SLC S21 Week 5 - Herbal Remedies for Respiratory Health, Iron Deficiency, and Blood Pressure Control

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Over the years herbal remedies have constantly known as an alternate medicine intervention for treating and curing ailments. In most cases where the orthodox medicine fails or increasingly leads to an undesirable side effects due to excessive or prolonged use. There's the need for herbal remedies.

Herbal remedies is Ayurvedic medicine where humans resorts to traditional roots and herbs to treat and cure diseases naturally and has been proven effective over the years.

Lets go further by attempting the homework tasks.

Respiratory: Write three different herbs for the support of respiratory health other than discussed in this lecture. Include their benefits and reasons why they help in respiratory health. (2 Marks)

For Respiratory Health

These three herbs have proven to be very effective in support of proper functioning of the respiratory health.

1. Garlic :

Health Benefits

Garlic helps to boost the immune system preventing the invasion of diseases
It helps in fighting germs, reducing swollen areas. Garlic is very important for respiratory health as it helps to eliminate mucus from the lungs, reducing inflammations, helps in fighting infection, clearing the respiratory tract thus making it easier to breathe.

The reason why garlic is most effective in respiratory health is due to its anti-inflammatory properties. The anti-inflammatory compound in garlic is potent enough to fight viruses, bacteria and fungi the pathogens that cause lung's problems.

1. Liquorice ( Banga Stick)

Health Benefits

This natural herb has dual contents of antiviral and antiinflammatory properties. It's usually a root or stick-like herbs. Being antiviral and antiinflammatory, it helps to clear mucus from the airways, purifying it by killing the causative pathogen agents.

Why Liquorice helps : is due to its containing a phytochemical called glycyrrhizin known to be potent for reducing inflammation, clear mucus and an tissues that is inflammed within the respiratory system.

1. Cinnamon

Cinnamon whether in root or powder form does dual functions of being antifungal and antibacterial.It helps to fight. When taken as tea or as food additives, it helps to fight infections, clearing mucus buildup, stops inflammation and enhance proper blood flow to the lungs.

Iron Deficiency: Write about three herbs which help in the iron deficiency. Make a herbal remedy which can boost the iron level in the body. Please explain how it works in the body? (3 Marks)

Iron deficiency is when there's insufficient or no presence of iron in the body. This is in the form of heamoglobin( Bit B12). The lack of iron can cause aneamia and other health complication. The following herbs can help to remedy iron deficiency.

1. Justicea Canea ( Blood of Jesus or Blood of God).

This herb is an evergreen shrub with green leaf and red flower.Its a wonder of nature, truly divine that the local name blood of God truly suits it health benefits. This is because when boiled the contents come out crimson red, having odour and colour as real as blood.

How It Works in the Body

It helps in blood formation by building iron in the blood corpuscle. It's acts as an antioxidant and anti-atherogen as it delays the disease that is caused by oxidative stress and reduce cardiovascular disease risk. Also rich in nutrients like Vitamin B12 A, C, B9, Iron and Potassium.
The phytochemicals such as flavonoids, alkaloids, tannins and saponins, protein it contains help in forming B12 and Iron ( Ferrous)

Preparation

Cut the leaf and boil till the red crimson colour is obtained, keep it cool and pour into a glass of water add with tomato if you have, take it morning and evening daily till the symptom is improved.

1. Jatropha Tangorensis Leaf ( locally called Hospital is too Far)

Hospital too far is a perennial shrub widely used in Nigeria and other African countries as vegetable for many food and as blood supplement for iron deficiency which causes anaemia.

How It Works:

The leaf plant is rich in Iron, calcium, helping in blood formation and blood flow. It is also good for gastrointestinal problems, reducing respiratory symptoms and kidney disorders.

Preparation

Squeeze the leaf to extract a green juice, pour into the glass and drink morning and night until your body is improved. You may likely use as culinary sauce in all your food.

1. Pumpkin Leaf

This a common creeping leaf plant popularly grown in the backyard garden. It's locally called Ugu leaf used by many homes in Nigeria as a as food plant and for boosting of blood and iron.

How It Works

It contains a greater amount of Iron, protein, calcium, nutrients such as potassium and other phytochemicals. All these when eaten or drinking the squeezed contents helps to form and boosting blood cells, replenishing the body with iron and good health.

Preparation

Squeeze the pumpkin leaf to extract a green juice into a glass, add with one native egg or milk( optional) and drink morning and night until symptoms disappear.

Blood Pressure Control

1. Sour Sop Leaf Plant

Sour Sop plant contains the basic element of potassium, an active mineral helping to eliminate sodium from the body through urination. The leaf and fruit also contain antioxidant helping in promotion of the health of the arteries and can serve as a vasodilator. The potassium content in Sour Sop is very good for blood pressure management, also very good for renal and cardiovascular proper function by reducing the uric acid.

How the Patience Can Prepare It

Cut a certain amount of the leaf, wash with clean water and boil it to obtain an army green colour tea. Keep it warm and take 1 full glass daily morning and Night until the symptom is reduced or disappeared.

For blood pressure management: take a half glass of Sour Sop tea morning and night 1 day and a skip another day -at least 3 times in a week. Go for regular check up, minimum exercise, go for healthy diets that promote heart health*.

Guava Leaf

Guava Leaf Plant is very effective for blood pressure control due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It contains potassium the great mineral for cardiovascular function. It also contains a soluble fibre for improvement of the health of the heart. Guava Leaf helps to control LDL the not good cholesterol while rising HDL the good cholesterol needed for the pumping action of the blood in the heart.

How to Make Guava Tea

Cut an average quantity of the leaf, boil in temperature that the outcome will be green in colour, strain the juice into a glass of water, keep it warm and take morning and night.

NB: Patients with other underlying diseases such as ulcer and diabetes should take it half a glass morning and night and should eat as it's side effect can irritate the stomach causing nausea, stomach upset.When symptoms is reduced you can manage it with ½ glass 1x 2 3 days in a week. As it is potent in lowering the blood pressure to the minimum level.

Garlic/ Cinnamon/Ginger

These spices are popularly known globally for their efficiency in reducing and controlling high blood pressure. This is because of the presence of the minerals and phytochemicals in them. They all possess anti-inflammatory, antifungal, antimicrobial properties. When combining them together, they help to support blood flow, improve the respiratory health by killing the pathogens that may cause inflammation to the heart area and blockage of the arterial veins leading to high blood pressure.

How to Prepare the Tea

Peel the spices, wash with clean water, boil to make a tea and strain into a glass of water and drink it warm 2 times daily. You can be chewing ginger and garlic as additives in your daily routine.

Herbal remedies is a natural intervention for the treatment and management of sickness and the overall body health. Where orthodox medicine fails or perhaps in the case of persistent undesirable side effects due to prolong use, herbal remedies can be used as a placebo or complete treatment for diseases or its management.

The above herbal therapies are proven to be effective in the treatment, cure and management of the health conditions discussed above.

I invite @josepha, @sahmie, @okere-blessing to join in the challenge.