HIMAACALA.com Blog » Herbs

Herbs 101 – Bacopa

Himaacala.com — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 18:52:26 +0000

Bacopa
Bacopa or monniera is herb commonly found in marshy areas in Asia and southern states in the USA. Traditionally, it has been used to improve brain function including memory, to a lesser extent to reduce anxiety, to treat epilepsy, and as an antioxidant. Modern research has shown the presence of several active chemicals like the alkaloids monnierin, brahmine, bacosides and phytosterols. Some human and animal studies that support these uses are listed below:

COGNITIVE EFFECTS:
Significant improvement in verbal learning, memory consolidation and speed of early information processing after 12-weeks of taking Bacopa has been seen in healthy adults in a randomized controlled trial, possibly due to its action on cholinergic nerves and in another study it was shown to reduce the rate of forgetting of newly acquired information in humans. In experimental epilepsy and oxygen damage, Bacopa showed a neuroprotective role by modifying specific gene expression. Read more about Bacopa.

Bacopa is used in our Memory & Cognitive Support. Try a free bottle at Himaacala.com.

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Arjuna – A Useful Herb for Good Health

Himaacala.com — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 18:30:37 +0000

The heart is the chief organ of the cardiovascular system. Hand in hand with the vessels, it is continuously working, pumping life-giving blood and supplying oxygen to the entire cells and tissues of the body. Besides oxygen, it carries all the nutrients for each cell of the body— enzymes, vitamins, minerals, sugars for energy, proteins for cellular repair, and various other very important substances.

In spite of its role in our system it is so depressing to believe that coronary heart disease is the number one killer around the globe today. Eating a low-fat diet, getting habitual exercise, setting up and maintaining a healthy weight, quitting smoking and learning to cope with and eliminating stress are the usual recommendation. These are all significantly important but there are several superb herbal supplements that can further enhance these efforts in fighting one or some of the forms of cardiovascular disease.

Health conscious people these days view herbal supplements highly, because of their wonderful healing properties as well as their immunity boosting benefits. However, as more and more of these supplements are made available everywhere, we must note that not all of them might be appropriate for us. Some might have side effects, particularly when taken collectively with cardiovascular drugs.

Healing with herbs is an old tradition that most of us are aware of but not all of us use. Some are not aware that you will find some gentle herbs that can take the sting out of simple bug bites or soothe an aching stomach. Over the years, many useful herbs have traditionally been used in the home to treat a variety of ailments and injuries and one of this is Arjuna or commonly known as Dhaval, Kakubh, or Kahu.

It is highly recommended herb for cardiovascular disease. The bark of this botanical has been shown to lower blood pressure and heart rate. Studies have shown that patients suffering from congestive heart disease, taking Arjuna extract for two weeks resulted in a greater ability to walk comfortably without shortness of breath or fatigue, a reduction in enlarged hearts (a sign of heart failure), an increase in the amount of blood pumped by the heart with each. The Arjuna herb does its job by scavenging free radicals, which are damaged molecules that can weak havoc on tissues, including those of the heart. Arjuna may also boost the hearts muscle contractions.

In other words, Arjuna functions as a heart tonic. Arjuna is combined in one popular Ayurvedic formulation making it one of the major elements that makes it effective to anyone who’s taking it to maintain good health.

Herbs 101: Ashwaganda

Himaacala.com — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 16:33:51 +0000

Ashwagandha
Ashwagandha is often compared to Chinese ginseng in its memory enhancing, and anti-ageing benefits but without the stimulant action of Ginseng. This shrub has a characteristic odor and grows in the Indian subcontinent. The main active chemicals in this plant are steroidal lactones.

Memory Enhancement:
The active principles of Ashwagandha were able to reverse cognitive deficits as well as changes in nerve signaling chemicals after 2 weeks of treatment in a rat model of Alzheimer’s disease. In normal and amnesic mice, Ashwagandha treatment for 7 days showed improved memory consolidation and learning. In cultured cells, Ashwagandha extract promoted growth of dendrites and branching of nerve-like cells suggesting nerve cell-to-cell contact and communication.

Read more about Ashwaghanda. Ashwaghanda is use in our Memory & Cognitive Support. All Natural, Herbal Supplement at Himaacala.com. For a limited time receive a free bottle of any one of our products. Read here for details.

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Herbs 101: Arjuna

Himaacala.com — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 22:20:10 +0000

Commonly known as Arjuna, Ayurvedic system of medicine considers it necessary to maintain basic health and has a reputation as a heart medicine. It grows as tall deciduous trees in the Indian subcontinent. Its bark and fruit are used in traditional medicine. The bark is considered to be a cardiotonic and used in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases such as angina, myocardial infarction, hypertension, congestive heart failure, coronary artery diseases and hypercholesterolemia. The major chemical constituents are triterpenoids, flavonoids and polyphenols. Its documented medicinal and pharmacological activities include:

Herbs 101: Amla

Himaacala.com — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 21:30:03 +0000

Amla is one of the oldest Indian fruits. It is a rich source of vitamin C and its content of ascorbic acid is next to only that of Barbados cherry (Malpighia glabra L.). It is one of the three constituents of the famous ayurvedic preparation, triphala, which is prescribed in many digestive disorders. The medicinal properties of amla have been mentioned in old ayurvedic texts, such as Charaksamhita and Sushrutsamhita. It is said to be the native of tropical South-Eastern Asia, particularly central and southern India. It is found in dry deciduous forests of India and Burma, except in the and regions and in the extreme north-west, ascending to 1,450 metres in the Himalayas. It is also found in Ceylon and the Malayan Islands of China. It contains gallic acid, ellagic acid, phyllantidine, phyllantine, punigluconin, pedunculagin, some amino acids, and some flavanoids. The fruit of Amla is commonly used in the treatment of burning sensation anywhere in the body, anorexia, constipation, urinary discharges, inflammatory bowels, cough, hemorrhoids, fever, thirst, and toxicity of the blood. The juice of the fresh bark mixed with honey and turmeric is given in gonorrhea. The leaf infusion with fenugreek seeds is given in chronic diarrhea. Acute bacillary dysentery may be treated with syrup of amalaki and lemon juice. The exudation from incisions made into the fruit is used as a collyrium in inflammatory eye conditions; the seeds are powdered and used to treat asthma, bronchitis, and biliousness.

Herbs 101: Horseradish Tree

Himaacala.com — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 20:51:57 +0000

Horseradish tree is the most widely cultivated species of a monogeneric family, the Moringaceae that is native to the sub-Himalayan tracts of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. It is widely cultivated and naturalized in tropical India, Africa, tropical America, Sri Lanka, Mexico, Malabar, Malaysia and the Philippine Islands. Horseradish tree is reported to contain alkaloids, flavonoids, anthocyanins, proanthocyanidins and cinnamates. Leaves have been reported to be a rich source of natural antioxidants; other parts are a good source of protein, vitamins, ß-carotene, amino acids and various phenolics. The Horseradish tree plant provides a rich and rare combination of zeatin, quercetin, ß-sitosterol, caffeoylquinic acid and kaempferol. Various parts of this plant such as the leaves, roots, seed, bark, fruit, flowers and immature pods act as cardiac and circulatory stimulants, possess antitumor, antipyretic, antiepileptic, antiinflammatory, antiulcer, antispasmodic, diuretic, antihypertensive, cholesterol lowering, aphrodisiac, antioxidant, antidiabetic, hepatoprotective, antibacterial and antifungal activites.