Black Seed Products

Type II diabetes is one of the most common metabolic disorders in the world. The use of traditional botanical and herbal supplements among those who have the condition and those who are at risk is increasing, according to surveys conducted in several countries.Researchers are currently evaluating the benefits of Black Seed oil and other “folk” remedies in the treatment of type II diabetes for two main reasons. One reason is to insure that patients who use these alternative medicines are not at risk of detrimental side effects. The other is to evaluate the effectiveness of alternative remedies, since available pharmaceutical options are limited, have unwanted side effects and are ineffective in the long term.Research on the benefits of Black Seed oil is considered preliminary, as studies are being done using animal models, but the results are promising. It has been shown that an extract from Nigella Sativa seeds can reduce elevated blood sugar levels and the antioxidant activity of the extract may prevent the complications associated with uncontrolled type II diabetes.To learn about other supplements that can naturally lower blood sugar levels or for general information about type II diabetes, please visit the Diabetes Type Two Info Guide....

Antioxidant activity of Nigella Sativa essential oil. by M Burits, F BucarAbstract The essential oil of Black Cumin seeds, Nigella Sativa L., was tested for a possible antioxidant activity. A rapid evaluation for antioxidants, using two TLC screening methods, showed that thymoquinone and the components carvacrol, t-anethole and 4-terpineol demonstrated respectable radical scavenging property. These four constituents and the essential oil possessed variable antioxidant activity when tested in the diphenylpicrylhydracyl assay for non-specific hydrogen atom or electron donating activity. They were also effective.OH radical scavenging agents in the assay for non-enzymatic lipid peroxidation in liposomes and the deoxyribose degradation assay. GC-MS analysis of the essential oil obtained from six different samples of Nigella sativa seeds and from a commercial fixed oil showed that the qualitative composition of the volatile compounds was almost identical. Differences were mainly restricted to the quantitative composition....

Scientific Name: Nigella Sativa Common Name: Black Seed, Black Cumin, black caraway, black onion seed, kalonji Clinical Summary: Nigella Sativa is a flowering plant found throughout India, Arabia, and Europe. The seeds, commonly known as Black Seeds or Black Cumin, are used in cooking and in traditional medicine for inflammation, infection, and cancer. Constituents from Nigella sativa demonstrated immunomodulatory (1) (2) (11), antioxidant (15), antiparasitic (13) and hepatoprotective effects (14) in vitro and in animal studies. Nigellone, a component of Nigella sativa seed, may be useful in the treatment of diarrhea, asthma (21), and hypertension (5) (10) (22). Thymoquinone exhibited anti-epileptic effects in children with refractory seizures (23). Nigella sativa may also relieve symptoms of allergic reactions(12), but allergic contact dermatitis was reported with topical use (19). Evidence also suggests that Nigella sativa has anticancer properties. The constituents of the seeds, including thymoquinone, reduced the growth and size of tumors in rats (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) ; thymoquinone also enhanced the anticancer effects of doxorubicin in certain cancer cell lines (25). Nigella sativa oil, when injected, demonstrated a protective effect against tissue damage caused by radiation in rats (15). Human studies are lacking. Adverse effects are rare, but high doses of...

I am constantly surprised of the healing potential of Black Cumin seed. Not so well known in the Western world it is famous as being a cure for all illnesses in the Orient. Science has just revealed that Thymoquinone (TQ), a compound present in the oil of black seeds is useful in treating pancreatic cancer. This cancer is one of the most severe cancers where the survival rate is extremely low. Black Seed is highly revered in the Orient due to the saying of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SWS) "Hold on to the use of the Black Seed for indeed it has a remedy for every disease except death." Although this statement may appear to be unbelievable, it is more astounding how over 700 research papers are uncovering more and more healing capacities of this timeless herb including various cancers, tumour removal, parasites the list is actually too great to list here. It has to date received 6 patents for 1) Use of Nigella Sativa for inhibition of cancer cell growth US Patent No 5653981 2)Use of Nigella Sativa to increase immune function US Patent No 5482711 3) Herbal composition for diabetes using 23% nigella sativa US Patent No 6042834 4) Asthma/allergy therapy using nigella...

Sinusitis refers to inflammation of the sinus passage and over secretion of mucus by the membrane lining the nose and throat. It is often followed by a common cold, influenza and other general infections.Excessive or constant sneezing, running nose, blockage of one or both nostrils, headaches and pressure around the head, eyes and face, fever, lack of appetite and difficulty in breathing are symptoms of sinusitis.Try some of these home remedies for sinuses -- A tsp of Black Cumin seeds tied in a thin cotton cloth provides relief when inhaled.- Take few capsules of cayenne during or after each meal for several days till the infection is cleared up. Alternatively put 1 tsp of cayenne in cup of hot water and drink a cupful of this thrice a day.- Add few drops of eucalyptus oil to 1/2 cup boiling water. Pour the mixture into a bowl and inhale the steam for 10 - 15 minutes with your head covered with a large towel.- Put few drops of eucalyptus oil on your handkerchief and sniff periodically.- Dissolve 1 tsp of salt in 2 cups of water and use it through a nasal inhaler.- Make a nasal flush by mixing 1/4 tsp salt,...

Black Seed is a plant. People have used the seed to make medicine for over 2000 years. It was even discovered in the tomb of King Tut. Historically, Black Seed has been used for headache, toothache, nasal congestion, and intestinal worms. It has also been used for “pink eye” (conjunctivitis), pockets of infection (abscesses), and parasites. Today, black seed is used for treating digestive tract conditions including gas, colic, diarrhea, dysentery, constipation, and hemorrhoids. It is also used for respiratory conditions including asthma, allergies, cough, bronchitis, emphysema, flu, swine flu, and congestion. Other uses include lowering blood pressure, treating cancer, ridding the intestine of parasitic worms, and boosting the immune system. You may read that a patent has been issued to cover the use of black seed to improve immunity, but don’t be misled. The presence of a patent doesn’t mean black seed has been shown to be effective for this use. Women use black see for birth control, to start menstruation, and to increase milk flow. Black seed is sometimes used in combination with cysteine, vitamin E, and saffron to ease the side effects of a chemotherapy drug called cisplatin. Some people apply black seed directly to the skin for...

Effectiveness, safety, and tolerability of powdered Nigella Sativa (kalonji) seed in capsules on serum lipid levels, blood sugar, blood pressure, and body weight in adults: results of a randomized, double-blind controlled trial. Qidwai W, Hamza HB, Qureshi R, Gilani A.Source 1 Department of Family Medicine, Aga Khan University, Stadium RoadP.O. Box 3500, Karachi 74800, Pakistan. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Abstract OBJECTIVE: The seed extracts from Nigella Sativa is used by Unani physicians of traditional medicine (Hakims or Tabibs) and Ayurvedic practitioners (Vaids) in the treatment of several medical disorders including dyslipidemia, obesity, and hypertension. It is, therefore, important to prove or disprove the effectiveness, safety, and tolerability of powdered N. sativa (Kalonji) seed in capsules on serum lipid levels, blood sugar, blood pressure, and body weight in adults. DESIGN: The study design was a randomized, double-blind trial. SETTINGS/LOCATION: Conducted at Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, from February 2006 to January 2007. SUBJECTS: Half of the respondents received powdered N. sativa (Kalonji) seed in capsule and the rest received a placebo. INTERVENTION/OUTCOME: Baseline and after-intervention variables recorded were the following: body-mass index, waist-hip ratio, blood pressure, fasting blood sugar, serum lipids, serum alanine aminotransferase, and serum creatinine. RESULTS: One hundred and twenty-three (123) patients...

Hernia is an opening in the muscular structure of the wall of the abdomen. The weakness in the wall causes damage to the abdominal wall leading to protrusion through the thin membrane. The bulging contents usually remain in the naturally formed cavity. The contents of protrusion are mainly portions of intestines or abdominal fatty tissue. Even though theory mentions that hernia can occur anywhere but, the common region of occurrence is the abdominal area.Small hernias are not much of a threat to you. But large hernias can cause heartburn and chest pain. They all run at a risk of getting their blood supply cut off, which is one of the problematic issues to deal with. When the contents in the hernia sac faces shortage of blood, it becomes a serious issue leading to surgical assistance.There are different types of hernia- Inguinal hernia- Indirect inguinal hernia- Direct inguinal hernia- Femoral hernia- Umbilical hernia- Incisional hernia- Spigelian hernia- Obturator hernia- Epigastric herniaSome of the common causes leading to hernia- Umbilical hernia can be present at birth- Obesity- Lifting weights- Coughing- Straining during a bowel movement or urination- Lung disease- Presence of fluid in abdominal cavity- Hereditary- Pressure on abdomen during pregnancyThe signs and...

Our immune system is our main fighter against anything foreign in our bodies. It protects us from diseases by recognizing and eliminating and removing that foreign material from our bodies. Introduction to a variety of chemicals can affect our system badly and put us at risk for illness and disease. Allergies are caused by an over sensitive immune system which leads to a misdirected immune response. Our immune system should protect our bodies against harmful substances like viruses and bacteria. When the body has an allergic reaction it's our bodies immune system reacting to some substance or allergy which is generally harmless to most people and will not cause an immune response. Allergies (including asthma) however are abnormal inflammatory responses of the immune system to dust, pollen, a food or some other substance. Those that involve an antibody called immunoglobulin E (IgE) occurs immediately or within an hour. Reactions may include coughing, sneezing, runny nose, hives, diarrhea, facial swelling, shortness of breath, a swollen tongue, difficulty swallowing, lowered blood pressure, excessive perspiration, fainting, anaphylactic shock or even death. There are some great Natural asthma treatments that may help you with your asthma better than what you're using now. I'm by no...

Menopause relief is possible through self care. Western doctors treat women in menopause like they have a disease. In truth, menopause is a transitional imbalance, a change that can be comforted with some study and experimentation. Peri-menopausal woman report experiencing symptoms including hot flashes, anger, urinary tract infections, irritability, hyperacidity, skin breakouts (acne), rashes, low sex drive, mood swings, and more. If the sole cause of menopause is a loss of hormones, as is commonly believed in the west, then why do some women experience no symptoms at all during menopause while others can no relief from menopause? In the Ayurvedic tradition (medical practice of India), doctors report that if a woman reaching this stage already has an imbalance often caused by a diet of fast food, or eating foods with chemicals and preservatives causing an accumulation of digestive impurities, or if stress is a daily experience, she is likely to report more symptoms at this stage in life. What are some of the things a woman can do to treat her most prevalent and disturbing symptoms? Diet is a good place to start. If you have hot flashes and mood swings, avoid spicy foods such as chili, cayenne and black...

Mediterranean diet is basically the dietary traditions followed by the people of Greece, Spain and southern Italy who live around the Mediterranean Sea. It has been studied by an American Dr Ancel Keys when he landed in Greece in 1945. He discovered that the people of Greece and Spain had longer life expectancy and didn’t have any major health problem.Their diet mainly consists of lots of food from plant sources freshly eaten minimally processed, locally grown, and seasonal and very little food from animal sourcesFoods mainly are fresh fruits, vegetables, sea fresh fish, herbs, bread, grains, nuts and seeds, non refined oils like olive oil which is 25% to 35% of fat consumed and low consumption of saturated fats, moderate consumption of cheese and yoghurt, honey and fresh fruits for desserts, lots of fresh fish and non refined cereals. Vegetables consumed should be at least 1 pound and red meat consumed sparingly only. Lots of physical activity and consumption of wine if taken should only be 1 glass for women and 2 glasses for men daily with meals.Fruits are mainly grapes, raisins olives, avocado, strawberries, raspberries, currant, blue berries grapes, black olives, orange, apple, pear, figs, pomegranates, dates, passion fruits, cherry,...

Inducting Rasayana Therapy in Our Daily RoutineIntroduction:   Ayurveda , the oldest health science  has eight branches. Rasayana (rejuvenation) is one of them. Rasa has different meanings like ”juice”, "taste “, “essence," "flavor”, or “emotion", but is not limited to any of these in itself. In therapeutic process Rasa is concerned with the conservation, transformation, and revitalization of energy. Rasa nourishes our body, boosts immunity and helps to keep the body and mind in best of health.The Aim Of Rsayana : The Rasayana therapy enhances the qualities of rasa, enriches it with nutrients. With such enriched   excellent Rasa, one attains longevity, memory, intelligence, freedom from disorder, youthfulness, excellence of luster, complexion & voice, optimum development of physique and sense organs, mastery over phonetics, respectability and brilliance. Types of Rasayana:  1. Types of rasayana preparations which can be consumed according to the needs.A. Kamya Rasayanas : Kamya rasayanas are promoters of normal health. These boost body energy levels, immunity and general health.•    Pranakamya –  Promoter  of vitality and longevity•    Medhakamya – Promoter of intelligence.•    Srikamya   – Promoter of complexion.B. Naimittika Rasayana- : Naimittika rasayanas help to fight a specific disease.2. Types of Rasayanas on the basis of place of TherapyA.    Kuti  Praveshika Rasayana...

Most people think that you can’t possibly eat Indian food, if you’re on a slimming diet.  That’s a fair statement if you always eat Indian food in restaurants, because many traditional Indian recipes involve either deep frying or the use of ghee (clarified butter).  However, if you cook Indian food at home, it can easily form part of a weight loss regime, just the same as any other food.  You just need to follow a few simple general rules.- Avoid altogether recipes which involve deep frying. - If you need to seal meat before braising it for a curry, use a good non-stick pan and a spray bottle with sunflower or vegetable oil in it.  Lightly spray the surface of your pan with oil and that should be enough to prevent the meat from sticking while you brown it.- If a recipe includes cream or coconut cream, substitute plain yoghurt and another flavouring to replace the coconut.Tandoori recipes are great as part of a low calorie or low carbohydrate diet.  Just marinade some fish (cubed or whole), chicken (cubed or in pieces) or prawns (shrimp) in a mixture of low fat plain yogurt, ground turmeric, ground coriander, ground cumin, crushed garlic,...

Sinusitis refers to inflammation of the sinus passage and over secretion of mucus by the membrane lining the nose and throat. It is often followed by a common cold, influenza and other general infections.Excessive or constant sneezing, running nose, blockage of one or both nostrils, headaches and pressure around the head, eyes and face, fever, lack of appetite and difficulty in breathing are symptoms of sinusitis.Try some of these home remedies for sinuses -- A tsp of Black Cumin seeds tied in a thin cotton cloth provides relief when inhaled.- Take few capsules of cayenne during or after each meal for several days till the infection is cleared up. Alternatively put 1 tsp of cayenne in cup of hot water and drink a cupful of this thrice a day.- Add few drops of eucalyptus oil to 1/2 cup boiling water. Pour the mixture into a bowl and inhale the steam for 10 - 15 minutes with your head covered with a large towel.- Put few drops of eucalyptus oil on your handkerchief and sniff periodically.- Dissolve 1 tsp of salt in 2 cups of water and use it through a nasal inhaler.- Make a nasal flush by mixing 1/4 tsp salt,...

Boil is a localized collection of pus surrounded by inflamed tissue in the skin. It starts off as reddened tender area and over a period of time, the area around it becomes firm and hard. The center of the boil full of pus is soft and is filled with infection fighting white blood cells, bacteria and proteins that eradicate the infection. Finally the pus forms a head, which can be surgically opened or drained out through the surface of the skin.One can not pinpoint the reason for the occurrence of boils. They can be caused by ingrown hair, any splinter or foreign object lodged in the skin or clogged sweat glands that become infected to name a few. Boils can happen to young and old alike. It is one of the common skin infections ranging from the severity of a pimple to an abscess. Boils can be treated either with home remedies or medications. Any painful boil that is not rapidly improving should be seen by the healthcare practitioner.The primary treatment for boils is heat application in form of hot soaks or hot packs. Application of hot compress increases the circulation to the area, allowing the body to fight off the...

Food poisoning is caused by eating organisms or toxins present in food or drinks. Staphylococcus or E. coli is one of the commonest bacteria which results in food poisoning. Due to improper handling, this kind of a contamination happens. Even though it is a very common condition it can get worse depending on the degree of contamination. Some common foods which can cause food poisoning if proper care is not taken are raw poultry, unpasteurized milk, red meat, poisonous mushrooms, pesticides on fruits and vegetables, egg and raw egg products, raw meat and water.The symptoms are so mild that we hardly register it in our minds. The symptoms develop within one hour or it may show up within 12-48 hours. It lasts for more than two days but, depending on its seriousness it may take around a week to recover.You may have bouts of vomiting, abdominal cramps and pain, diarrhea and similar other pains. If it is very serious you may have chills and fever, bloody stools, dehydration, muscle aches and weakness. In rare cases it may lead to brain damage causing paralysis or death.Pesticide, chemicals, heavy metals, parasites, fungi, viruses and bacteria are some of the common causes for food...

Ayurveda recommends foods for people according to their primary body type. The reason this is done is because it is believed foods can be both healing, and the source of imbalance and difficulties. By eating foods according to our Ayurvedic body type, the belief is that we will accumulate less Ama, or waste, in the body.In Ayurveda, people are classified according to three principles, vata, kapha, and pitta. But it's important to understand that although we may be dominant in one principle, we actually have all three present in our body. The others are in a smaller ration. Most people will actually be a combination of two of these principles, with the third only playing a minor role. But because we all contain the three, any of them can get out of balance.PittaCharacteristics of Pitta dominant body types* determination* strong willed* good digestion* initiative* energy* passionate about many thingsAyurveda's Pitta constitution is calmed by cooling foods, such as fresh fruit and vegetables. Bitter green vegetables like watercress, parsley, collards and most greens suit pitta. Fruits that suit pitta body types include sweet berries, sweet apples and apricots, coconut, figs, mango, sweet oranges and pineapples, plums, watermelon, pomegranates, and prunes.Other cooling foods...

Since my diagnosis with diabetes at the age of eleven, my own diet has changed dramatically.  I maintain my current healthy weight with a great diet/eating plan. If you do plan on losing more than about a stone in weight then I would visit your doctor for more tips on how to do this without risk.  I've had diabetes for seven years now, but to tell you that how I maintain weight is perfect would be totally wrong of me.  However, I can advise you to follow my steps because I know what works and what doesn't. Before I really begin I must also say that I have been brought up by great parents who taught me to eat everything, and so I do! If there is something that you don't like, there are loads of other diabetic recipes and ideas that you will eat and appreciate.I am a university student and I like to buy fresh and organic produce from where I live. I believe that this is important because it can be the most good for your body and contain more nutrients and vitamins than most supermarket produce. I like to source food from my fortnightly farmers market in...

What is Black Seed? An annual herbaceous plant, Black Seed (Nigella Sativa) is believed to be indigenous to the Mediterranean region but has been cultivated into other parts of the world including Saudi Arabia, northern Africa and parts of Asia. Tiny and hairy, being no more than 3mm in length, black seed originates from the common fennel flower plant (Nigella Sativa) of the buttercup (Ranunculaceae) family. Nigella sativa is sometimes mistakenly confused with the fennel herb plant (Foeniculum vulgare). The plant has finely divided foliage and pale bluish purple or white flowers. The flowers grow terminally on its branches while the leaves grow opposite each other in pairs, on either side of the stem. Its lower leaves are small and petiole, and the upper leaves are long (6-10cm). The stalk of the plant reaches a height of twelve to eighteen inches as its fruit, the black seed, matures. Nigella sativa reproduces with itself and forms a fruit capsule which consists of many white trigonal seeds. Once the fruit capsule has matured, it opens up and the seeds contained within are exposed to the air, becoming black in color (black seeds). Nigella sativa and its black seed are known by other names,...