Moringa

What's Moringa?  Is it a spice, a tree, a shrub?  Do you eat it?  What does it taste like?  Find out on Episode 9 of Season 4.  Also find out why I've been MIA for almost 2 months.  

Music composed and performed by V. Karaitis

Transcript

Hey!  Thanks for listening!  I’m Chris Wagenti, and this is Who Gets It, Naturally.  Music was composed and performed by V. Karaitis.  

This podcast does not replace the advice of a medical professional.  Consult your physician before making any changes to your diet or regular health plan.

I know, it’s been a while.  As I’ve mentioned in the past, there’s lots going on.  

The main reason for my lack of publishing a new episode in a while is that I fell about 6 weeks ago.  I went straight down, backwards.  Without going into the embarrassing details, it wasn’t pretty.  Probably funny if you saw it, but definitely not pretty.  If you’ve ever fallen on your butt, or pulled the muscles in your lower back, you know it’s basically impossible to do anything…most movements involve those muscles.  It’s been difficult doing anything.  Upside, I had a major shift in my hips.  Which is good for getting back to normal, but is bad because my legs and hips are not exactly happy about it.  The one position that was always comfortable to sleep in is no longer comfortable.  So, I haven’t been getting the best sleep lately.  There was about a week where moving at all was next to impossible.  I got the walker out of the trunk of my car and had to use it inside.  Still using it occasionally.  Since there was such a big positive shift, I wanted to build on it quickly.  I didn’t want to give any muscles the chance to go back to where they were.  I’ve been working so hard for so long for a major improvement, I didn’t want to go backwards.  So, in the middle of this madness I got custom sole inserts.  My doctor has this machine, looks like a big silver treadmill.  It uses cameras around your face and feet, and thermal imaging to show you where you’re missing arches on the bottom of your feet, and how this is throwing off the rest of your bones.  The thermal image of my feet is 2 oblong red blobs…no arching at all, anywhere.  You’re supposed to ease into using the custom soles all day every day.  We ordered them on a Wednesday at my Hot Laser Therapy appointment, and surprisingly they were in by my adjustment appointment on the next Monday.  I got home about 6:30pm.  I put the custom soles in my shoes, then made dinner, cleaned up afterwards, did a few chores around the apartment, then took them off.  I did notice a difference immediately.  Being impatient as I am, I left them in my shoes and wore them all day for about a week.  I think I over did it a little bit.  My legs were not happy.  My muscles didn’t feel tight, it was more like a tired feeling, fatigued.  Every day was different.  I felt like I had to learn how to stand, walk, sit all over again.  My hips were very cranky.  So I backed off a bit.  I went one day without them, then started over, wearing them about an hour a day, and slowly increasing the amount of time I wear them.  I’m still working my way up to a full day…it’s a process.  Bright side, I am seeing an improvement, but not when I’m laying down.

Unfortunately, some projects have not worked out.  Which is kind of a good thing.  I had too many things started with no progress to speak of, which is very frustrating for me.  So, a few things were taken off my plate, then I decided to finish my book.  Yes, I wrote a book, HOW TO SURVIVE BEING A HOT MESS without taking any meds.  It’s a quick read – short and sweet, and to the point.  I can’t stand reading a book to learn something and 75% of it is talking in circles explaining how other people benefited.  That doesn’t tell me how it’s going to help me.  I do share a few examples, but for the most part, it’s just practical, general guidance.  My book is available in ebook format and as a paperback online at Barnes & Noble which can be found at  BN.com.  You can find it by searching my name or “How To Survive Being A Hot Mess Without Taking Any Meds”.  

I have also revamped my Buy Me A Coffee page.  I updated the memberships and created spaces for questions, comments and suggestions in different categories: “Essential Oils”, “Herbs & Spices”, “Alternative Treatments” and “Issues”.  I also updated the Recipe thread a bit.  They are Members Only, mainly because I really don’t have the time to moderate them as much as I should, and do not want bullying, politics or negativity invading the space.  These types of posts will not be tolerated, and will be removed and the authors will have their membership cancelled without any refunds.  This may sound harsh, but it’s the main deterrent to breaking the rules.  

Memberships also offer discounts on the retail price of DoTerra products if purchased from me.  (Yes, I am a DoTerra Wellness Advocate)

I’m still fighting with my legs, and lower back, but wanted to get a new episode out.  This one is brief, but I did want to talk about something new.  Before all this craziness started, someone asked me about Moringa.  I had never heard of it, so I did some research and thought it would make an interesting episode. 

There’s a Science Direct article titled “Moringa oleifera: A review on nutritive importance and its medicinal application” , found at www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213453016300362, about Moringa.  The abstract states, QUOTE: “Moringa oleifera, native to India, grows in the tropical and subtropical regions of the world. It is commonly known as ‘drumstick tree’ or ‘horseradish tree’. Moringa can withstand both severe drought and mild frost conditions and hence widely cultivated across the world. With its high nutritive values, every part of the tree is suitable for either nutritional or commercial purposes. The leaves are rich in minerals, vitamins and other essential phytochemicals. Extracts from the leaves are used to treat malnutrition, augment breast milk in lactating mothers. It is used as potential antioxidant, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic and antimicrobial agent. M. oleifera seed, a natural coagulant is extensively used in water treatment. The scientific effort of this research provides insights on the use of moringa as a cure for diabetes and cancer and fortification of moringa in commercial products. This review explores the use of moringa across disciplines for its medicinal value and deals with cultivation, nutrition, commercial and prominent pharmacological properties of this “Miracle Tree”.”  END QUOTE

The list of nutrients found in Moringa is impressive, and includes vitamins such as A and C; minerals including calcium and potassium; and antioxidants.  It’s high in protein and fiber. 

Moringa has been used in traditional medicine for centuries, including Ayurvedic and folk medicine to reduce inflammation; ease digestive issues; aid the immune system; lower blood sugar levels; and support heart health.  

Some of Moringa’s properties are anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-diabetic and anti-cancer.  

Science Direct has an interesting article, Chemical composition and profile characterization of Moringa oleifera seed oil, which can be found at https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0254629920311662.  It states that, QUOTE:  “Moringa oleifera is a fast-growing, soft wood tree of the Moringaceae family, native to the sub-Himalayan areas of Northern India (Bhatnagar and Gopala Krishna, 2013). One species among other recognised 13 species, Moringa oleifera is primarily grown in African, Asian and in most Middle Eastern countries (Leone et al., 2016). By virtue of its drought tolerance, the M. oleifera tree was spread to other areas including tropical and subtropical regions. M. oleifera is also deemed as a highly polytropic plant. The seeds, leaves, roots and even flowers of this plant are fit for both human and animal consumption.  The leaves are, in particular, a good source of protein, vitamins, minerals, β-carotene and antioxidants and have ever been utilized for dietary and medicinal practices (Leone et al., 2016).Yet most importantly, the seeds have gained much scientific attention as the M. oleifera seed kernels possess a significant oil content (up to 40%), a high proportion of fatty acids (oleic acid > 70%) and a remarkable resistance to oxidative degradation. Fair enough, this rich oil profile makes the Moringa seeds ideal for human ingestion and commercial utilisation alike (Anwar et al., 2005). A number of medicinal properties have also been ascribed to various parts of this extremely useful tree. Almost every part of the M. oleifera tree has been used for traditional medicine purposes. The flowers, leaves, roots and seeds have for instance been associated with the treatment of a number of inflammatory, infectious, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, hematological and hepatorenal diseases and/or disorders (Govardhan Singh et al., 2013).”  END QUOTE

The National Library of Medicine also has a great article on Moringa titled, Bioactive Components in Moringa Oleifera Leaves Protect against Chronic Disease.  This can be found at https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5745501/.  It states that Moringa Oleifera QUOTE:  “has been studied for its health properties, attributed to the numerous bioactive components, including vitamins, phenolic acids, flavonoids, isothiocyanates, tannins and saponins, which are present in significant amounts in various components of the plant. Moringa Oleifera leaves are the most widely studied and they have shown to be beneficial in several chronic conditions, including hypercholesterolemia, high blood pressure, diabetes, insulin resistance, non-alcoholic liver disease, cancer and overall inflammation.”  END QUOTE.

It also states, QUOTE: “Overall, it has been well documented that Moringa Oleifera leaves are a good strategic for various conditions associated with heart disease, diabetes, cancer and fatty liver.”  END QUOTE

The Introduction of this article is very informative.  It states, QUOTE:  “Moringa, a native plant from Africa and Asia, and the most widely cultivated species in Northwestern India, is the sole genus in the family Moringaceae [1]. It comprises 13 species from tropical and subtropical climates, ranging in size from tiny herbs to massive trees. The most widely cultivated species is Moringa Oleifera (MO) [1]. MO is grown for its nutritious pods, edible leaves and flowers and can be utilized as food, medicine, cosmetic oil or forage for livestock. Its height ranges from 5 to 10 m [1].

Several studies have demonstrated the beneficial effects in humans [2]. MO has been recognized as containing a great number of bioactive compounds [3,4] The most used parts of the plant are the leaves, which are rich in vitamins, carotenoids, polyphenols, phenolic acids, flavonoids, alkaloids, glucosinolates, isothiocyanates, tannins and saponins [5]. The high number of bioactive compounds might explain the pharmacological properties of MO leaves. Many studies, in vitro and in vivo, have confirmed these pharmacological properties [5].

The leaves of MO are mostly used for medicinal purposes as well as for human nutrition, since they are rich in antioxidants and other nutrients, which are commonly deficient in people living in undeveloped countries [6]. MO leaves have been used for the treatment of various diseases from malaria and typhoid fever to hypertension and diabetes [7].

The roots, bark, gum, leaf, fruit (pods), flowers, seed, and seed oil of MO are reported to have various biological activities, including protection against gastric ulcers [8], antidiabetic [9], hypotensive [10] and anti-inflammatory effects [11]. It has also been shown to improve hepatic and renal functions [12] and the regulation of thyroid hormone status [13]. MO leaves also protect against oxidative stress [14], inflammation [15], hepatic fibrosis [16], liver damage [17], hypercholesterolemia [18,19], bacterial activity [20], cancer [14] and liver injury [21].” END QUOTE  

Pretty impressive.

This article gets into the individual components, which parts of the tree they are contained in and lists benefits of each.

Sounds great, but what do you with it?

You can make tea from the flowers and leaves.   The leaves can also be eaten raw or cooked, like spinach, and they can be dried and crushed.  You can eat the seeds, and use them to make cooking oil.  The pods can be cooked and eaten like string beans.  

I’ve seen Moringa’s taste described as earthy, bitter, grassy and spicy.  Apparently, it all depends on which part of the tree you’re eating, and how it’s cooked. 

In the US, Moringa is mainly available as a powder, capsule, tea, oil and as seeds.  

Fresh Moringa is not as readily available.  In regions where the Moringa tree is native, fresh is widely available and consumed as a vegetable and supplements.

As always, if you have any questions or suggestions, please feel free to email me at vobyjypsee@usa.com, or send a text from the podcast.  You can follow me on X and Instagram … @vobyjypsee.  Please download this episode, and make Who Gets It, Naturally a favorite on your preferred channel so you don’t miss an episode.

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My book, HOW TO SURVIVE BEING A HOT MESS without taking any meds, is available in paperback and ebook format at Barnes & Noble - BN.com. 

You can buy me a coffee or get a membership at www.buymeacoffee.com/vobyjypsee4.  Thanks for your support and for listening!