Promote Health And Wellness With The Herb Bitter Melon

Bitter melon grows in tropical areas, including parts of the Amazon, east Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean, and is cultivated throughout South America as a food and medicine. It's a slender, climbing annual vine with long-stalked leaves and yellow, solitary male and female flowers borne in the leaf axils. The fruit looks like a warty gourd, usually oblong and resembling a small cucumber. The young fruit is emerald green, turning to orange-yellow when ripe. At maturity, the fruit splits into three irregular valves that curl backwards and release numerous reddish-brown or white seeds encased in scarlet arils. The Latin name Momordica means to bite, referring to the jagged edges of the leaves, which appear as if they have been bitten. All parts of the plant, including the fruit, taste very bitter.



In the Amazon, local people and indigenous tribes grow bitter melon in their gardens for food and medicine. They add the fruit and/or leaves to beans and soup for a bitter or sour flavor; parboiling it first with a dash of salt may remove some of the bitter taste. Medicinally, the plant has a long history of use by the indigenous peoples of the Amazon. A leaf tea is used for diabetes, to expel intestinal gas, to promote menstruation, and as an antiviral for measles, hepatitis, and feverish conditions. It is used topically for sores, wounds, and infections and internally and externally for worms and parasites.



Bitter melon might be able to lower blood glucose levels, but it should not be used to treat diabetes because it is not known how it interacts with insulin or other medications. There is NO proof that bitter melon can treat cancer or any other medical condition.



Several active substances in bitter melon have been studied in both animals and humans. These experiments show that these substances act in the same way as insulin, by increasing the entry of glucose into cells and promoting its processing and storage in the liver, muscle, and fat. Bitter melon also prevents the conversion of stored nutrients to glucose and the release of this glucose into the blood. However, researchers have not established the correct dosage of bitter melon for effectively treating the high bloodglucose levels in diabetes, and therefore it cannot be recommended as a replacement therapy for insulin or hypoglycemic drugs.



Bitter Melon is the English name of Momordica charantia. Bitter Melon is also known by the names Karela and Bitter gourd. It is a green cucumber shaped fruit with gourd-like bumps all over it. It looks like an ugly, light green cucumber. The fruit should be firm, like a cucumber. And it tastes very bitter. Although the seeds, leaves, and vines of Bitter Melon have all been used, the fruit is the safest and most prevalent part of the plant used medicinally. The leaves and fruit have both been used occasionally to make teas and beer, or to season soups in the Western world.



Bitter Melon was traditionally used for a dazzling array of conditions by people in tropical regions. Numerous infections, cancer, leukemia, and it is reported to help in the treatment of psoriasis. It has also been thought that Bitter Melon may help in the treatment of HIV, but the evidence thus far is too weak to even consider. The ripe fruit of Bitter Melon has been suggested to exhibit some remarkable anti-cancer effects, but there is absolutely no evidence that it can treat cancer.



Bitter melon can be found in capsule or tablet form at your local or internet health food store. Look for this great traditional herb in name brands like Solaray and Natures Herbs to ensure quality and purity of the product you purchase.



*Statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Bitter melon is not intended to diagnose, treat and cure or prevent disease. Always consult with your professional health care provider before changing any medication or adding Vitamins to medications.

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The right amount of sleep is crucial to an individual's growth

The right amount of sleep is crucial to an individual's growth, health and recuperation. Allowing the body to rest is crucial and that is why it is important to guarantee you achieve the best sleep possible. For many an uncomfortable night could mean a painful next day. A memory foam bed and mattress could stop this and give you the much-needed sleep you deserve.





Pressure points play a key role in many peoples sleeping pattern. Pressure points can be best described as a muscle pain with local spot tenderness in a tense band of muscle fibres that exhibits as a sharp point when any kind of pressure is put on them. There is a long list of reasons why these pains can occur; nutritional deficiencies, chronic infections, allergens, psychological stress, nerve entrapment, congenital skeletal abnormalities, muscle trauma sustained in accident or injury and many more. But, the fact of the matter is that any one of these could be the cause of many restless nights of sleep.



The purchase of a memory foam mattress can prevent this annoyance from occuring. Regular beds incorporate a system of springs and coils that fail over time. This could lead to soft areas in your mattress or sharp, lumpy sections, causing your body to contort in an irregular way that will worsen the pain of the pressure points. If pressure points are plaguiong your nights sleep then you need to take action and by a mattress that will give you the support you need.



Memory foam mattresses are all 20cm deep and are made from high density foam which is specially tested and designed to support the sleeper. If pressure points are ruining the quality of your sleep, a memory foam mattress should be at the top of yout to-buy list. Memory foam beds have been around for over 30years, but now they have reached the 21st century. No longer have they got the awful floral patterns but now have a beautiful suede divan.



You can never underestimate the importance of sleep. Make sure that pressure points are not affecting your quality of life. Treat yourself to a memory foam bed and achieve that perfect deep sleep.

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A Proven Cold Sore Treatment - Facts About Lysine For Your Cold Sores

Lysine as a cold sore treatment is a potent way to get rid of cold sores - and keep them gone.



You may have heard about lysine as a weapon against the herpes simplex virus - the virus that causes all cold sores. Perhaps you've even tried a lysine salve or lotion.



There is a lot of information about lysine - how and why it works so well. Some of the information I've seen is quite good but a lot of it is inaccurate.



If you've got a minute, let me give you the facts. I don't want you to waste your money or suffer needlessly.



1. Lysine smothers cold sores much like water smothers a fire.



Oxygen fuels a fire. Water starves the fire of the oxygen fuel it needs to survive - and the fire dies.



The amino acid Lysine acts in a similar way.



The replication process of the herpes simplex virus is the cause of your cold sores. The virus hides in the root cells of your nerve fibers. It activates and moves to the surface of your face when it wants to create new virus clones.



The herpes virus cannot do this alone. This parasite virus enters your cells and forces them to create new copies. Then the original virus particle destroys the cell to release the virus - creating the ulcer we call a cold sore.



2. Arginine, another amino acid, is the main fuel needed to create the herpes virusclones.



Arginine, like lysine, is quite common in our food. And arginine has many good uses in your body, such as reducing blood pressure by dilating the blood vessels.



Your cells store arginine and lysine in the same storage area within the cell. There is limited space so the more of one the less of the other.



By flooding your cells with lysine, and reducing arginine in your diet, you will effectively starve the herpes simplex virus of the arginine fuel it needs to create cold sores.



Lysine replaces the stored arginine thus starving the cold sore fire.



3. Lysine will not work unless it actually gets through the cell membrane and into the cell storage area.



Lysine needs to get into your bloodstream to get into your cells. To accomplish this, you must take the lysine orally - either in food or supplement form. Your digestive system transforms it into a body-ready nutrient.



This is important to keep in mind because you will see cold sore treatment salves at the store that feature lysine as the main ingredient. Putting lysine directly on the skin or sore does very little good.



Your body and cells cannot absorb it in this form.



Most dairy products, especially from Wisconsin, are very high in lysine. Fish is also an excellent source, particularly Flounder.



In fact, Flounder is one of the richest lysine foods known - about 14 grams per 450 gram (1 lb.) serving.



Some folks claim that eating one pound of Flounder in a single day wipes out their cold sore.



Lysine supplements - in 500 milligram capsules - are still the most common and convenient way of increasing your lysine intake. You can easily measure and control dosage levels by the number of capsules you take.



You may have to test dosages until you find the right one for your body and health situation.



Six to twelve capsules each day are not uncommon as a cold sore treatment while an outbreak is in progress. Between outbreaks many people take one capsule daily to ward off future cold sores.



Lysine is very safe but it is always best to start low and build up.



Lysine stands out as one of the top three cold sore treatment methods today.



It may not be the total answer for you personally but it surely should be a part of any successful cold sore treatment plan.

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