Stevia
For over 1600 years, the natives of Paraguay in South America have used this intensely sweet herb as a health agent and sweetener. Known as Stevia rebaudiana by botanists and yerba dulce (honey leaf) by the Guarani Indians, Stevia has been incorporated into many native medicines, beverages and foods for centuries. Fifteen times sweeter than sugar, Stevia was introduced to the West in 1899, when M.S. Bertoni discovered natives using it as a sweetener and medicinal herb. However, Stevia never gained popularity in Europe or the United States and was only gradually adopted by several countries throughout Far East Asia. With Japan's ban on the import of synthetic sweeteners in the 1960's, Stevia began to be seriously researched by the Japanese national Institute of Health as a natural sugar substitute. After almost a decade of studies examining the safety and antidiabetic properties of the herb, Japan became a major producer, importer and user of Stevia. Hundreds of food products began including it and eventually Stevia use spread through Asia.
Stevioside, the super sweet glycoside derived from Stevia that is 300 times sweeter than sugar, was even used to sweeten Diet Coke sold in Japan. Stevia is more than just a non - caloric sweetener. Several modern clinical studies have documented the ability of Stevia to lower and balance blood sugar levels, support the pancreas and digestive system, protect the liver and combat infectious microorganisms. (Oviedo et al., 1971; Suzuki et al., 1977; Ishit et al., 1986; Boeckh, 1986; Alvarez, 1986.) In one study, Oviedo et. Al. showed that oral administration of a Stevia leaf extract reduced blood sugar levels by over 35 percent. Another study conducted by Suzuki et al. documented similar results.
Clearly, these and other clinical evaluations indicate the Stevia holds significant promise for the treatment of diabetes. Sunset Ridge certified Organic Stevia is grown, dried, de-stemmed, ground and packed locally. It comes with cooking instructions on each packet. It is great for use in beverages or cooking as a sugar replacement.
Cayenne
The list of ailments that cayenne is capable of assisting in a major way includes allergies, angina, arthritis, asthma, colds, constipation, coughs, diabetes and diabetic neuropathy, fatigue, fatty liver, flatulence, heart cholesterol, libido, nausea, obesity, osteoarthritis, pain, parasites, pleurisy, shingles, skin diseases, sinusitis, stroke, toothache, worms and ulcers amongst others. Topically cayenne is a remarkable painkiller. Cayenne is wonderful as a simple stimulant if you are feeling tired. It wakes up the whole nervous system giving a really natural "high"! The primary reason cayenne is able to have these curative effects on the body and so highly valued is because of its uses as a stimulant, astringent, antispasmodic, circulatory tonic, anti-depressant, antibacterial agent. In addition cayenne acts as a diaphoretic to induce sweating, a rubefacient to increase skin circulation and is carminative. Used as a condiment it aids digestion and topically reduces pain and anesthetises.
Combined with its unique ability to thin the blood and improving the efficiency and delivery of herbal products, cayenne makes a very strong case for more serious study and attention.This of course, is unlikely to happen because being a natural product the pharmaceutical companies (to date) have been unable to patent it and so there is very little money to be made from it.Therein, to a certain extentt, lies the strength of those of us in the know. For once huge corporate mark-ups, overpriced multi-level marketing or any other money making schemes do not bind us.
Cayenne saves baby's life!
We have given cayenne by an eye dropper to a six week onld baby who was born with chronic asthma. The baby was able to breathe again!
The secrets behind the Great Wall of China
The men (slaves) who built the Great Wall of China worked under subhuman conditions. Bitter cold, hardly any food and constant hard work. How did they survive? Legend has it that they ate a special Korean dish called Kim-Chee. THis cabbage dish was loaded with cayenne pepper! It's great for endurance. Kim-Chee is still used.
Lose up to one inch in wasit line!
If you have love handles and want to get rid of them fast, here's good news. Take hot cayenne ointment and apply to love handles and waistline before you go to bed. Place plastic or Saran wrap over it. When you wake up, don't be surprised if you have lost quarter to one inch! One person told me it helps burn off the cellulite. Most fo the reduction stays off. It really works!
Garlic
Prized for at least 5,000 years, garlic has long been known to reduce blood cholesterol levels. Even orthodox medicine acknowledges that the plant reduces the risk of further heart attacks in the cardiac patients; it is also a stimulant for the immune system and an antibiotic. Garlic's strong odour is largely due to sulphur containing compounds, which account fo most of its medicinal properties; deodorized preparations are significantly less effective.
Ginger
Originally used from Tropical Asia, ginger has been used as a medicinal herb in the west for at least 2000 years. It was introduced into the Americas by the Spaniards and is now cultivated extensively in the West Indies. As a hot, dry herb, ginger was traditionally used to warm the stomach and dispel chills. In the 18th century, it was added to remidies to modify their action and reduce the irritant effects on the stomach. Ginger is still used in this way in China to reduce the toxicity of some herbs.
