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]]>See What Happens To Your Body When You Drink Moringa Everyday
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Moringa is a plant that is native to the sub-Himalayan areas of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan. It is also grown in the tropics. The leaves, bark, flowers, fruit, seeds, and root are used to make medicine.
Moringa is used for “tired blood” (anemia); arthritis and other joint pain (rheumatism); asthma; cancer; constipation; diabetes; diarrhea; epilepsy; stomach pain; stomach and intestinal ulcers; intestinal spasms; headache; heart problems; high blood pressure; kidney stones; fluid retention; thyroid disorders; and bacterial, fungal, viral, and parasitic infections.
Moringa is also used to reduce swelling, increase sex drive (as an aphrodisiac), prevent pregnancy, boost the immune system, and increase breast milk production. Some people use it as a nutritional supplement or tonic.
Moringa is sometimes applied directly to the skin as a germ-killer or drying agent (astringent). It is also used topically for treating pockets of infection (abscesses), athlete’s foot, dandruff, gum disease (gingivitis), snakebites, warts, and wounds.
Oil from moringa seeds is used in foods, perfume, and hair care products, and as a machine lubricant.
Moringa is an important food source in some parts of the world. Because it can be grown cheaply and easily, and the leaves retain lots of vitamins and minerals when dried, moringa is used in India and Africa in feeding programs to fight malnutrition. The immature green pods (drumsticks) are prepared similarly to green beans, while the seeds are removed from more mature pods and cooked like peas or roasted like nuts. The leaves are cooked and used like spinach, and they are also dried and powdered for use as a condiment.
The seed cake remaining after oil extraction is used as a fertilizer and also to purify well water and to remove salt from seawater.
Moringa contains proteins, vitamins, and minerals. As an antioxidant, it seems to help protect cells from damage.
APPLIED TO THE SKIN
MORINGA Side Effects & Safety
Moringa is POSSIBLY SAFE when taken by mouth and used appropriately. The leaves, fruit, and seeds might be safe when eaten as food. However, it’s important to avoid eating the root and its extracts. These parts of the plant may contain a toxic substance that can cause paralysis and death. Moringa has been used safely in doses up to 6 grams daily for up to 3 weeks.
There isn’t enough information to know if moringa is safe when used in medicinal amounts.
Special Precautions & Warnings:
Pregnancy and breast-feeding: It’s LIKELY UNSAFE to use the root, bark or flowers of moringa if you are pregnant. Chemicals in the root, bark, and flowers can make the uterus contract, and this might cause a miscarriage. There is not enough information available about the safety of using other parts of moringa during pregnancy. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.
Moringa is sometimes used to increase breast milk production. Some research suggests it might do this, however, there isn’t enough information to know if it is safe for the nursing infant. Therefore, it is best to avoid moringa if you are breast-feeding.
The appropriate dose of moringa depends on several factors such as the user’s age, health, and several other conditions. At this time there is not enough scientific information to determine an appropriate range of doses for moringa. Keep in mind that natural products are not always necessarily safe and dosages can be important. Be sure to follow relevant directions on product labels and consult your pharmacist or physician or other healthcare professional before using.
Moringa’s richness in antioxidants lends itself well to protecting the body from the effects of diabetes. High blood sugar can promote the generation of free radicals and deplete the body’s antioxidative defenses. In fact, lipid peroxidation is one of the characteristic features of chronic diabetics. Thus, the regular intake of moringa and other potent antioxidants is recommended to protect against oxidative damage. In a study with diabetic rats, the intake of moringa led to a significant increase in activity of three major detoxifying enzymes that fight free radicals. It also showed an overall decrease in the degradation of the body’s lipids (Jaiswal et al. 2013).
A study by Jaiswal et al. (2009) aimed to determine the effectiveness of moringa on glycemic control based on the claims of moringa as an ethnomedicine to treat diabetes. The study proved this claim valid by showing that moringa extract could reduce blood glucose levels in normal rats. Furthermore, it also reduced the high blood glucose levels in sub, mild, and severely diabetic rats.
In another form, Ndong et al. (2006) studied the use of moringa leaf powder in diabetic GK rats, a relevant model of Type II diabetes in humans. In their trials, they credited moringa powder’s richness in fiber (the powder contains ~4% fiber) and flavonoids that slow down the uptake of glucose by the blood and other parts of the body as the mediating factors that controlled glucose levels in GK rats. They found that the incorporation of moringa leaf powder in the rats’ diets improved glucose tolerance. This is because slowing the rate of food passing from the stomach to the small intestine allows more time for absorption and greater control over blood glucose levels.
In a human trial by Giridhari et al. (2011), the administration of a moringa leaf tablet, coupled with a calorie-controlled diet, significantly reduced blood glucose levels in diabetic patients over three months time. At the end of the study, serum glucose levels significantly decreased by 8.9%, and cholesterol also lowered significantly (Kumar and Mandapaka 2013). >>>
The research behind moringa’s efficacy as an antidiabetic treatment is quite incredible. Not to mention, the results are comparable to standard drugs used to treat diabetes. Alongside Tolbutamid and Glipizide, moringa leaf extract was actually more effective at lowering blood glucose (Jaiswal et al. 2009).
In conclusion, after thousands of years of ethnomedicinal use, it is clear that moringa deserves more research into its potential to address diabetes, among other chronic illnesses.
More research on moringa and diabetes can be found here:
**Moringa can’t be used as a replacement for your current diabetes medicine. It’s a great ingredient to incorporate into your daily diet, but it’s not a medicine. **
The post Case Study: Deterring Diabetes with Moringa appeared first on All About Diabetes.
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