Health
Spices For Better Health (11)
In the last edition, I made mention that spices are highly priced commodities in ancient times. Though later it became common place as people began to use them due to their abilities to enhance food taste.
But that is not all about spices. Research has shown that they have huge medicinal values and help to improve health.
The following spices are healthful:
Cinnamon: (cinnamon zylanicum). Cinnamon is a special spice that comes from tree bark, and this makes it unique. The inner bark is obtained from carefully selected shoots. Cinnamon tree was known to ancient physicians even before 2700BC. The Chinese used the bark of this tree as medicine.
An analysis of cinnamon shows it consist of moisture, protein, fat, fibre, carbohydrates and ash, besides calcium, phosphorus, iron, pottasium, thiamine, riboflavine, niacin, Vitamin C and A.
Its medicinal uses include use as mouth freshener, headache, common cold. A paste of grounded cinnamon powder with lime juice applied over pimples and blackheads are effective. Dried cinnamon leaves and bark are used for flavouring cakes and sweets.
Curry (murraya koenigi):Curry leaves are derived from beautiful aromatic and more or less deciduous shrub growing up to 0.9metre. Curry leaves possess the qualities of a herbal tonic. They strengthen the functions of the stomach and promote its action. Fresh juice of curry leaves, with lime juice and sugar is an effective medicine in the treatment of morning sickness, nusea and vomiting due to indigestion.
Curry leaves according to prominent herbalist HK Bakru have weight reducing effects. It also helps diabetic patients stop passing sugar in urine. Frequent intake of curry leaves is considered beneficial in preventing premature greying of hair.
Corriander (corriandum sativum):This is a sweet smelling herb. Its lovely fragrance makes it an attractive spice. An analysis of the seeds shows that it contains calcium, phosphorous, iron, carotene, thiamine, niacin and riboflavin. The leaves of coriander are stimulant and tonic. They strengthen the stomach and promote its action, relieve flatulence, increase secretion and discharge of urine.
A teaspoon of coriander juice mixed with a pinch of turmeric powder is an effective remedy for pimples, blackheads and dry skin. Regular drinking of coriander water helps lower blood cholesterol, as it’s good and stimulates the kidneys. The young plants of corriander are used in sauces, curries and soups.
Cumin Seeds (cuminum cyminum): Cumin seeds are common in the Middle East part of the world. It was one of the commonest spices during the Middle Ages. These seeds have huge mineral and Vitamin deposits such as calcium, phosphorus, iron, sodium potassium, thiamine, riboflavine and Vit C and A.
Cumin seeds are very useful in digestive disorders. One teaspoon of fresh coriander leaf juice and pinch of salt. Black cumin is beneficial in the treatment of piles. It’s also valuable in relieving sleeplessness. A teaspoon of the fried powder of cumin seeds mixed with the pulp of ripe banana can be taken at night to induce sleep. Cumin seeds are valuable in relieving memory. This can be done by mixing ground seeds with 12 grammes of pure honey. Cumin seed is extensively used in mixed spices for flavouring of curries, soups, sausages, bread and cakes.
Fennel (fenniculum vulgare):Fennel is a yellowish green herb. It has been used for flavouring from ancient times. The leaves of fennel are digestive, appetising and stimulating. They increase the secretion and discharge of urine. The seeds are sweet, laxative, aphrodisiac and arrest bleeding. Chewing the seeds after meals prevent foul breath, indigestion, constipation and vomiting.
The leaves of fennel are useful in respiratory disorders like asthmas and bronchitis. It also promotes menstruation and regulate monthly periods. Children with colic problems can benefit from fennel. A teaspoon of the herb is boiled in water with either peppermint or crushed, it’s then strained and allowed to cool. The tea is given to the baby in feeding bottle or one teaspoon at a time.
Two United States scientists who unraveled the human micro RNA have won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2024.
Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun won the coveted prize for their work on microRNA as their discoveries help explain how complex life emerged on earth and how the human body is made up of a wide variety of different tissues.
MicroRNAs influence how genes – the instructions for life – are controlled inside organisms, including humans.
Every cell in the human body contains the same raw genetic information, locked in our DNA.
However, despite starting with the identical genetic information, the cells of the human body are wildly different in form and function.
The electrical impulses of nerve cells are distinct from the rhythmic beating of heart cells. The metabolic powerhouse that is a liver cell is distinct to a kidney cell, which filters urea out of the blood.
The light-sensing abilities of cells in the retina are different in skillset to white blood cells that produce antibodies to fight infection.
So much variety can arise from the same starting material because of gene expression.
The US scientists were the first to discover microRNAs and how they exerted control on how genes are expressed differently in different tissues.
The medicine and physiology prize winners are selected by the Nobel Assembly of Sweden’s Karolinska Institute.
They said: “Their groundbreaking discovery revealed a completely new principle of gene regulation that turned out to be essential for multicellular organisms, including humans.
“It is now known that the human genome codes for over 1,000 microRNAs.”
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has begun acting to curb effects of antibiotic pollution.
The new guidance on wastewater and solid waste management for antibiotic manufacturing sheds light on this important but neglected challenge ahead of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) High-Level Meeting on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) taking place on 26 September 2024.
The emergence and spread of AMR caused by antibiotic pollution could undermine the effectiveness of antibiotics globally, including the medicines produced at the manufacturing sites responsible for the pollution.
Despite high antibiotic pollution levels being widely documented, the issue is largely unregulated and quality assurance criteria typically do not address environmental emissions. In addition, once distributed, there is a lack of information provided to consumers on how to dispose of antibiotics when they are not used, for example, when they expire or when a course is finished but there is still antibiotic left over.
“Pharmaceutical waste from antibiotic manufacturing can facilitate the emergence of new drug-resistant bacteria, which can spread globally and threaten our health. Controlling pollution from antibiotic production contributes to keeping these life-saving medicines effective for everyone,” said Dr Yukiko Nakatani, WHO Assistant Director-General for AMR ad interim.
Globally, there is a lack of accessible information on the environmental damage caused by manufacturing of medicines.
“The guidance provides an independent and impartial scientific basis for regulators, procurers, inspectors, and industry themselves to include robust antibiotic pollution control in their standards,” said Dr Maria Neira, Director, Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health, WHO. “Critically, the strong focus on transparency will equip buyers, investors and the general public to make decisions that account for manufacturers’ efforts to control antibiotic pollution.”
In a concerted effort to curb brain drain, the Kebbi State Government has harmonised medical doctors’ salaries to be at par with their colleagues in the federal government’s tertiary health facilities.
Kebbi State Commissioner for Health, Musa Inusa-Isma’il, disclosed this at the handing over of ambulances to the state-owned health facilities at the Ministry of Health in Birnin Kebbi yesterday.
Inusa Isma’il, according to a statement by Ahmed Idris, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, said the essence of the harmonisation was to retain the existing medical doctors and attract more to the services of the state.
According to him, the doctors across the state had already started enjoying the new salaries from August 2024.
He said the release of the vehicles was in fulfilment of Governor Nasir Idris’ promise to uplift health care services in the state.
“His Excellency said I should inform you, the beneficiaries of this gesture, that the vehicle should be strictly used for the intended purpose. It should not be used for anything else.
“If there is no referral case, each of the vehicles must be parked at the hospital by 6 pm. The governor said you should warn your drivers against reckless driving as well as violating the instructions.
“We should also do everything possible to reciprocate the gesture by working according to the terms and conditions attached,” he advised.
The benefiting health facilities included Sir Yahaya Memorial Hospital, Birnin Kebbi; State Teaching Hospital, Kalgo; General Hospital, Argungu; General Hospital, Yauri; General Hospital, Zuru; and General Hospital, Bunza.
In his speech, the permanent secretary of the ministry, Dr Shehu Koko, recalled that the ambulances were handed over to the ministry last Friday by the governor for the onward handover to the benefiting hospitals.
He observed that the ambulances would go a long way in improving the referral system in the state, adding that delays in reaching the secondary and tertiary facilities would be eliminated.
The permanent secretary attributed the high rate of maternal mortality in the country to delays in getting to the health facilities for proper medical care.
“We believe with the provision of these ambulances, part of the gaps we have in our referral system will be addressed, whereby patients who require secondary healthcare could be easily transported to secondary and tertiary health centres, where they can get such help,” he said.
In a goodwill message, Commissioner for Information and Culture Alhaji Yakubu Ahmed expressed gratitude to the governor for the support he has given to the ministry to excel.
While advising the beneficiaries to use the vehicles judiciously, the commissioner advised that services and maintenance of the vehicles must be prompt to derive the maximum benefits from the vehicles.
The commissioner also highlighted some achievements recorded by the government in the last year, including beautification of the state capital, completion of a multimillion-naira ultramodern state secretariat, road construction, construction and renovation of classrooms and upgrading of some health facilities, among others.