Natural Cure: Herbs For Blood

Anaemia is a common ailment besetting mankind today due to a lot of factors. One of such factors is modern day fast-paced lifestyle, which makes it difficult for people to eat well prepared or balanced diets. The result of not eating well gives birth to anaemia or lack of blood. The other factors are poverty and wars.
In many countries of the world, many people live under the poverty line such that they cannot afford daily three square meal. And besides war can make food production difficult and those in war torn countries cannot access good food leading to anaemia or kwashiorkor as witnessed during the Nigerian/Biafra war.
Fortunately, nature has provided us with resources that can tackle this menace. These resources are in the form of leaves and herbs, which are common and can be easily gotten.
Among the numerous herbs provided by nature to tackle anaemia include, “Chaya leaves” and “Bitter Leaves”. In this edition we shall examine the benefits of both leaves and their other medicial values to mankind.
1. Chaya leaf (Cunidoscolus Aconififolius): Chaya is a native of Mexico but has found its way into Africa, India and other parts of the world. Like “Moringa”, it’s called as “God’s Gift” because it can treat almost 100 diseases.
Chaya is also called tree Spinach and is fast growing. In Mexico where it’s very popular, it’s used in stews and other delicacies. But its medicinal value is what has made it popular in Nigeria, where it’s commonly called, ‘Hospital Too Far”.
One of its primary usage is an immune booster or blood infusion. However, experts say caution must be exercised, as it cannot be eaten raw, since it contains hydrocyanic acids similar to cassava. It should also not be cooked in Aluminium pot, to avoid contacting diarrhea..
Apart from boosting the immune system, it can regulate blood cholesterol, blood sugar (diabetes) and helps children growth. It can improve eye sight and brain activity. Just cut six to eight fresh leaves put into a pot with water and boil for five to 10 minutes to kill the acid.
You can drain the water and drink as tea. The leaves can be chewed, cooked or put in soup or stew for a delicious meal.
2. Bitter Leaf (Vernocia Amygladina) – This is a common leaf in the southern part of Nigeria. The Ibos in the South East have made it very popular, as it is part of their culture to entertain visitors with “Onugbu” especially in Anambra State. But apart from being a popular soup vegetable, Bitter leaf is embued with lots of medicinal virtues. The bitter taste makes it effective for malaria, typhoid, diarrhea and diabetes.
Bitter leaf contains flavonoids, potassium, sodium and calcium thus making it an effective blood tonic. Due to its andrographic quality, it increases endurance. So in the United States, it has been patented as drug for HIV/AIDS.
The blood cleansing quality of bitter leaf has made it a recipe for healthy skin. The bitter extract is able to increase the body’s defense against infection that lowers the quality of the organs in the body, including the skin.
Unlike Chaya that cannot be eaten raw, bitter leaf can be taken raw when squeezed to remove liquid content.