The non-indigenous seeds are the ones we cannot get local names for because they are not native to our continent. However, you can buy any of them. I will give you directions on where to get them.
I follow many pages on Facebook. There is this particular one that I found something interesting and I will like to share with you. The owner of the page posted the video of her baby and she said the baby was conceived naturally. She said that throughout the pregnancy, she did not use medication nor visited the hospital for antenatal care and she had the baby in her bedroom. She added that the baby has not been immunised! The first thing that came out of my mouth was “this is too extreme!”
Though I have some reservations about this, still, I cannot judge her. She has the right to stand by her beliefs. I also must be careful about what I say openly on this. However, I need to remind you that what we do on this platform is to continually mend the bridge between medical and herbal science. For me, medical and herbal science are Siamese twins that cannot be separated. After all, most of the pharmaceutical products currently dispensed by physicians have a long history of use as herbal remedies. A large percentage of drugs considered “basic and essential” by the World Health Organisation are “exclusively of flowering plant origin.’’
They both have their limitations and at the point each has its limitations, the other should come to the rescue. I can say authoritatively that no medical doctor can ever treat a woman with polycystic ovarian syndrome successfully with drugs alone, help must be sought from nature. Mostly, a sufferer is overweight and she needs to shed some weight. The only way to do this is by eating foods that are close to their natural forms and not processed foods. On the other hand, it does not make sense telling a woman with an extremely big fibroid to use herbs, surgery is the best option.
So, as usual, I will await your text messages. Do not be angry if I ask for what you have done medically about your ailment before talking about herbal remedies.
This week, I will talk about the seeds of Fenugreek plant which is botanically called Trigonella foenum-graecum. Before I proceed, it is important to let you know that there is no local name for it because it is a non-indigenous plant.
For thousands of years, fenugreek has been used in alternative medicine to treat skin conditions and many other diseases. The seeds, leaves and other parts of the plant are used in supplements, powders, tonics and teas and are also popular ingredients in cooking, for example in Indian cuisine.
Recently, it has become a common household spice and thickening agent. It can also be found in products such as soap and shampoo. It contains alkaloids , flavonoids, steroids, carbohydrates, trepenes, tannins, saponins, glycosides, free amino acid, crude protein and phenolic compounds. It has many healthy nutrients which includes biotin, vitamin A, B vitamins, soluble and insoluble fiber, iron, choline, and inositol.
According to some studies, women who took fenugreek supplements had less need for pain relievers during menstruation. It may improve sex drive and stamina in women by increasing estrogen levels. It contains compounds that may help stimulate the production of the male hormone testosterone.
Let us see more benefits
- Can help increase breast milk supply.
- Promotes hair growth and can treat dandruff
- Can aid weight loss
- May help control diabetes and blood sugar levels
- It is used to relieve menopausal symptoms in women
- May treat acne
- Improves skin health
- Helps relieve symptoms of polycystic ovarian syndrome
- Can relieve constipation
- Treats heartburn
- Lowers cholesterol
- Fights inflammation
- Reduces aluminium toxicity
In a study titled. “Role of Fenugreek in the prevention of type 2 diabetes mellitus in prediabetes,’’ by Arpana Gaddam et al, the conclusions is that dietary supplementation of 10 g Fenugreek/day in prediabetes subjects was associated with lower conversion to diabetes with no adverse effects and beneficial possibly due to its decreased insulin resistance.
In a study titled, “Anti-heartburn effects of a fenugreek fiber product,’’ by Robert A DiSilvestro et al, this study suggests that people with certain degrees of heartburn can benefit from a fenugreek fiber product.
In a study titled, ‘‘Anti-inflammatory activity of fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum Linn) seed petroleum ether extract Kilambi Pundarikakshudu et al, Thus, petroleum ether extract of fenugreek seeds has significant anti-inflammatory and anti-arthritic activities which are due to the presence of linolenic and linoleic acids.
In a study titled. ‘‘Antibacterial and anticancer Activities of fenugreek seed extract, by Lina A Naser Al-Timimi, this work emphasises that fenugreek seed extract is a potential source of antibacterial and anticancer agents.
Raw fenugreek seeds are bitter, so they are usually roasted to mellow the flavour. The seeds can be ground or used whole. It can be added to meals by sprinkling the seeds on foods. It can be made into tea. You can also soak overnight and have the water early in the morning. If you are planning to use fenugreek topically, soak a few tablespoons of the seeds in water for a few hours or overnight. This will create a gelling effect. Next, grind the seeds in the gel to form a thin paste. You can apply this paste directly to your hair and scalp or mix it with coconut oil, yogurt or milk to create a mask. Leave the treatment on your hair for 10 minutes or more. Rinse with warm water and clean with a gentle shampoo. To use fenugreek seeds as a facial scrub, soak them overnight and blend them into a paste the next day. Gently rub the paste on your face, leave it on for 20 minutes and wash. If you have dry skin and wish to moisturise your skin, add some curd honey to the process.
Taking high doses of fenugreek may cause a big drop in blood sugar levels. You should not use it if you take diabetes medication because it could cause your blood sugar to be low. If you must use it, then you must monitor your blood sugar closely. It is not safe for use during pregnancy because it can cause contractions, premature labour and miscarriage.
It can affect blood-clotting and may increase your risk of bleeding, so it is not safe for people on blood thinning medications.
Fenugreek is known to have oestrogenic activity and it is being investigated for a potential role as a natural hormone replacement therapy for menopause. When taken in high doses, it has the potential to exert various changes in levels of thyroid hormones. Some men unfortunately experience an increase in estrogen levels with fenugreek supplementation. Thankfully, these symptoms are reversible and have been shown to disappear when supplementation is stopped.
Try not to go overboard with fenugreek. Moderation is the key. Do not consume more than a tablespoon in a day.
Merry Christmas