Monday, September 28, 2009

‘holy Herb’ Sage - Cyprus

herb sage By Erkan Kilim

Northern Cyprus on the other hand possesses 90% of these natural and cultural entities. You can not help falling in love with this little island after realizing its beauties that nature presents. Among these is an important planst.Sage, ‘Salvia’ in Latin. This name comes from the Latin word ‘Salvare’ which menas ‘to heal’.

Sage plants that originate from Mediterranean have a history nearly as old as human history. The utility of Sage plant by humans extends from the periods before Christ. It is a fact that due to its many benefits that it present to humans, sage plant is known as ‘Holy Herb’ in Roman times. The leaves, flowers and stems of sage plant that grow naturally in altitudes of 1500 m above sea level have a pleasant odor. As tea, in salads and foods, as deodorizer, sage plant is known as ‘Adaçay?’ ‘Garafan’ or ‘Hahomilya’ among Turks of Cyprus and as ‘Alisfakia’ or ‘Hahomilia’ among Greeks of Cyprus. The volatile oil extracted from sages of Cyprus and known as ’01.Salviave’, compose of camphora, tannin and other substances having flavors.

Sage oil which has an important part in perfume and cosmetic industry, food industry and candy and cake production, is also considered to be important by phytotherapists due to its healing properties. The people of Cyprus benefit from sage in many fields. Its fresh or air dried leaves and flowers, ‘as Herbal Tea; odorization of bathing water; appetizer in salads and foods; deodorizer in rural areas and in pest control; antimicrobial in the rooms of bed ridden patients and providing a continuous clean and pleasant smell; in barbecue, addition to foods, soups and sauces are among these. Sage is also an important plant in medicine. Especially the sage plant collecting all of the healing properties of thyme, urum flower, linden, mint, rosemary among itself is known to be used by Hippocrates himself in ancient times.

In the years after the Christ, Dioscorides and Galenos benefited from sage in the field of medicine. Therefore sage has the feature of being the most popular plant of Phytotherapists from ancient times to present. Sage known as ‘Holy Herb’ by Romans and ‘Life Saver’ in Latin has been a remedy which has been used by combining with every medicine in ancient times. A Roman poet and Doctors of Salerno Medical School in the XVI century, who believed that no other garden plant was resistant to death than sage, could not help saying ‘One who grows sage in his garden, can he die?’ to emphasize the importance that they bestow on sage. The well known French Phytoterapist explains the healing properties of vigorous sage in his book named ‘Medicinal Plants of Life’as: ‘The sage which is essentially stimulant and its leaves and flowers are benefited from; Effects blood circulation; assists the functioning of nervous system; helps nervous breakdown sufferers; the ones who suffer from anemia; recently improved patients; nervous people; neuroastenic and anxious people.

In women: strengthens their weak genitals; heals vagina; regulates periods; helps young girls in the balancing of their hormones and relieves menopausal disorders.

In men: fights with disorders related to andropausae efficiently.Sage is alsop known to be effective against diabetes. When boiled, normalizes high sugar level in blood. It is a plant of beauty: Retains the health of the skin efficiently; slows down hair loss and cleans the scalp, purifies from microorganism and provides the growing of hair; when it is added to bath water and one takes a bath with that water, it relieves fatigue, has aphrodisiac properties, bathing should be done in the mornings; however, passionate people are strongly advised to avoid these baths’.

How many salvia species are present? D.E. Viney in 1994 explained the species os sage plant in his book named ‘An II-lustrated Flora of North Cyprus’ as: Salvia lanigera; S. viridis; S. veneris; S. verbenaco; S. hierosolymitana.

Among these species, S. viridis, S. fruticosa and S. verbenaco species have a large distribution. However, S. lonigera, S. veneris and S. Hierosolymitana species are rare, in fact very rare. S. veneris grows only in Northern Cyprus throughout the world. In other words, it is an endemic species. During the World War Two, the Administration of English Colony decided to export sage leaves that were used especially in drug and costemic industry to create a means of living to ease the severe economical crisis created by poverty and unemployment. As a consequence, during 1943-1947, 11,001 weigh-bridge sage leaves had been exported and 19,453 Cyprus Pound was earned.Cyprus Hotels The holy herb sage was used as cigarette in Cyprus during the years of 1930 when the periods of poverty were very severe. The witnesses of those periods whom I interviewed with, reported their observations as: ‘the economical crisis after the World War also affected Cyprus as the rest of the world.

At that times cigarette smoking was considered to be a luxury. It was the first years of 1930. ‘A man was sick with smoking. There was a rumor that he recovered when he quitted smoking and started sage smoking. ‘After that addicts who could not find cigarettes atarted preparing and smoking cigarettes of sage. When this becomes widespread, lots of people from many villages started collecting sage from the mountains and selling them in towns. I used to stay in Tahtakale, Le?fko?a at those times. I still remember that villagers were selling sage in bunches and earned some money’.

Holy Herb Sage

Monday, September 21, 2009

Great Healthy Diet Recipes for Your Heart

healthy diet recipesBy Julie Bonner

Once you find out how great eating healthy diet recipes can taste, you will enjoy being healthy! Knowing how to make great healthy diet recipes can help you do just that. Simple changes or additions to some of your current meals, like using whole grains instead white flour, bread, and pasta, can turn an okay meal into one that is good for you.

Choosing a healthy diet recipe for most meals has many benefits, especially for those with certain afflictions. For example, a perfect dinner for someone who needs a healthy diet recipe to help lower high cholesterol, could be a large salad with low fat dressing, cucumber, and tomato followed by whole-wheat pasta with a tomato and basil sauce, a piece of whole-wheat toasted garlic baguette with a touch of margarine, and a glass of skim milk or tea. One could finish off this healthy diet recipe with a cup of low fat or fat free frozen yogurt topped with fresh strawberries, blueberries, or peach slices for desert.

Another great at home healthy diet recipe is baked chicken (peel off the skin before serving), baked potatoes with a low fat margarine and fat free sour cream, steamed baby carrots, and a whole wheat roll. You can turn the baked potatoes into mashed potatoes by adding some skim milk. If you do not have high blood pressure concerns, try adding a little salt and pepper to bring out the flavor. Another idea to go with this healthy diet recipe option is to dip your chicken in an outstanding barbeque sauce, such as KC Masterpiece.

Many restaurant chains also include items with healthy diet recipes on their menus. At Boston Market one can get over roasted turkey breast, new dill potatoes, and a helping of vegetable medley. If your getting especially adventurous, you could also add stuffing or cranberry sauce and have your own little Thanksgiving dinner. However, do not eat the corn bread muffin you will receive with it. It contains too many Trans fats and will turn a delicious healthy diet recipe into one that is bad for you.

With whole grain and healthy diet recipe ideas being the hot new thing, it is easier than ever to eat right. So what are you waiting for? Jump on the bandwagon and feel better, look better, and eat better!

Julie is a freelance writer and mother of two who has struggled with her own post-partum weight loss issues. She is now an advocate for eating healthy and helping moms, or anyone else struggling with weight, learn how certain habits and lifestyle changes may not only help them shed pounds, but feel great as well. You can find more of Julie’s tips, weight loss experiences and thoughts at http://momsweightloss.blogspot.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Julie_Bonner

Healthy Diet Recipes

Monday, September 14, 2009

Healthy Tips for Good Nutrition

Healthy TipsBy Mikhail Tuknov

1. 5 Small Meals! Eating every 3 to 4 hours (three meals & two snacks) will help your body function and improve its metabolism. Start your day with a good healthy breakfast to initiate the burning process. Your body needs a source of protein and carbohydrate at breakfast. Continue your day eating a good source of protein, carbohydrates and some fats every 3 to 4 hours, totaling 5 meals. Do not let your body go more than 4 hours without food as you may slow down your metabolism!

2. Every meal should consist of a balance of complex carbohydrates (brown rice, wheat bread, pasta, etc.,) also simple carbohydrates (fruit), lean proteins (chicken, egg whites, fish) and or low fat dairy products that contain high amounts of protein (cottage cheese, yogurt etc.). Use minimal amounts of fats, examples of good fat would be: all natural peanut butter, olive oil, almonds, avocados, and flax seed oil.

3. An example of a great breakfast would be 3 egg whites, a piece of wheat toast with a tbs. Of natural peanut butter, and an apple. A healthy snack would be a cup of low fat cottage cheese, a hand full of grapes and maybe some baby carrots with a tablespoon of non-fat ranch dip. A perfect dinner would consist of a 6-ounce piece of halibut, a side of broccoli, and a 4-ounce baked potato with a tbsp. of non-fat sour cream!

4. For quicker results, always pick some kind of lean protein to eat first, and then match it with a complex carbohydrate rather than a simple sugar. This will even out your blood sugar so your body will burn fat rather than excess sugar in your blood stream!

5. Water is a very important part of your nutrition, we can't live without it and our body is made up mostly of water. Keeping yourself hydrated is a great fat metabolizer, and will flush out any toxins. Try to drink a gallon of water per day, start with a half and work up to a gallon. Try a slice of lemon or orange to give it a fresh taste.

6. Cooking Tips: never fry your food, always broil, bake, barbecue, roast or steam foods in water. Avoid adding unnecessary fat or oil. Non-fat cooking sprays are ok in moderations; eliminate butter all together. Remove skin and fat from chicken or meats. Spices are ok but avoid salt or any spices with sodium in them.

7. Sodium is salt which can retain water in our body, leading to hypertension in some case. Many products contain high amounts of sodium. The RDA is 2400 milligrams per day. This can be high if you are trying to lose weight or need to watch your blood pressure. Be sure to read food labels and see how much sodium per serving

Workout videos shape your body with most effective fitness training program.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mikhail_Tuknov

Monday, September 07, 2009

Rosemary Herb Benefits Health in Many Ways

Rosemary HerbBy Salvator Giustra

As an herb rosemary's health benefits have been known & used for thousands of years by ancient cultures, including the Chinese & Greeks, who exploited rosemary usually correctly for its health benefits.

Rosemary as an herbal treatment is currently used for headache, indigestion & depression. However, it also has many other uses as outlined below.
Using rosemary as an herbal remedy
Asthma may be relieved by rosemary's volatile oil which can open respiratory passages narrowed by histamine.

Rosemary herb benefits includes preventing food spoilage as the commercial products BHA & BHT. Simply fold crushed rosemary into meat, fish, pasta & potato salads. Of course, rosemary also enhances the flavor of the foods it is mixed into.

You can also use rosemary for body scent that is caused by bacteria or fungus. Simply mix ground rosemary into bath powder and use normally. You can also use rosemary tea as a bath wash.

Rosemary's health benefits include its effect against infectious bacteria. This also extends to its inhibiting infections from minor cuts. Simply press fresh rosemary leaves onto cut before washing & treating.

While modern herbalists do not generally recommend rosemary for memory problems like ancient people did, there might still be a role for rosemary in cognitive problems. As a tea or shampoo herb rosemary contains certain compounds that may help inhibit Alzheimer's . Drink lots of rosemary tea & use shampoos containing rosemary.

Rosemary herb benefits also includes enhancing hair quality & delay baldness. Give it a shot. At worse you?ll come out with very clean hair.

Rosemary has generally stimulative properties so it may be a good natural treatment for fatigue. Drink several cups of rosemary tea a day or look for candles that contain rosemary oil.

Scabies is a disturbing condition where mites house themselves under the skin & lay its eggs. This causes infections & lesions. Rosemary health benefits include minimizing pain of scabies by dabbing cooled tea onto affected areas.

Its antispasmodic effects enable it to loosen up smooth muscle tissue so rosemary is quite good for digestive problems.

Rosemary can also help relieve congestion brought on by colds & flu.

Rosemary also contains powerful antioxidants which are crucial for preventing cancer, heart disease & premature aging.

Its antioxidant effects may also help arthritis sufferers especially before disease worsens.

Its antioxidant properties also suggest it may be effective against cataract formation. Drink lots of rosemary tea for that purpose.

If I've lost your attention, how about this? Rosemary is being studies for its ability to prevent & treat wrinkles by Japanese researchers. Drink some rosemary tea & use rosemary in facial masks.

Using rosemary herb to improve health

For congestion, make an herbal tea with crushed rosemary. Use 1 tsp per cup of hot water, steep for 10 minutes, strain & enjoy a few cups a day. You can also inhale steam from tea to breath in rosemary's healthful properties.

As a bath, add 10 drops to warm water.

As a tincture, use ½ - 1½ tsp, 2 - 3x daily.

For commercial preparations, follow manufacturer?s directions.

You can offer diluted rosemary tea to children under 2 years of age.
Finally, use rosemary liberally, to taste, in meats & potatoes.
Cautions when using rosemary as herbal remedy
Rosemary is very safe to take for most people.

However, even small amounts of rosemary oil may cause irritation of the stomach, kidneys & intestines. Larger doses may be poisonous.

Never ingest more than a drop of concentrated rosemary oil

Rosemary Herb

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