The Sunflower Power

The Sunflower (Scientific Name: Helianthus annuus Linn.) is a well-known plant that grows anywhere. The seeds found on the inflorescense are commercially used for food and for extracting edible oil. There are many varieties of sunflowers. They are cultivated not only for commercial purpose, but in many gardens, as an ornamental.

These are the common uses of this plant as a medicine:

• It can heal wounds, bruises and ulcers.
• Use in the treatment of pulmonary diseases, bronchitis, cough, asthma, dysentery, whooping cough and colds.
• It helps in relieving headaches.
• Use in the treatment of nervous conditions.

How to use this plant in treating patients:

• The crushed leaves and the seeds made into a poultice is used for application of bruises, wounds and ulcers.
• The flowers and the dried or fresh leaves are prepared as tea in pulmonary diseases, bronchitis, coughs, asthma, dysentery and whooping cough.
• The oil extracted from the raw seeds is recommended for chest diseases in doses of 10 to 15 drops, 2 to 3 times a day. The drink made from the seeds is good for headache, nervous conditions, pulmonary diseases and colds.

Reference: Amazing Healing Plants by Dr. JC Kurian

Chrysanthemum's Bloom Power

 

Flowers are used as ornamentals in our home, but wait until you will discover the power of this plant that we usually used in funerals and altars, the Chrysanthemum. Chrysanthemum (Scientific Name: Chrysanthemum indicum Linn.) is an erect, hairy, whitish herb. It is perennial, aromatic plant which grows to about 60 cm high. The leaves are sharply toothed, ovate-oblong, with 2 or 3 lobes on each side. Flowers are borne in white, purple, yellow and other colored heads. The disc florets are numerous. The fruit is very small, somewhat compressed and grooved. The plant is widely cultivated for ornamental purposes.

The whole part of the plant can used for medicinal purposes in normal dosage:

• Relieves colds, headaches and inflamed respiratory tracts.
• Can be used for bronchitis, whooping cough, boils, accumulation of pus in tissues, swellings and rheumatism.
• For the treatment of intermittent fevers, hysteria and painful menstrual flow.
• For hypertension.
• To expel gases, flatulence, and griping pains from stomach and bowel.
• Used as sedative.
• Gives tone and vitality to the body.
• can be used against fungal infection.
• Use to relieve abdominal pains.

These are the procedures on how to use this plant as a medicine:

• The decoction of the whole plant is recommended to relieve colds, headaches, inflamed respiratory tracts and also for bronchitis, whooping cough, boils, accumulation, of pus, swellings and rheumatism.
• The infusion of flowers is good for intermittent fevers, hysteria, and painful menstrual flow.
• The tea made from the flowers expels gases, flatulence, pain in the stomach and bowels; also acts as a sedative and tonic.
• The oil is applied locally in fungal infected areas, and also for abdominal pains.

Reference: The Amazing Healing Plants by Dr. JC Kurian

The Soothing Relief from Gumamela (Hibiscus)

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Hibiscus (Scientific Name: Hibiscus rosa-sinensis Linn.) , commonly known as Gumamela in the Philippines, is one of the most common shrubs used for hedges. It grows in any soil with little care. The flower is solitary, half-opened in the morning, but as the weather warms up, it opens fully. The foliage of this shrub is deep green in color. Surprisingly, this plant has magical medicinal powers. Kids in the block just pick these flowers and play with the petals and its parts, not knowing how powerful the plant is as a medicine.

These are the medicinal use of the plant:

• Coughs and colds.
• Gentle laxative and a softener of inflamed parts.
• Soothes internal and external wounds and sores.
• It also soothes the alimentary tract and relieves inflammation.
• Lowers body heat.

Every part of the plant can be used as a medicine and in normal dosage. These are the instructions on how to use the plant as a medicine:

• The decoction of hibiscus roots are used for coughs and colds.
• The leaves make a gentle laxative and  soften inflamed parts.
• The application of the crushed flowers soothes external wounds and sores.
• The infusion of the petals of the flower soothes and protects the alimentary tract, relieves inflammation and lowers body heat.
• In fevers, an infusion of the flowers help to reduce body temperature.

Reference: Amazing Healing Plants by Dr. JC Kurian

The Carambola (Balimbing) Fever

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The Carambola or Star fruit (Scientific Name: Averrhoa carambola Linn.) is commonly known as Balimbing in the Philippines. It belongs to the plant family, Oxalidaceae. This ornamental tree grows to a height of about eight meters. The leaves are ovate to elliptic. The flowers are bell-shaped, small with purple petals. The winged fruits are pulpy and juicy, with three to five ribs. The gold or yellow ripe fruit is edible but is sour in flavor.

This fruit has surprisingly use as medicine in different ailments:

• Prevents and cures scurvy and cools the system.
• Good for fevers of any kind.
• Bleeding piles and temporary mental disorder cased by high fever.
• Stings and bites of insects.

These are some of the ways on how to use this fruit as a medicine:

• The dried fruit prevents and cures survey and cools the system.
• The fresh juice of the ripe fruit is good for fever of any kind.
• The ripe fruit is used for bleeding piles and temporary mental disorder caused by high fever.
• The crushed leaves applied externally are recommended for stings and insect bites.

Common parts used in medication are the fruit and the leaves of this tree,

Reference: Amazing Healing Plants by Dr. JC Kurian

The Sweet Cure from Strawberries

The popular Strawberry (Fragaria vesca Linn.) plant belongs to the plant family Rosaceae. It is a low perennial herb with runners. The leaves are compound in three leaflets, bright green, and with toothed margin. The flowers are white, with five petals, developing into a sweet red false or aggregate fruit which is now called strawberry. The plant is vegetatively propagated by runners.

These are the medicinal use of this plant:

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• Binds tissues and promotes free flow of urine.
• Chronic diarrhea.
• Abnormal build up of minerals in the body, kidney diseases, intestinal worms, pulmonary inflammation of the mucous membranes or catarrh, arthritis, jaundice, liver and stomach problems.
• Bladder stones.
• Indigestion.
• Anaemia.

The following are the instructions on how to use the plant as a  medicine:

• The tea leaves has the property of binding tissues and promoting the free flow of urine.
• The tea is also used for chronic diarrhea. The root also has the same medicinal property.
• The fruit is valuable in cases of calculus or the abnormal build up of minerals in the body, kidney diseases, intestinal worms, pulmonary catarrh, gout, arthritis, jaundice, liver and stomach problems.
• In the treatment of bladder stones, the juice of the fresh strawberry is taken before breakfast. It relives pains and prevents development of new stones.
• The fruit is also recommended for indigestion or dyspepsia.
• It has good anti-anaemic properties.
• The whole plant is really useful in curing these different illnesses. 

Reference: The Amazing Healing Plants by Dr. JC Kurian

The Power of Guava Tree

The popular Guava Tree belongs to the plant family Myrtaceae. It is considered to be a tropical and semitropical plant. It grows to a height of 7.5 metres with a trunk girth of about 30-90 cm. When fully mature, the smooth, pinkish brown branches with grey patches take on a few peculiar crooked bends with heavy knots in them. The leaves are 10-15 cm. long, oblong and entire with lateral nerves. The white flowers found in the axils are 2.5-3.5 cm. in diameter. The tree, found in the backyards of many houses, produces the well-known and edible friuts that are pear-shaped or round. They turn yellow when ripe and are rich in vitamin C and fiber.

These are the medicinal use of the plant.

• Gastroenteritis or inflammation of the stomach and intestine, uterine hemorrhage or heavy bleeding, chronic diarrhea and or edema.
• Dysentery, inflammation of the kidney, and diarrhea.
• Ulcers, vaginal and uterine problems and cuts
• Spasms, fever, worms, kidney problems, epilepsy, diabetes and cerebral affection.

How to use Guava as medicinal plant.

• The leaves of the guava tree in decoction is recommended for gastroenteritis, uterine, hemorrhage , chronic diarrhea and edema.
• The young leaves and shoots are used in decoction for dysentery, inflammation of the kidney, and diarrhea.
• The same decoction is good as a wash for ulcers, vaginal and uterine problems, and cuts.
• It has also been used for spasms fever, worms, kidney problems, epilepsy, diabetes and cerebral affections.

Parts used

• The Leaves

Dose

• To prepare the decoction use 30 to 60 grams for 1 liter of water. Use 4 to 5 cups a day

Reference:" The Healing Plants" by: Dr. JC Kurian

Thorn Apple (Kachubong): Aside from being addictive and poisonous its also a medicinal plant

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The Thorn Apple (kachubong) is a short shrub which reaches a height of 1.5 metres. The leaves are ovate, with a few teeth. The bell-shaped solitary flowers are large, white or nearly purple. The fruit is rounded, green, and covered with short spines. The seeds are numerous, nearly smooth and pale brown. It grows mostly in waste lands. The thorn apple has a number of therapeutic properties, like being an analgesic, antispasmodic and narcotic. 

The Soursop (Guyabano) medication

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The Soursop (Scientific name: Annona muricata Linn.) is commonly known as guyabano in the Philippines. A lot of recent news that has spread all over the country, is about the effectiveness of guyabano as a food supplement and alternative medicine. The soursop is sometimes called the prickly custard apple. It is a small tree that grows to a height of about seven meters. The leaves are smooth, shiny, oblong and pointed at both ends. The greenish-yellow flowers are solitary and a bit large. The fruit is generally oblong in shape and covered with spine-like structures. The pulp is fleshy, soft, white, and rather fibrous. The flavor is not agreeable to everybody as it has a sour taste.

Curing ability of the Indian Spinach (Alugbati)

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The Indian Spinach (Scientific Name: Basella alba Linn.) is a succulent or fleshy, soft stemmed, branch vine commonly grows to over a meter long. The stems of the plants are the same with its heart-shaped leaves that are also fleshy. Common types of these plants are seen in the backyard gardens, some are green and others are purplish in color. Its fruits are oval in shape and contain seeds.

The Miracle of the Snake Weed (Tawa-Tawa)

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Snake weed (Scientific Name: Euphorbia hirta Linn) is a slender-stemmed, annual, hairy, much branched herb. The leaves are opposite, lanceolate, distichous, toothed along the margin. The flowers are very small, in dense round clusters, in the axils of the leaves. Seeds are tiny, reddish, oblong, in capsules, with a wrinkled surface. They are odorless and bitter. It abounds on grasslands and waste places.

Cucumber (pepino) as a natural medicine

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The Cucumber, belonging to the plant family Cucurtaceae, is a tropical, freshly, brishtly climbing vine in the tropical area. The leaves of the Cucumber are mostly golden-yellow, and bell-shaped. The fruit, containing small seeds is fleshly and long. It is mainly used in green salads and pickels.

The Amazing Okra (Lady's Finger)

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Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus Linn.) is an annual, erect, stout-stemmed, bristly herb, growing up to 2 meters. The leaves are angular, long-stalked, and coarsely toothed. The single flower located in the axiles of the leaves is pale yellow in color. The fruit is an elongated pod (capsule). It is slimy when cut for cooking. It is grown in tropical and subtropical countries.

Rose Apple (Tambis) as a natural medicine

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The Rose Apple (Syzygium jambos Linn) tree is an average size tree which belongs to the plant family Myrtacea. The lanceolate leaves are 12.5-20 cm. long with a short petriole or stalk. The tree is easily recognized by its very handsome flowers which are about 7.5-10 cm. in diameter. The flowers are located on short terminal racemose inflorescences and they are arranged in pairs. The edible, succulent and rather spongy fruits are bell-shaped, light green, white, pink, or red in color and contain one or two grey seeds. The fruits are basically tasteless with a mild sweetness. 

Cauliflower prevents cancer and heart disease

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Cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. cauliflora Gars) like Broccoli, Cabbage and Kohlrabi, Cauliflower belongs to the genus, Brassica and to the plant family Brassicaceae or Cruciferae. Although Broccoli is its nearest botanical rival, one cannot deny the fact that in general appearance, the white-headed Cauliflower is more popular and very widely used as a vegetable. The flowers of this vegetable are found in great numbers on large compact heads called inflorescences. They are cultivated and harvested for sale in the markets.