As an endorser of holistic health, Herbana believes that true health is achieved when all the body systems are in tuned with each other through a natural mechanism. That is why our products are solely plant-based, with each herb playing a significant role in improving a specific bodily function. This week, we are going to highlight 4 Pillars of Health, which we strive in promoting towards a better health for the society.
1. Digestion
You are what you eat. This quote literally rings true to the fact that optimal health throughout the body must begin in the gut as the sole place where nutrients are absorbed, processed and sent throughout our body. The gut-brain connection however, is intricate: the microbiota in our gut can influence our serotonin levels and, in turn, our mood. That is why a healthy gut is crucial to maintain a healthy mind. Recommended herbs to maintain digestion includes kunyit (turmeric) and jahe merah.
Tips to Improve Digestion
Consuming a diet that is high in fiber and rich in whole grains, vegetables and fruits can improve your digestive health. High-fiber diet helps to keep food moving through your digestive tract, making you less likely to get constipated. It can also help you prevent or treat various digestive conditions, as well as achieving or maintaining a healthy weight. Both soluble and insoluble types of fiber are equally important to help your digestive system in different ways. Good sources of insoluble fiber include wheat bran, vegetables, and whole grains, while getting soluble fiber from oat bran, nuts, seeds, and legumes.
Secondly, try to incorporate probiotics into your diet. Since they are the same kind of healthy bacteria naturally present in your digestive tract, probiotics help keep the body healthy by combating the effects of a poor diet, antibiotics, and stress. They can also enhance nutrient absorption and strengthen your immune system
Last but not least, keep yourself properly hydrated. Drinking plenty of water is good for your digestive health. Fiber pulls water into the colon to create softer, bulkier stools, allowing them to pass through your large intestines more easily, thus reducing constipation.
2. Detoxification
As an important organ that performs many vital roles in the body, the liver takes a great role in energy production, blood-sugar regulation and hormone regulation, including converting toxic substances to nontoxic forms which are then excreted through the kidneys.
Alcohol and unhealthy lifestyle are often blamed for toxin build-ups in the liver. Processed & packaged foods contain excessive oil, salt and sugar, causing various health issues in your body. Pesticide sprayed fruits and veggies can also be equally harmful and pleads for detoxification to take over and improve your health. Recommended herb to help with detoxification includes temulawak (Curcuma xanthorriza).
Practical tips to detoxify your body
In order to take care of this crucial functions of the liver, detoxification is often needed to lighten the burden that you have been putting on by consuming fried, processed and refined foods. Though you may not want to abstain from it, but reducing the consumption of oil, salt and sugar to minimum can be your initial step towards better health. Opt for organic fruits and veggies rather than consuming pesticide-sprayed produce.
Another important substance on detoxification is water. While not only removing unwanted toxins which have occupied a huge space in your body, it also helps in weight loss, skin issues like acne and boosts ones energy levels to optimum. Make sure you consume at least 4-5 liters of water per day.
Lastly, exercising is a way of saying yes to a healthier body. Not only it can help you stay fit and healthy, but also helps you get rid of the unwanted toxins. The skin is capable of removing metals like arsenic, lead and mercury through sweat. Just like defecation and urination, sweating is an effective means of detoxification.
3. Immunity
As a self-defense system against incoming ilnesses, immunity is highly important to be given full attention to. Here are several very easy, all-natural steps you can take to strengthen your immune system and arm yourself against common ilnesses. Recommended herb to improve immunity includes jinten, meniran and kulit manggis.
Tips to build better immunity
With such busy schedules most of us lead, getting enough rest every night is more important than you might think. Insufficient sleep depresses the immune system, opening the door to colds, upper-respiratory infections, and other nagging ills. It is also good to consider your caffeine intake and not letting it keep you from getting a good night’s sleep.
Secondly, consuming ascorbic acid or commonly known as Vitamin C, can really help building a better defense system against incoming viruses. Vitamin C, mainly found in citrus fruits and kiwi, may boost the immune system by attacking the nucleic acid of the virus.
One of the most overlooked step is eliminating your sugar intake. It will do the most good as refined sugar dramatically decreases immune function. Many scientists and nutritionists consider added sugar in any form to be a drug because of its negative impact on the human body. Healthier sweeteners such as honey can be used in moderation, but avoid artificial sweeteners as they are even more toxic than cane sugar.
4. Energy / Mood
This brings us to the final pointer, something that most people struggle to keep good care of. While it is not as easy to measure like the other factors, mood and energy can be controlled through consuming proper food and doing the right things. Recommended herbs to consume for improving energy & mood includes pasak bumi, jahe merah and jinten hitam.
Tips for better energy & mood
One of the proven ways to improve energy and mood is to consume adaptogenic herbs. Ginger, jinten and ginseng, which all belongs to the adaptogen family, helps normalize levels of cortisol and supports adrenal glands. They are known to be natural mood enhancers as both are anti-anxiety and antidepressant, help normalize metabolism and improve stamina.
Exercise is also one of the most important things you can do to combat stress. While it might seem contradictory, but putting physical stress on your body through exercise can help relieve mental stress. People who exercise regularly are less likely to experience anxiety than those who don't exercise, as it lowers your body's stress hormones such as cortisol. It also helps release endorphins, which are chemicals that improve your mood and act as natural painkillers.
Drinking green tea is proven to be beneficial as well, as it contains many polyphenol antioxidants which provide health benefits. It may help stress and anxiety by increasing serotonin levels. If you are more of a coffee person, be wary of the caffeine dosage you consume. A stimulant found in coffee, tea, chocolate and energy drinks, high doses of caffeine can increase stress and anxiety. If you notice that caffeine makes you jittery or anxious, consider cutting back as people's sensitivity to caffeine can vary greatly.
