratories and in the field. This is now widely studied because it's estimated that 1.3 billion people in the world use contaminated water for drinking and cooking. It is estimated that 6 million children die each year from infections caused by unclean water.

Antibiotic - Moringa is used as a topical treatment for minor infections. Its antibiotic property is identified as Pterygospermin, a bacterial and fungicidal compound. Its chemical description is glucosinolate 4 alpha-L-rhamnosyloxy benzyl isothiocyanate. Studies have shown an agueous extract made from seeds was equally effective against the skin infecting bacteria Staphylococcus aureus as the antibiotic Neomycin.

Skin Treatment - Moringa has great healing benefits for the skin. It has been used to cure cuts, scrapes, sores, and rashes as well as cracking and other signs of aging.
Anti-inflammatory - The oral tradition of India has long praised Moringa as an anti inflammatory for use in healing wounds. Moringa was also found to be effective in trauma initiated chronic swelling.

Diabetes - An extract from the Moringa leaf has been shown to be effective in lowering blood sugar levels within 3 hours of ingestion, though less effectively than the standard hypoglycemic drug, glibenclamide. The effects increased with larger doses.

Traditionally, Moringa has been used for years with no reports of negative side effects. The powder made from fresh Moringa leaves seems to provide a long-lasting energy boost when used regularly. People frequently report having much more endurance in their work, at home and at play.
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Moringa Has All the Vitamins for Cardiac Health

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Of all the essential nutrients that our bodies need on a regular basis, vitamins are perhaps the most researched and well-known. Ever since we were children, we were told of the importance of taking our vitamins. These nutrients help our body perform hundreds of different functions and without we simply cannot survive.

Of all the essential nutrients that our bodies need on a regular basis, vitamins are perhaps the most researched and well-known. Ever since we were children, we were told of the importance of taking our vitamins. These nutrients help our body perform hundreds of different functions and without we simply cannot survive.

Vitamins for cardiac health are specific vitamins which contribute to overall heart health and function, while helping prevent heart disease and other cardiovascular issues.
The most important group of vitamins specifically for heart health is the B Vitamin Family. These vitamins serve specific functions that can significantly reduce your risk of developing heart disease.

The B Vitamins present in Moringa , specifically folic acid (Vitamin B9), Vitamin B6 and Vitamin B12 are all responsible for helping the body remove homocysteine from the blood. High levels of homocysteine can cause artery damage. Meat is a good source of B vitamins, which is why vegetarians have an increased risk of dangerous homocysteine levels. It is especially important that they supplement these important vitamins for cardiac health.

Vitamin B3 in Moringa , known more commonly as niacin, may also reduce cholesterol in high concentrations, although further testing is needed to prove this conclusively. As far as other heart vitamins are concerned, Vitamin E and Vitamin C in Moringa work in conjunction with each other to prevent heart disease and other ailments through their antioxidant abilities.

Apart from vitamins for cardiac health, Moringa’s antioxidants are substances that remove toxic byproducts of chemical reactions in the body. That's why you hear so much about antioxidants - they are responsible for clearing out highly reactive chemicals that circulate in the body, making sure they don't cause cell and tissue damage. It is this damage that is believed to cause heart disease, cancer and premature aging.

Other vitamins for cardiac health include folic acid and other B vitamins reduce the risk of coronary heart disease and stroke, according to a detailed analysis of more than three dozen scientific studies.

These nutrients work by quenching homocysteine, an amino acid in the blood that attacks blood vessel walls and promotes cardiovascular disease.
Homocysteine (pronounced ho´-mo-sis´-teen) has emerged after 25 years of research as the "new cholesterol," and researchers estimate that it is a major risk factor in 10 to 40 percent of heart attacks and strokes in the United States. Under normal circumstances, this amino acid is a short-lived byproduct of methionine metabolism, but a diet short on B vitamins prevents its breakdown.
The latest study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, analyzed 38 previous studies on homocysteine, folic acid, and cardiovascular diseases. Researcher Shirley A. A. Beresford, PhD, of the University of Washington, confirmed that high blood levels of homocysteine were clearly associated with cardiovascular diseases and that folic acid lowered levels of the amino acid. Other studies have reported that vitamins for cardiac health also include B6, B12, and choline also lower homocysteine levels.

High blood levels of homocysteine, also known as hyperhomocysteinemia, pose a risk of cardiovascular disease independent of other risk factors, such as cholesterol, triglyceride, smoking, and so forth. Beresford estimated that up to 50,000 coronary heart disease deaths could be prevented by increasing folic acid intake-by eating more fruit and vegetables, fortifying foods with the vitamin, or taking supplements.

Moringa has all the Vitamins You Need for Your Health

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Moringa - The Best Breast Feeding Supplement

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A galactogogue is a substance which is used to increase the production of milk in humans and other animals. It may be synthetic, plant-derived, or endogenous. Moringa acts as galactogogues and increases the milk production.

Many people across the world are learning about the enormous health benefits of Moringa. Moringa is a fast growing tree that produces leaves and fruit pods that are consumed as a highly nutritious food. The nutritional density and diversity of Moringa has deemed it the "Miracle Tree" or nature's most nutritious food. The nutrients in this miracle from nature have been reported to treat over 300 different diseases and disorders of the body.

Aside from the obvious health benefits exhibited by Moringa, mothers around the world have been using it obscurely as a natural way to increase breast milk. The natural constituents of Moringa leaves and fruit pods are nature's answer to helping mothers produce copious amounts of highly nutritious milk for their infants. The term given an herb or food that increases the flow or production of breast milk is galactogogue.

Moringa has been clinically proven to increase the production of breast milk whether it is consumed before or after the birth of a baby. Mothers who took Moringa were shown to produce more than 2x the amount of breast milk than those who didn't. We all know instinctively that breast milk is the ultimate food prescribed by nature for the infant child and Moringa can be instrumental in helping mothers produce more of this precious food.

The health benefits of Moringa are legendary and it would not be hard to figure that it could be an important step for any potential mother to consider taking Moringa to supplement their nutritional needs thus passing on to the growing fetus critical nutrients that are vital to a healthy baby at delivery. The importance of certain nutrients during the gestation period (notably folic acid for the prevention of spina bifida) solidifies the need for a food supplement that gives the body a complete array of nutrients in a safe bio-available form. Also mothers who took Moringa during pregnancy have experienced being able to produce milk much quicker after delivery verses those mothers who didn't. It's very important for the newborn to get vital nutrients such as good fats (DHA and EPA) for brain development, immune system protectors, digestible protein, the amino acids argenine and histidine plus many others as soon as possible to start the process of total body development. Nothing is better at supplying those nutrients than breast milk fortified from a mother taking Moringa.

Babies that are breastfed have been proven by research to be far healthier across all spectrums because breast milk offers all the nutrients their growing bodies need during the first 6 months. Breastfed babies have much improved immune systems, less allergies, better digestion, greater intelligence and the list goes on and on. Why wouldn't any mother or mother to be, want to give their bundle of joy the absolute best that they can give, even if it meant having to use a breast pump and storing the breast milk in the fridge for later use? The use of Moringa by the mother would create the ultimate breast milk made even more nutritious by the vast array of vital nutrients naturally available to the mother. To put it simply, if the mother is granted better health by ingesting Moringa ,all of her healthy benefits are passed on to the baby for a future of better health.

Moringa leaves and fruit pods are truly nature's greatest compilation of vital nutrients for total body health. It is a virtual panacea of health benefits unmatched by any herbal or food supplement that I have seen in over 30 years of studying natural medicine (for my own health). Moringa's universal application, efficacy, low price and safety makes it the most perfect food supplement for the youngest to the most senior citizen.

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Moringa the Natural Cure for Osteoporosis

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Many women during their post menopausal period have problem of absorbing calcium into their bodies and many avoid calcium-rich dairy products because they have a higher fat content and more calories. So it is best to take Moringa, the richest source of calcium every day to prevent osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis literally means ''porous bones''. Porous bones are also brittle bones which can break even after minor trauma. Osteoporosis is a common problem which is likely to increase in the years to come because of a rapidly aging population. This disease is responsible for more than 1.5 million fractures annually. Osteoporosis is a bone disease in which the amount and quality of the bone is reduced, leading to fractures (broken bones). Osteoporosis is called "the silent thief" because it can progress without symptoms until a broken bone occurs. Calcium deficiency is perceived to be the major cause of Calcium deficiency.
Moringa Oleifera, commonly known as the Moringa tree, is considered to be most nutritious plant available on the earth. Moringa leaves have 4 times more Beta-Carotene than that of carrots, 17 times more calcium than that of milk and 25 times more iron than that of Spinach. Moringa Leaves and pods contain 90+ nutrients and 46 antioxidants. Moringa leaves have more antioxidants than the green leaves.

Moringa Leaves are one of the richest sources of natural Calcium. That's why people view Moringa leaves as the natural cure for Osteoporosis. For the middle aged men and women the body requires large amount of calcium to perform the normal metabolic activities. When the amount of Calcium in the regular diet is low, which is common always, the body will absorb the calcium stored in the bones, rendering the bones weak and susceptible for Osteoporosis.
Though many synthetic calcium supplements are available in the market, Moringa leaf powder is different from them in that it provides the natural calcium. Human body always recognizes the difference between the natural supplements and the synthetic and they tend to readily absorb the natural minerals. This way Moringa leaves offer calcium that is more bio-available and gives immediate effect.
Another fact about calcium is that it needs iron along with it for the maximum effect. Moringa leaves, with 25 times more iron than that of Spinach, provide both the iron and calcium together and help to cure osteoporosis. Regular intake of Moringa Leaves either in the form of dried green leaves, powder or in form will provide the necessary amount of Iron and calcium to the body. The middle aged women and senior citizens are the ones who reap the maximum benefits by the regular intake of Moringa leaves

Moringa – The Best Brain Activator

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Hemoglobin content of the blood is an important issue for the health status of the individual. Low hemoglobin content not only leads to anemia, it may also decrease the mental alertness of the person. Moringa, the richest source of iron helps to elevate the hemoglobin level in blood and helps in brain activation

The IQ level of the individual is of more important in this fast growing busy world. Each person will be recognized only if he/she is smart in their work. This will happen only if their brain is alert to grasp the matters.

Regular supply of oxygen is the key factor for the brain function. Hemoglobin is the main component of the blood which is needed for the transportation of the oxygen. If oxygen content of the blood increases then the working capacity of the brain increases. This will be achieved only when the iron content of the blood increases as it is the unique part of hemoglobin.

Moringa contains 25 times the more iron content than that of spinach and the absorption of iron in the form of Moringa products is greater as Moringa is the natural product. Body can absorb natural substance readily when compared to synthetic substance. Naturally the bioavailability of the iron in the form of Moringa is good. Along with the iron, Moringa contains Zinc which will improve the brain function. The hemoglobin content of the blood also plays an important role against the infection, which implies that the immune power of the individual gets improved when Moringa is ingested.

Moringa capsules are made using the pure Moringa Leaf Powder. Moringa leaf powder is nutrient rich and a vitamin supplement. Our Moringa Capsules are made from 100% vegetarian capsules. School and college students, who awake in late nights, can eat 2 or 3 capsules per day to relieve the stress. It's one of the most secret performance enhancing products taken by athletes today who ingest mega-doses that help them physically and mentally. It's great for people of all ages, especially oldsters who are losing their alertness. The high mineral and vitamin contents present in the Moringa leaf powder is a gift for pregnant women and mothers with new born babies. More than 40 basic nutrients should be present in our daily food intake. The most important thing about the nutrients is that they should be from a natural source. Then only, our body will absorb the nutrients. The vitamin and calcium supplements that we take are not fully absorbed by the body. This is mainly because human body can differentiate between the natural nutrients and the synthetic ones. And moreover, the Vitamins or Minerals, when intake separate, they won't help much. In other words, the human body will reap the benefit only when the Vitamins, minerals, amino acids and the other nutrients are feed together. India's ancient tradition of ayurveda medicine sites 300 diseases that are treated with the leaves of the Moringa tree. Moringa Tree Leaf is organic and absolutely safe. There are no known side effects. Moringa capsules provide the necessary vitamins and mineral supplements for them. Moringa as a part of our daily life helps to improve the nutritional status of the body with its 90 + nutrients and 46 antioxidants. It contains almost all the necessary vitamin, micro and macro minerals for the cell function.

Moringa contains ascorbic acid which improves the IQ level when it is supplemented for a period of time

Moringa Tea - Hypertension Reliever

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Potassium and calcium play an important role against the hypertension as sodium retention in the blood is restricted due to the presence of potassium. Moringa as a source of this important nutrient helps to decrease the blood pressure. High amount of potassium in the Moringa helps to reduce the absorption of sodium.

Hypertension is a worldwide common problem occurring mostly in the middle age. The people suffering from hypertension may fall into cardio vascular and renal problems. So, hypertension is the silent killer. The main cause of hypertension is the increased level of sodium in the blood which increases the systolic and diastolic pressure.

Moringa is the well known tree which is used to treat more than 300 diseases and disorders of the body. Moringa is the richest source of potassium as it contains 15 times the potassium content compared to banana. When the level of potassium in the blood decreases, the absorption of sodium naturally increases leading to hypertension. As Moringa contains sufficient potassium content it prevents the excess absorption of sodium thereby decreasing the blood pressure. Regular consumption of Moringa can increase the level of potassium and helps to reduce the pressure of the blood flowing to cells and tissues.

Moringa capsules are made using the pure Moringa Leaf Powder. Moringa leaf powder is nutrient rich and a vitamin supplement. Our Moringa Capsules are made from 100% vegetarian capsules. School and college students, who awake in late nights, can eat 2 or 3 capsules per day to relieve the stress. It's one of the most secret performance enhancing products taken by athletes today who ingest mega-doses that help them physically and mentally. It's great for people of all ages, especially oldsters who are losing their alertness. The high mineral and vitamin contents present in the Moringa leaf powder is a gift for pregnant women and mothers with new born babies. More than 40 basic nutrients should be present in our daily food intake. The most important thing about the nutrients is that they should be from a natural source. Then only, our body will absorb the nutrients. The vitamin and calcium supplements that we take are not fully absorbed by the body. This is mainly because human body can differentiate between the natural nutrients and the synthetic ones. And moreover, the Vitamins or Minerals, when intake separate, they won't help much. In other words, the human body will reap the benefit only when the Vitamins, minerals, amino acids and the other nutrients are feed together Moringa Tree Leaf is organic and absolutely safe. There are no known side effects. Moringa capsules provide the necessary vitamins and mineral supplements for them.. It contains almost all the necessary vitamin, micro and macro minerals for the cell function

Moringa contains calcium which is 17 times that of milk. Calcium is needed for blood coagulation. It was noted that increased calcium intake will decline the incidence of hypertension. Moringa contains both potassium and calcium in greater proportion makes the hypertension patient to reduce their pressure.

Moringa is the best supplement for the healthy life as it contains 90 + nutrients and 46 antioxidants. All the nutrients when consumed regularly will improve our nutritional status of our body. It is difficult for us to take Moringa daily as the present world need variety in their diet.

Moringa - The Ultimate Health Supplement

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Health supplements are now very important as the regular meal pattern did not meet the nutrient requirement of our daily needs. Moringa is the best supplement which provides all the essential nutrients needed for our survival with its numerous health benefits.

Healthy foods will lead to a healthy life. Every people around the world are searching for a healthy food, as their dietary pattern did not fulfill their daily nutrient requirement. It is difficult for the people to take all the food which is rich in specific nutrients. This lead to the formulation of health supplements.

Moringa tea are made using the pure Moringa Leaf Powder. Moringa leaf powder is nutrient rich and a vitamin supplement. Our Moringa tea are made from 100% Moringa leaves. School and college students, who stays awake in late nights, can drink 1 to 2 tea bag per day to relieve the stress. It's one of the most secret performance enhancing products taken by athletes today who ingest mega-doses that help them physically and mentally. It's great for people of all ages, especially oldsters who are losing their alertness. The high mineral and vitamin contents present in the Moringa leaf powder is a gift for pregnant women and mothers with new born babies.
More than 40 basic nutrients should be present in our daily food intake. The most important thing about the nutrients is that they should be from a natural source. Then only, our body will absorb the nutrients. The vitamin and calcium supplements that we take are not fully absorbed by the body. This is mainly because human body can differentiate between the natural nutrients and the synthetic ones. And moreover, the Vitamins or Minerals, when intake separate, they won't help much. In other words, the human body will reap the benefit only when the Vitamins, minerals, amino acids and the other nutrients are feed together. India's ancient tradition of ayurveda medicine sites 300 diseases that are treated with the leaves of the Moringa tree. Moringa Tree Leaf is organic and absolutely safe. There are no known side effects.
Moringa Tea provide the necessary vitamins and mineral supplements for them. Moringa Tea as a part of our daily life helps to improve the nutritional status of the body with its 90+ nutrients and 46 antioxidants. It contains almost all the necessary vitamin, micro and macro minerals for the cell function.

Moringa as a supplement provide 15 times the potassium in banana, 17 times the calcium in milk, 4 times the Vitamin A in carrot, 25 times the iron in spinach and half time the Vitamin C content in orange.

Calcium helps in the formation and maintenance of strong bone which prevent the osteoporosis during the old age. Calcium also helps in the blood clotting mechanism. So consumption of Moringa can prevent the occurrence of osteoporosis. As Moringa contains potassium in considerable amount it can be supplemented for the hypertension patient. Vitamin A is needed for the clear vision which implies the importance of Moringa.

Moringa as a richest source of iron helps to prevent the occurrence of anemia which is the common issue in the world. Regular intake of Moringa will increase the hemoglobin level in the blood which increases the oxygen supply to the brain leading to the activation of the brain. Ascorbic acid content of Moringa helps in increasing the IQ score of the individual especially in mentally defective category.

Apart from these nutrient Moringa contains all the essential mineral and vitamins needed for the cell metabolism. The consumption of Moringa will provide the entire nutrient needed by the body.

All the organic nutrients can be absorbed to a higher rate when compared to the synthetic supplement.
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Moringa’s High Content of Vitamin A Improves Vision

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Beta carotene is the nutrient which is needed for the proper vision mainly vision in dim light. This vitamin can be stored in the body as it is a fat soluble vitamin. Moringa is the richest source of beta carotene can be supplemented to all age groups as beta carotene deficiency is common among all people.

Greater percentage of the people in the world is suffering from eye problem. It is becoming the common problem invariably for all age groups. This is due to the inadequate intake of beta carotene in the diet. Beta carotene is a fat soluble vitamin needed for clear vision.

Beta carotene is converted into retinol in the body and helps in vision in the dim light by activating the rod cells in the retina. Adequate supply of this beta carotene will improve the eye sight. Moringa contains beta carotene which can be supplemented regularly to prevent the occurrence of eye problem.

Untreated eye problem may even lead to the loss of eye sight. Moringa with its unbelievable properties contain 4 times the beta carotene content of carrots; make the body to get the nutrient sufficiently. Moringa contains the entire essential nutrient for the maintenance of the body function and thereby improving the health status of the individual.

Moringa is the richest source of iron, calcium, Beta carotene, potassium. It contains 90 + nutrients and 46 antioxidant content of the Moringa helps to prevent the formation of malignancy. beta carotene also helps to prevent cardio vascular problem and it plays a vital role against infection.

Though vitamin A can be supplemented parentally, regular intake of beta carotene rich food will be beneficial as it elevate the vitamin A level in the blood steadily. Vitamin A not only helps in vision, it also protects our body from infection.

Moringa leaf is dried carefully to prevent their nutrient loss and it is powdered. This will be providing all its beneficial properties. This product can be used even in off seasons. Regular consumption of Moringa is highly recommended.
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Moringa's Universal Benefits

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Athletes and Sportsmen

Athletes and Sportsmen are considered to be the elite crowd of people, who always strive to stay fit and outperform competition. Constant Practice is the only know secret for their success. But the unknown secret behind their success is proper nutrition. Moringa, known as the most nutritive plant ever discovered by mankind, provide the body with all the essential Vitamins, minerals and Protein and helps them in various ways as mentioned here.

Improves Strength:

Human body has the ability to differentiate between natural nutritional supplements and the synthetic ones. Moringa Tea, being packed with pure Moringa Powder, provides the body with 100% natural Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Calcium, Iron and many other nutrients. These nutrients are readily bio-available and helps to boost energy instantly. Whereas, in case of synthetic supplements, the entire contents are not absorbed by the body and hence they are known to cause many side effects.

Improves Endurance:

Moringa, with its high Vitamin A and Vitamin C contents, combines with it’s extraordinary Iron content (25 times more Iron than that of Spinach), helps to improve the hemoglobin content of the blood. This in turn helps the blood to deliver more oxygen to the muscles during aerobic endurance exercises. The increased Oxygen carried by the blood also helps to increase the metabolic rate and assists in burning unwanted fat deposited in the body.

Antioxidants:

Free radicals are atoms that exists in the human body and they constantly attack other healthy body cells to get free electrons. This process results in aging and body weakness. Anti-oxidants supply the free atoms needed by the human body and mitigate the effect of free radicals. Moringa has approximately 46 antioxidants and is one of the most powerful source of natural anti-oxidants.

Additionally, Vitamin C & Vitamin E function as anti-oxidants, important for preventing oxidative damage to cellular and subcellular structure and function during excercise training, theoretically optimizing performance for competition.

Apart from this Moringa, with 17 times More Calcium than that of Milk helps to build stronger bones and also to improve the overall metabollic activities of the body.

Working Professionals

Today’s corporate world has become more demanding and people have to stretch out extra to prove their competence. Stress and Tension have become a part of the corporate world and they both laid the foundation for so many disease including Diabetes, Blood Pressure and Cardiovascular diseases. Moringa can provide you with the benefits of Moringa to improve your body health in the following ways.

Free Radicals:

Researches convey that Stress is a cause of increased Free radicals generation in the body. Free radicals constantly attacks other cells in the body to get an extra electron. The increase in the rate of this process will lead to ageing and other heart diseases. Anti-oxidants are the elements that provide the body with free atoms and helps to reduce the effect of free radicals. Moringa , with more than 40 anti-oxidants, present in it helps to provide the body with free electrons and thus helps in delaying the aging process and protects the body from heart diseases. The high Vitamin A and Vitamin C content present in Moringa, explains the reasons for it’s antioxidant property.

Clarity of Eyesight:

The corporate guys spends most part of their time either in front of computers or referring to files. This increased stress on the eyes requires extra nutrients for the eyes to maintain the clarity of vision. The power of our eyesight is directly related to supply of Vitamin A to the body. If our daily diet lacks enough Vitamin A, our eyes lacks the vital nutrition and this leads to reduced eye sight. Moringa, which has 10 times, more Vitamin A, than that of carrots, helps people to have a better eye sight.

Mental Alertness:

Moringa, with 10 times more Beta-carotene, than that of Carrots and 25 times more Iron, than that of Spinach and rich in Vitamin E, improves the Oxygen absorption ability of the blood by increasing its hemoglobin content. As the Oxygen supplies to the brain increases, the functionality of the brain is stimulated and the mental clarity improves. Apart from this, the overall metabolic activities and the digestion rate of the body will also be improved.

General Weakness:

Prolonged working hours generally weakens the body. Moringa, which is considered to be the most nutrient plant, ever discovered by mankind, can filled the nutrient starved body with Vitamins , Minerals and Protein. The major difference between other synthetic nutritional supplements available in the market and Moringa is that, Moringa is a 100% natural product and hence all the vitamins, antioxidants, Calcium, Magnesium, Zinc, Potassium and other minerals present in Moringa will be readily absorbed by the human body.

Lactating Mother

At times, researchers of Moringa wonder whether God has created this “Miracle Tree” just to serve the lactating mothers. Lactating mothers generally requires a lot of nutrients than a normal person and Moringa Leaves and Pods seems to provides most of the required Vitamins, minerals, proteins, carotenoids and carbohydrates as a package. Moringa with 17 times more calcium than that of milk and the high Vitamin A content, not only helps to increase the quantity of milk secreted by the lactating women but also to improve the quality of the milk generated. Mothers who regularly consume Moringa will have a better nutrition profile and the milk secreted by them will be filled with more nutrients.

Apart from the extraordinarily high Iron content of Moringa, combined with its high Betacarotene contents helps to improve the hemoglobin content of blood. Increased hemoglobin also serves to improve the Oxygen absorption ability of the blood, and results in overall improvement of the metabolic activities of the body. Increased hemoglobin content, also serves to improve the immune system of the body.

Middle Age Women

Generally people in their 40s and 50s , especially women, needs a lot of vitamins and minerals for performing the normal functionalities of the body. Middle aged women suffers a lot of health disorders due to the physiological and enzymatic changes in the body. Moringa helps them in many ways and aids them in crossing this stage with ease and joy.

Menopause:

Menopause is a crucial stage in every woman’s life. Though it is a painful stage, they can overcome the symptoms of menopause with the help of proper nutrients. A well balanced nutritional supplement is essential during the menopause, as it enables the body to adjust automatically to the hormonal changes, naturally maintaining Oestrogen from the adrenal glands and fat deposits. During Menopause, the body needs extra Iron and Calcium to compensate for the blood bleeding. Because of the irregular blood flow and hormonal changes, women feel tiered and at times stressful. Moringa leaf Powder, with 17 times more calcium than that of Milk and 10 times more Vitamin A than that of Carrots, helps to alleviate the symptoms of menopause.

The high Vitamin C content of Moringa is known for it’s effect on the immune system and it also strengthens the blood vessels. The Bio-flavonoids such as Quercetin, present in Moringa Leaf powder, is believed to reduce the hot flushes. The high Vitamin E content, present in Moringa, is also helpful for Vaginal dryness and one study showed that just 400IU of Vitamin E taken per day for between 1 and 4 months helped women.

Bone Strength:

Menopause leaves women with weakened bones and renders them highly susceptible for Osteoporosis. If the body lacks the suggested Daily Intake value of Calcium, the body absorbs calcium from the bones and teeth. This makes the bones still weaker. Moringa with it’s high Calcium content, comes as a solution for this problem. Since the Calcium present in Moringa is 100% obtained from the natural source, this is readily absorbed by the body. The high Magnesium content present in Moringa is an important mineral for bones in the post-menopause stage. Magnesium, also known as “Tranquillizer”, will help with symptoms such as Anxiety, irritability and other mood swings.

Depression:

Researches are constantly insisting that one of the major causes for depression is the lack of proper nutrients in the diet. The nutrients imbalance is believed to trigger hormonal imbalances and that would lead to depression. Depression is becoming common among American women and women in their 30 and 40 are highly prone to depression and sleeping disorders. Depression can be cured most times with the proper supply of nutrients to the body. Incidentally, Moringa, which is packed with Vitamin A, B, C, E , Calcium, Potassium, numerous flavonoids and nutrients, when taken regularly, not only helps people to overcome depression but also to lead a healthy life style. Moringa takes the pride in serving the most nutrient plant on the earth in the purest form.

Senior Citizens

Moringa, being packed with Vitamins and Minerals, acts as nutrient power house for the seniors, who would lack the necessary nutrients in their regular diet. The rising health insurance also mandates us to stay fit and healthy. Moringa capsules, differs from other synthetic calcium in vitamin supplements , in their bio-availability. Since Moringa capsules are 100% natural product, they are readily absorbed by the body when compared to it’s synthetic counter parts. Moringa address the problems of the senior citizens in the following ways.

Osteoporosis:

Human body needs Calcium for it’s normal functioning. Generally for people in their fifties, if enough Calcium is not available in their diet, the body absorbs the calcium from their bones and thus rendering bones weak and this leads to the condition Osteoporosis.
The high calcium content present in Moringa, supplies the calcium needed by the body and helps to maintain healthier bones.

Clarity of Eyesight:

The power of our eyesight is directly related to supply of Vitamin A to the body. If our daily diet lacks enough Vitamin A, our eyes lacks the vital nutrition and this leads to reduced eye sight. Moringa, which has 10 times, more Vitamin A, than that of carrots, helps people to have a better eye sight.

Immune System:

The aging of human body is always associated with weakening of the immune system and thus leaving the body susceptible to various germs which were blocked by the strong immune system. Moringa, with 25 times more Iron content, than that of Spinach, combines with it’s high Beta-Carotene content, helps to improve the hemoglobin levels in the blood, which would inturn strengthens the immune system.

Mental Clarity:

Moringa, with 10 times more Beta-carotene, than that of Carrots and 25 times more Iron, than that of Spinach, improves the Oxygen absorption ability of the blood by increasing it’s hemoglobin content. As the Oxygen supplies to the brain increases, the functionality of the brain is stimulated and the mental clarity improves. Apart from this, the overall metabolic activities and the digestion rate of the body will be improved.

Moringa - The Natural Cure For Macular Degeneration

2008-08-24T19:17:00.001-07:00

Macular degeneration is a medical condition predominantly found in elderly adults in which the center of the inner lining of the eye, known as the macula area of the retina suffers thinning, atrophy and in some cases, bleeding. This can result in loss of central vision, which entails inability to see fine details, to read, or to recognize faces.

The Age-Related Eye Disease Study showed that a combination of high-dose beta-carotene, vitamin C, vitamin E and Zinc can reduce the risk of developing advanced AMD by about 25 percent in those patients who have earlier but significant forms of the disease. This is the only proven intervention to decrease the risk of advanced AMD at this time. Moringa contains 90+ nutrients and 46 antioxidants. It contains almost all the necessary vitamin, micro and macro minerals for the cell function.

High blood pressure may be associated with development of macular degeneration. Moringa contains high potassium content which helps to reduce the risk of high blood pressure. Antioxidants are substances that prevent oxidative damage to tissue, such as the retina. In contrast, antioxidant containing foods are thought to be beneficial for patients with macular degeneration. The most popular antioxidants are the carotenoids. Benefits of high levels of antioxidant and zinc for halting or slowing development of macular degeneration have been widely reported so by consuming Moringa can provide the antioxidants which help in lowering the risk of AMD.

Moringa leaf powder is nutrient rich and a vitamin supplement. Moringa capsules are made using the pure Moringa Leaf Powder.Moringa Capsules are made from 100% vegetarian capsules. Moringa as a supplement provide 15 times the potassium in banana, 17 times the calcium in milk, 4 times the Vitamin A in carrot, 25 times the iron in spinach and half time the Vitamin C content in orange. Moringa is rich in vitamin to the extent that it is one of the richest plant sources of Vitamin. Moringa has Vitamin A (Beta Carotene), Vitamin B1 (Thiamine), Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin), Vitamin B3 (Niacin), Vitamin B6 Pyrodixine), Vitamin B7 (Biotin), Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid), Vitamin D (Cholecalciferol), Vitamin E (Tocopherol) and Vitamin K. Vitamin A is most needed by the body to maintain a perfect vision. The list of Minerals present in Moringa is abundant and few of the main minerals include Calcium, Copper, Iron, Potassium, Magnesium, Manganese and Zinc.

These entire nutrients are needed for the subjects suffering from Macular degeneration especially the antioxidants and Zinc. As Moringa contains antioxidants and Zinc in higher amount it can be supplemented for the AMD patients. Moringa can be supplemented as Moringa capsules such that it can be easily consumed every day without disturbing our dietary pattern.

Moringa For Healthy Hair

2008-08-24T19:14:00.001-07:00

The overall condition of our body is reflected by appearance of our hair. If the body is healthy and well-nourished, the hair will be shining glory. If there are any health problems or nutritional deficiencies, the hair may stop growing or show damage or become brittle. Daily intake of vitamins and minerals play a huge role in keeping the hair healthy. Certain vitamins, minerals and amino-acids are crucial to the metabolic pathways involved in keratin protein (hair) metabolism.
Moringa leaves obtained from Moringa oleifera tree, as a supplement provide 17 times the calcium in milk, 15 times the potassium in banana, 4 times the Vitamin A in carrot, 25 times the iron in spinach and half time the Vitamin C content in orange. The nutrients present in Moringa are of high biological value as it is easily absorbed by the body compare to synthetic supplements.

Hair growth requires optimal delivery of oxygen and nutrients from the circulatory system to the hair follicle. Vitamin A is a key component for developing healthy cells, tissues in the body, and reducing hair loss. Additionally it works with silica and zinc to prevent drying and clogging of the sebaceous glands, the glands vital to producing sebum. Vitamin A deficiencies commonly cause thickening of the scalp, dry hair, and dandruff. Moringa with its high vitamin A content helps in the hair growth and maintenance. Zinc stimulates hair growth by enhancing immune function. Zinc deficiency will result in atrophy of the hair follicles as there is a marked impairment of DNA and protein synthesis where zinc influences the confirmation of nucleic acids.

Hair loss occurs when the diet is inadequate in the B vitamins - especially B6, biotin, inositol and folic acid. Vitamin E is an antioxidant that stimulates the scalp by increasing blood circulation. An increase in blood circulation makes more nutrients available to the hair follicles so they can grow stronger, healthier hair. Vitamin C aids in improving scalp circulation. It is important to maintain capillaries that carry blood to the follicles. Moringa contains these nutrients needed for the healthy hair.

Moringa has Vitamin A, Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B7, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Vitamin E and Vitamin K. The list of Minerals present in Moringa is abundant and few of the main minerals include Calcium, Copper, Iron, Potassium, Magnesium, Manganese and Zinc. Research has shown that in our hurry up world of fast food, and extreme work schedules we have developed extraordinarily poor eating habits. This extremely poor diet affecting our general health and energy levels and makes our fingernails weaker and our hair thinner and far less healthier.

Moringa contains 90+ nutrients and 46 antioxidants. It contains almost all the necessary vitamin, micro and macro minerals for the cell function. Moringa are made using the pure Moringa Leaf Powder.

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Moringa's Dried Leaf Powder is More Potent Than Fresh Moringa Leaf

2008-08-24T18:55:00.001-07:00

When you take a delicate Moringa leaf and carefully Chamber dry it - amazing things happen. There is significantly higher nutritional value in the Moringa dried leaf, in some cases over ten times in specific nutrients when compared to fresh Moringa leaf. Many universities and independent research laboratory analyses have confirmed the higher nutritional values in the dried leaf powder. What's more amazing is the gram for gram comparison of Moringa to common fruits and vegetables. The nutritional values of Moringa's many vitamins, minerals, amino acids, chlorophyll, and anti-aging compounds are higher than it's own fresh leaves.

Moringa, commonly known as the “Miracle Tree” is considered to be the most nutrient plant ever known to mankind. You cannot have good health if you do not consume food that is nutritional.

More than 40 basic nutrients should be present in our daily food intake. The most important thing about the nutrients is that they should be from a natural source. Then only, our body will absorb the nutrients. The vitamin and calcium supplements, that we take are not fully absorbed by the body. This is mainly because human body can differentiate between the natural nutrients and the synthetic ones. And moreover, the Vitamins or Minerals, when intake separate, they won’t help much. In other words, the human body will reap the benefit only when the Vitamins, minerals, amino acids and the other nutrients are feed together. Moringa , with 90+ nutrients, is a the best source to nourish the body with the essential nutrients. The list of nutrients present in Moringa can be broadly classified as given below.

Vitamins:
Moringa is rich in vitamin to the extent that it is one of the richest plant sources of Vitamin. Moringa has Vitamin A (Beta Carotene), Vitamin B1 (Thiamine), Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin), Vitamin B3 (Niacin), Vitamin B6 Pyrodixine), Vitamin B7 (Biotin), Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid), Vitamin D (Cholecalciferol), Vitamin E (Tocopherol) and Vitamin K. Vitamin A is most needed by the body to maintain a perfect vision and to maintain the cardiovascular health. Vitamin The calsium taken by the body works well only in the presence of Vitamin D

Minerals:
The list of Minerals present in Moringa is abundant and few of the main minerals includes Calcium, Copper, Iron, Potassium, Magnesium, Manganese and Zinc. Calcium is one of the most important minerals for the growth, maintenance, and reproduction of the human body. Blood coagulation, transmission of nerve impulses, muscle contraction and relaxation, normal heart beat, stimulation of hormone secretion, activation of enzyme reactions, as well as other functions, all require small amounts of calcium. Moringa is the richest source of Calcium from a plant material and Moringa has 17 times more Calcium than that of milk. Moringa, with 25 times more Iron than that of Spinach, helps in the formation of hemoglobin and myoglobin, which carry the oxygen in the blood and the muscle. Iron also makes up part of many proteins and enzymes in the body and deficiencies of which leads to the weakening of the immune system. Moringa with 15 times the potassium in Banana, assists in the regulation of the acid-base and water balance in the blood and the body tissues. It assists in protein synthesis from amino acids and in carbohydrate metabolism. It is necessary for the building of muscle and for normal body growth. Moringa is the natural alternative for the calcium supplements available in the market.

Antioxidants:
Moringa has approximately 46 antioxidants and is one of the most powerful source of natural anti-oxidants. Anti-oxidants supply the free atoms needed by the human body and mitigate the effect of free radicals. Moringa leaves are rich in Flavonoids, a class of anti-oxidants. The major anti-oxidants present are Quercetin, Kaempferol, Beta-Sitosterol, Caffeoylquinic acid and Zeatin. Antioxidants play a major role in controlling the symptoms of aging process and improves the cardiovascular health. Additionally, Vitamin C & Vitamin E, present in Moringa, also function as anti-oxidants. Researches confirm that the anti-oxidants deliever the desired result, if only taken with the combination of other esential vitamin and minerals, which makes health enthusiats to sought after Moringa.

Phytonutrients:
Moringa is filled with Phytonutrients. Phytonutrients are certain organic components of plants, and these components are thought to promote human health. The phytonutrients present in Moringa include, Alpha-carotene, Beta-Carotene, Beta-cryptoxanthin, Lutein, Zeaxanthin and Chlorophyll. Phytonutrients flushes toxins from the body, purifies the liver, helps to strengthen the immune system, helps in rebuilding the red blood cells and the important of all, Moringa Phytonutrients rejuvenate the body at the cellular level.

Moringa Contains Very High Antioxidants and Anti-inflammatory Compounds

2008-08-24T18:38:00.001-07:00

Antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds work best when combined with other antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents. Nature allowed for a better efficacy when combined, a synergy of the compounds being much more effective than a single compound. Moringa contains the following antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds or compounds with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory characteristics.

Antioxidants:

Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Vitamin B (Choline), Vitamin B1 (Thiamin), Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin), Vitamin B3 (Niacin), Vitamin B6, Alanine, Alpha-Carotene, Arginine, Beta-Carotene, Beta-sitosterol, Caffeoylquinic Acid, Campesterol, Carotenoids, Chlorophyll, Chromium, Delta-5-Avenasterol, Delta-7-Avenasterol, Glutathione, Histidine, Indole Acetic Acid, Indoleacetonitrile, Kaempferal, Leucine, Lutein, Methionine, Myristic-Acid, Palmitic-Acid, Prolamine, Proline, Quercetin, Rutin, Selenium, Threonine, Tryptophan, Xanthins, Xanthophyll, Zeatin, Zeaxanthin, Zinc.

Anti-inflammatory compounds:

Vitamin A, Vitamin B1 (Thiamin), Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Arginine, Beta-sitosterol, Caffeoylquinic Acid, Calcium, Chlorophyll, Copper, Cystine, Omega 3, Omega 6, Omega 9, Fiber, Glutathione, Histidine, Indole Acetic Acid, Indoleacetonitrile, Isoleucine, Kaempferal, Leucine, Magnesium, Oleic-Acid, Phenylalanine, Potassium, Quercetin, Rutin, Selenium, Stigmasterol, Sulfur, Tryptophan, Tyrosine, Zeatin, Zinc.

There are over 46 antioxidants and 36 anti-inflammatory compounds all naturally occurring in the Moringa plant. This is why people prefer Moringa as the best natural source of anti-oxidants.

How is Moringa Better than Other Nutritional Supplements

2008-08-24T18:30:00.000-07:00
The human body always knows to differentiate between a natural product and a Synthetic product. Most of the Multivitamin and Calcium supplements available in the market are made using Synthetic ingredients. The human body absorbs only a little lit bit of the nutrients supplied through the synthetic supplements. Whereas the Moringa leaves and pods are natural sources of Calcium and multivitamins and their processing method also enhances the bioavailability of the nutrients to the body.

Bioavailability of Whole Plant Minerals:
Calcium - Up to 8.79 times more bioavailable.
Chromium - Up to 25 times more bioavailable.
Copper - 1.85 time more retained in the liver.
Iron - 1.77 times more absorbed into blood.
Magnesium - Up to 2.20 times more bioavailable.
Manganese - 1.63 times more retained in the liver.
Molybdenum - 16.49 times more absorbed into blood.
Selenium - Up to 17.60 times the antioxidant effect.
Zinc - 6.46 times more absorbed into blood.

Moringa - The Natural cure for Diabetes

2008-08-24T18:16:00.001-07:00

Diabetic mellitus is a syndrome characterized by disordered metabolism and abnormally high blood sugar (hyperglycaemia) resulting from insufficient levels of the hormone insulin.

The characteristic symptoms polyuria, polydipsia, glucoseuria, unexplained weight loss, and lethargy. There are two types of diabetes, diabetes I and diabetics II.

Diabetes I may also known as Insulin dependent diabetes where insulin therapy is needed as the beta cells cant synthesis insulin. Diabetes II may refer to as Insulin non dependent diabetics as insulin is produced by the body but in lower amount or it becomes insensitive to act on glucose. It is possible for us to treat diabetes II through proper dieting, medication and regular exercise. The food which is ingested is converted to glucose for the cell function.

Glucose cannot enter the cells alone. It needs assistance from insulin in order to penetrate the cell walls. Insulin therefore acts as a regulator of glucose metabolism in the body. If insulin is lacking or it becomes insensitive it will lead to diabetes.

Untreated diabetes will lead to complications such as retinopathy, neuropathy, nephropathy, cardiovascular problems etc. Most of the people suffering from diabetes were unaware of the disease, when they recognized the disorder it becomes more complicated. A great way to get all of the important nutrients you need is to eat a diet high in raw fruits and vegetables, or to supplement the gaps in your diet with products that contain all of the necessary vitamins and minerals your body needs to function properly.

The nutritional density and diversity of Moringa has deemed it the "Miracle Tree" or nature’s most nutritious food. The nutrients in this miracle from nature have been reported to treat over 300 different diseases and disorders of the body.

Moringa leaves have 4 times more Beta-Carotene than that of carrots, 17 times more calcium than that of milk and 25 times more iron than that of Spinach. Moringa Leaves and pods contain 90+ nutrients and 46 antioxidants.

Moringa leaves have more antioxidants than the green leaves. Moringa contains all the essential nutrients needed for the biochemical reaction to perform regularly. Researchers in London recently reported that vitamin D is essential for the islet cells in the pancreas to be able to secrete insulin properly.

The studies have shown that individuals with the lowest vitamin D levels experienced the worst blood sugar-handling problems and had a greater risk of developing diabetes. Moringa as a rich source of ascorbic acid helps in insulin secretion. It is interesting to note that certain nutrients like vitamins B1, B2, B12, pantothenic acid, vitamin C, protein and potassium - along with small frequent meals containing some carbohydrate - can actually stimulate production of insulin within the body. Vitamin A as an antioxidant helps convert beta-carotene efficiently, which reduces the risk of blindness in diabetics. Vitamin B 12 supplementation has been used successfully to treat diabetic neuropathy. High dose supplements of vitamin C have been shown to prevent sorbitol accumulation and glycosylation of proteins, both of which are important factors in the development of diabetic complications such as cataracts. Studies have shown that a low vitamin-E concentration was associated with a 3.9 times greater risk of developing diabetes. Vitamin E reduces oxidative stress, thus improving membrane physical characteristics and related activities in glucose transport.

This antioxidant promotes healing of diabetes-related lesions. Magnesium helps in the metabolism of glycogen, Mg works closely with vitamin B 6 to help the metabolic process with in the cell. Moringa all these nutrient and helps the diabetic patient to control their blood glucose level.
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Moringa Combats Malnutrition

2008-08-24T16:11:00.001-07:00

Malnutrition is a major factor in the often high rates of infant mortality in the tropics and sub-tropics. In the poorest countries, as many as one child in five will die during infancy. Worldwide it is estimated that seven million people die each year from hunger-related causes, and the vast majority of these deaths are caused by chronic undernutrition.

Considerable investments have been made by governments and aid agencies in programs designed to prevent malnutrition. Approaches have included school lunch programs, nutrition education, introducing exotic vegetables, and even campaigns to periodically give children massive doses of vitamin A. A major drawback to these approaches is the dependence on imported solutions and outside personnel, and progress can quickly dissipate once the program funding dries up.

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In 1996, the Church World Service office in Dakar began studying the potential of the Moringa oleifera tree to combat the problem of malnutrition. The tree is common throughout the West Africa region and its leaves are occasionally used to make a sauce. In Senegal this sauce, eaten with rice or millet, is called Mboum. Among some farmers in Niger, dried Moringa leaves are an important cash crop.

The tree is called "Nebeday" in Senegal, most likely a derivative of the English words "never die" in reflection of the tree's ability to withstand drought, grow quickly from seed or cuttings, and regenerate itself even after the most severe pruning. It is often cultivated as a living fence around people's gardens. Although the tree is esteemed for its many medicinal uses, it was not commonly known that the leaves of this tree are extremely nutritious, or that the pods, flowers and growing tips of the tree are also edible. The traditional method of preparing the leaf sauce, however, causes much of the leaves’ nutritional value to be lost. Fresh leaves are boiled two or even three times, with the water discarded each time, in order to remove the leaves’ somewhat bitter taste.

During the second half of 1997, CWS began collaborating with the Senegalese organization AGADA (Alternative Action for African Development), based in the city of Ziguinchor, on a pilot project to test the theory that the products of the Moringa tree, added on a regular basis to an individual's diet, could prevent or cure malnutrition. The project’s target group were infants and women of child-bearing age living in south-western Senegal. Malnutrition was a considerable problem in this region. The pediatrics unit in the town of Bignona (pop. 30,000) was treating over six hundred cases of malnourished infants every year. Country-wide, the infant mortality rate of 13% was largely caused by malnutrition.

During the initial pilot project, AGADA personnel trained the doctors, nurses and mid-wives attached to eight health posts in methods of drying the leaves into a powder which could be used as a food additive in the treatment of malnourished children. The health workers were asked to keep records of their results. In addition, AGADA trainers conducted seminars in villages to teach women how to make Moringa leaf powder, how to cook Moringa pods and flowers, and ways of preparing the leaf sauce in order to retain more of the nutritional content. Training manuals, brochures, posters, radio spots and a film were put together by CWS and AGADA personnel for use as training supports.

Outside evaluations of this project were conducted in 1998 and in 1999. The positive findings led CWS and AGADA to expand the project. By the year 2000 virtually all government health workers, NGOs and many communities within the south-west region of Senegal had received training and the project began training activities in south-central Senegal.

Discussion and conclusions

In terms of improving general health, the leaves of the Moringa oleifera tree have demonstrated a multitude of attributes. Interviews with people who have made Moringa a regular part of their diets point out that they have a keen awareness of improvements in their health and energy. Women who consume Moringa during pregnancy will have babies with higher birth weights. During lactation, mothers will produce more milk and have increased appetites. Through the project's collaboration with local health posts, successful treatment of malnourished children with Moringa has been well-documented. Because Moringa is accessible to mothers at little or no cost, malnourished children treated with it actually tend to recover more rapidly than those whose mothers are obliged to follow the “modern” approach which involves purchasing expensive milk powder, cooking oil and sugar. Today, several health posts offer packets of Moringa leaf powder for sale, and demand tends to outstrip supply. To date, absolutely no negative side effects to even daily consumption of Moringa have been recorded. Unexpected benefits of Moringa include an apparent cure for tapeworms and help in controlling diabetes and high blood pressure.

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The question remains: To what degree can Moringa be a solution to the problem of malnutrition?

The World Health Organization has developed charts, currently used throughout West Africa, which enable health workers to compare a child's body length and weight and thereby determine to what degree the child deviates from the healthy median. According to where the child's length-weight ratio falls on the chart, he/she can be classified as normal, mildly or moderately malnourished (a Standard Deviation score of -1 to -2), or severely malnourished (-3 to -4 SD). Severe malnutrition in children is additionally defined as when there is "symmetrical oedema (fluid retention) involving at least the feet."

When a child has reached this stage of severe malnutrition, there are very gross abnormalities physiologically including infections, impaired liver and intestinal function and problems related to imbalance of electrolytes. Intensive hospital care is required in these cases. The infections must be treated and new ones prevented, the electrolyte balance restored, and an intensive 24-hour feeding program instituted. Because of the physiological abnormalities, the severely mal-nourished child cannot tolerate iron or the usual amounts of dietary protein, fat and sodium. Until the child leaves this emergency phase and enters the rehabilitation phase (when the child's condition is stable and his or her appetite has returned, normally after 2-7 days) his or her diet needs to high in carbohydrates and contain potassium, magnesium and other essential minerals, but low in protein, fat and sodium and completely lacking in iron supplements. Thus Moringa leaves, with their high iron and protein content, are not appropriate for use during initial treatment of the severely malnourished.

However, mild or moderate malnutrition before this terminal stage is reached is a completely different matter: the physiological abnormalities are much less severe and successful recovery can be had through a fully balanced diet containing all 40 essential nutrients in the correct proportions. Moringa, added on a daily basis to a child's food, has thoroughly demonstrated its ability to bring about rapid recoveries from moderate malnutrition.

But while successfully treating malnutrition is good, preventing it is much better. Malnutrition is brought on by a multitude of causes: lack of education, poverty, famine, parasites and impure drinking water are but some of them. A program which focuses on correcting micro-nutrient deficiencies alone will not fully eradicate malnutrition until these other causes are addressed. However, as the Moringa project in south-western Senegal has demonstrated, this approach can show very impressive results in reducing the incidence of malnutrition.

A major advantage to Moringa is the fact that it is a local resource. This contrasts with many of the ongoing programs designed to fight malnutrition which depend on imported products and outside donor support. Many programs which focus on vitamin A deficiency (VAD) use this donor-dependant approach. Vitamin A is a key modulator of the body’s immune system, helping fight against infections and preventing diseases such as diarrhea, respiratory ailments, tuberculosis and malaria. Severe vitamin A deficiency results in nightblindness and manifestations of xerophthalmia (a dry, thickened, lusterless eye condition) which can damage the cornea and lead to blindness. Worldwide, the WHO estimates that 2.8 million children under the age of five exhibit severe clinical manifestations of xerophthalmia.

According to Senegal’s National Center for Nutritional Alimentation, vitamin A supplementation can reduce the incidence of childhood illness and mortality due to measles by 50%, due to diarrhea by 40% and due to malaria by 30%. On average, vitamin A supplementation programs have been effective in reducing overall childhood mortality by 34%. To combat VAD, UNICEF is working in collaboration with national health authorities in many countries through a program to give every under-five child one massive dose of vitamin A, in tablet form, twice annually. At the same time iron supplements are being distributed to pregnant and lactating women against anemia.

Given the impressive impact on child mortality rates these vitamin A programs have had, they would appear to be a good idea. However, an opposing argument claims that this approach, focusing on specific micro-nutrient deficiencies and relying as it does on imported products and subsidies, is short-sighted and ultimately unsustainable.

        “This ‘drug-based approach’ to synthetic vitamin A distribution has received wide criticism, even from the very individuals who pioneered the work. Some of the limitations cited based on the 30-year experience of India are: ineffectiveness in correcting VAD (especially in populations where milder signs of deficiency are widespread), the limited shelf-life of vitamin A and logistical problems in ensuring supply. Supplementation programs are often expensive and unsystematic, and coverage may be poor. There have been many calls for an alternative approach, addressing the root causes of the problem rather than treating the symptoms. The World Declaration and the Plan of Action on Nutrition, adopted by 159 countries, at the International Conference on Nutrition organized by the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and WHO in 1992, states that strategies to combat micronutrient malnutrition should: ‘Ensure that sustainable food-based strategies are given first priority particularly for populations deficient in vitamin A and iron, favouring locally available foods and taking into account local food habits.’”

Ideally, good nutrition should be assured by a varied diet rich in meat, root, grain, fruit and vegetable foods. In reality, for a majority of the world's population such variety in food is unaffordable or seasonally unavailable. Within the arid countries of the African Sahel, for example, the dry seasons are marked by a heavy dependence on the staples of rice, millet and sorghum; during these months, fruits and greens can be found only in a few irrigated garden plots. And in virtually every year there is a lean period when grain stores have been exhausted one to three months prior to the new harvest. Elsewhere in the tropics, meals are generally built around one staple food rich in carbohydrates but very poor nutritionally, such as a pap or fufu made from yam, maize or manioc. Malnutrition is frequently characterized by this kind of restricted diet wherein a child consumes the same weaning pap every day.

In this context, Moringa is a very simple and readily available solution to the problem of malnutrition. The edible leaves of the Moringa oleifera tree are already an occasional food source throughout West Africa and other regions of the tropics and sub-tropics. As a source of vitamin A and iron they are among the best of tropical legumes. In addition, Moringa leaves offer very significant quantities of vitamin C, B-complex vitamins, calcium, protein, potassium, magnesium, selenium, zinc and a good balance of all the essential amino acids. A concerted effort to educate vulnerable populations in the value of Moringa as a source of nutrition, in training people in ways of preparing the leaf sauce so that the maximum of their vitamin and mineral content is retained, and encouraging families to use the leaf powder as a multi-vitamin and -mineral food supplement would go a long way towards eliminating micronutrient deficiencies.

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REFERENCES

Bellagio Brief, 1999. Conclusions of a meeting on February 3-7, in Bellagio. Italy.

Church World Service, 1999. Facts have faces (brochure). New York.

GRAIN, 2000. Engineering solutions to malnutrition. Seedlings magazine.

Population Reference Bureau, 1997. Population mondiale. Washington, D.C.

Saint Sauveur, A., 1997. Le Moringa oleifera au Niger et en Inde, ou quand les agriculteurs préfèrent planter les arbres, in Le Flamboyant. Silva, France. 43:16-23.

SNEPS-SNAN, 2000. Journées nationales de micronutriment. République du Sénégal. Ministère de la santé (brochure).

WHO, 1999. Management of severe malnutrition: a manual for physicians and other senior health workers. Geneva.

Population Reference Bureau, 1997. Population mondiale. Washington, D.C.

Church World Service, 1999. Facts have faces (brochure). New York.

Saint Sauveur, A., 1997. Le Moringa oleifera au Niger et en Inde, où quand les agriculteurs préfèrent planter les arbres, Le Flamboyant. Silva, France. 43:16-23.

SNEPS-SNAN, 2000. Journées nationales de micronutriment. République du Sénégal. Ministère de la santé (brochure).

WHO, 1999. Management of severe malnutrition: a manual for physicians and other senior health workers. Geneva, p.4.

SNEPS-SNAN

Bellagio Brief, Conclusions of a meeting on February 3-7, 1999 in Bellagio, Italy.

GRAIN, 2000. Engineering solutions to malnutrition. Seedlings magazine.

	Fresh Leaves	Dried Leaves
Calories	92 cal	205 cal
Carbohydrates	13.4 g	38.2 g
Fat	1.70 g	2.3 g
Fiber	0.90 g	19.2 g
Protein	6.70 g	27.1g
Carotene (Vit. A)	6.78 mg	18.9 mg
Thiamin (B1)	0.06 mg	2.64 mg
Riboflavin (B2)	0.05 mg	20.5 mg
Niacin (B3)	0.8 mg	8.2 mg
Vitamin C	220 mg	17.3 mg
Vitamin E	-	113 mg
Calcium	440 mg	2,003 mg
Copper	0.07 mg	0.57 mg
Iron	7.0 mg	28.2 mg
Magnesium	42 mg	368 mg
Phosphorus	70 mg	204 mg
Potassium	259 mg	1,324 mg
Sulfur	137 mg	870 mg
Zinc	0.16 mg	3.29 mg

	Fresh Leaves	Dried Leaves
Arginine	406.6 mg	1,325 mg
Histidine	149.8 mg	613 mg
Isoleucine	299.6 mg	825 mg
Leucine	492.2 mg	1,950 mg
Lysine	342.4 mg	1,325 mg
Methionine	117.7 mg	350 mg
Phenylalinine	310.3 mg	1,388 mg
Threonine	117.7 mg	1,188 mg
Tryptophan	107 mg	425 mg
Valine	374.5 mg	1,063 mg