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Uses of herbs and herbal remedies have been around of million years. Even in this era of technological advancements in the area of medical science, herbs and plants still seem to play a vital role in healthcare industry. Prime example of such claim is Goji Berry.

Madonna on Goji Berry

While Goji Berry fruit has been around for hundreds of years, it is only in the last couple of years or so that this magic fruit managed to com in the center of attention. This is an anti-oxidant rich fruit that is known to cure lot of diseases and treat several other conditions. Some consider the fruit as herbal Viagra, some take for weight loss, some use it to stay slim, and some in the quest of eternal youth.

Because of the magical quality of Goji Berry and the wonder it is known to perform, hot shot female celebrities started leaning toward this fruit to gain the health benefits associated with it. One of the celebrities that is a big time Goji Berry fan is Madonna. A recent BBC article shows that Madonna along with other top celebrities are regular users of this fruit which they are taking to stay slim and to beat the aging process (slow down that it).

Goji Berries are more popular in Europe than in the U.S. but they are known in the U.S. by now with the popularity increasing by leaps and bound. Madonna likes to munch on this fruit whenever possible. Since we all love to much on snacks, nuts, and various other junk foods, why not use this fruit for munching. They are available in dried packaging, in juice format, and in mixed snacks.

Other names Goji Berry is knows by are “Fruit Viagra�, “Jumping for Joy�, and “cellulite-busting�. This fruit is believed to boost your libido. It is also known to fight against hearth disease, protect the skin from sun-burn, and fight against cancer.

With all these wonders the fruit is known to do, no wonder Madonna and other celebrities are into Goji Berry munching!

the goji website

Tags: Goji health benefits, Super fruit, Superfood

Goji (Lycium barbarum) es un arbusto que produce unas bayas que, según la medicina popular China, tienen infinidad de propiedades beneficiosas para la salud, incluso dicen que son rejuvenecedoras. En Europa es muy difícil encontrar bayas frescas de goji, no así las bayas deshidratadas, que se pueden encontrar en diversas tiendas y supermercados.

Semillas de goji

Hace unas semanas vi en el supermercado unas cajas de goji a muy buen precio, 3,50 euros, así que compré una caja, me gusta el sabor de estas bayas y las consumo con los cereales del desayuno.
El otro día, mientras desayunaba se me ocurrió una freaky-idea. Al ver las bayas deshidratadas supuse que sus diminutas semillas estarían en un estado de conservación óptimo, así que pensé que podría extraer las semillas y plantarlas. ¿Lograría germinar las semillas de goji?
Para sacar las semillas dejé en remojo unas bayas durante tres días.
Una vez hidratadas y con la ayuda de unas pinzas, logré extraer bastantes semillas de goji. Son semillas que tienen un aspecto muy similar a las del pimiento o tomate.
Finalmente, en un envase, en este caso un envase de humus israelí, planté las semillas en un sustrato de fibra de coco.
Como se suele hacer en todos los casos en los que las semillas son diminutas, las enterré a muy poca profundidad, coloqué el envase con las semillas de goji en un lugar con una temperatura media de unos 15º y, tapado para evitar la pérdida de humedad.

Cinco días más tarde, los primeros brotes de goji han salido a la luz. Cuando estén un poco más grandes, las plantitas serán plantadas en macetas biodegradables y, una vez adaptadas al exterior, las plantaré en el jardín, no creo que tengan muchos problemas en aclimatarse al clima de la meseta madrileña.

El sito de las bayas de Goji

Tags: Bayas de Goji Himalaya, Semillas de goji

How to plant your own goji berries (Lycium barbarum). Germinating and sowing your own Goji Berry plants

How to plant your own goji berries (Lycium barbarum). Germinating and sowing your own Goji Berry plants

Goji Berries: A traditional Asian « medicine »?
Being Malaysian Chinese, I’ve eaten goji berries since I was a baby. Chinese ladies use the dried red berries in soups and other tasty dishes. I love it as is (tastes like a raisin with lots of little seeds like a blueberry has). I also love the flavour it imparts to some of my favorite Chinese dishes. Never really thought of it as a medicine though, much less a ‘sexual tonic revered in Asian herbalism’! Goji berries have become the latest health food craze here in the US and apparently can cure a plethora of maladies.

Goji berries in my edible garden
This plant packs a punch healthwise and also aesthetically. Impressive white and purple trumpet-like flowers from early summer, eye-catching fire-engine-red clusters of delicious berries on a lush green bush (max height 8 ft). The plants will fruit continuously till the first heavy frost. And the plants are hardy to -15 deg F. Good for my PA Zone garden. I figure a row of goji berry bushes all the way down my garden will be the perfect backdrop for some other shorter edibles that I plan to grow. Birds will love the berries as much as I do, so I may have to put netting on the bushes as the berries ripen.

Planting my own Goji Berries
I had a ready supply of goji berries for cooking purposes that I could germinate. These cost about $3 per pound and are called boxthorn fruit, bought from the Asian food store in town. Spencer also had bought organic goji berries for about $15 from the Whole Foods, so I decided to use the organic ones instead. You can also order them from Amazon ($2.50 for a packet of about 50 berries will yield a gazillion teeny seeds) if you don’t have any handy for your germination experiment. Make sure you don’t get the ‘freeze dried’ ones, your best bet are the organic dried ones (usually haven’t been irradiated or treated, and will germinate).

How to plant your own goji berries (Lycium barbarum). Germinating and sowing your own Goji Berry plants

I started off selecting three of the largest berries and opening them up to reveal the tiny seeds within. I didn’t give them any ‘winter chill treatment’

Then I extricated the seeds and dabbed each seed onto a moistened paper towel. I spaced the seeds far enough apart that I could cut the towel into individual seedling-contained pieces later (so as not to damage their roots).

How to plant your own goji berries (Lycium barbarum). Germinating and sowing your own Goji Berry plants

After a week, the seeds had germinated.

I transplanted them into little plastic starter pots with drainage holes. Filled the pots with compost to give ‘em a good start. Make sure the soil is pressed lightly yet firmly around the seedling roots to ensure root contact with the soil (and thus water). Water daily and place in sunny spot until bigger.

How to plant your own goji berries (Lycium barbarum). Germinating and sowing your own Goji Berry plants

For those who want to purchase goji plants, find on AGOJI e-shop HERE

Tags: Goji seeds, Growing Goji Berries, How to plant goji berries plants

Goji berry belongs to solanaceae. It is a deciduous shrub or semievergreen shrub and

produce from Ningxia, Gansu, Qinghai, Shanxi, Hebei and other provinces in China. Goji

Berry and its skin and bone of earth are used as Chinese medicine to tonifying kidney

and nourishing the liver to improve visual acuity.

goji berries tibetan dried berries juice organic agoji lycium barbarum

It is said that Gingseng and Goji Berry are regarded as tonic for prolonging one’s life

in ancient China, and there’s an old saying in our country that ‘millennium Gingseng,

centennium Goji Berry’. Moreover, Ginseng looks like human, and the root of old Goji

trees looks like a dog, so it has other names, such as ‘ Gou Diya’ or ‘Gou Naizi’ in

Mandarin and Goji’s function is deified and created many myth. A folklore is told that a

young woman was catching and fighting an old man, a passerby who looked that and

managed to persuade her. That woman told that she was disciplining her great-grandson.

There was a miracle plant at her home, but her great-grandson didn’t eat it and led to

him so old. The passerby asked her age, she told him that she was over 360 years old.

The passerby beg her to tell the secret of keeping youth. That woman told that she took

Goji’s leaves in spring, which are known as the Essence Of Heaven and took its flowers

in summer, which are known as the Longevity of Life; took its fruits in autumn, which are

known as the Chinese Wolfberry; took the bark of its root in winter, which is known as the

skin and bone of the Earth, The immotal way of eating Goji Berry is derived from this lore,

which indicates that the flower, leave, stem and root are treasure and all can be used as

Chinese medicine.

The new leaves of Goji Berry containing carotene, lactoflavin, vitamin B-1, calcium and

protein can be used as vegetable and soup. Goji Berry which contains vitamin, calcium,

iron, phosphorus is used in soup (such as soup of beef with Goji) to improve eyesight,

tonify kidney, reduce blood sugar blood press.

Many experiments shows that Goji can prevent dementia, especially Alzheimer’s

disease. However, this must be proved through further clinical research and analysis

Gingseng is used as a tonic, but it’s very expensive. However, Goji Berry is already an

affordable good medicine for many people.

Buy Goji berries here : e-shop

Tags: antioxidants, Goji health benefits, Superfood

1.Goji berry jam

Ingredients:

1/2 cup of goji berries, soaked in water for about an hour

1/4 cup of dried prunes

1 tbsp honey

1 tsp ginger powder

2 tbsp of lemon juice

Directions:

Put all ingredients in a blender or food processor.

Blend until pureed.

Store the jam in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Goji berry jam spread between two pieces of Arnold?s Sandwich Thins

2.Goji Berry Pecan Scones (Gluten Free and Vegan!)

Makes 6 medium/large scones

2c rice flour

1tbsp aluminum free baking powder

1/2tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp cloves powder

1/4 c goji berries

1/4 c pecan pieces/chips

1/3 c canola oil

1/3 c agave nectar

1 tbsp vanilla extract

1/3 c rice, soy or almond milk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a bowl, combine and mix together the dry ingredients (except for goji berries and pecans). In

a separate bowl, beat together wet ingredients. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until

just combined. The texture will be crumbly (this is normal!). Stir in goji berries and pecan pieces.

Take a handful of dough and knead it together, shaping into a scone, and place on the parchment-

lined baking sheet. If you notice the dough becoming too crumbly to form a scone, just add a

splash of milk to the dough and continue to knead. After scones are lined up on the baking sheet,

bake on the center rack for 20 minutes. Remove the scones promptly from the oven and let cool on

a cooling rack. Enjoy!

Goji is a kind of health food which has entered into tens of thousands of families. Compendium of Materia Medica recorded

that Goji Berries can strengthen the muscles and bones, resist cold and heat and prolong life, if take it for a long time. Modern

nutrition analysis shows that Goji Berries contain betaine, carotene, many kinds of unsaturated fatty acid, amino acid, multi

vitamin and so on. Betaine can prevent cirrhosis and protect normal liver cell.

In spring, Goji can be eaten alone or drink it with astragalus mongholicus. In summer, it can be used with chrysanthemum,

honeysuckle, green tea to eliminate fatigue. In autumn, it should be used with snow pear, Sichuan fritillary bulb, lily and etc.

Moreover, it also can be used with sour foods, such as hawthorn to nourish Yin with sour and sweet herbs. In winter, it can reinforce

Yang, so it should be used for porridge with longan, Chinese yam or cooking with mutton to keep out the cold.

The herbal cuisines for health protection are as follows:

Nourishing liver and kidney: Put 30g Goji Berries, 10g Cordyceps and 50g lily together, simmered gently for 20 mins. Add 500g pork

liver or lamb liver and appropriate amount of seasoning, boil for 30 mins. Eat liver and drink soup for several times. This mainly

cure diziness, giddiness, dysphoria, night sweat caused by Yin deficiency of liver and kidney.

Nourishing the liver to improve visual acuity: Put 100g Goji Berries, 100gGlossy Privet Fruit, 50g Hangzhou chrysanthemum

together and dry by a fire, porphyrize and encapsulate. Twice a day and 10g each time. This mainly cure dry eyes, diziness,

asthenopia caused by deficiency of liver and blood.

Tags: Goji health benefits

Goji berries, otherwise known as wolfberries, are now an established “superfruit� sought after for all its rich nutritional properties. So now the question remains: how does one include the goji into one’s daily diet? The answer: by a dozen different ways! As pictured above, goji berries can be made into drinks, including chai teas, aside from the tried-and-tested method of drying them to resemble red raisins.

One delicious recipe you can make using all the goodness of goji berries is a combination rice dish with a salad. Very healthy, and definitely chock-full of fiber for your diet! Easy to prepare and guaranteed to be filling, all it takes is around ten to fifteen minutes of preparation time to come up with this dish. There’s nothing fancy about the ingredients, even if it does call for making your own vinaigrette dressing rather than opting to buy something prepared from the grocery. This guarantess that everything in the dish are fresh and nutritious, too.

For one cup of vinaigrette, you would need one-third cup of olive oil, two tablespoons honey, two tablespoons pineapple juice, one fourth cup red wine vinegar, two tablespoons finely chopped red onion, and one tablespoon chopped parsley. Put everything in a bowl and whisk vigorously with a fork, then refrigerate ahead of time to chill sufficiently. You’ll need to re-whisk the vinaigrette before serving, however.

And now this is when the goji or wolfberries come in. Along with half a cup of those, you’ll need two cups of cooked rice, two diced beets, around five cups of spinach leaves, a cup and a half each of kidney beans and black beans (make sure to drain them very well), a half cup of coarsely chopped walnuts, some salt and pepper, and the vinaigrette dressing prepared earlier.

Combine the goji berries with the rice and beans, then pour two-thirds of the prepared vinaigrette over them. Add some salt and pepper to taste. Next, line a plate with the spinach leaves, and place the tossed salad over them carefully. Add the beets on top, then drizzle the remaining vinaigrette over everything, before sprinkling the chopped walnuts over the whole dish. Voila! A refreshing, light, nourishing, and healthy meal in little time!

www.gojiberryblog.net

Tags: Goji health benefits, History of the Himalayan Goji, Polysaccharides

Goji berries Facts:

√ Goji berries contains 19 amino acids the building blocks of protein including all eight that are essential for life.

√ Goji berries contains 21 trace minerals, including germanium, an anti-cancer trace mineral rarely found in foods.

√ Goji berries contains more protein than whole wheat (13 percent).

√ Goji berries contains a complete spectrum of antioxidant carotenoids, including beta-carotene (a better source than even

carrots!) and zeaxanthin (protects the eyes). Goji berries are the richest source of carotenoids of all known foods.

√ Goji berries contains Vitamin C at higher levels than even those found in oranges.

√ Goji berries contains B-complex vitamins, necessary for converting food into energy.

√ Goji berries contains Vitamin E (very rarely found in fruits, only in grains and seeds).

√ Goji berries contains Beta-Sitosterol, an anti-inflammatory agent. Beta-Sitosterol also lowers cholesterol and has been used to treat sexual impotence and prostate enlargement.

√ Goji berries contains essential fatty acids, which are required for the body’s production of hormones and for the smooth functioning of the brain and nervous system.

√ Goji berries contains Cyperone, a sesquiterpene that benefits the heart and blood pressure, alleviates menstrual discomfort, and has been used in the treatment of cervical cancer.

√ Goji berries contains Solavetivone, a powerful anti-fungal and anti-bacterial compound.

√ Goji berries contains Physalin, a natural compound that is active against all major types of leukemia. It has been shown to increase splenic natural killer cell activity in normal and tumor-bearing mice, with broad-spectrum anti-cancer effect. It has also been used as a treatment for hepatitis B.

√ Goji berries contains Betaine, which is used by the liver to produce choline, a compound that calms nervousness, enhances memory, promotes muscle growth, and protects against fatty liver disease. Betaine also provides methyl groups in the body’s energy reactions and can help reduce levels of homocysteine, a prime risk factor in heart disease. It also protects DNA.

Goji Berries are a very rich source of vitamin C, having 500 times more vitamin C per ounce than oranges, actually more almost than any fruit you could name. They are also a superb source of vitamin A, not surprising because they are a really pretty red color. Goji berries also have vitamins B1, B2, B6, and E; they are becoming a famous antioxidant.

Goji berries health benefits

They are also a rich source of both selenium and germanium and have hence been used in a number of clinical trials involving cancer patients. When given to patients undergoing chemotherapy, the berries conferred significant protection for the liver. In Oriental medicine, they are said to correct chi deficiency, meaning that people with low energy, insomnia, heart palpitations, and even anxiety are more comfortable after consuming goji berries. The berries have 18 amino acids (higher than bee pollen) and 21 trace minerals, linoleic acid, and more beta carotene than carrots. They are also a rich source of both selenium and germanium and have hence been used in a number of clinical trials involving cancer patients. When given to patients undergoing chemotherapy, the berries conferred significant protection for the liver. In Oriental medicine, they are said to correct chi deficiency, meaning that people with low energy, insomnia, heart palpitations, and even anxiety are more comfortable after consuming goji berries. The berries have 18 amino acids (higher than bee pollen) and 21 trace minerals, linoleic acid, and more beta carotene than carrots.

In vitro studies suggest that goji berries kill many kinds of cancer cells. The mechanism whereby this happens is believed to involve some factor that inhibits the ability of the cell to divide, thus lowering its reproductive capacity. A large study in Japan suggested that tumor growth was inhibited by 58% among the patients eating goji berries as compared to the control groups. A study in Mongolia showed that patients eating the goji berries had a significant increase in lymphocyte activity and that their blood began to resemble that of much younger persons.

A polysaccharide-protein complex from Lycium barbarum upregulates cytokine expression in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

The production of cytokine is a key event in the initiation and regulation of an immune response. Many compounds are now used routinely to modulate cytokine production, and therefore the immune response, in a wide range of diseases, such as cancer. Interleukin-2 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha are two important cytokines in antitumor immunity. In this study, the effects of Lycium barbarum polysaccharide-protein complex (LBP(3p)) on the expression of interleukin-2 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells were investigated by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and bioassay. Administration of LBP(3p) increased the expression of interleukin-2 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha at both mRNA and protein levels in a dose-dependent manner. The results suggest that LBP(3p) may induce immune responses and possess potential therapeutic efficacy in cancer.

Isolation and purification of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides and its antifatigue effect

A purified component of lycium barbarum polysaccharide (LBP-X) was isolated from lycium barbarum L. by DEAE ion-exchange cellulose and sephacryl gel chromatography. LBP-X was tested on five different doses (5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 mg.kg-1.d-1) in mice. The results showed that LBP-X induced a remarkable adaptability to exercise load, enhanced resistance and accelerated elimination of fatigue. LBP-X could enhance the storage of muscle and liver glycogen, increase the activity of LDH before and after swimming, decrease the increase of blood urea nitrogen (BUN) after strenuous exercise, and accelerate the clearance of BUN after exercise. The dosage of LBP-X 10 mg.kg-1.d-1 was the best amount among the five tested doses.

Study on the composition of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides and its effects on the growth of weanling mice

In order to observe the effects of lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBP-4) on the growth of weanling mice and the absorption of some metals in the their body, the composition of LBP-4 is determined. 120 female weanling mice are divided in random into 4 groups. They are fed on LBP-4 at the dose of 5, 10 and 20 mg/(kg.d) respectively. The taken feed weight and the body weight of mice are recorded everyday. After 21 days, the content of calcium, magnesium, zinc and iron in pygal muscles and femora of mice is determined. The results showed that LBP-4 is composed of six kinds of monosaccharides that can enhance food conversion rate and the content of zinc and iron in body of mice, and reduce the body weight.

Experimental research on the role of Lycium barbarum polysaccharide in anti-peroxidation

In this work, the changes in electrical parameters of cell membrane of Xenopus Oocytes were determined using routine microelectrode electrophysiological technique after incubation of the cells in frog Ringer solution containing free radical producing system for 6 hours. It was observed that the resting membrane potential was raised, and the membrane resistance and time constant were decreased. The effects of free radical on the cells can be prevented and reversed by incubation with superoxide dismutase or Lycium barbarum polysaccharide.

Top 10 Benefits of Polysaccharides

1) Polysaccharides inhibit tumor growth

2) Polysaccharides prevent cancer

3) Polysaccharides neutralize the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation

4) Polysaccharides help normalize blood pressure

5) Polysaccharides help balance blood sugar

6) Polysaccharides combat autoimmune disease

7) Polysaccharides act as an anti-inflammatory

8)Polysaccharides help balance immune function

9) Polysaccharides help lower cholesterol and blood lipids

10) Polysaccharides increase calcium absorption

Goji has a 3,000-year history in the Chinese and Eastern medical traditions. The Chinese have been growing this alkaline fruit for thousands of years, which is so revered that it has an annual two-week festival in its honor!

Tags: Botanical of Goji berries, Goji health benefits, History of the Himalayan Goji, Polysaccharides, Properties, Super fruit, Superfood

bayas de goji, cocinar con bacalao, cocina sana, cocina saludable

Bayas de goji Hilamaya

Las bayas de Goji están muy de moda últimamente, son muy beneficiosas para el organismo, cuentan con más de 30 propiedades que nos garantizan una buena salud, de las cuales resaltamos algunas de ellas: El Goji es conocido como la « Fruta de la Longevidad » por su potente acción antioxidante, ayuda a eliminar la fatiga, mejora la memoria, ayuda a normalizar los niveles de azúcar en sangre, incrementa la líbido tanto en hombres como en mujeres, alivia los dolores de cabeza y los mareos, mejora la calidad del sueño y alivia el insomnio, mejora la visión, rminimiza los síntomas de la menopausia, mejora la fertilidad, fortalece músculos y huesos, alivia la ansiedad y el estrés, reduce la grasa corporal, mantiene una presión sanguínea saludable, reduce los niveles de colesterol, previene de enfermedades cardiovasculares, ataques al corazón, ateroesclerosis y derrames cerebrales, mejora la respuesta inmune, inhibe el crecimiento tumoral, ayuda a la recuperación del cáncer ya que promueve el crecimiento celular sano, minimiza los efectos tóxicos de la quimioterapia y la radiación, pero ademas de todo ésto es un fruto a nivel organoléptico parecido a las uvas pasas, con lo que se puede cocinar con ellas-si es que comértelas de la manera que se comercializan te resulta desagradable. Cocinaremos un bacalao en salsa de tomate con bayas de Goji:

Ingredientes:

bacalao fresco (se podría cambiar por otro producto)
50 gr de bayas de Goji
1 vaso de vino blanco
1 cebolleta
5 tomates de rama maduros
2 huevos
sal
aceite de oliva

Elaboración:

Rehidratar las bayas de Goji, para éllo, poner las bayas en agua templada durante 1 hora.

En una sartén, echar el vino blanco y las bayas de Goji-ya sin agua-y hervir el conjunto hasta que casi se evapore el vino blanco.

En una cazuela, rehogar con un poco de aceite la cebolleta picada y cuando esté rehogada, añadir el tomate pelado sin pepitas cortado en daditos y cocinar el conjunto sin dejar de moverlo durante 10 minutos, corregir el punto de sal.
Pasado este tiempo, poner el tomate en una fuente de horno junto con las bayas de Goji y encima colocar el bacalao fresco cortado en lomos de ración, dejar en el horno durante 10 minutos.
Transcurrido este tiempo, retirar del horno, hacer unos huevos revueltos en la sartén y añadir por encima.

Tags: Bayas de Goji, Bayas del Goji, Cocinar goji

Goji Berries look like pointy red raisins. This aphrodisiac food is packed with enough health benefits and good taste that they are worth eating even if you don’t feel an immediate aphrodisiac buzz.

This is a well regarded aphrodisiac food in China, where it is referred to as the ‘happy berry.’ Goji is considered a yin tonic, and it is said to strengthen the liver and the kidney/adrenal system (said to be the source of sexual energy in Chinese medicine). And there is some scientific evidence to back these ideas up.

In one study on lab animals, Goji improved the sexual function and reproductive ability of male rats that were half-castrated. (PMID: 16563441) The study concluded « The present findings support the folk reputation of L. barbarum fruits as an aphrodisiac and fertility-facilitating agent, and provide scientific evidence for a basis for the extensive use of L. barbarum fruits as a traditional remedy for male infertility in China. »

While Goji berries look something like a raisin, the taste of goji berries is more complex and wonderful – in addition to the expected sweet flavor, there are mild salty and sour notes.

Goji berries are widely available in health food stores, Asian groceries, and on-line. Expect to pay a premium for organically grown berries, and for the juice (which is mostly water). Prices vary quite a bit, so you should shop around.

Goji berries (aka wolfberries aka lycium have demonstrated an anti-diabetic effect in several studies on humans and lab animals. After ten days of a goji supplement, rabbits had significantly lower total cholesterol and triglycerides, and markedly higher HDL (‘good’) cholesterol. ( PMID 15519360) Goji may be a good food to fight metabolic syndrome (along with an otherwise sensible diet and exercise) – and metabolic syndrome is a precursor to diabetes and erectile dysfunction.

And the same polysaccharides that lower blood sugar also stimulate the immune system. Goji is being tested against a number of cancers, although the effect does not appear strong enough to consider it a primary therapy. But as a food packed with antioxidants like zeathin and other carotenes, this is one delight that may reduce the risk of developing cancer in the first place.

In traditional use, the daily dose of Goji berries is 5 to 15 grams (roughly 1/6 to 1/2 ounce). I personally just take a small handful as a dessert or snack. I have also made some excellent chocolates by grinding goji berries in a coffee grinder, and melting it with chocolate chips and coconut.

Goji berries are in the same botanical family as tomatoes and peppers. The scientific name is Lycium barbarum or Lycium chinensis. One source for live plants in the US is OneGreenWorld.com – they list the plant under ‘wolfberry.’

Tags: antioxidants, Goji health benefits, Sex Aphrodisiac, Viagra frutal

Most of us aspire to have a body which would be both healthy and fit. We would love to flaunt a body which doesn’t have an iota of extra fat. A slim and trim body not only is a delight to look at but it is also devoid of various types of life style diseases which come with being over weight. May diseases like high blood pressure and type II diabetes are aggravated due to wrong diet and a sedentary life style. Gobbling down big portions of junk foods like burger and fries, pizzas and ice creams can not only make us fat but they can cause many ailments too. So, it is imperative to be careful about what we eat. The more we concentrate on eating natural food the healthier and fitter we can stay.

The world is abuzz with the benefits of eating natural raw foods. An array of green vegetables and fruits contain vitamins, minerals as well as other ingredients which can curb various types of diseases. That is why this kind of natural food has been termed as “Superfood� by physicians and fitness experts round the world. Eating raw foods like broccoli, tomato, celery are low in calories but they have immense health benefits. Spirulina, Chlorella, Goji Berries, Macca, Chia seeds, etc are excellent examples of superfoods They allow you to lose weight in a jiffy as well provide nutrition galore.

Not only do the super-nutrients present in these green vegetables and fruits like oranges, and grape fruits boost the immune system but they also have various other health benefits too. The anti-oxidants present in these whole fruits and vegetable reduce the free radicals in the body which in turn can provide natural cures of a wide array of diseases.

Thus, if you ensure that you are taking at least 5 helping of fruits and vegetables with your daily diet you can surely cure a lot of ailments in a natural way. Consuming these vegetables and fruits in their raw form increases their health benefits greatly and hence consuming raw foods in form of salads is the latest rage among health enthusiasts all over the world. Taking raw food in your diet is also the easiest way to lose weight since these raw foods contain healthy fats and oils.

Now you do not have to run from pillar to post to find out about more about these bounties of nature which can be of great help for your health. You can get elaborate information about nature cure of diseases like high cholesterol, diabetes and high blood pressure through these natural superfoods with the help of various websites available in the internet.

by Brian Tierney

Tags: antioxidants, Superfood

The Himalayas

Himalayan Wildlife Sanctuaries

The Himalaya are an integral part of mother earth’s mountain ecosystem formed by almost parallel tertiary ranges, which constitutes a gigantic arch, separating the Indian plains from North Tibet and Central Asia. The Himalaya or the mountainous zone is the loftiest range of the world, extending between 26-20′-degree and 35-40′-degree N latitude and 74-50′degree and 90-40′-degree E longitude, with a total area of 100 million hectares.

The Western Himalaya

(Length approx. 320 km.) : is the smallest amongst the four Himalaya regions and lies between river Kali and the great defile of river Sutlej and comprises the Garhwal and Kumaon hills lying between 28-48′-degree to 31-30′-N Longitude and 77-30′-81-06′ E Latitude (approx). It has an area of 72000 km and constitutes 17.04% of the Himalayan Domain.

Ranges of Himalaya

Cis and Trans Himalaya are the two ranges of the Himalaya. The former lies south of The Great Himalaya and comprises the Lesser and Shivalik Himalaya, while the latter lies in the north and includes Zanskar, Ladakh and Karakoram. The Shivalik range separates the Himalaya proper from the Indo-Gangetic plains and is in reality the southern border range of the Himalayan Ecosystem. The Himalaya, though covering about 18% of the geographical area of our country, accounts for more than 50% of India’s forest cover (as compared to only 20% under agriculture), and 40% of faunal endemism.

Climate

The mean winter temperature at 2200 m is 44-degree F. Rainfall is related to SW monsoon from June to September, and is on an average about 2000 mm/annum, 85% of which falls during the months of July, August & September. The Himalaya obstructs the moisture laden winds from the south, causing them to shed their moisture as copious rainfall along sub-mountain areas, north of the Indo-Gangetic plains and as snow on the mountains further north.

Wetlands

The wetlands are a complex ecosystem sharing the characteristics of both dry and wet environments. They are of critical importance for the survival of natural biodiversity and are recognized as sources, sinks and transformers of chemical and biological matters and are as such considered being the most productive life support systems of the planet earth. By virtue of its extensive geographical stretch, varied terrain and climate, the Garhwal and Kumaon hills are bestowed with a series of Wetland habitats. The entire region, being cradle of a large number of lakes, streams and mighty rivers, ensures the availability of water for the hole subcontinent. These Wetlands exhibit tremendous faunal diversity from Protozoa to Mammalian.

State of Forest Cover in Garhwal and Kumaon Himalaya

The geographical area of the state of Uttar Pradesth is 294,411 sq.km of swhich 51,663 sq.km. is recorded as froest. The topography, soil, climeate and geographical olocation influences the forest vegetation diversity of the western Himalaya. The altitudinal variationjs and rainfall jpattern has also contributed to the vegetation diversity.

Conservation Areas

Within the hill districts of western Himalaya (Garhwal & Kumaon), the following protected areas are very significant for the wildlife values and their faunal diversity.

1. Corbett Natioinal Park (distt. Nainital)

2. Rajaji Natioinal Park (Distt. Dehradun and Pauri)

3. Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve-A World Heritage Site (Distt. Chamoli, Alomora and Pithoragarh).

4. Valley of Flowers National Park (Distt. Chamoli

5. Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary ( Distt. Chamoli) and

6. Gobind Pashu Vihar (Distt. Uttarkashi)

In the above protected areas, despite tremendous anthropogenic pressures, tourism, grazing, etc., the status of space, forest cover and wildlife still seems to be satisfactory.

HIMALAYA ECOLOGY

Himalaya houses diverse elevation, climate, rainfalls and soil conditions. So rich is its ecology that each part of the Himalaya shelters unique flora & fauna distinctively marking the uniqueness of Himalaya:

Lowland Forest

Rainfall determines the vegetation of alluvial Indo-Gangetic plain which has been greatly influenced by Indus and Ganges-Brahmaputra River. Pakistan and the Indian Punjab plains have scrub forests. There are Upper Gangetic plains, moist deciduous forests of Uttar Pradesh and Lower Gangetic plains and moist deciduous forests of Bihar and West Bengal on the east which have monsoon forests, with drought-deciduous trees. Domestic livestock like cattle and yak grazing is a common sight in lowlands.

Terai Belt

Terai belt is found above Indo-Gangetic plain and has a seasonally marshy zone of sand and clay soils with higher rainfall than the plains. Monsoon season brings in huge depositions of fertile silt. It has Terai-Duar savanna and grasslands in its central region. Huge water table has been formed in the Terai belt because of the groundwater permeating from bhabhar zone. Indian Rhinoceros are the major attractions of Terai belt.

Bhabhar Belt

This belt lies above the Terai belt and has rock-strewn porous soil with debris. As the climate in this belt is subtropical, Bhabhar belt is most richly forested with pine and sal trees.

Siwalik Hills

Siwalik hills, also termed as Churia Hills, lie stretched across Pakistan, India, Nepal and Bhutan. There are many sub-ranges and peaks elevated from 600 to 1,200 meters. When it comes to its slopes, its southern slopes are steeper than northern slopes along Main Frontal Thrust fault zone.

Inner Terai or Dun Valleys

Inner Terai or Dun valleys lie between Siwalik sub ranges. It covers Dehra Dun in India and Chitwan in Nepal.

Mahabharat Lekh or Lesser Himalaya

This section of the Himalaya has ranges from 2,000 to 3,000m along the Main Boundary Thrust fault zone with a steep southern face and gentler northern slopes.

Midlands

It lies north of Mahabharat Range and its ranges vary from 100 km to about 4,000 meters at the Main Frontal Thrust fault zone.

Montane Forests

At the middle elevations of the range, the subtropical forests yield to a belt of temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, with the Western Himalayan broadleaf forests at the western end of the range, and the Eastern Himalayan broadleaf forests in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. Above the broadleaf forests are the Western and Eastern Himalayan sub alpine conifer forests.

Alpine Shrub and Grasslands

Shila (7026 m) above the Spiti Valley in India
Above the tree line are the Northwestern, Western, and Eastern Himalayan alpine shrub and meadows, which yield to tundra in the higher Himalayan range. The alpine meadows are the summer habitat of the endangered Snow Leopard (Uncia). Alpine vegetation occupies higher parts of the Great Himalayas just below the snow line and includes shrubs, rhododendrons, mosses, lichens, and wildflowers such as blue poppies and edelweiss. These areas are used for grazing in summer by the highland people of the Great Himalayas.

Flora Communities
Flora of the region includes elements from tropical Indochina, temperate East Asia, the Palaearctic region and the Deccan Plateau. The low-lying areas along the Brahmaputra River, subject to floods during the monsoon, support mixed evergreen forests. Although most of these semi-evergreen forests have long since been converted into human uses, the vestigial patches—mostly in small protected areas—indicate that these forests were characterized by Syzygium, Cinnamomum, Artocarpus, Terminalia spp. Tetrameles spp. and Stereospermum spp. (Champion and Seth 1968). These forests also contain several Deccan elements, indicative of the geological origins of the region.

The alluvial grasslands and savannas along the foothill valleys are among the tallest in the world. Characteristic species in these highly productive grasslands include Saccharum spontaneum, Phragmitis kharka, Arundo donax, Imperata cylindrica, Erianthus ravennae, Andropogon spp., and Aristida ascensionis (Shrestha and Joshi 1997). Annual silt deposition during monsoon floods rejuvenates these grasslands and promotes rapid regeneration. As the floodwaters recede, grasses such as Saccharum spontaneum and pioneer trees such as Trewia nudiflora and Ehretia laevis begin to colonize the area, and support high densities of a diverse herbivore community.

The grasslands transition into the sal forests that flank the hillsides along the lower reaches of the river valleys, below 1,000 m. The lower hill slopes above 1,000 meters are cooler and less drought-stressed during the spring pre-monsoon season. Here, the subtropical evergreen broadleaf forests are dominated by tree taxa such as Castanopsis and Schima from subtropical East Asia.

The eastern Himalayas temperate forests that grow at elevations where moisture tends to condense and remain in the air during the warm, moist growing season are among the most species-rich temperate forests in the world. They are dominated by evergreen broadleaf trees (e.g. Quercus, Lauraceae) in the lower reaches, from about 2,000-2,500 meters, and mixed conifers (e.g. Tsuga, Taxus) and winter-deciduous broadleaf species (e.g. Acer, Betula, Magnolia) in the upper reaches, from 2,500-3,000 meters. The drier, south-facing slopes support extensive stands of arboreal Rhododendron species that may co-occur with oak (Quercus semecarpifolia) or other ericaceous species such as Lyonia ovalifolia. These temperate forests support a rich epiphytic community, consisting of a variety of dicots, orchids, ferns and mosses. Bamboo (Arundinaria spp.) is dominant in the understory in places, especially where it provides early-successional ground cover following fire.

Further upslope, subalpine conifer forests begin from about 3,000 meters and extend to 4,000 meters. In the eastern Himalayas, Tsuga, Picea or Larix dominate these forests between 3,000 meters to 3,500 meters and Abies dominates above 3,500 meters. Juniperus is widespread along the timberline, and may form dwarf krummoltz formations above 4,700 meters. The dry slopes and inner valleys support Pinus and Cupressus on basic limestone soils.

Above the treeline the vegetation is a moist alpine scrub community of dense juniper and Rhododendron shrubberies that extend to about 4,500 meters. Plant richness in these alpine shrub and meadows is very high, especially on the shady north-facing slopes that are protected from extreme winter cold by an insulating layer of snow. South-facing slopes tend to be dominated by Kobresia sedge and forbs with scattered shrub species of Berberis, Rosa, Lonicera, and Cotoneaster to about 4,500 meters. From 4,500 to 4,700 meters the vegetation consists of alpine meadows with a diverse assemblage of alpine herbs and smaller-statured woody shrubs, such as a variety of dwarf rhododendrons, and numerous alpine herbs such as Potentilla, Ranunculus and the alpine Saussure.

Periglacial and subnival communities occur in the high alpine areas above 4,700 meters, where the short growing season, high winds, and unstable soils allow only specialized plants to survive. Some of these include Androsace, Arenaria and Saxifraga, Meconopsis and Primula. The latter two have their global centers of diversity in the eastern Himalayas. By about 5,500 to 6,000 meters, the nival zone, or permanent ice and bare rock, begins. Even here, at the highest elevations on Earth, microclimates may support small cushion-forming vascular plants, such as Arenaria bryophylla, which was recorded at 6,180 meters by A.F.R. Wollaston (Wollaston 1921, in Polunin and Stainton 1997).

Fauna Communities
Knowledge of the fauna of the Eastern Himalayas Region is poor. Most of the information available is on the larger vertebrates that are easily observed and inventoried. The smaller mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and fishes have been neglected and the most abundant taxonomic group, the insects, have been virtually ignored. With the exception of a few studies that have documented the Himalayas lepidoptera (Haribal 1992, Mani 1986, Yonzon 1991), little else is available on the insect fauna of the region.

Overall, more than 175 species of mammals and in excess of 500 species of birds are known from the region (WWF and ICIMOD 2001). The mammalian fauna in the lowlands is typically Indo-Malayan, consisting of langurs (Semenopithicus spp.), wild dogs (Cuon alpinus), sloth bear (Melursus ursinus), gaur, and several species of deer, such as muntjacs (Muntiacus muntjak) and sambar (Cervus unicolor). Further up the mountains, the Indo-Malayan fauna transitions into a Palearctic fauna, consisting of snow leopards, Asiatic black bear (Ursus thibetinus) and a diverse ungulate assemblage that includes the blue sheep (Pseudois nayur), takin (Budorcas taxicolor) and Himalayas thar (Hemitragus jemlahicus). The red panda (Ailurus fulgens) is a Himalayan species that lives in old growth subalpine conifer and mixed forests with a bamboo understory.

Because the Himalayas have a relatively recent origin, endemism is low, especially among the better-known higher taxonomic groups. The golden langur (Trachypithecus geei) is restricted to the patch of semi-evergreen and temperate forest on the north bank of the Brahmaputra River, between the Sankosh and Manas rivers that flow south from the mountains. The pygmy hog (Sus salvinus) and hispid hare (Caprolagus hispidus) are restricted to the alluvial grasslands and the Namdapha flying squirrel (Biswamoyopterus biswasi) is restricted to the temperate broadleaf forests of the Eastern Himalayas Region.

Endemism among birds in the region is higher than among mammals. Some species restricted to the region include the Manipur bush quail (Perdicula manipurensis), chestnut-breasted partridge (Arborophila mandelli), Blyth’s tragopan (Tragopan blythii), Temminck’s tragopan (Tragopan temminckii), Sclater’s monal (Lophophorus sclateri), Tibetan eared pheasant (Crossoptilon harmani) and rusty-bellied shortwing (Brachypteryx hyperythra).

But, despite the low overall endemicity, the region harbors several species that are represented by globally significant populations. The foothill grasslands and broadleaf forests harbor important populations of the largest carnivore and herbivores in Asia, notable the tiger (Panthera Tigris), Asian elephant, greater one-horned rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis) and wild water buffalo. The alluvial grasslands, delineated as the Terai-Duar Savanna and Grassland ecoregion (Wikramanayake et al. 2001), support some of the highest densities of tigers in the world (Karanth and Nichols 1998). And the elephant population in the remaining habitat patches along the north bank of the Brahmaputra River in Assam is one of India’s glargest and most important (Sukumar 1992). The greater one-horned rhinoceros, one of three species found in Asia, is restricted to several small, isolated populations contained within protected areas (Dinerstein 2003). The Eastern Himalayas Region is the last bastion for this charismatic mega-herbivore, which once ranged along the length of the Himalayas foothills, from Pakistan to Myanmar. Many other refuge populations of large herbivores—wild water buffalo, swamp deer (Cervus duvaucelii)—restricted to protected areas in southern Nepal and northeastern India—also represent some of the last remaining in the world, and are considered to be of global significance. The Brahmaputra and Ganges rivers that flow along the Himalayas foothills also support globally important populations of the Gangetic dolphin (Platanista gangetica).

Although the snow leopard has a wide distribution across the Himalayas range, and into the Trans-Himalaya, the populations in the Eastern Himalayas Region are important because this high-altitude predator occues at low densities. The populations of vultures, greater and lesser adjutants—some of Asia’s largest birds—in the foothill grasslands and broadleaf forests are globally significant, as are the populations of several of the hornbill species and pheasants, white-winged duck (Cairina scutulata), white-bellied heron (Ardea insignis), black-necked stork (Grus nigricollis) and the Bengal florican (Houbaropsis bengalensis).

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