MEDICINAL USES OF MORINGA

The Moringa Tree with its edible leaves, flowers, and pods are one of most power packed, nutritious trees in the world, but it is also one of the most healing trees in the world. All of the tree is either used for food, medicine, or cooking. It has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for hundreds of years to both prevent and treat almost 300 diseases. The information in this article is not based on double blind research but on the historical and current usage of Moringa leaves, flowers, and pods in Nigeria, and many other countries. This is how the people have used it in the past and how they use it now. Much of this information was observed and documented in the different health projects by physicians in their treatment of AIDS, malnutrition, and disease. In Nigeria, Ayurvedic physicians use it in their standard treatment protocols. How can Moringa leaves have an impact on so many problems? Many health problems are due to poor nutrition, malnutrition and imbalanced disease states, which result in immune system breakdown and disease. When you correct those imbalances and nutritional deficiencies with super packed nutritious food, it is bound to improve health and disease states. The ability for Moringa leaves, flowers, bark, and pods to have such diverse healing effects is due to the vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and healing elements the tree contains. A review of Moringa's power packed nutrition: Here is a nutritional breakdown of Fresh Moringa Leaves: 7 times the Vitamin C of Oranges; 4 times the Calcium of Milk; 3 times the Potassium of Bananas; 2 times the Protein of Yogurt; 4 times the Vitamin A of Carrots; and ¾ the iron of Spinach. Moringa leaves when dried become a even greater, powerhouse of nutrition containing: ½ the Vitamin C of Oranges; 17 times the Calcium of Milk; 15 times the Potassium of Bananas; 9 times the Protein of Yogurt; 25 times the Vitamin A of Carrots; and 20 times the Iron in Spinach. All elements except the Vitamin C is increased when you dry the leaves in the shade. Drying the leaves in direct sunlight decreases its nutritional values. How Moringa and Artemisia Annua Leaves benefit AIDS Patients: There are health projects going on in Tanzania, Musoma, and other areas. There is a real AIDS crisis in these areas. In these AIDS cases, the doctors have found that the combination of two herbs, Moringa and Artemisia Annua, improved the energy, stamina, and CD4 counts of the AIDS patients. Some of their patients came in so weak, they were not able to walk or care for themselves. They improved so dramatically that many were able to go back to work and many stayed to help the incoming patients. These dramatic improvements were documented over and over again by the doctors in these health projects. How the herbs were used in the treatment protocols: The physicians combined dried Moringa Leaves with Artemisia Annua and then added one heaping teaspoonful of the powder to make a tea. A liter of tea using 5 grams of the powder was given 3 times a day to the patient while the symptoms were acute. Later when the patients improved, it was reduced to a cup a day. When you consider the super nutrition in Moringa leaves, it is easy to understand how the Aids patients would improve. The power packed nutrition would bolster their immune function, strength, stamina and ability to live a more normal active life. Moringa does NOT cure AIDS but helps the AIDS patient live longer and improves their quality of life and health. Often the AIDS patient does not die from AIDS, but from one of the opportunist infections that prey on their compromised immune system. Moringa Leaves and its effects on blood pressure, blood sugar, breast milk production, and anemia: In India, the leaves are used to normalize blood pressure and to treat anxiety. In 1994, a team of researchers identified a new nitride and mustard oil glycoside that demonstrated its ability to lower blood pressure. An infusion of the leaf is used to reduce sugar levels though not as effectively as the standard hypoglycemia medicine. Moringa leaves mixed with honey then followed with coconut milk drunk 2 to 3 times a day is used for diarrhea, dysentery and colitis. Moringa leaves have been observed and documented by doctors in the health projects to increase breast milk production and the health of nursing mothers. This is due to the nutrition in the leaves especially the protein, calcium, and iron content. Given to failure to thrive infants, it encourages weight gain and improved health due to the super packed nutritional content of the leaves. Moringa leaves are given to improve anemia in infants, children and adults because of its high iron content. Iron tablets cause stomach distress, constipation, and are difficult to digest. Iron tablets are not easy to obtain in these poor communities. Given their compromised digestive systems due to malnutrition, the iron tablets would most likely not even be utilized by the body. Researchers have not identified all the various elements in the plant that affect these health problems. It may be that in the overall improvement of the patient's nutritional status that these imbalances are corrected. Improved nutrition supports the patient's own body mechanisms to heal and correct these conditions.