The Secret Health-Giving Power of Plants

The Secret Health-Giving Power of Plants

The Secret Health-Giving Power of Plants

Our planet is such a mysterious and incredible place. Earth is home to a plant kingdom full of naturally found medicine and healing compounds. While of course, we live in an era where contemporary pharmaceuticals are far more advanced now compared to the past, many of today’s medicinal drugs were inspired by chemicals and compounds naturally occurring in herbs, fruits, vegetables, and plants.

We owe a lot to the ancient wisdom long preserved in the herbal medicine systems of different societies and cultures around the world. That knowledge can still help us to harness the healing power and medicinal properties of different plants today.

This is your life and your body. You get to choose what you nourish yourself with and how to boost your immune system and gut health for a vibrant and radiant existence. If you are unhappy with your body and struggle with weight loss or feel you need more energy, better immunity, and overall health, looking to plant remedies, herbs and supplements can be a game-changer. A healthful diet, rich in natural vitamins and minerals can have a long-lasting positive, and powerful impact on your life. There are some very specific natural remedies found in herbal medicine systems that can enhance your life and provide a natural aid for weight loss. 

We can see real-life examples of how plants benefit your health in a positive way by looking at specific examples from all over the world. Take for example the mystical Japanese island of Okinawa, known for its inhabitants who enjoy above-average longevity. One of the various reasons contributing to this long lifespan they experience is the fact that 90% of their diet is composed of whole plant foods. Of particular interest is the fact that they consume plenty of a curious-looking green vegetable called Goya, or “Bitter Melon,” also known as Momordica charantia (its Latin name).

Bitter Melon 

This is a bitter-tasting vegetable with a kind of warty gourd appearance. It’s usually oblong, looks a bit like a cucumber, and in fact belongs to the family of Cucurbitaceae, which also includes cucumber, zucchini, and watermelon.  When the fruit is young it is a bright, emerald green color, turning to an orange-yellow when it ripens. All parts of the plant taste very bitter and need to be cooked briefly before eating. This is also why you will find Bitter melon much more easily ingested in a supplement, and still receive all its wonderful, health-giving benefits. 

Bitter Melon as Traditional Food and Medicine 

Bitter melon grows in tropical and subtropical regions of Asia and South America, East Africa, and the Caribbean. It has been traditionally used in the Amazon Rainforest, parts of Africa and  Asia as a food and medicine with wonderful health-giving properties for many years. 

Indigenous tribes in the Amazon still grow Bitter melon today for food and medicine. In Asia, Bitter melon is usually boiled for a minute or so to remove the sharp, bitter taste and then added to dishes. In the Amazon, local people add it to soup and teas. 

Medicinally and therapeutically, the plant is used for a huge variety of things from treating diabetes, promoting menstruation, treating malaria, measles, fevers, and colds to infections and aches and pains. More recently bitter melon has been used as a weight-loss aid and known as a fat burner.

Health Properties and Weight Loss 

Bitter melon is bursting with nutrients, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and bioactive compounds all in just one single fruit, Rich in Vitamins A, C, E, B1, B2, B3, folate, potassium, calcium, zinc, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, and fiber. It contains different phytochemicals such as proteins and steroids, chanatins, alkaloids, and peptides, these have the ability to lower blood sugar in your body. 

Recent scientific exploration on this plant has brought to light some incredible insights on bitter melon’s effectiveness against many important issues including body weight gain, cancer, and diabetes.

According to TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine), food substances or herbs that are bitter like bitter melon, help to eliminate excess heat in your body and restore balance by naturally detoxing your system. It is wonderful for your liver and helps to purify your blood and detox your body.

Bitter Melon Lowers Blood Sugar 

Bitter melon helps to lower blood sugar through the polypeptide p, found in the fruit. This peptide contains an insulin-like protein that works by mimicking insulin and allowing more glucose into the cells as well as helping the liver, muscle, and fat process and store glucose. 

The peptide promotes the secretion of insulin so that blood sugar levels are regulated. Bitter melon has also been shown through research to improve glucose tolerance, positively impacting people suffering from diabetes.

Bitter Melon as a Fat Burner

Bitter melon is very low in calories and high in fiber meaning it is healthy to consume and passes through your digestive tract slowly which assists you in keeping full for longer and stops you from feeling hungry and reaching for snacks. 

It also contains the ability to inhibit an enzyme that breaks carbohydrates into sugars in the body, helping weight loss and supporting healthy blood sugar levels.

How does it break down our body fat? 

Our body fat, or adipose tissue, is chemically composed of connected chains of fatty acids. The enzymes in bitter melon work to break down fat into free fatty acids, and lower the levels of enzymes that store carbohydrates as sugars resulting in an overall reduction of body fat being produced. In short, research around bitter melon shows that it can cut the accumulation of tissue fat in our bodies, making it ideal for someone trying to lose weight in a healthy way. 

An Aid for Our Fat Metabolism 

These studies also show that Bitter melon stimulates the liver to secrete bile juice release which metabolizes fats and aids in flushing out toxins.

This process also activates a protein called AMPK which is what modulates the release of the hormone insulin and enables better glucose uptake by our cells.

Bitter Melon Fights Cancer

Bitter melon is jam-packed with antioxidants and helps to prevent the spread of free radicals that lower immunity levels.  All parts of bitter melon, from the seed extracts to the pericarp (the part of the fruit surrounding the seeds) can be used in research against cancer. These scientific studies have shown that bitter melon contains a phytochemical which inhibits the enzyme guanylate cyclase, which can contribute to the growth of cancerous cells causing breast cancer, pancreatic cancer, and leukemia. 

Anti-Viral Properties of Bitter Melon

Studies also show that Bitter melon has incredible antiviral properties and can improve system function and boost the body’s natural white blood cells, protecting against viruses including HIV. 

It also acts as an anti-inflammatory agent. Bitter melon is packed with a powerhouse cocktail of antioxidants such as gallic acid, catechin, and caffeic acid. These are wonderful for your immunity. 

Bitter Melon Shown to Regulate Cholesterol

During laboratory experiments on diabetic rats, the same studies also showed that consuming the extract of bitter melon normalized levels of bad cholesterol and triglycerides, and increased lipoproteins, or good cholesterol. 

All in all, it is not hard to see why the people of Okinawa live so long when they have this ingredient in their diets on a regular basis. It must be noted, however, that the distinct flavor of bitter melon is certainly an acquired taste! The majority of people may find it easier and more convenient to take it as part of a supplement like Amyl Guard.

Bitter Melon is an important part of our Amyl Guard supplement which also includes white kidney bean extract, chromium picolinate, and berberine, three other ingredients that promote weight loss, boost your metabolism, and balance blood sugar levels. 

The Wonders of White Kidney Bean Extract

White kidney beans are also known as Phaseolus Vulgaris, they are said to have been the very first beans to be planted in Ancient Greece. The reason white kidney beans are considered by many to be a superfood is due to their high fiber content, as well as the fact that they are bursting with vitamins, minerals, and protein. They help you to keep you full for a long time and offer many different health benefits.

Research shows that these wonder beans can also block carbs from getting absorbed and metabolized in our bodies when consumed as white kidney bean extract. They work to basically make it impossible for carbohydrates to enter our cells and produce fatty acids. They contain an amylase blocker that blocks the breakdown and digestion of starch. This can help with blood sugar spikes, balancing our levels, and helping to burn fat reserves. 

White kidney bean extract can not only aid weight loss but also lower blood sugar and fat levels, improve your heart health, and provide a boost in antioxidants. The folic acid or vitamin B9 contained in white kidney bean extract is excellent for strengthening your cardiovascular system. The vitamin has been found to reduce homocysteine, a compound naturally found in the bloodstream. 

White kidney beans also contain Thiamin, or vitamin B1, in large amounts. Thiamin is integral to the healthy production and cognitive function of our brain cells. 

This wonder extract can also help you to feel energized on an ongoing basis. This is because the plant proteins contained in it boost your energy levels without your having to consume sugar or other carbohydrates to feel good.

There are so many new and emerging scientific studies all the time on the efficacy of plant-based supplements and the health-giving effects of different herbs, fruits, seeds, vegetables, and plants. We are at an exciting time in the history of our planet, where we can combine centuries of knowledge around alternative medicines with contemporary science to find new ways of improving our health on a physical, emotional, and spiritual level.

When used in conjunction with daily exercise, good sleep, stress control, and a fresh, plant-based diet, supplements can really offer wonderful benefits to your health.