Poppy, Papaver somniferum L., is an annual herb native to Southeastern Europe and western Asia. Also known as opium poppy, the species is cultivated extensively in many countries, including Iran, Turkey, Holland, Poland, Romania, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, India, Canada, and many Asian and Central and South American countries. Reaching a height of 1.2 meters, the erect plant can have white, pink, red, or purple flowers. Seeds range in color from white to a slate shade that is called blue in commercial classifications. The reported life zone of poppy is 7 to 23 degrees centigrade with an annual precipitation of 0.3 to 1.7 meters and a soil pH of 4.5 to 8.3 (4.1-31). The plants grow best in rich, moist soil and tend to be frost sensitive.

VERY DETAILED INFORMATION. THANK YOU FOR ADDING UP YOUR KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE SAID PLANT.
I AM CURIOUS IF THIS POPPY OR OPIUM POPPY IS NOT ILLEGAL IN YOUR PLACE? BECAUSE HERE IN THE PHILIPPINES, IT IS NOT PERMITTED BY THE LAW TO GROW THE SAID PLANT.

Health benefits of poppy seeds are the following:
Poppy seeds contain many plant derived chemical compounds that found to have anti-oxidant, disease preventing and health promoting properties.

Their unique nutty aromatic flavor is because of many fatty acids and essential volatile oils, which comprise about 50% of net weight. The seeds are especially rich in oleic and linoleic acids. Oleic acid, a mono-unsaturated fatty acid, helps lower LDL or “bad cholesterol” and increase HDL or “good cholesterol” levels in the blood. Research studies suggest that Mediterranean diet which is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids helps to prevent coronary artery disease and strokes by favoring healthy blood lipid profile.

Poppy seeds outer husk is a good source of dietary fiber. 100 g raw seeds provide 19.5 g or 51% of recommended daily levels (RDA) of fiber. Much of this fiber is metabolically inert content which helps increase bulk of the food by absorbing water down the digestive tract and thereby easing constipation problem.

Additionally, dietary fiber binds to bile salts (a product of cholesterol) and decrease their re-absorption in the colon. It thus helps in a further decrease in blood LDL cholesterol levels.

The seeds are excellent source B-complex vitamins such as thiamin, pantothenic acid, pyridoxine, riboflavin, niacin, and folic acid. Many of these vitamins functions as co-factors in substrate metabolism especially fat and carbohydrates.

Poppy seeds contain good levels of minerals like iron, copper, calcium, potassium, manganese, zinc and magnesium. Copper is utilized in the production of red blood cells. Zinc is a co-factor in many enzymes that regulate growth and development, sperm generation, digestion and nucleic acid synthesis. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure. Manganese is used by the body as a co-factor for the powerful anti-oxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase.

Dried poppy seeds contain very small levels of opium alkaloids such as morphine, thebaine, codiene, papaverine etc. When consumed in food, these compounds produce minimal effect on the human nervous system. On the contrary, these chemicals found to have some beneficial effects on the human body; soothe nervous irritability, act as painkillers. Its seed extractions found useful in pharmacy and in many traditional medicines in the preparations of cough mixtures, expectorants, etc.

That is true. Since the world is getting so materialistic, mothers would also want to join the bandwagon of working abroad, so she can provide a better future and a better life to her growing children , and that is if the partner is unluckily not employed or has abandoned her to take care of all the children.
Though, given the chance, a mother should be with her children, guiding and taking care of them until the childrean reaches the age where they can already take care of themselves.
About how children calls their mothers, I think I really like it that we raised our daughter calling us Mama or Papa, not Mommy or Daddy. Why, because Daddy and Mommy are actually English words , thus we seem unpatriotic . Besides, for me, it seems those words have a tinge of hypocrisy since they usually are being used by kids born to rich family.
Thus, I chuckle inside of me when a poor kid calls her parents Dad or Mom. he he he
With Mama anD Papa, they have humble tones.

As example of humble rich people are KrisAquino and Carmina Villaroel . Kris lets her kids call her Mama while Carmina let her kids call them Nanay and Tatay.
Such humility so outstanding !

n those early years, I remember one particularly chaotic afternoon while I was home by myself with all four kids. One child spilled red paint on the carpet, another had an accident on the hard-wood floor, another threw up in her crib, and another had a diaper explosion while (of course) no wipes could be found anywhere in the house. All of this happened in the space of thirty minutes, and I felt like my life was spinning completely out of control. There were many times during those years when I wondered if I’d ever feel on top of my game again.

Though my kids have finally gotten past the diaper blowout stage, now that I have six children ranging from two to nine years old, there are still plenty of moments where life feels far more chaotic than peaceful. I know what it feels like to have a houseful of little voices chattering, shouting, and vying for my attention like a mob of wild monkeys. I am familiar with the endless piles of laundry, the constant discipline challenges, the never-ending frustration of lost socks and sippy cups, and the sleep deprivation that comes with having a household full of young children.

Being called a mother of someone and by someone is a greatest blessing of womanhood. The feeling a woman gets when her kid calls mumma for the first time cannot be explained by words. It is a lovely and out of this world kind of feeling.
Here in India mothers are usually addressed as ‘MA’ or ‘MUMMY’ in hindi.
It is a lovely feeling and a bliss of life to be called so.

Thanks for sharing.
Antioxidant is the way for prevent cancer and anti aging too. Most of the cosmetics are selling based on this point.

I love to take fresh fruits and veges to increase the antioxidant agents in my body in order to be healthy.

This articles doesn’t touch much on fresh fruits and veges, but only red wines. Unfortunately, I can’t take wine, as I am alcohol allergy which it will make my skin become sensitive and itchy for weeks long, thus I never take any wines, even the beers. I think, just few percentages of alcohol will make me fee like in the hell.

Anti-oxidants are said to retard the signs of aging. i get myanti-oxidants from eating fruits specially apple , pineapple and all kind of citrus fruits specially oranges.
As to veggies, i like them too , but not much. But I am not knowledgeable as to what veggie has the most anti-oxidant, except for brocolli.
Since, I don’t know if I am getting enough anti-oxidant , I take vitamin supplements like Vitamin E , Vit C , as well. as B1612 , and fish oil.

By the way, I have just read a shared post at FB that beer has its own 6 healthy benefits. Some that i can remember are : good for the prevention of dementia , warding off diabetes , and making our bone density in a very good level.

A diet high in antioxidants may reduce the risk of many diseases, including heart disease and certain cancers. Antioxidants scavenge free radicals from the body cells, and prevent or reduce the damage caused by oxidation.
The protective effect of antioxidants continues to be studied around the world. For instance, men who eat plenty of the antioxidant lycopene (found in tomatoes) may be less likely than other men to develop prostate cancer. Lutein, found in spinach and corn, has been linked to a lower incidence of eye lens degeneration and associated blindness in the elderly. Flavonoids, such as the tea catechins found in green tea, are believed to contribute to the low rates of heart disease in Japan.
Sources of antioxidants
Plant foods are rich sources of antioxidants. They are most abundant in fruits and vegetables, as well as other foods including nuts, wholegrains and some meats, poultry and fish.

Good sources of specific antioxidants include:
allium sulphur compounds – leeks, onions and garlic
anthocyanins – eggplant, grapes and berries
beta-carotene – pumpkin, mangoes, apricots, carrots, spinach and parsley
catechins – red wine and tea
copper – seafood, lean meat, milk and nuts
cryptoxanthins – red capsicum, pumpkin and mangoes
flavonoids – tea, green tea, citrus fruits, red wine, onion and apples
indoles – cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower
isoflavonoids – soybeans, tofu, lentils, peas and milk
lignans – sesame seeds, bran, whole grains and vegetables
lutein – green, leafy vegetables like spinach, and corn
lycopene – tomatoes, pink grapefruit and watermelon
manganese – seafood, lean meat, milk and nuts
polyphenols – thyme and oregano
selenium – seafood, offal, lean meat and whole grains
vitamin A – liver, sweet potatoes, carrots, milk, and egg yolks
vitamin C – oranges, blackcurrants, kiwifruit, mangoes, broccoli, spinach, capsicum and strawberries
vitamin E – vegetable oils (such as wheatgerm oil), avocados, nuts, seeds and whole grains
zinc – seafood, lean meat, milk and nuts
zoochemicals – red meat, offal and fish. Also derived from the plants that animals eat.
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Vitamin supplements
There is increasing evidence that antioxidants are more effective when obtained from whole foods, rather than isolated from a food and presented in tablet form – and some supplements can actually increase cancer risk. For instance, vitamin A (beta-carotene) has been associated with a reduced risk of certain cancers, but an increase in others, such as lung cancer in smokers, if vitamin A is purified from foodstuffs. A study examining the effects of vitamin E found that it did not offer the same benefits when taken as a supplement. Also, antioxidant minerals or vitamins can act as pro-oxidants or damaging ‘oxidants’ if they are consumed at levels significantly above the recommended amounts for dietary intake.
A well-balanced diet, which includes consuming antioxidants from whole foods, is best. If you insist on taking a supplement, seek supplements that contain all nutrients at the recommended levels.

Antioxidants come up frequently in discussions about good health and preventing diseases. These powerful substances, which mostly come from the fresh fruits and vegetables we eat, prohibit (and in some cases even prevent), the oxidation of other molecules in the body. The benefits of antioxidants are very important to good health because if free radicals are left unchallenged, they can cause a wide range of illnesses and chronic diseases.

There is a wide range of antioxidants found in nature, and because they are so varied, different antioxidants provide benefits to different parts of the body. For example, beta-carotene (and other carotenoids) is very beneficial to eye health; lycopene is beneficial for helping maintain prostate health; flavonoids are especially beneficial for heart health, and proanthocyanidins are beneficial for urinary tract health.

Of these three, i have vertigo. Though, t’s very rare when it attacks.
The doctor said I should refrain myself from taking out the earwax from my ears which I like doing because it gives me a nice feeling. Thus, since then, I clean my ears after taking a bath with ony the cotton balls but only the outer parts of my ears. I only clean my inner ears once a week.
From then on, I don’t experienc vertigoany anymore.

THAT’S GOOD MA’AM DINA, AT LEAST YOU LEARN THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT YOUR CASE.
REGARDING THE CLEANING OF EARS, IT IS ALWAYS AN ADVICE BY DOCTORS TO DO IT ONE OR TWO TIMES A WEEK.
ANYWAYS, THANK YOU FOR THE INFORMATION YOU ADDED ON HOW TO TAKE CARE OF VERTIGO.

Life is not a bed of roses. It has its thorns so we should know the things to avoid in life, to hurdle the challenges we face. We should be equipped with enough knowledge but let us not forget to have the heart too to help people along the way. Yes we can do that, because who knows the people that we helped while we hurdle some challenges will also be the very people who can help us pass those challenges.

It is these challenges that once we have passed that shapes us a strong person. Once, we have hurdled a lot already, we can already say to ourselves, if I have surpassed those challenges that we can really consider as hard, then why can’t we hurdle some more.

Nice blog. I, for one, enjoy bananas. Bananas can, also, be a source to heal or alleviate muscle pains. There is a particular banana tea that is supposed to cure insomnia. A mixture of water, bananas and cinnamon can be added in boiling water. Anyone who is interested, please let me know and if I find it, I will be glad to send you the instructions. Also, my darling wife, prepares for us a nice smoothie with some of our bananas. You had mentioned hernia in your blog. I, personally, had a belly button hernia that got, surgically, removed. So, I guess that qualifies me to understand the discomforts that a hernia brings. Hernias are no fun and prompt surgical intervention is key in order to get much added relief. Thanks for sharing.

A good and informative blog. In India, it is known as the poor man’s fruit. Whatever may be the reasons to call it so, it occupies a very significant role in the diet of an Indian.
There are many varieties in Banana as you said in the blog. In India, we got a variety called CHEKKARAKELI which will be very small in size and rich in taste. It will be of 8Cms in length and the layer will be very thin in light pink or maroon color. It is found mostly in the Southern part of South India especially in Andhra Pradesh. Another variety is known for its color and will be of 8 cms in size with very thick skin in yellow color.It will be quite different in taste with a combination of sweet and salt. Another variety will be having black dots on the skin. They are very sweet and rich in taste. People enjoy this variety mostly and in their anxiety eat more than what they actually can tolerate. Of course, it can be digested easily.
Banana has got many medicinal values. It is used in many medicines of Ayurveda and also in Yunani methods in treating diseases successfully. The skin of Banana is a bad conductor of heat. As such it is preferred for healing many skin problem and cracks on the heels. It is asked to take along with asafoetida in Yunani method of treating the diseases. They will prescribe the quantity of the Asafoetida to be taken along with the Banana.
In rural India, people use the bark of the Banana tree in their diet. It is cut into small pieces and a curry is prepared for taking along with rice. This is very effective in curing the kidney problem and melting down the stones in Kidneys. The people in Urban areas are now preferring to use this in their diet and finally, it has become so popular that it is served in 5 star hotels as a special dish.
The flower also is used for preparing curry which will be quite tasty. The chips made of Banana will be available in various tastes and colors. As in the Philippines, serving food in a Banana leaf is a must in a good restaurant and it is a Hindu tradition to take meals in the Banana leaves.

I heard a cliche’ And Apple a day keeps the Doctor away. So can bananas very important food source, much needed details. Great blog

Banana facts

Bananas may have been the world’s first cultivated fruit. Archaeologists have found evidence of banana cultivation in New Guinea as far back as 8000 B.C.
Bananas are produced mainly in tropical and subtropical areas of Africa, Asia and the Americas, as well as the Canary Islands and Australia.
Bananas do not grow on trees. The banana plant is classified as an arborescent (tree-like) perennial herb, and the banana itself is considered a berry.
The correct name for a bunch of bananas is a hand; a single banana is a finger.
Nearly all the bananas sold in stores are cloned from just one variety, the Cavendish banana plant, originally native to Southeast Asia.
The Cavendish replaced the Gros Michel after that variety was wiped out by fungus. The Gros Michel reportedly was bigger, had a longer shelf life and tasted better.
The Cavendish may face the same fate as the Gros Michel within the next 20 years, botanists say.
Bananas are also called plantains. But in general use, “banana” refers to the sweeter form of the fruit, which is often eaten uncooked, while “plantain” refers to a starchier fruit that is often cooked before eating.
There are 50 recognized species of banana.
Wild bananas grow throughout Southeast Asia, but most are inedible for humans, as they are studded with hard seeds.
The vast majority of bananas grown today are for consumption by the farmers or the local community. Only 15 percent of the global production of the fruit is grown for export.
India is the leading producer of bananas worldwide, accounting for 23 percent of the total banana production, though most of the Indian plantains are for domestic use.
In 1923, sheet music for a popular song titled “Yes, We Have No Bananas!” sold upward of a thousand copies a day.
Harry Belafonte’s version of the “Banana Boat Song” was released on the first album to sell over a million copies, Belafonte’s “Calypso.”

banana is so lovely and all do like to eat it but its not the most nutrient food, apple is healthier to eat and has more benefits thatn banan, but people ten dto eat banana for its amazing taste, one apple is equal to many bananas, and though i eat banan more since it affordable and tasty i have to admit that apple is healthier, and as other member said that apple a day keeps the doctor away, and that is why we have lots of food in different shapes and vitamins and this and that, so we do not get board eating one only, Thank God that we need to eat varity food. it is health and fresh food what make it happy life
thanks for you posting such post, and banana is the same in any place, same formula, there is no bad banana or god banana, so eat any banana so you get literaly exact vitamins, have agood time eating it all people

Thank you. These are all the saying written with experience. Hence, they are golden sayings which one should accept as infallible.
Sometimes, we as innocents may not agree with some of the golden sayings remaining in a cage having four corners but once we come out and go on a living in a dynamic society the value of these sayings can be felt.
Note them all and give a reading at least once in a week to make our life perfect and meaningful.

One can only agree with those sayings if they go through such experiences. Life is indeed has a lot to say.
I agree that we must read those golden sayings regularly to enrich our knowledge about what life is and to live it accordingly.

An officemate told me that a shampoo made of natural products don’t have much bubbles when you use it . have prven it to be true indeed when i bought a shampoo made of moringa. It doesn’t bubble much indeed.
And i never regretted having bought it because my hair doesn’t fall of much already.
Though , I first used it when I also first used the Keratin Hair reborn treatment.
So , i cannot realy say. if t is the moringa shampoo or the Keratin that helped my hair from not falling anymore .

REALLY MA’AM DINA. I HAVEN’T TRIED THAT MORINGA SHAMPOO YET. BUT ACCORDING TO STUDIES, NATURAL PRODUCTS, ALTHOUGH DO NOT HAVE BUBBLES, THEY DO NOT CAUSE MUCH SIDE EFFECTS THAN THOSE OF THE SYNTHETIC PRODUCTS.
I COULD SAY THAT YOUR SHAMPOO AND THE KERATIN WAS A GOOD COMBINATION FOR YOUR HAIR.

Any beauty product will necessarily use hydrogen peroxide, lactic acid, alcohol, salicylic Acid, Benzoic peroxide, and other chemicals which generally cause irritation, rashes and sometimes even more damaging effect to the skin. Though, the sunscreens are not included in the list of beauty products, most of them are generally manufactured along with the beauty products.
One should be more careful while using these chemical beauty products.
my personal experience is that when I used spf 30 as suggested by the salesman in the shop I developed rashes in my face. The face slowly became red and some rashes appeared. Again I contacted the Dermatologist and it took nearly a month to come out of the situation and to become normal.
There are many natural and herbal products available in the market. Better they are used if one wants to enrich one’s beauty.
Actually, the artificial beauty product gives good look, appearance, and a glow to the skin instantly which are generally preferred for attending small function and other family get-to-gether functions and are mostly used and necessary for the Actor/actresses and some other people holding some preferred portfolios and they are not at all meant for the Common public and especially for the teenage girls and boys.

Our skin can absorb up to 60% of the cosmetic products we apply on our skin. As a result, the extensive use of traditional cosmetics leads to a chemical buildup in our body. This can eventually cause numerous health problems. To avoid this, we need to move toward a safer source for our cosmetic needs—such as organic cosmetics.

One benefit of it is they reduce your daily burden of chemicals: Conventional beauty products, irrespective of their price, typically contain numerous toxic substances. Daily use of these products leads to a buildup of chemicals in your body. This chemical buildup can lead to varying health problems, as indicated by the following researches.

• According the research conducted by Dr. Peter Dingle, regular use of sunscreen lotions containing oxybenzone and benzophenones can lead increased itching, burning, allergies, and photo-contact dermatitis.
• Off late there have also been studies that link deodorants with breast cancer. These studies indicate that deodorants contain aluminum and parabens that tend to accumulate in the breast and eventually lead to breast cancer.

This is just the tip of the iceberg; cosmetic products have many harmful chemicals. By using organic healthier cosmetics you can be assured that you are not exposed to toxic and carcinogenic chemicals.

Other benefits of organic cosmetics may include:
1. They are safer: Since organic products are made of natural, organically grown ingredients they are unlikely to cause any negative side-effects. You will be able avoid the following drawbacks associated with conventional cosmetics.

• Excessive dryness and flaking of skin
• Aggravation of breathing problems, sinusitis, and asthma
• Allergic reactions such as rashes
• Damage the skin, hair, and eyes due to overexposure to harsh chemicals
• Increased risk of cancer, liver problems, and immune system damages

2. They are more effective: Organic food has a much higher level of nutrients including essential vitamins, minerals, and secondary metabolites such as phytonutrients, flavonoids, and polyphenols. A group of scientists at Newcastle University have found that organic fruits and vegetables have 12% more nutrients than conventional produce. Thus, organic natural cosmetics are often more effective because they are derived from nutrient-rich sources.

I think i haven’t tastedav avocado i eream yet. though l i love. avocado.
In my opinion, i would rathet bu a commercial avocado icecream than a homemade. I don’t like to tire myself maling it. h e he e

😀 YEAH MAKING ICE CREAM AT HOME COULD BE TIRING IF YOU’RE NOT THAT KIND OF PERSON WHO LOVES TO EXPERIMENT ON FOODS. WELL, FOR ME I’D RATHER BUY ONE TOO. BUT SOMETIMES, WHEN I AM WITH MY SISTER, WE LOVE TO DO SOME FOOD RECIPES AT HOME. IT IS OUR WAY OF BONDING TOGETHER. COOKING-WHILE-CHATTING.

So how come she is now into those smoking and drinking? I suppose she got herself group of friends who are into that?

That is what happens when we have friends who are into vices. We too will surely have those as our vices.

I am proud of myself that when I was in College, I also tried smoking. However, the taste and the bad breath it gives me, made me stop it.

During my early years at work, I also get to drink, but socially. Until now, I drink alcohol on social gatherings. But then, i choose what to drink.

One should just know how to control herself in these kinds of vices. Just knowing the bad effects it would give one’s body, should already make one stop doing these vices.

YEAH, WHEN SHE BEGIN TO WORK AFTER COLLEGE, SHE LEARNT HOW TO GO OUT AT NIGHT WITH HER COLLEAGUES AS SHE TOLD ME. THE FOLLOWING DAYS, WEEKS, AND MONTHS, SHE SAID SHE DIDN’T KNOW WHY SHE COULDN’T SAY NO TO HER WORK MATES.
THEN FINALLY, WE MET ONE TIME AND THAT IS WHAT I OBSERVED TO HER. SHE SMOKES AND SHE ALSO AN ALCOHOL DRINKER. BUT SHE SAID SHE WANT TO STOP IT BUT SHE COULDN’T.
HOPEFULLY, SHE FIND WAYS TO FORGET THOSE VICES.

I do all those things , although with exercise it’s only on weekends. On weekdays, I can;t because I am already tired in the evening when I arrive from work.

As to eating healthy, I do that too, although sometimes I give in to my craving for a cheeseburger.

I also don’t get enough sleep because I really can’t make myself sleep early so Ican complete 7 hours of sleep a night, since I wake up at 5:00 on weekdays.

I guess, I have a mediocre healthy way of living.

Though, I am happy to say that i rarely get sick. In fact , most of my officemates have coughs and colds , luckily I don’t get inflicted. Maybe because I always eat an apple at night for dinner and take fish oil, 1000 mg of ascorbic acid , Vitamin E, B1612 , and fish oil.

I take all those because I want to grow old gracefully.

HI MA’AM DINA, I APPRECIATE YOU FOR MAINTAINING A GOOD AND HEALTHY DIET. IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO HAVE A DAILY EXERCISE SO LONG AS YOU HAVE A HEALTHY BODY. BUT YOU DO EXERCISE AT WEEKENDS, THAT’S A PLUS TOO FOR A FIT BODY. AND YES, WE AVOID GETTING SICK WHEN WE ARE HEALTHY OR OUR IMMUNE SYSTEM IS STRONG THAT COULD FIGHT THOSE DISEASES.

good points there, but i guess living healthy depend not only on what you eat it also the sleep hours differe from person to person, the human has to sleep at least eight hours a day, and that also differ from person to person, the thing is that human needs for food and sleep and work out not the same, depend on their work, as their work maybe a workout, it depends on their food types, some eat food that can give them all the vitamins they want yet it is not good enough or absorbed well if they drank tea after it, as we know theat tea do not allow the absorbtion of iron from the food, though tea it self is healthy for its antioxidants. so it depend on who you are, and the job you have and the age also affect what you need and what you have to do. Health and being healthy differ from country to country, some consider being slim is healthy some consider quite the opposite and find beind fatty person is healthy, and you can for sure not say if this or that right, so theere is no singel rule the health