Macronutrient
Macronutrient is a category of food needed by our body in
substantial amounts to produce energy. Macronutrients are
carbohydrates, fats, and protein.
Micronutrients
Micronutrient (on the other hand) is a category of food
needed by our body in much smaller amounts for maintaining
optimum health. These are: vitamins, minerals, and essential
fatty acids. However, medical scientists have found a host
of other micronutrients that are also very important, and
are grouped under flavanoids, and phytochemicals.
Magnesium
Category: Nutrient / Mineral
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info on Magnesium and its health benefits
Majakani / Manjakani
Category: Plant / Herb
Majakani (manjakani), also known as Oak Gall, is found on
the twigs or leaves of the oak tree (specifically dyer’s
oak or quercus infectoria). It is a small tree indigenous
to Asia Minor and Persia.
Majakani (manjakani) has natural antiseptic properties,
and is used to treat female vaginal discharge (leucorrhoea).
In written records as far back as 100 A.D., the Roman gynaecologist,
Soranus has used this plant to treat his patients.
In Asia it is widely believed that majakani (manjakani)
can rejuvenate the vaginal muscular cells, resulting in
tighter vagina muscles. Many Asian women consume majakani
(manjakani) after childbirth to tighten their vagina. Majakani
(manjakani) is also available as a topical cream. Majakani
(manjakani) is a very powerful astringent herb and is believed
to firm and tighten the vaginal wall, restore elasticity,
and improve muscle tone.
Manganese
Category: Nutrient / Mineral
Manganese is a nutrient mineral important for skeletal development,
and maintains sex hormone production.
Deficiency symptoms include convulsions, dizziness, hearing
loss.
>> More
info on Managanese and its health benefits
Manuka Honey
Category: Food nutrient
Manuka honey is mainly gathered in New Zealand from the Manuka
bush, which grows uncultivated throughout the country.
Manuka honey contains an additional component not found
in normal honey (called UMF or Unique Manuka Factor), which
exhibits strong antibacterial and wound healing properties.
Used externally, Manuka honey is effective in sterilizing
wounds and preventing it from infection. Manuka honey provides
a fast rate of tissue regeneration and suppresses inflammation,
edema and malodour in wounds.
Taken internally, Manuka honey is a good source of energy,
vitamin B and some
minerals.
Mitochondria
Category: human “power cell”
The mitochondria is the body’s cellular “power
house” that produces energy for the body. The mitochondria
produces 95% of our total energy needs. An essential material
for this energy producing process is CoQ-10
(coenzyme Q-10, or ubiquinone).
Measles
Category: Ailment (viral infection) a.k.a. Rubeola
Measles is a highly contagious viral infection that causes
a rash and attacks the respiratory system. Measles is characterized
by small red spots with white centres that first appear
in the mouth, later erupting into brownish-red spots starting
at the face and spreading to the body.
Patients with measles must be isolated. The infectious
period lasts from the first symptoms (catarrh, conjunctivitis,
high fever) until 5 days after the first appearance of the
rash. It can take up to 3 weeks to develop measles symptoms
after been in contact with someone who has measles.
Melanin
Melanin is a protective skin pigment, produced when our
skin is exposed to the sun’s rays. The production
of melanin in our skin is what makes us tan. When we are
exposed to the sun, the UVB rays will penetrate the upper
layers of our skin, causing the stimulation of melanocytes.
Melanocytes are the skin’s melanin-producing cells.
The more we are exposed to the sun, the more melanin (dark
pigment) is produced, that is why our skin gets more tanned
when we are exposed for longer durations under the sun.
When sun rays reach tanned skin, the melanin will absorb
the UVB rays, thus minimizing its damaging effect to the
skin.
Milk Thistle
Category: Herb
Milk thistle, has been used as an herb for more than two thousand
years - as a liver tonic. In the 70s, German scientists conducted
research on milk thistle and discovered many encouraging health
benefits on this plant, particularly related to the liver.
Milk thistle contains a substance from a flavanoid group,
called silymarin. Milk thistle (or rather the active substances
in milk thistle) is able to protect the liver in more ways
than one:
Milk thistle helps to reduce liver damage, and protects
the liver walls from toxins.
Milk thistle has strong antioxidant properties. In a recent
study, researchers found that when lab animals’ skin
was treated with milk thistle extract, it was highly resistant
to tumour development.
Milk thistle helps to stimulate the regeneration of liver
tissue.
Milk thistle is best taken as an extract. The reason being,
there is insufficient silymarin to be beneficial, by just
taking milk thistle as a tea.
MSG (Monosodium Glutamate)
Category: Chemical / Flavour Enhancer
MSG or monosodium glutamate, is the sodium salt of L-glutamic
acid. Interestingly, L-glutamic acid is a major component
of almost every protein in the human body. It also is found
naturally in plants and animals, as part of enzymes and
protein structures. Most protein found in plant and animals
consists of 5 to 25 percent L-glutamic acid. MSG is generally
regarded as safe by the FDA. A 1995 report by the Federation
of American Societies for Experimental Biology found no
convincing evidence that MSG posed any serious threat to
public health.
However, due to the complaints by a large number people,
that they felt uncomfortable (ranging from numbness, general
weakness, headaches, to chest pains and heart palpitations).
MSG may have harmful side effects. Long term consumption
to MSG may cause: obesity, reproductive disorders, learning
impairment. Learning impairment may only become obvious
after puberty, having their origins in neuroendocrine dysfunction
caused by exposure of infants and small children to MSG.
Muscovado Sugar
Category: Food
Muscovado sugar (also known as Barbados sugar) is pure,
unrefined natural cane sugar. Muscovado sugar takes its
name from the spanish word 'mascabado' (meaning unrefined).
Muscovado sugar is high in nutritional value because all
teh nutrients were not stripped off during the production
process, it has comparable nutritional value to honey.
>> More
info on muscovado sugar
Mumps
Category: Ailment (viral infection)
Mumps is a viral infection that is highly contagious.
It mainly affects children between 4 and 14 years old. The
virus attacks the salivary glands located on each side of
the face just below and in front of the ears.
Home remedies for the treatment of mumps have included
using aloe vera,
asparagus,
ginger,
or margosa leaves.
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