THE BENEFITS OF SQUALENE

Based on experiments and medical experiences for more than a half of century by various herbal experts form Japan, China and Korea, squalene has a lot of benefits that we can decribe them below:

1). Squalene as amplifier and adder of life spirit
Squalene is the main material to build cholesterol and steroid. CHolesterol has many function in the body such as for metabolism and for building vitamin D. However, cholesterol is also used to make hormone similar with steroid which also functions as hormone builder. Hormone is very important for human life. Without hormone, human beings are useless in their everyday life, physically and mentally. Old persons has decrease their sexual spirit because their hormone (estrogen and testoteron) decrease. So if they consume squalene, their sexual enthusiasm can increase to normal level, even more maximal.

2). Squalene as a healer of liver disorder.
It has been reported from some hospitals in Japan such as Hospital of Tokyo University, Fakuoka Hospital and National Hospital, that they have underwent some experiments to cure hepatitis. Finally, they concluded that squalene is benefits to heal many liver disorder.

3). benefit to cure diabetes
Diabetes is disease caused by shortage of insuline. Squalene is a main material to build hormone, in this case insuline hormone. By consuming squalene, pancreas is not only amplified and repaired, but it also helps increase insulin product needed by the body.

4). Increase immune system
Doctors in Japan believe that consuming squalene can make body immunity raise. It is because squalene's molecules consist of polymer isoprene called terpene and tripene. The substance proves to be able to become interferon inducer. Interferon can increase both amount and activities of cells of spinal cord, lymph gland, liver and thymus. The kind of cells increased their powerful and endurance are lymphosit T and B cells, and makrofaq sells.
So it is not wonder that before the invention of antibiotic, squalene were widely used to cure tuberculosis, hepatitis, diabetes, influenza, and etc.

5). As sterilizer and healer of wound
Squalene is effectively a source of oxigen supplier. It has the same function as Ozon where its on becomes microbe killer and O2 becomes metabolism activator of cells. Its positive effect is that the wound is not only easier to recover, but also it does not feel pain. It goes together with the theory developed by dr. Yoka that: Pain is caused by oxygen shortage.

6). Omitting weariness and shooting pain.
Weariness can happen because of precipation of lactate acid in skeletal muscles. The precipation is caused by uncomplete combustion. Because of rich of oxigen, squalene will supply oxygen to most part of the body. Lactate acid will be completely oxidated into CO2, H2O and energy. The muscle will become normal again and the body will feel fresh and health.
(to be continued)

More Benefits of Bee Propolis

1). help strengthen body immune system naturally

Bee propolis is rich of polyphenol. It can increase the production and activities of immune cells.

2). As source of high antioxidant
Some researchs prove that bee propolis can help our body fight against free radicles. free radicles are active atom which have less or abundant electron and is unstable. The body can produced free radicles naturrally or it happens because of cigarette smoke or pollution. if free radicles contact with other important cell in our body, they can cause the cell damage or even ruin. The damage cell then can trigger the emerge of degenerative diseases such as heart, hypertention, diabetes and cancer.

3). As anti-Microba
propolis is very effective to fight against any bacteria and viruses and fungus.

4). Help Cope Inflammation
The content of CAPE (Caffeic Acid Phenetyl Ester) substance in be propolis functions as anti-inflammatiom.

5). protect our Heart
bee propolis can help lower LDL (bad cholesterol) and triglycerides. Otherwise it also can increase DHL. That is why it can protect the heart.

6). help Cope with gastritis
bee propolis can heal gastritis by reducing the damage on the stomach wall. It also can reduce the acid level and the number of stomach acid produced.

More About Propolis

Propolis, also well-known as Russian Penicillin, is strong antioxindant, anti-microbe, and natural antibiotic produced by body. Because it is natural, propolis does not make body's immune system weaken if it is unproperly used. Propolis even make our immune system increase naturally.

The main function of propolis is to neutralize poison, strengthen body immunity, antibiotic, annihilate bad bacteria and fungus, clean out viruses, repair damaged cells on tissue and body organ. It also strengthens cells, speeds up cell regeneration, etc.

Supporting Natural Body Immunity
Men have very complex of body immune system. It consists of many various cells, tissue and organ. All of them help the body protect itself in order to be healthy. This system works 24-hour every day to fight against dangerous microorganism which threathen human's healthy. Do you know that environment where we are living is surrounded by millions of dangerous bacteria, viruses and microorganism?

When we get wound, bacteria can easily penetrate into our body. When we eat and drink everything, there are so many germs and bacteria in it. Of course we do not see those bacteria with our bare eyes. So if our body immunity does not work well, we will easily get sick because of those bacteria and viruses. That is why it is very important for us to strenghten our body immunity. Consuming bee propolis is one of many ways to protect ourselves.

Propolis, Another Miracle of Bee

Propolis is derived from Greek. Pro means before, and polis means city. Bee propolis is often meant "before entering bee hive". It seem to mean that it protects bee hive against dangerous factors outside the hive.

Propolis is a mixture of resin substance, originated from bark and the toppings of tree, especially poplar (Populus spp.), birch (Betula spp.), or conifer (pinus species). Bees collect those substance, and then mix it with wax and their saliva. Propolis is used by bees to protect every door of the hive to sterilize every coming bee. Propolis is also used by bees to repair their hive whenever it cracks or wears.

Bees are susceptible to infection because they do not have immune system. Bees greatly rely on propolis to protect themselves, their hive, their eggs and young bees against diseases.

Subtances that contain in propolis are very complex. There are more than 200 components that have been identified. But generally propolis consists of balsam (polyphenol) 50%, resin 30%, essential oil 10%, pollen 5%, organic and anorganic substances 5%. High Polyphenol content in propolis functions as anti-bacteria, anti-viruses, anti-fungus, antioxidant, anti-inflammation and immune system.

What happens if we consume bee propolis? Do we become healthier because this substance?

Searching Dogfish for Squalene?

Today dogfishes, as the main source of squalene, are only be found in some certain places, i.e. at the sea of Indonesia, Philipina, Spain, Portugal, Norway and some of African countries. However, the best squalene come from dogfishes live in Indonesian waters.

The first discoverer of squalene is Japanese chemical expert, DR. Mitsumaru Tsujimoto. He was a famaous chemical expert in Japan dan had discovered a lot of chemical compounds, derived from sardine acid and buthyalcohol. In 1906, DR. Tsujimoto discovered an oil extracted from aizame dogfish and he named it squalene. In 1931, another expert DR, Kora at Zurich University, Swiss, discovered cmecial structure of squalene. Because of his discovery, he was awarded The Nobel Price.

In 1932, DR. Mashina and his friends carried out research about squalene benefit and they found that squalene had medical potential. The research result was then continued by a team of experts led by DR. Kejiro Kogami. Because of their hard work, the team found that squalene really had medical benefit and could ease and cure some diseases such as, tuberculose, skin disease, burn-wound, gastritis and intestine diseases. Whereas DR. Ryosuke Yokota found that squalene could prevent the development of cancer tissue.

In 1970, Dr. H. Hella and Dr. V.Z. Pasteleraque could prove that squalene could increase human body immunity against many diseases. It could be happened because squalene enhanced the activity and endurance of immune cells in bone marrow, spleen gland, adrenal gland, T and B limfosit cells and macrofag.

Below is the amount comparation of squalene in human body and in plants or other food.

THE DISCOVERY OF SQUALENE

Sharks which live at the depth of 300 - 1000 meter below the sea level are supposed to be exist since 400 million years ago, far before human created. Categorized as rare vertebrate, shark has black-gray color and has not more than 1,5 meter at length, with weight of 50 kg. It is supposed there are 15 kinds of sharks living in the depth as written on the table below:

Tabel: Kinds of Sharks and their Squalene level


Quoted from Cosmetic Products Raw Materials Standard, ED II , Annotated , Yakuji Nipposha.

The peculiarity of dogfish is that it lives at hard environment. The fish is stay at the depth of 300 - 1000 below the sea level, untouchable by sunlight, rare of oxygen, and live under high water pressure. However, it can survive there and never come up to the higher depth.

How can this kind of shark survive at that difficult environment?
According to fishermen and traditional medicine experts from China, Japan and Korea, the key to the shark survival is in its liver. Since the ancient time, the shark's liver especially dogfish, has been in one of medicine list in Ancient China. Dogfish liver is different with any other sharks' liver from its size and weight. The weight of dogfish liver is approximately 40% of its body weight, and 90% of its liver content is squalene.

Japanese fishermen at Suruga gulf are the most experienced and talented fishermen in catching dogfish. They extract the dogfish oil and drink it as a medicine to evade weariness and other threatening illness. They also spread the oil on their skin as their sunscreen. They also use the oil to layer their boat so that the boat wood is not easily rotten, and snails and sea shells do not adhere at boat wall.

Have you ever read the novel of Ernest Hemingway's The Old Man and The Sea? At the novel, Ernest wrote that all of the fishermen in Santiago drank a cup of fish oil that kept in the drum before they went to the sea to prevent them from illness.

So it is undeniable that old fishermen from year to year have known and used the shark oil as their traditional medicine.

According to Dr. Iwan T. Budiarso, an expert from Indonesia, before world war II, there were still many dogfishes in Japanese waters such as in Kochioki, Sagamida, Okinawa and other places. But today, the dogfish is very rare and it is possibly extinct in Japanese sea. The fishermen there now are looking for the fishes for their squalene outside their country's waters.

Translated and concised from the article of Dr. Iwan T. Budiarso , DVM, MSc, Phd, APU, part 2.

The Benefits of Coconut Water

Consumption of coconut water for health has been known for a long time. People use it to evade certain diseases and some treatment such as healing ailment caused by poison, where at this condition, coconut water functions as antidote.

Coconut water is a natural isotonic. The features of this natural isotonic drink are:

• water content in one coconut fruit is 400 - 465 cc.
• coconut water contains vitamin C and several vitamins B, such as niacin, patotenat acid, biotin, riboflavin, folic acid and thiamin.
• coconut water also contains some minerals such as natrium, kalium, kalsium, magnesium, iron, copper, phosphor, sulfur and chlorin.
• coconut water contains many kinds fo amino acid.
  

Health Benefit

• neutralize poison
• cure wormy
• cure burned wound
• relieve from dysentery
• ease itchiness caused by eczema
• relieve from dengue
  

Beauty Benefit

• evade acne
• prevent against wrinkle
• prevent against gray hair
  

Other Benefit
1. increase sexual desire
2. make clear of voice.

Comments from Some Institutions About Coconut Water

FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization )
At September 14, 2000, FAO recommended coconut water as an natural energy drink.

Journal of Medicinal Food, J Med Food. 2006 Fall;9(3):400-7
Coconut water has cardioprotective effect because it can decrease the level of bad cholesterol in a research. (V.G. Sandhya, Dr., Professor T. Rajamohan. Department of Biochemistry, University of Kerala, India)

Journal of PHYSIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY and Applied Human Science Vol. 21 (2002)
Drinking coconut water after physical exercise is the best way to rehydration. It can make body feel saturated, and it can be consumed much, comparing with any other drinks like fresh water and drinks contain KH and electrolite.

The Miracle of Dogfish Squalene

Squalene is a natural health food extracted from the liver of dogfish (aizame spiny dog fish or Centrophorus atromarginatus garman) which lived in the deep of the sea, in the range of 300 - 1000 below the sea level. Dogfish is one of the smallest shark species, which has a measurement of less than 1,5 metre long and weight of more or less 50 kilogram. However, the dogfish liver is the biggest than any other kind of sharks.

What is the Peculiar Features of Dogfish?
The dogfish lives far below the sea level, beyond the reach of sunray. The oxygen at the level is very few, but the water pressure is very high. Comparing with its weight, the pressure endured by the shark is around 31 - 101 kilograms. The foods at the depth are predominantly marine plants and minerals.

According to the research, the endurance of dogfish living in the shortage environment is caused by the power of its liver. Who knows that the weight of its liver is 40% of its body weight, or approximately 20 kilogram. And in its liver, there is a high content of squalene, at about 90% of its liver weight.

What is Squalene?
Squalene is an oily organic substance, but can not be categorized as oil because it does not have fat acid or COOH cluster. It has colour of yellowish or clear white and has specific odor. Until today, experts have not yet be able to create the syntheses of squalene.

In human body, squalene spreads at all of human organs and tissue, and has multirole functions. For example, at the skin, squalene is used as a main component to produce slippery and delicate substances consist in sebum produced by talk gland (sebasius).

In the liver, squalene is used as raw material to produce cholesterol and steroid. Cholesterol is important for metabolism, and if it is activated, it can produce vitamin D. Both of choleterol and steroid can be made as hormon. Hormons are very important for human life. There is no life without hormon.

Consuming squalene everyday can recover human power and health. Squalene is also believed be able to ease and heal many kind of diseases.

Concised from the article of Dr. Iwan T. Budiarso , DVM, MSc, Phd, APU

The Hidden Benefit of Earthworm

Earthworm has been used in the Far East traditional medical practice for conditions associated with some thrombolytic diseases such as stroke, myocardial infarction and pulmonary embolism. According to Chinese medical publication Ben Cao Gang Ma, earthworm (lumbricus rubellus) was said to unblock the body's meridians and channels, and was used to support blood circulation.

In 1883, in a book discussing the action of worms, Charles Darwin observed that earthworm digestive fluids can dissolve fibrin. In order to elucidate the power of earthworms, Japanese scholars Dr. Hisashi Mihara and others succeeded in extracting a fibrin-dissolving enzyme from Lumbricus rubellus in the 1980s. This enzyme was later found to consist of a few proteolytic sub-enzymes, which are collectively named lumbrokinase. Lumbrokinase is also referred to as earthworm fibrinolytic enzymes (EFE), earthworm powder enzymes (EPE), or e-PA.

Since 1992, lumbrokinase derived from earthworms has been extensively studied and used in China. Research has shown lumbrokinase to support healthy coagulation of blood within normal levels and enhance fibrinolytic activities, i.e. similar to natokinase. In Japan and Korea lumbrokinase has been the main ingredient in "Dragon Heart", a popular health supplement for supporting circulatory health.

Lumbrokinase consists of proteolytic enzymes. It contains in it plasminogen activator and plasmin. The plasminogen activator in Lumbrokinase is similar to tissue plasminogen activator from other sources. It means it possibly shows thrombolytic activities only in the presence of fibrin. That is why lumbrokinase has the advantage of not causing excessive building.

The enzymes in lumbrokinase have very strong fibrinolytic activity and are stable in a wide pH range. They also shows great stability against thermal inactivation and degradation.

Lumbrokinase has been widely used in over 100 hospitals in Beijing since 1995. In Indonesia Jakarta, lumbrokinase has been used in thousands of hospitals and stores, in more than 20 provinces and cities, as well as in Hongkong, taiwan, Southeast Asia, and Europe.

Conclusion
Lumbrokinase have a great future in both preventing and treating atherosclerotic buildup. Since our natural production of plasmin slows as we age and other factors can enter the picture to thicken the blood, it makes good sense to consider this enzyme for prevention.
However, if you take medication, ask your physician before starting this enzyme supplements. Lumbrokinase is quite powerful and your medication may have to be adjusted as a result of taking it.

Coconut Oil, Miracles from Tropical Countries

After years unpopular, Coconut oil today is known having extraordinary benefits because of its high concentrate of medium-chain fatty acid, called laurat acid. The power of laurat acid has been proved by many world researchers. The expert from Disease Control Center, Georgia, USA said that laurat acid can fight against 14 viruses and bacterias, such as influenza, rubella, coronavirus, herpes, staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus agaltiae. "Laurat acid works by destroying fatty layer of microorganism,' said prof Waluyo Soerjodibroto, a lecturer of Medical faculty of Indonesia University, who also did some research on coconut oil.

Michael Bergeron, a researcher from Universit Laval, Qu'bec, Canada, in 2003 found laurat in the form of sodium lauril sulfat. The mixture of those ingredients can dissolve virus membrane and force it to go out. Coconut oil is powerful to prevent HIV virus infiltrate the body. It also prove to be able to kill 90% of herpes viruses.

In industrial world, lauric acid is also greatly needed. "Baby food and pharmaceutical industries need lauric acid very much," said Dr. Mohammad Ahkam Subroto, a researcher from Indonesian Biotechnological Research Center LIPI. It is because baby need lauric acid for promoting the growth of his body and brain. Actually lauric acid is also found in mother's milk, but its concentration is just only 3%. The study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 1998 showed that the amount of lauric acid, kaprik acid, and kaprilik acid in the milk of breastfeeding mother significantly increased when they consumed coconut oil. It is believe that this will make better protection for the baby.

Coconut oil also contains anti-cancer substances. It can either produce natural anti-microba substance which is beneficial to obstruct the development of patogen microorganism, such as negative gram bacteria, kandida, Measle, Holicobacteri pylori, Listeria monocytogenes Clamedia, Helicobacter, Staphylococcus sp., and protozoa such as Giadia lamblia.

So why do not try to consume this unique supplement? In Indonesia, coconut oil is produced by local people and is very easy to produce it. Most of bottled coconut oils sold at drugstores and supermarkets are home industry. Because it is categorized having medium chain molecules, it more endures from air contamination and can keep for years without any change in quality.

Honey as an Antioxidant

An new study finds that there is antioxidant content in honey. it means that honey can evade free radicals. As you know, free radical is a source of many various kinds of unhealing diseases, such as cancer.

The discovery encourages researchers to know better about anti-cancer substances in honey. It hopes that many newest researches will affirm honey benefits which is very potent to halt the spreading of vicious diseases.

Honey reputation as medicine for respiration problem is still affirmated today. Honey can drive out phlegm or liquid that cloggs up bronchial tube. Greek and Roman people believed that honey can be used as decongestant.

Opera singers also fond of using honey as to take care of their throat. A glass of warm water mixed with lemon and honey can help them to clear away their laryngitis. It is because honey has the power of desinfectant. Honey can enhance saliva production that can take care of dry throat.

Honey also has light sedative feature. That is why traditional people often admix honey with milk to be drunk before sleeping. Milk with honey can make them relax and sleep faster.

Most of all sweet food, including honey, will trigger brain to produce endorfin in the body. Because of its high fructose level, honey has little effect of loosen the bowel.

It is also believed that honey is ever to be used as aphrodisiac. The term of honeymoon actually comes from ancient tradition of North Europe people. At that time, newlywed had to consume honey and mead in order to arouse their sexual appetite.

According to Ibnu Sina, if you want to be always young and healthy although you get along in years, you must consume honey routinely.

Women in Egypt, Greece and Rusia reportedly always use honey to take care of their face skin in order to stay beautiful and clean. Honey is used to wash out of stain and hyperpigmentation and prevent from wrinkle. You can make skin lotion by yourself by mixing honey 100 gram with 25 ml of alcohol and 25 ml of fresh water.

The flavor of honey is greatly influenced by the kind of flower which the bees consume its nectar. Today we can find many flavor of honey, such as silk-cotton honey, tamarind honey, manggo, apple etc.

However, if the bee consumes nectar of poisonous flower, the honey they produce poisonous too. For example, if the bees suck nectar from rhodonderon flower, the honey they produce will cause paralyzing. Some poisonous plants, beside rhodonderon, are azalea, andromeda, agave, atropa, datura,
euphorbia, kalmia, gelsemium, and melaleuca. The poisonous honey usually wild honey.

Before sugar was invented, in the medieval ages, honey was used as the sweet flavor for every food. At the end of 17 century, sugar was more popular than honey as a sweeter. But, the English queen and her family still always used honey for their food. So why we not keep up with the Queen.

Viruses Can't Compete with Honey

This is a title of an article written by dr. Dixon at Dis Lancet magazine, 2003 February edition. Dr. Dixon said that honey is very powerful to cope with viruses. So there are no viruses can fight against honey. Dr. Dixon is one of scientists who is interested in studying honey benefits.

There is more something interesting in honey. Medicians usually warn diabetic patients to consume foods or sweet drinks in case of the level of sugar in the blood will rise. According to a research, this doctor's warning can not be applied for honey.

Honey can lower the sugar level in blood for diabetic patients. Some researchs shows that there is oxidation subtance in honey that enable sugar expansion far easier. This make the sugar level in blood not arise.

Its content that is rich of vitamin B1, B5 and G make honey very important for diabetic patients. Honey also contains at least 100 different elements which are very important for human body, especially diabetic patients.

Athenaeus, a Greek philosopher and a writer, said that if everyone routinely drinks honey, they will be free of any diseases in the rest of his life.

The philosopher is right, because there are many kinds of unique and potential nutrition in honey to take care of our health and beauty. Honey has a great power of healing. Many nutritions in it has long to be used to cope burning injury, to increase stamina, to uplift sexual desire, and even to prevent from cancer. This gold-color liquid is also used to keep the skin beauty.

A scientist from Illionis University at Urbana, USA, wrote in a Journal of Agricultural Research that the benefits of every honey is maybe different. However, all kinds of honey certainly contain the same amount of antioxidant agent, such as vitamin E and C. The antioxidant is believed enable to prevent from cancer, heart disease and other diseases.

According to prof. Dr. H. Muhilal, a nutritionist from The Center of Nutrition Research and Development, Bogor, honey contains amino acid, carbohydrate, protein, some vitamins and mineral that are easily absorbed by the body. Free amino acid in honey can help the process of healing. Honey is also used as a formation of neurotransmitter, a subtance used to optimize brain function. Honey also contains useful antibiotic substance to defeat patogen viruses.

The type of carbohydrate in honey is simple. The overall compositions of honey are water 17,1%; total carbohydrate 82,4%; protein, amino acid, vitamin, and mineral 0,5%. The main carbohydrate consists of fructose 38,5% and glucose 31%. The rest of carbohydrate is 12,9% which consists of maltose, sucrose, and other sugar. As carbohydrate, a spoontable of honey can supply energy 64 calorie.

Because of its healthy content, it is not astonished that honey was used by Ancient Egypt to cure burning injury and wound. It was known then at that time that honey had antiseptic and antimicobial features. Because of its potent to slown down bacterial development, honey can faster the healing process of injury.

The similar statement is also stated by dr. Peter Molan from University of Waikato, New Zealand. He added that honey also stimulate the development of new cells.

Bee Pollen, pass-key of Ageless

Do you want to be ageless or longvity and disease-proof? if those you are looking for, consuming bee pollen regulary is the best answer. The world has prove it, from the time of Ancient Egypt until today.

What is pollen? Pollen is tiny grains that are produced in the male organs of flowering and cone-bearing plants. They are like powder. Every grain of pollen contains 100.000 to 5 million pollen spore, which has the ability to reproduce plants.

How do honey bees collect pollen? Beside sucking up nectar, bee also collects pollen. When the bees find it, they take pollen by their front foot. After they wet pollen with honey, they put pollen to their pollen basket at their back foot. Pollen is the young bees' source of important fats, proteins, vitamins, and minerals. While the sugar in nectar is mainly a source of energy.

Bee pollen contains 18 amino acids, eight of them are essential, 12 vitamin, 28 mineral, enzyme, co-enzyme, 14 important fatty acids, 11 carbohydrate, phytonutrients (lecithin, beta-carotene, selenium) and 30% protein.

The benefits of bee pollen:
1. to upgrade IQ
2. prevent from cancer
3. prevent from impotency and unfertility
4. Triglicerida
5. Arthritis.
6. Diabetes.
7. high blood pressure
8. anemia
9. asthma
10. prostate
and many other diseases.

As the story goes, Queen Cleopatra used honey rich of bee pollen as her pool to keep her beauty and ageless. The Roman army used to bring pastries made from bee pollen, honey and wheat in order to raise their power in the battle of Cicero (106 - 43 BC). According to history, most of houses in the Roman empire at that time kept honey and bee pollen as their health supplement.

The Comments of Modern Medical Experts

1. Mme. Aschenasy Leru, The chief of The Centre of Science Research in France said: Pollen contains 40 - 80% of free glutamat acid which is not produced by human body. The acid can prevent embolism in brain, raise IQ and concentration, and repair mental deficiency.
2. Prof. Nicolai Vasilleivich Tsitsin, The chief of Rusian Biological and Botanical Board. He examined Rusian people who had age more than 100 year and found that more than 200 of his examiners kept honey bees. They also consumed honey residue as their rich of bee pollen food.
   

How to Use Bee Pollen for Our Health and Beauty?

1. Bee Pollen can be consumed directly as a snack for ones who conduct diet.
2. Bee Pollen can be mixed with royal jelly or honey to maintain fit and healthy life.
3. Bee Pollen which is mixed with honey or royal jelly is very good for smoothening and rejuvenating skin.

Bee Pollen, The most Complete Nutriment in Nature

How can a powder with a size only 0,05 mm be able to influence human life? Even without the powder, our earth will become a desert. Do ypu want to know what powder is? The magic powder is a flower powder called pollen.

Pollen consists of tiny grains that are produced in the male organs of flowering and cone-bearing plants. Seeds develop after pollen is transferred from the male part of a plant to the female part. This transfer of pollen is called pollination.

So without pollen, there is no pollination, and without pollination there are no trees. How the world will seen if there are no trees in earth! Can we imagine that?

Pollen collected by bees when they suck up nectar from the flowers. When bees suck up nectar, pollen mixed with nectar and bees' saliva is collected and is saved in pollen basket at bee's foot. So the pollen collected by bee is called "bee pollen".

Is pollen a nutriment? Pollen is the young bees' source of important fats, proteins, vitamins, and minerals. In 1963, A research held by Lee Foundation for Nutritional Research in Milwaukke, USA reported that bee pollen had perfect nutritious balance, so it could be used as an independent food. Bee pollen was also equipped with a perfect liquid.

According to Dr. G.J. Binding, bee pollen is the best food ever existed, even it is the nearly perfect food. Not only bee pollen arouses power and energy in the body, but also it can enhance body protection against infection.

Today many professional athletes consume bee pollen to enhance their power. Bee pollen is also used to be applied at healing field.

Tomato and Its Benefit for Our Health

Tomato is a plant grown for its smooth, round, juicy fruit. The word tomato refers both to the fruit, which people eat, and to the entire plant. The fruit has a slightly acid taste. There are more than 4,000 varieties of tomatoes.

Tomatoes originated in South America, and Spanish priests probably brought them to Europe from Mexico in the mid-1500's. People in Spain and Italy then began to grow tomatoes as food. Now this plant can be found in every countries in the world.

The tomato belongs to the nightshade family, Solanaceae. Its scientific name is Lycopersicon esculentum.

Botanists classify tomatoes as fruits. Horticulturists, however, classify them as vegetables. Most other people consider tomatoes vegetables because fresh tomatoes are used in much the same way as lettuce, onions, cauliflower, and many other vegetables. Fresh tomatoes are eaten raw or cooked and are served in salads and other dishes. Most tomatoes grown in the United States (and also in Indonesia) are processed for use in making food products. These products include ketchup, tomato juice, tomato soup, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and canned whole tomatoes. Tomatoes are an important source of vitamins A and C and of certain minerals.

Why is Tomato Important for Our Health? It is because tomato contains:
- Vitamin C - Tomatine The substance has features of anti inflammation, and contains caroten and citrate acid. If tomato is rubbed to the face, the citrate acid can help removing dust and grease. So it can be used as acne natural medicine just by rubbing it to the face.

- Carbohydrate.
If tomato is consumed daily, it will become additional energy source for the body. The additional energy is important to be used to increase the activity of body organ. This is a good news for dieters. Carbohydrate in fruit is easier to digest and is better than in rice or bread.

- Fat.
Fat in tomato contains essential fatty acid which is important for skin and other parts of the body. Other function of fat in tomato is to dissolve vitamin A, D, E, K which is good eyes and blood circulation. It is important to know that if we take vitamin supplement, we have to consume fat. because fat is important to digest those vitamins.

- Protein.
It is a source of amino acid which is used by the body to develop and substitute damaged cells.

- Lycopene.
The most powerful nutrient in tomato is an active substance called lycopene. The substance is an antioxidant compound of carotenoid group nad mostly found in red tomato. In the body, the compund is saved in testicle, adrenal gland and prostate. The result of a research in Italia showed that consuming high dose of lycopene can decrease the risk of stomach or intestine cancer. The information of lycopene can be found elsewhere in this blog.

Ant hill, New Medicine from Papua

Have you ever thought that ant hill can become a medicine? it is an ant hill from Papua that enable to do it. Ant hill is a name of a dill that grows in Papua. The dill is known able to heal many diseases naturally and safely.

Empirical facts of Ant Hill:

• Ant hill can assist to heal many kinds of cancer and tumor, either benign or malignant, such as cancers of brain, breast, lever, lungs, intestine, womb, skin, prostate and leukimia.
• It effectivelly can support the healing proccess of many diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, hemorrhoids, rheumatic, stroke, kidney and prostate disorder, and sciatica.
• smoothen and improve mother's milk, smoothen blood circulation and improve sexual enthusiasm.
• Ant hill contains antioxidant active compound (Tokoferol and Fenolik) and rich of important mineral like calcium (Ce), Natrium (Na), Potassium (K), Zinc (Zn), Iron (Fe), Phosphorus (P) and Magnesium (Mg).
• In addition, ant hill also contains flavonoid. Flavonoid functions as antioxidant and enable to prevent and heal cancer, to protect cell structure, to improve the effectivity of vitamin C, anti-inflammation and also functions as antibiotic.

Banana, the Fruit of Life

Human has consumed banana long time ago. The word "banana" derives from Arab language i.e. maus. Linneus then included banana into Musaceae family, to give appreciation to Antonius Mozes, a private doctor of Roman Emperor (Octaviani Agustinus) that suggested to eat banana. That is why in latin language, banana is called as Musa paradisiacal.

According to history, banana is originated from Southeast Asia. Moslem missionaries then spread it to West Africa, South America and Middle America. Today banana is exist at any part of the world. Some of the world outstanding countries as banana producing countries are Brazil, Philipina, Panama, Honduras, India, Equador, Thailand, Caribbean, Columbia, Mexico, Venezuela and Hawaii. Indonesia is one of banana producing countries number 4 in the world.

In Asia, Indonesia is entered as the biggest banana producing country. 50 percent of Asian banana is imported from Indonesia. Banana-producing centres in Indonesia are: West Java (Sukabumi, Cianjur, Bogor, Purwakarta, Serang), Central Java (Demak, Pati, Banyumas, Sidorejo, Kesugihan, Kutosari, Pringsurat, Pemalang), East Java (Banyuwangi, Malang), North Sumatra (Padangsidempuan, Natal, Samosir, Tarutung), West Sumatra (Sungyang, Baso, Pasaman), South Sumatra (tebing Tinggi, OKI, OKU, Baturaja), Lampung (Kayu Agung, Metro), Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Maluku, Bali and West Nusa Tenggara.

Multirole Plant
Banana is very familiar to Indonesian society. Many traditional ritualities use banana as a symbol. banana always regenerates itself before fruiting and dying, by sprouting buds which growing on its root. By this way banana can exist to bring benefits for human. The way banana live then inspirates human to make it as a noble symbol in a traditional wedding ritual in Indonesia.

Appropriate tropical climate and humus-contained land may enable banana plants spreading widely in Indonesia. Today, most of Indonesian regions become banana-producing centres.

Banana can be mentioned as a life fruit. Kalium content existed in it is abundant so it can degrade blood pressure, keep heart healthy, and smoothen oxygen delivery to brain. Because if blood, heart, and brain is bothered, it truly threatens human life.

In other hand, high vitamin A content in it can improve body durability against ISPA, scaly skin and blindness. Other benefit of banana is it can be staple food substitution, so it lessens Indonesian dependence to rice.

Taken with courtesy the writing of Prof. DR. Made Astawan
Lecturer at Departemen Teknologi, Pangan Dan Gizi-IPB

Lycopene Part 2

Lycopene Metabolism

The bioavailability of lycopene is affected by the form of molecule, the number of lycopene in food, the matrix content of foodstuff, fat medium or oil, the food fibre effect and the interaction with other carotenoid. Lycopene metabolism happens along with fat metabolism. Lycopene is mostly found in several networks such as in testes, adrenal gland, heart and prostat. Recently it is identified 2 lycopene metabolit in serum and mother's milk which is known as cyclolycopene.

Lycopene level in Serum
The level of lycopene in serum is approximately 50-900 ng/L and lasts in 2-3 days. The rate level is in accordance with consumption of riched-lycopene food. Some human lifestyle and condition can influence lycopene level in blood, i.e., age, menstruation cycle, smoking, and alcohol consumption.

Lycopene as Antioxindant
Lycopene is a potent antioxidant. This compound has the capacity to eliminate free radical. The free radical could tie DNA, protein and fat and will damage their physiological function. In turn it can cause the chronic illness expansion like cancer, heart disease and the aging illness. Dr. Giovannucci stresses that likopen is an effective eliminator of free radicals among other general carotenoids.

The work mechanism of lycopene to reduce cancer risk as prostate cancer has not yet been known clearly at this time. it is probable that it is cause by the capability of lycopene to protect the ageing proccess of prostate epitel cells caused by the species of reactive oxygen.

It is also probably because of lycopene capacity to hinder cell proliferation through the process of fosforilasi of IGF receptor, like happening on breasts cancer cells (Karas, and all 2000).

There are two working mechanisms of lycopene to prevent chronic illness, including cancer and degenerative diseases, that is:

1. Through oksidative work, i.e, it functions as antioxidant that will stifle the species of reactive oxygen and increase antioxidant potent so as to reduce oxidative damage to the lipid (including the lipid membrane and lipoprotein), protein and DNA.
2. By non-oksidatif mechanism through the regulation of gene function, improving gap-junction communication, hormone modulation and the immune response or metabolism regulation that all of them will cause the decline of the risk of chronic illness.
   

LyCopene as PhytoNutrient

LyCopene as Phytonutrient Compound and Its Role for Human Health

(part 1, derived from Asroruddin Thesis)

Chronic illness, including cancer and cardiovascular illness, is the death main cause in West countries. Apart from the genetic factor and age, diet and lifestyle are the important risk factor that must be thought about. And it is possible it can happen to the small country like Indonesia because of the changes of lifestyle and diet that also happen there recently.

Around 50% from all the cancer diseases are caused by food. The existence of reactive oxygen that interacted with cell components, caused damages of lipid, protein and DNA molecules. Many facts shows that this damage plays important role in the occurrence of chronic illness.

Antioxidant as a protective agency that inactivates reactive oxygen species plays important role in reducing the occurrence of this damage. Antioxidants like vitamin E, vitamin C, polifenol and can be found in food, including the fruit and vegetables.Lycopene as one of antioxidant compounds becomes interesting to be discussed because of its important in preventing illness.

Lycopene is one of phytochemical compounds or phytonutrient that is useful for the health, so it is with other carotenoid compounds, for example xantin, lutein, et cetera. This compound is different from vitamins and minerals. It will not endanger life when the deficiency happening. However, the function is important for the health of humankind. Likopen is a pigment synthesized by plant and micro-organism. It gives the yelowish red colour in vegetables and fruit, and it is categorized as carotenoid group.

Today, there are many clinical evidences that lycopene is one of compounds that plays important role in the prevention of epitel cell cancers especially the cancer of prostate, lungs and digestion channel.

Lycopene Physical and Chemical Characteristics
Lycopene has molecule formula C40H56 and molecule weight 536.85 Da. Its melting point is 172°C – 175°C. The form of lycopene is a crystal like a needle, long, in the form of flour with brownish colour. lycopene dissolves in chloroform, benzen, heksen, and other organic solvent. Lycopene can experience degradation through the isomerization process and oxidation because of the light, oxygen, high temperature, the drainage technique, abrading process, storage and acid.

Likopen with its typical structure shows its unique characteristics as antioxidant. It can bind single oxygen and catch peroxide. Its capacity in binding single oxygen 2 times higher than ß-karoten and 10 times stronger than a-tokoferol.

Health-Enhancing Applications of Red Reishi

Throughout the ages, the consumption of red Reishi has been linked to the treatment of a vast range of diseases, common ailments, and conditions. From asthma to zoster, the applications of red Reishi seem to be related to a multitude of body organs and systems.

Although some product manufacturers use this information as proof that red Reishi can be used to treat these maladies directly, there is no sufficient medical evidence to support this claim to date. However, most of the scientific research that has been conducted appears to strongly support red Reishi’s role as a normalizing substance - a nutritional supplement that can yield medical benefits through its normalization and regulation of the body’s organs and functions.

The previous posting provided a general outline of the overall benefits derived from the consumption of red Reishi. The following is a list of specific conditions for which regular consumption of red Reishi and products consisting of authentic red Reishi extract has been shown to have some beneficial effects. Please note that although many of the medical applications listed below have been supported by researchers in both the medical and nutritional science fields, the information below should be treated as observations gathered over time based on individual cases, and not a guarantee or endorsement of Reishi’s effectiveness. For specific case reports or data, please consult a physician with an expertise in Chinese medicine. Research studies and additional information can be obtained through libraries or found on the internet. You may also contact your local health organizations.

Conditions Related to Blood Circulation
It has been thought that red Reishi extract can reduce the coagulation of blood by decreasing platelet aggregation (cells that form clots), similar to aspirin. In addition, it is possible that it is able to transform red blood cells, and make them more malleable to travel through blood vessels at greater ease, reducing the chances of clogging, which could lead to strokes and heart attacks. Improved circulation is extremely important in diabetics, who invariably develop small artery disease.

Heart Conditions
Several cardiovascular benefits have been demonstrated from the regular consumption of red Reishi. These include:
• correction of some arrhythmias due to stress
• lowering of "BAD" LDL cholesterol and Triglycerides (another type of blood fat)
• lowering of blood pressure - demonstrated in published human studies
• improved blood circulation, with all of the benefits outlined above.