Kigelia Africana belongs to family Bignoniaceae and has extensive geographical distribution in West and Central Africa. The tree is found on river banks, wet areas along streams and on foodplains of Nigeria, Kenya, Cameroon, Senegal and Guinea. Also it is found in open woodland from KwaZulu-Natal to Tanzania, Chad, Eritrea, South Africa and Namibia. It is grown as an ornamental plant in tropical regions for decorative flowers and unusual fruit so the name sausage tree occurred. The mammals such as bush pigs, baboons, pocupines, monkeys, elephants, savannah, giraffes and hippopotamus eat seeds. Plant description Kigelia Africana is a deciduous and…

Peruse a popular women’s magazine. Wander down the aisles of your local drugstore. You may feel overwhelmed by the incredible number of personal care products that promise a quick fix for everything from wrinkles to frizzy hair to discolored teeth. The beauty and personal care industry rakes in more than $250 billion globally each year. If you’re like most people, you’ve probably fed the industry by purchasing hordes of jars, tubes, and bottles of stuff that promised to make you look better—many of which just clutter up your bathroom drawers or dresser top. It might sound simplistic or even ridiculous…

[dropcap]M[/dropcap]entioned 15 tips are focused on the health of your cardiovascular system your heart, lungs, blood vessels, and the rest of your internal plumbing that delivers blood and oxygen throughout your body. 1. Find an Aerobic Activity You Enjoy Imagine if there were a pill that dramatically improved nearly all aspects of your health with just a few doses per week, while having no real side effects. You’d be a fool not to take that pill, right? That pill is regular aerobic exercise, in which you elevate your heart rate with sustained activity for twenty or more minutes at a…

Forest Bilimbi with scientific name as Averrhoa dolichocarpa belongs to family Oxidaceae. It is also known as wild startfruit. The pollen shape is globose having three aperture or tricolpate. The pollen has rough surfaces. Forest Bilimbi is an erect, small and evergreen tree which measures 8 meters high having rough, grey brown and lenticellate stem. Leaves are clustered towards top of tree or branches. Leaves are alternate having pubescent petiole about 4-16 cm long and imparipinnate having 15-60 cm long rachis and 7-13 pairs opposite to sub-opposite leaflets and a terminal leaflet. Leaflets are narrowly oblong to ovate measuring 2–4.5…

[php snippet=1]Senegal Date palm has reclining and slender brown trunks and dense crowns of stiff but feathery leaf fronds. Bases of old fronds are medium brown which remains on trunk that forms a showy trunk. The specimen of Senegal date palm reaches 35 feet high having 12 to 20 foot spread and creates a striking tree casting a light shade. It thrives in full sun environments and is a good choice for seaside planting. Senegal Date Palm is a fast grower having proper fertilizer and needs low to moderate water when established. Phoenix reclinata is a dense, clumping and dioecious…

Nipa palm is native to China, Bangladesh, Ryuku Islands, the Andaman, Sri Lanka, India and Nicobar Islands, Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, Borneo, Vietnam, Maluku, Java, Malaya, Sulawesi, the Philippines, Sumatra and Bismarck Archipelago, the Solomon Islands, New Guinea, the Caroline Islands, the Solomon Islands, the Australian Northern Territory and Queensland. It is naturalized in Nigeria, the Mariana Islands, the Society Islands of French Polynesia, Trinidad and Panama. It is classified as palm and has been declared as non-threatened palm in South East Asia. It thrives in mangroves areas in Jambi Province but underutilized. Various parts of nypa tree are utilized such…

Vitamins are organic (carbon-containing) substances required in small amounts to regulate various processes within living cells. Humans need 13 vitamins; of these, four are fat-soluble (A, D, E, and K), and nine are watersoluble (C and the B vitamins; thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B-6, folate, vitamin B-12, biotin, and pantothenic acid). Solubility affects how a vitamin is absorbed, transported, and stored in the body. The water-soluble vitamins are absorbed directly into the bloodstream, where they travel freely. Excess amounts of water-soluble vitamins are generally removed by the kidneys and excreted in urine. Fat soluble vitamins require a more complex absorptive…

The essential act of breathing, which brings oxygen into the body, removes waste and carbon dioxide from the lungs, and plays a role in the smooth functioning of the nervous system, can be hampered by viruses, bacteria, and allergens. Targeted nutrients and holistic remedies help to protect and strengthen the respiratory system, optimizing respiratory function and enabling the body to resist infection effectively. Catching a cold or flu is often inconvenient and unpleasant. It is also, to some extent, avoidable if you take preventative action. Natural remedies not only boost resistance— they can also help to shorten the duration of…

African oil palm is a tree which reaches to the height of 20 meters or more at maturity. Trunk is distinguished by persistent and spirally arranged leaf bases and has a crown of 20 to 40 massive leaves. Root system has primaries and secondaries in top 140 cm of soil. Leaves are erect, numerous and reaches 3 to 5 meters in adult trees. Leaf stalks are short having broad base. Leaf blades have 100 to 160 pairs of long leaflets having prominent midribs tapered to a point and form in groups or singly along midrib. Male or female inflorescences form…

Exercise is essential to maintaining overall health and wellness in all stages of life. Starting a regular exercise program can help prevent, delay, or manage a variety of health problems. The numerous benefits of exercise are well-documented: regular physical activity can boost your mood, strengthen your muscles and bones, and help improve brain function and memory. For these reasons, it is especially important for someone with a chronic illness like Parkinson’s disease to regularly engage in exercise and physical activity. While someone who struggles with symptoms of Parkinson’s like fatigue and depression may not feel naturally inclined to engage in…

Guidelines for Exercise in the Heat Guidelines for exercising in heat and humidity have been developed for road races, but these guidelines can be applied to any strenuous physical activity performed outdoors during warm weather. Ambient conditions are considered safe when the temperature is below 70 °F and the humidity is below 60%. Caution should be used and people sensitive to heat and humidity should reconsider exercising when the temperature is greater than 80 °F or the humidity is over 60%. People who are trained and heat acclimated can continue to exercise in these conditions, but they should be aware…

Horsemint is a herb with stem from 40 to 120 cm in height. Leaves are oblong-elliptical to lanceolate. Flowers are purplish or white about 3-5 mm long. Mentha longifolia is a folk remedy and have been used as a traditional medicine in Iran and other countries. Studies have shown pharmacological and therapeutic effects of the plant. It has various pharmacological properties such as gastrointestinal, antimicrobial and nervous system effects. The pharmacological effects is due to the presence of pulegone followed by menthone, menthol, isomenthone, borneol, 8-cineole and piperitenone. Furthermore, the dose exerts toxic effects in different systems of the body.…

Peach palm is a species of palm inherent to tropical forests of South and Central America and also available in other countries such as Indonesia, Australia, Papua New Guinea, Malaysia and the Hawaiian Islands. It is often cultivated by smallholders in agroforestry systems of more rarely in monoculture. Its common names are peach palm in English and chontaduro in Spanish. As a long lived perennial plant, it is productive for 50 to 75 years on average. Fruits are edible as well as nutrition but should be cooked for 30 minutes to five hours. It benefits the animals in wild. Also…

Sugar palm is a tall, unbranched and solitary palm which grows to the height of 12 to 20 meters having a stout trunk of 30 to 60 cm diameter. Trunk has distinct bases of broken leaves and long black fibres top by dense crown of leaves. Leaves are pinnate, ascending, 6-10 meters long and the basal part of the petiole is covered with sheath of stout and black fibers. Leaflets are 160 on each side, linear and about 1.5 to 1.8 meters long. Tip is lobed and variously toothed and base is 2-auricled and the lower surface is white or…

The species can attain the height of 30 feet. Trunks are green in new parts and grayish in older parts, thin and elegant and not more than three inches in diameter which is encircled with widely spaced whitish circles of leaf base scars. Crownshaft is smooth, green, barely bulging at base and about 3 to 4 feet high. The leaves resemble betel nut palm. Leaves are dark green with large fused terminal leaflets and generally no more than six leaves per trunk. Palms are monoecious having both male and female flowers in each inflorescence and latter emerges from beneath crownshaft.…

The simplest description of kombucha is that it is fermented tea. Sure, we all know what tea is, but what exactly is fermentation? And how could a whole generation of Americans have been raised thinking “fermented” means “rotten and moldy” or “alcoholic” when for millennia fermentation has been inextricably linked to human survival? The good news is that fermentation’s stock is on the rise, and kombucha is a big reason why. The stress response is one of the body’s most valuable defense mechanisms. When our body perceives a threat, a snap decision must be made — fight or flight. Adrenaline…

Nutritive sweeteners contain carbohydrate, usually sugar, and provide energy. They may be monosaccharides, disaccharides, or sugar alcohols (e.g., mannitol, sorbitol). Nutritive sweeteners can be found naturally in foods such as fruits, vegetables, and dairy; can be added to foods such as baked goods, salad dressings, and peanut butter; or can be consumed by themselves. Sugar The most common nutritive sweeteners, or “sugars,” are glucose, fructose, galactose, sucrose, maltose, and corn-based sweeteners such as high-fructose corn syrup. While providing sweetness is a key function of these products, sugars also play a role in texture, volume, supporting yeast growth, balancing acidity, and…

Peppermint scientifically known as Mentha piperita is a strongly aromatic perennial herb belonging to mint family Lamiaceae. It has strong and sweetish odor and warm pungent taste having cooling aftertaste. Leaves are used as culinary herb and flowers are dried and used to add flavor to desserts, candy, salads, beverages and other foods. Its essential oil is also used for flavoring. Peppermint has square stems and smooth or dark green leaves and blunt oblong clusters of pinkish lavender flowers. Leaves are opposite, toothed and hairy on underside. The plant spreads aggressively with stolons i.e. underground stems. The natural hybridization among…

Black medick belongs to the member of pea family or Fabaceae. It is a low trailing annual, biennial or short lived perennial which reaches 1 to 2 feet length. Stems are prostate, slender, four angled, branched at base and glabrous to hairy. Leaves are pinnately trifoliate. Leaflets are rounded, ovate, finely pubescent and ½ inch long. Flowers are small, bright yellow and rounded to slightly elongated and borne in dense clusters which measures ½ to ¾ inch long. Inflorescence is a rounded to slightly elongated cluster of 10 to 50 tiny flowers. Seeds are kidney shaped, gold or brown and…

We now live in a global food market. Imagine if you no longer had access to lemons or coconut oil because they weren’t available in your local economy. Think about coffee and tea or the spices you use to flavor your food. When it comes to our food today, much of what we consume comes from this global interaction. Merriam Webster defines globalization as “the development of an increasingly integrated global economy.” We have gained so much from the many food traditions throughout the world that we don’t even think about. At the same time, we are at risk of…

Adonidia palm thrives well in tropical climate and is inherent to Philippines and is cultivated throughout the world’s tropic for many centuries. The annual temperature ranges from 22°C to 32°C, with a mean annual temperature of 27.5°C & average annual relative humidity of 80–90% & mean annual rainfall of 2,000–2,500 mm. It moderately tolerates salt and has good wind resistance. The plant grows quickly to the height of 6 feet but slowly thereafter by retaining proportions for long time. Adonidia palm could reach the height of 20 or 25 feet with trunks 5 to 6 inches and canopy spread of…

As we have seen, each of the three doshas—vata, pitta, and kapha—is associated with a fundamental principle of reality: vata with movement, pitta with transformation, and kapha with stability and sustainability. Vata includes subtle movement like that of prana, thoughts, and emotions. Pitta refers to the transformation of food and fluid into energy and nutrition but also to how we process and digest experiences, thoughts, and emotions. Kapha is the physical structure of our being. It is our muscle and bone as well as our ability to be present and comfortable in the body. It deals with holding, both form…

Kubal Madu is a vigorous climbing shrub which produces woody stems upto 60 meters long. Stems climb to the top of the trees in forests. Woody shoots attach themselves to other plants by hooked, leafless branchlets. It is a perennial, evergreen woody climber having branches bearing tendrils form from modified inflorescences. Leaves are opposite and distichous on short petioles. Flowers are yellowish-white, pentamerous and actinimorphic. Fruit is a globose, fleshy berry, golden yellow to orangey yellow and indehiscent. Seeds are smooth, ovoid having thin endosperm and thick horny cotyledons and embedded in mucilaginous orangey yellow pulp. Culinary uses The pulp…

1. Eat right Eating a diet high in nutrients and minerals, particularly magnesium and calcium, will help your energy levels, and encourage a better night’s sleep. Dark green, leafy vegetables such as kale, spinach, chard (silverbeet), brussels sprouts, broccoli, parsley, and watercress, as well as other vegetables such as celery, sweet potato, and onion, are all high in calcium and magnesium. Fruit containing high amounts of these minerals are oranges, dates, figs, dried apricots, avocados, and bananas.25 This may be why most poor sleepers report drastic improvements while Rebooting. 2. Turn off the tech Where possible, avoid exposure in the…

Aluminium Quick Facts Atomic Number: 13 Atomic Symbol Al Atomic Weight 26.9815386 Density 2.70 g/cm3 Phase at Room Temperature Solid Boiling Point 4,566 degrees F (2,519 degrees C) Melting Point 1,220.58 degrees Fahrenheit (660.32 degrees Celsius) Element category Post-transition metal Aluminum-silvery white in appearance-is the third most common element found in nature (after oxygen and silicon) and makes up nearly 8 percent of the earth’s crust, although it plays no essential role in living systems. Industry began mining and processing it in the late nineteenth century, and today some 58 million tons are produced annually. It’s one of the most…

Carissa spinarum also called Conkerberry belongs to dogbane family Apocynaceae and is widely distributed throughout tropical regions of Africa, Australia, Southern Asia and various islands of Indian Ocean. The family is known as enormous flowering plant families and the genus Carissa was listed more than 500 species. It is known as wild Karonda in India. Conkerberry is a large shrub native and common throughout India, Burma and dry areas of Ceylon. The species got introduced to other countries in East Asia, Indonesia, Malaysia, South Vietnam, Cambodia and Philippines and to East Africa and the new world. It is grown as…

Bush banana is a climbing large shrub or small tree belonging to Annonacaea and inherent to tropical rainforest of West and Central Africa where it grows in wet and coastal shrub lands. It is branched with sweet, aromatic and alternate leaves used for curing diseases such as piles, menorrhagia, epistaxis and heals injuries. It is used for febrile conditions in children. The name refers to the fruit that forms in small bunch. Uvaria chamae is a medicinal plant used for treating fevers and possess antibiotic properties. It is introduced to other parts of Africa and elsewhere in tropics for its…

Burahol also known as Stelechocarpus burahol, kepel, kepel fruit, kepel apple and Keppel fruit is an annonaceous plant which comes from humid evergreen forests of Southeast Asia. It is well known for its fruit which could be found only in Central Java, Indonesia. This evergreen plant has stiff, glossy and elliptical leaves. Fruit forms on lower part of trunk on larger branches. It resembles spicy flavor analogous to that of mango. It is greenish-yellow, oval and about 3-4 centimeters long. It could be propagated from the seeds of ripe fruit. The plant is endemic to Indonesia, Java and is grown…

Wild Sugar Apple is a fast growing tree which grows 10 to 40 feet high and grows naturally in warm and damp regions of tropics but does not survive freezing temperatures. The plant is cultivated for edible fruits throughout world’s tropics and subtropics. The species has extensive natural range from Peru and northern Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay and northward to Guyana, Colombia, Venezuela and Southern Mexico, the Lesser Antilles, Trinidad including Martinique, Guadeloupe and Hispaniola and Puerto Rica. It is cultivated round Peru, Iquitos and Rio de Janeiro and Brazil. It is a common fruit in Western Amazonia. This species…

Miner’s lettuce also known as winter purslane, is an interrelated and interbreeding plants with pair of single leaves which are opposite each other and is separated by a flowering branch. Leaves are completely fused into perfoliate disc which is also known as cauline leaf below the flower stalk. Many early North American settlers use it as food and is popular among miners during California gold rush as it was known to cure and avert scurvy. Stems, leaves and blossoms have high content of Vitamin C, calcium and proteins. Miner’s lettuce seems to possess medicinal properties and also used as spring…