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Why is neem considered Mother Nature's gift?
I have never heard of it, let alone the word until I met my friend who has been practicing yoga as a way of life for the past few years.
It was presented to me in a form of a green powder in a box.
He told me to grab a handful of the powder and place it on my palm.
Once I did that, he told me to add a little bit of water with my fingers into the mixture.
Use my fingers to roll the mixture into a ball and consume it.
The taste was very bitter, but I could handle it since I was used to taking bitter Chinese medicine in the past.
As I heard from him that consuming it is good for my upa yoga practice, I decided to do a more thorough research on it after I bought mine from Isha Singapore and added it to my daily morning routine.
Known as “The Free Tree of India”, it is native to Indian subcontinent.
Commonly found in drier tropical and subtropical zones of Asia, Africa, Australia, the Americas and South Pacific Islands, this tree has been regarded as healer of all ailments in India due to its vast uses.
Under favorable conditions, a neem tree can grow up to a height of 35 m.
Its products are considered environmentally friendly because every part of the tree can be used, and it grows on marginal soils. (1, 3)
Neem oil which is extracted from the seeds has been used in medicine, cosmetics and pest control.
Neem tea is consumed to reduce headache and fever.
Flowers are used to relieve intestinal issues.
Bark can be used to treat high fever caused by malaria.
Leaves can be used to cure skin diseases.
Twigs can be used as toothbrush due to their astringent and anti-bacterial properties. (3)
Now that you are aware of its various uses, I will be discussing more about its health benefits in powder form that I am consuming where the only ingredient is neem leaves.
It is considered the most complex leaves you can find on planet earth.
They contain:
Protein (7.1%)
Carbohydrates (22.9%)
Minerals
Calcium
Phosphorus
Vitamin C
Carotene
The leaves contain Quercetin which has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties which explain its ability in resolve sores and scabies.
It lowers your risk of heart disease by lowering your blood pressure, reducing blood clots, lowering harmful cholesterol levels, slow down abnormally high heart rates and relieve irregular heart rhythms – symptoms that could potentially lead to heart attack.
Furthermore, it contains Nimbidin, a compound which is known to make your blood vessels dilate with its antihistamine effect.
Researchers in India, Europe and Japan discovered that the polysaccharides and limonoids content in the leaves helped to reduce tumors and cancer. It also showed effectiveness against lymphocytic leukemia.
Another research showed that it prevents cancer cells from adhering to other cells in your body. Therefore, they can be easily destroyed by the body’s immune system. (2)
Since it can be found in many countries, it is important for you to select those which have proper certification from government bodies to certify its organic nature.
Alternatively, you can purchase from trusted organisations like Isha.
Most importantly, neem should be the only ingredient found in the product.
There shouldn’t be other added on ingredients.
Take it first thing in the morning on an empty stomach.
Pour a sufficient quantity of neem powder on your palm.
Dap a little bit of water with your ring finger into the powder.
Use your fingers to form the mixture into a ball like the size of a marble.
Put it into your mouth. Chew it and savor the bitter taste.
Repeat the same for your turmeric powder if you haven’t done so.
Then drink a glass of warm water.
If there is an Isha foundation in your country, you can choose to buy directly from the Isha centre. Otherwise, Amazon is another great place to shop for organic neem powder.
Video Breakdown
0:00 - Collecting seeds
1:00 - Washing the seeds
1:25 - Drying the seeds
1:45 - Preparing the soil
2:06 - Putting the soil into pots
2:26 - Planting the seeds
3:33 - Day 5
3:38 - Day 8
3:47 - Day 11
3:58 - Day 13
4:18 - Day 15
4:30 - Day 17
4:39 - Day 18 - Prepare new soil
5:03 - Separating the plants into their individual pots
1. Introduction to Neem Tree (Accessed 31 July 2019)
2. Neem Tree & Benefits (Accessed 31 July 2019)
3. Neem: Healer of All Ailments (Accessed 31 July 2019)
