Asgandh

Asgandh can be used by both men and women and it acts to calm the mind and promote sound, restful sleep. Asgandh works as an adaptogen, promoting the body's ability to maintain homeostasis and resist stress. It prevents or minimizes imbalances that may lead to disease, whether from poor diet, lack of sleep, mental or physical strain, or chemical toxins in the environment. Perhaps the most famous Ayurvedic immune booster herb that is used in many tonics and formulas, Asgandh is a revitalizing herb that maintains proper nourishment of the tissues, particularly muscles and bones, while supporting the proper function of the adrenals and reproductive system. Asgandh, also known as "Indian Ginsing" improves the body's ability to maintain physical effort and helps the body to tackle various types of stress. It has following positive effects on human body:

• Researches reveal that Asgandh, if given in proper dose, can restore the neurotransmitters and hence can be useful in various mental disorders.
• It is especially beneficial in stress related disorders such as arthritis, hypertension, diabetes, general debility, etc.
• It has also shown impressive results when used as a stimulant for the immune system.
• Asgandh is a unique herb with anti-stress adaptogenic action that leads to better physical fitness and helps to cope with life's daily stress.
• Asgandh has been used to treat conditions such as fatigue, chronic disease, impotence, and waning memory. Ashwagandha enhances virility and has aphrodisiac properties, especially for men.
• The major function of Asgandh, as per Ayurvedic theory, is to enhance sexual efficiency.
• It has potent activity in any stressful condition including anxiety, depression, OCD - obsessive compulsive disorder etc.
• The herb is also great for curing senile problems, poor eyesight, heart pain, hips and back pain, general debility, sleeplessness etc.
• It also increases the iron content in the blood.
• Its fruit is given to tuberculosis patients in the villages.
• Asgandh is a revitalization agent which also prevents from infections.
• It can be taken for long periods of time without fear of addiction.
• It is boosts memory and learning enhancement very useful for students, bankers, writers and the other who a lot to do with mind.
• It is an anti aging agent which delays the process of being old.
• It cures from the after effects of all types of fatigue and stress.
• It is useful in anemia due to a handsome amount of iron in it.
• Withania Somnifera is a good health supplement for sportsmen, laborers and peasants and artisans.
• Asgandh increases hemoglobin concentration, red blood cell and white blood cell.
• Withania is useful in anxiety, mental disorders, panic attacks and all types of phobia.
•  American psychiatrists found Withania useful for the treatment of manic depression, alcoholic paranoia, and schizophrenia.

Most of the men, according to a research, were reported increased libido and sexual function after taking the herb.

Cilantro-Health Benefits

• Cilantro herb contains no cholesterol; however, it is rich in antioxidants, essential oils, vitamins, and dietary fiber, which help reduce LDL or "bad cholesterol" while increasing HDL or "good cholesterol" levels.
• Its leaves and seeds contain many essential volatile oils such as borneol, linalool, cineole, cymene, terpineol, dipentene, phellandrene, pinene and terpinolene.
• The leaves and stem tips are also rich in numerous anti-oxidant polyphenolic flavonoids such as quercetin, kaempferol, rhamnetin and epigenin.
• The herb is a good source of minerals like potassium, calcium, manganese, iron, and magnesium. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps control heart rate and blood pressure. Iron is essential for red blood cell production. Manganese is used by the body as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase.
• It is also rich in many vital vitamins, including folic-acid, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin-A, beta carotene, vitamin-C that is essential for optimum health. Vitamin-C is a powerful natural antioxidant. 100 g of cilantro leaves provide 30% of daily recommended levels of vitamin-C.
• It provides 6748 IU of vitamin-A per 100 g, about 225% of recommended daily intake. Vitamin-A, an important fat soluble vitamin and anti-oxidant, is also required for maintaining healthy mucus membranes and skin and is also essential for vision. Consumption of natural foods rich in vitamin-A and flavonoids (carotenes) helps body protect from lung and oral cavity cancers.
• Cilantro is one of the richest herbal sources for vitamin K; provide about 258% of DRI. Vitamin-K has a potential role in bone mass building by promoting osteotrophic activity in the bones. It also has established role in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease patients by limiting neuronal damage in their brain.
• Coriander seed oil has been found application in many traditional medicines as analgesic, aphrodisiac, anti-spasmodic, deodorant, digestive, carminative, fungicidal, lipolytic (weight loss), stimulant and stomachic.

Wonderful! Cilantro leaves provide only 23 calories/100 g, but their phyto-nutrients profile is no less than any high-calorie food item; be it nuts, pulses or cereals or meat group.

This humble backyard herb provides (% of RDA/100g):
15% of folates,
11% of vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine),
45% of vitamin C,
225% of vitamin A,
258% of vitamin K,
22% of iron and
18% of manganese.
(Note: RDA-Recommended daily allowance)

Fenugreek and its Tea

Fenugreek seeds are rich source of minerals, vitamins, and phytonutrients. 100 g seeds provide 323 calories.

The seeds are a very good source of soluble dietary fiber. Soaking the seeds in water makes their outer coat soft and mucilaginous. 100 g of seeds provide 24.6 g or over 65% of dietary fiber.

This prized spice is an excellent source of minerals like copper, potassium, calcium, iron, selenium, zinc, manganese, and magnesium. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps control heart rate and blood pressure by countering action on sodium. Iron is essential for red blood cell production and as a co-factor for cytochrome-oxidases enzymes.

It is also rich in many vital vitamins that are essential nutrients for optimum health, including thiamin, pyridoxine (vitamin B6), folic acid, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin A, and vitamin-C.

Fenugreeks (Trigonella foenum-graecum), Nutritional value per 100 g. (Source: USDA National Nutrient data base)
Principle	Nutrient Value	Percentage of RDA
Energy	323 Kcal	16%
Carbohydrates	58.35 g	45%
Protein	23 g	41%
Total Fat	6.41 g	21%
Cholesterol	0 mg	0%
Dietary Fiber	24.6 g	65%
Vitamins
Folates	57 µg	14%
Niacin	1.640 mg	7%
Pyridoxine	0.600 mg	46%
Riboflavin	0.366 mg	28%
Thiamin	0.322 mg	27%
Vitamin A	60 IU	2%
Vitamin C	3 mg	5%
Electrolytes
Sodium	67 mg	4.5%
Potassium	770 mg	16%
Minerals
Calcium	176 mg	18%
Copper	1.110 mg	123%
Iron	33.53 mg	419%
Magnesium	191 mg	48%
Manganese	1.228 mg	53%
Phosphorus	296 mg	42%
Selenium	6.3 µg	11%
Zinc	2.50 mg	23%

Making the Tea
The tea itself is very easy to make. Using approximately one teaspoon of seed per cup of boiling water, boil the seeds for between 5 and 10 minutes, then remove from the heat.

Cover the tea and leave to stand for 10 to 15 minutes. Pour liquid through a fine strainer or colander to remove the seeds, and the tea is ready.

Fenugreek tea can be enjoyed either hot or cold, and as often as desired. Once made, fenugreek tea has a smell and taste similar to maple syrup.

Fenugreek Tea Benefits
The health benefits of fenugreek herb tea are numerous, notably the regulation of blood sugar levels by slowing the rate that sugar enters the body.

As such, anyone using fenugreek supplements who are on medications for diabetes, cholesterol, hypoglycemia, or high blood pressure should first consult their medical practitioner, as the effectiveness of these medications may be increased.

Fenugreek has strong laxative properties as it contains a high amount of mucilaginous fiber. This fiber swells after being mixed with fluids, but as the body is unable to digest it, it is dispelled from the colon taking with it any residual compacted waste.

Removal of this waste from the body promotes weight loss, and as the digestive tract is cleansed it will function better for improved digestion. This is one of the reasons fenugreek is usually found in various detox teas and it even helps to reduce the symptoms of halitosis.

A well-known use for the tea is the promotion of breast milk in nursing women. It has been proven effective in increasing lactation for those who have a less-than-adequate supply for their newborns.

The tea can be made stronger for external use. Use approximately 50 grams of powdered fenugreek seed to one quart boiled water. Mix it well and leave to thicken to a gel-like consistency. This can be used on the skin to relieve pain, ease irritation, and reduce swelling and is ideal for insect bites.

Fenugreek herbal tea has also been known to help with the symptoms of bronchitis and coughs, as it breaks up and removes excess mucus in the chest causing the problem.

Known side effects to using fenugreek tea include, diarrhea, bloating, or excessive gas, and with prolonged consumption the user may find their urine or sweat also starts to smell like maple syrup.

As previously mentioned, if on any other medication at all a medical practitioner should be consulted before use and immediately if after use it is found to give any of the symptoms of allergic reaction, including unexplained rashes, swelling, itching, or difficulty breathing.

Fenugreek is containing several nutrients like protein, vitamin C, alkaloids, potassium, niacin, diosgenin,  iodine, chromium, magnesium, selenium, phosphorus, molybdenum, silicon, zinc, sodium, sulphur, iron and manganese among others. With so many nutrients infused in one, the fenugreek tea benefits for health are as follows :

  1. Fenugreek Tea Benefit for Weight Loss
The main reasons for why lots people have used fenugreek tea recently is it can loose weight and control obesity..  Fenugreek tea leads to a cleansing impact on the body by promoting sweating and causing proper bowel movements.
 

2. Fenugreek Tea Benefit in Digestion
One of the major fenugreek herbal tea benefits is to treat digestive disorders and irregular bowel movements. The active ingredients existing in fenugreek tea can help in proper digestion of the food items, thus reducing problems related to indigestion and problematic bowel movements.

3. Fenugreek Tea Benefit For Combating Kidney Problems
Fenugreek tea has indicated prompt results in fighting kidney ailments. However, there is lack of clinical data that proves this benefit. Thus, more studies are to be conducted to analyze the benefits of fenugreek tea in treating kidney problems. 

4. Fenugreek Tea Benefit To Regulate Sugar Absorption 

Either whole seeds or herbal tea of fenugreek is very important for diabetic patients. It can help in slow release of sugar from the food items, thus regulating the blood sugar level.  

5. Fenugreek Tea Benefit To Maintain Cholesterol level
Another health benefit of having fenugreek tea is to maintain the level of good cholesterol levels, while lowering the bad cholesterol levels. As per the proponents of fenugreek herbal tea, it is effective to minimize heart and cardiovascular ailments by regulating the total cholesterol level in the body.

6. Fenugreek Tea Benefit For Expelling Excess Mucus
Fenugreek tea is most used for cold symptoms treatment, especially, expelling excess mucus from the throat and the respiratory tract. .

With six main fenugreek tea benefits above, now to try out and have fun with it.

Herbal Cure for Skin Inflammation

Research has shown that Fenugreek is an effective topical treatment for skin problems such as abscesses, boils, burns, eczema, and gout. Therefore, a simple skin inflammation remedy is the following:

• Take a spoonful of fenugreek and grind it into a powder.
• Mix the ground powder with warm water.
• Take a simple piece of clean cloth and soak it into the mixture.
• Apply the soaked cloth directly onto the affected skin as a poultice.

Natural Cure for Heartburn and Acid Reflux

Fenugreek seeds contain a lot of mucilage, which helps sooth gastrointestinal inflammation by coating the lining of the stomach and intestine. Therefore, for an effective remedy against heartburn or Acid Reflux, simply sprinkle 1 teaspoon of fenugreek seeds onto your food. Another option is to take one teaspoon of seeds and swallow them with water or juice before any meal.

Home Remedy for Fever

The Fenugreek herb has been known to help reduce fever when taken with lemon and honey, since it nourishes the body during an illness. Therefore, to treat a fever, simply consume one to two teaspoons of Fenugreek seeds three times a day along with an herbal tea (such as green tea) with a teaspoon of honey and lemon juice. Some health food stores also sell herbal Fenugreek teas, which can be used instead of the green tea.

Fenugreek and sexual health - Fenugreek has long been understood to increase libido. The seeds are rich in diogenin, a substance that mimics the activity of estrogen.

Libido enhancement supplements produced from fenugreek claim to increase sexual desire and performance in men. In a study published in the February 2011 issue of "Phytotherapy Research," researchers recruited 60 men between the ages of 25 and 52 years without a history of erectile dysfunction and supplemented them with either a placebo or 600 mg of fenugreek extract per day for six weeks. The participants self-evaluated their satisfaction with fenugreek and reported that the supplement had a positive effect on libido. The study found that fenugreek extract had a significant influence on sexual arousal, energy and stamina, and helped to maintain a normal testosterone level in the participants.

Men who took placebo for 6 weeks saw their libidos stay the same or even decline. Researchers are not yet clear how the fenugreek works to improve libido but it is believed that fenugreek seeds contain bioactive compounds called saponins which may stimulate the production of sex hormones. Researchers think 1 particular saponin named diosgenin might affect production of sex hormones. Diosgenin enhance the level of testosterone which reduces with age. Fenugreek increases the volume of breast milk in new mothers within 24 to 72 hours.

Fenugreek is rich in fiber - Fenugreek's rich fiber content make it useful in treating constipation, and as a preventive against cardiovascular disease.

  Internal use

• Fenugreek is used internally for a variety of problems, such as to treat diabetes in adults (late-onset diabetes), poor digestion, gastric inflammation, digestive disorders and tuberculosis.
• It is also used for painful menstruation, labor pains and insufficient lactation (too little milk forming in the breasts of lactating mothers).
• Men on the other hand benefit from it for loss of libido, painful testicles and premature ejaculation.
• It is often used for weight loss, anorexia and for poor appetite.
• In Chinese medicine it is used for kidney related pain - such as back ache, as wellas premature ejaculation, loss of libido, painful testicles, hernia, painful menstruation and edema of the legs.
• In Ayurvedic medicine it is used for rejuvenation and as an aphrodisiac, as well as for digestive and bronchial complaints, gout and arthritis.
• Fresh Fenugreek leaves are cooked as a vegetable curry and are also dried and used to flavor vegetable dishes.
• The seeds are roasted and ground for use in curry powder, pickles, stews and fried foods.
• The seed sprouts are also eaten as a salad.

  External use

• It is used externally for skin inflammations, ulcers, boils, eczema and cellulite.