Health Matters

Good evening,

Going herbal, another point of view that I have done research on and believe in very much. In fact, I drink healthy coffee and tea with the ganoderma herb in it several times per day.

I want to give you some information on the health benefits of the ganoderma mushroom. Some of the reasons that I and a good friend of mine drink the healthy coffee and healthy tea is because of its healing qualities of the ganoderma mushroom. It is great to be able to enjoy that delicious cup of coffee or glass of tea, knowing that it truly is also improving our health in a very positive way, unlike the coffees on the market today.

Here are some health benefits of Ganoderma. It can calms one’s mind, enhance wisdom and with no side effects. It is moderate and non toxic which is amazing. Researchers have shown us that Ganoderma Lucidum herb is high in organic Germanium, triterpenes and polysaccharides. These are the ingredients that strengthen our immune systems. Immune cells of t-lymphocyte and macrophage are your most important immunity cells. The active ingredient in this herb strengthens these cells to destroy abnormal cells such as cancer cells. So you see as a result it helps with the prevention and treatment of cancer. When the most pure Ganoderma is used that is grown from dead wood, this is amazing the results when using it.

Other great additions for us are it improves our sleep and appetities, gives us vital energy to do our tasks, helps with our memory and helps us regain our vitality. One thing that I have noticed drinking my healthy coffee with the ganoderma mushroom, that I have great energy and clarity of mine and I love the rich, full-bodied taste of this coffee.

Another benefit of the Ganoderma Lucidum herb is that is is wonderful in helping with fatty substances such as cholestrol and triglycerides fo which mine were always in question. After my last set of blood tests, I no longer have any problems with either one of these condition.

So going herbal, another point of view, like the healthy coffee is huge for me and the health benefits that I have received from the herb are amazing and those of my best friend also. So I give this herb, the Gandoerma Lucidum herb my vote.

Irene

Good morning,
Going herbal, my point of view, well, my comment is why haven’t you gone herbal? This is one of the most exciting topics of taking care of ourselves the way Nature intended. This is a way that goes back to biblical times and another words, thousands and thousands of years. This is a way to heal oneself that is very inexpensive and doable for all.

How about we start by planting some of them ourselves. I suggest that even if you do not even have a place for a small flower garden, you can plant them in pots for house or patio plants. They are also available in public places where you would purchase your garden vegetable plants and potted flowers.
Most herbs are heat-resistant and fairly easy to grow, but I do suggest that you mulch them for weed control and to conserve moisture in the drier areas of our country. Herbs make a wonderful addition to a flower garden also, especially if you love lots of fragrance and yes some of them even bloom and are quite dainty when they bloom.
Now shall we pick out some herbs that we know we’d love to try in our healthy way of cooking and eating. What are some of your favorite seasonings? What delicious dish do you prepare for your family?
Did you know that those seasoning that you purchase from your grocery stores were all dried and processed, much of them with extreme heat and chemically washed? So let’s stay healthier as our health matters and grow some of them ourselves.
I will start with what I love to grow and use and maybe you can expand on your tastes and ideas and have fun growing and enjoying your own patio, house, flower or vegetable garden spots.

Let’s start by planting the ones that will grow up to 2 feet in the back of our plot. Dill, will be one of them as it does grow that tall and will bloom with a small dainty yellow flower and yes you can let it ripen a few stalks and pick the seeds from it and that is where you will get your dill seeds to make pickles with and add to your potato salads. The feathery leaves can be used in seasoning your green beans, your dips for those raw vegetable or whatever else you love to use dill with. If you let your dill mature and produce lots of seeds , you will have volunteer plants the next spring so I would suggest that you spray the mature plants with water to wash them and then cut them and hang them to dry for a day and then tie the stalks together and place them in a paper bag, you know the ones from your local grocery store that they put your groceries into. This way you will have dried dill leaves, stalk and seeds anytime you choose and so much better for you.
Sweet basil is another herb that grows almost as tall as dill, so it will need to be in the background of your plot. It is a great herb to use what you make tomato paste or any of your tomato dishes for your family.
Mint, another favorite, is also a tall one so will need a background as well. Can’t you just taste that fresh mint in your hot or iced tea? Have you ever tried snipping the fresh leaves and adding them to your lemonade of fresh squeezed lemons and a dash of stevia? most excellent. If you make jellies, using mint is wonderful also.
Sage, another tall and easy to grow herb. Use in your dressings for the holidays, and if you roast pork it is a great seasoning. You may use it for seasoning when you roast that chicken and turkey also. This also adds fragrance and a pretty blossom to your garden as well.
Thyme is another one that I use and it grows to about 12 inches tall so now can be planted in front of the other ones and is used for soup making of all kinds and those dressings for your holiday cooking.
Sweet marjoram is also one to plant next and use it for soup seasoning, your salads and its wonderful to use when cooking your fish.
Parsley is also a pretty leafy plant and they are semi-curly, yes, just like restaurants put on your plates for decoration, but also easy to grow. Add it to most dishes as it enhances flavors of most everything, try it and you will see. Also excellent source of vitamin C.
All of the herbs that I grow are used fresh during the growing season and then are sprinkled really good and then cut with my scissors and the base of the plants, dried by hanging up-side down for a day or two then bagged in paper bags and rubber banded shut for my winter seasonings. I especially love to pull the leaves from my sage and rub them together to make rubbed sage and love that smell and oh, that flavor is unlike any store bought product.

Yes, herbs are good for you, just use common sense and try them. They provide you with exercise while you garden. They provide you that feeling of accomplishment of being able to provide that great meal from you garden with that awesome seasoning. They provide that beauty and conversation of your herb garden. They make a rock garden look and smell absolute amazing. Once you start using your own fresh herbs, you will never want to purchase them again in those bottles at the grocery store.

 If you grill meats and vegetables on your wood chip grills, a great addition would be to use your garden fresh herbs, and chop them fine and roll your meats and vegetable in a mixture of fresh herbs and olive oil. Chops some herbs and mix with your olive oil and marinate any of your vegetables for grill cooking.

Many people nowadays are turning to “organics” and “naturals”, otherwise known as natural health. The rising popularity of herbal supplements has created a new fad if not a new health lifestyle. But before you jump on the bandwagon, here are some things you need to know about this mean, “green” dietary supplementing machine.

What is the difference between a drug and a dietary supplement? Let me give you the medical fields perspective.

According to the definition set by the Food and Drug Administrations in different countries, drugs are chemicals that can prevent or prolong the life, treat effects of a health condition, improve the quality of life, and/or cure ailments and diseases. However, they may alter the function of any part of the chemicals inside the body. These drugs have approved therapeutic claims. For example, paracetamol is a drug given to bring down the body temperature in fever. Ascorbic acid is indicated for the treatment of scurvy. Iron supplements are given to treat mild cases of anemia.

Herbal supplements are not classified as drugs but rather as “dietary supplements”. The main difference is that they do not have “approved therapeutic claims” unlike in the case of drugs. Moreover, dietary supplements could either contain vitamins, minerals, herbals, or amino acids, all aimed to add to or supplement the diet of an individual. They are not intended to be taken alone as a substitute to any food or medicine. 

Most of the manufactured medicines we now have once came from animals and plants. Through the years, chemists isolated the life-saving or life-curing components and separated them from the harmful ones. This lead to the further drug research and drug development that lead to the production of a different variety of drugs for many ailments and conditions from synthetic sources. We do still have semi-synthetic drugs, as well as drugs that more or less approximate more natural composition. Since herbal supplements are made from a mixture of crude herbs reduced into powder or gel form, and later on packaged as tablets and capsules, there is a possibility that life-threatening or at least body chemistry-altering components are still present, thus the expression of concern from the medical community.

Is there a growing concern with the use of herbal supplements?

Yes. With the rising popularity of using and consuming anything herbal or organic is the proliferation of fake herbal supplements that threaten to endanger lives. If that’s the case, then why are herbal supplements given drug administration approvals? One way of ensuring the safety of the people is to have all candidate drugs, food, drinks, and dietary supplements registered with the proper authority. Otherwise, they would pose more risk with these things being sold in the black market for a hefty sum. We could ensure the quality and safety of herbal supplements if they get proper classification with the food and drug administration. Moreover, people may be able to file the proper complaints in the event of a worsening of health condition that is proven to be linked to the use of a particular herbal supplement.

Is using herbal supplements worth the risk?

Yes. It cannot be discounted that many who have tried herbal supplements experienced an improvement in their health — whether this is due to the herbals themselves or due to a placebo effect - as long as they do not worsen the condition of an individual, then using them is worth the risk. But of course, certain things must be considered before taking those herbal supplements.
 
Your doctor knows best.

First of all, clear your condition with your doctor. Ask him/her if taking a particular herbal supplement is safe given your health condition. People with heart, liver, or kidney trouble or malfunction, are usually not advised to take these, or at the minimum are advised to take these herbals in minimum amounts. All substances pass through the liver and kidneys to be processed and filtered respectively. Kava, which is used to relieve people from stress, has been pulled out from the Canadian, Singaporean, and German markets because it contains substances that cause liver damage. Certain herbals such as Ephedra used for losing weight, contains chemicals with heart-inducing effects that can increase heart rate, which in turn can exhaust the heart and have caused heart attacks in several documented cases by the American Medical Association.

Follow the directions for use.

Never take more herbal supplements than what is directed by the doctor or as instructed on the bottle. Each individual reacts differently to the components of herbal supplements. While it is perfectly safe for one individual to take in a supplement of primrose oil capsules, another person may be allergic to it. So, do not even think about downing an entire bottle if it has no curative effect.

No matter how the product pamphlet or the label of the bottle reads about how it has been found to be helpful in certain health conditions, these herbal supplements are not approved as therapeutic. So do not substitute these for the medications prescribed by your doctor for the treatment of certain diseases, or for the maintenance of blood pressure, lowering of blood sugar and cholesterol, or to fight off infections.

Come back for my next post which will give my point of view entitled - “Going Herbal - My Point Of View”.