A neem plant at Mantri backyard, planted by Mrs & Mr Nambiar(G-001), the first resident of our complex.Residents have since planted four other neems at Mantri's.
What do we do when we get a chain mail forwarded into our Inbox ? Most of us, most of the time, reach for 'delete' button. But when I got this one on 'the many wonders of neem' I couldn't trash it . But I didn't wish to blog about it either without a cross-check, without doing some Google search for endorsement .
Google search took me
a website about motherhood where someone wrote -
My mother in law once visited our home and saw the Neem tree. She said it is known in Kenya to treat '40 diseases'.
Another
web reference on
neem had this to say:
Neem extracts have been approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for use on food crops. It has been proven in various research studies that Neem is non-toxic to birds, beneficial insects or humans and protects crops from over 200 of the most costly pests.
Following is the edited version of the 'forwarded mail' I saved for sharing. Thank you, E R Ramachandran, a blogger friend who sent me the mail.
1) Neem is fast growing, evergreen, has medicinal attributes to treat 40 different ailments. All parts of the tree is used for treating illness - leaves, fruit, seeds and even the bark contain medicinal properties.
2) People call it 'Divine Tree, “Village Pharmacy”, “Heal All” and “Nature’s Drugstore”.
3) Diabetes: Neem has been found to have reduced insulin requirement by as much as 50% without altering the blood glucose levels. Take 3 to 5 drops internally each day.
4) Neem cleanses blood, stimulates antibody protection and strengthens the immune system.
5) As a mouth wash it treats infections, mouth ulcers, bleeding sore gums; even helps prevent tooth decay!
6)For pink eye the juice of neem leaves can be used as eye drops, warm 5-10 ml and apply several drops.
7) Jaundice - mix 30 ml of neem juice with 15 ml of honey, take it on empty stomach for seven days.
8) For burning sensations, excessive sweating, add 5 to 10 drops of neem oil in a glass of milk before going to bed.
9)Psoriasis - 2 capsules,taken three times daily after meals with a glass of water. Another treatment for psoriasis, eczema, skin ulcers, fungal conditions, cold sores and athletes foot, is to mix 1 tablespoon neem oil and 4 ounces of olive oil. This should be applied at least twice daily to the affected areas.
10) Acne problems - take 2 capsules twice daily.
11) Moles and warts removal - one drop of undiluted neem oil should be directly applied to the mole or wart and then covered with a small bandage. The procedure should be repeated daily using fresh oil and clean bandage.
12)Sinusitis - plain pure neem oil can be used as nasal drops. Use two drops twice daily, morning and evening.
13)Athletes foot - soak feet in warm water with 15 ml of neem oil.
14) Earaches - warm some oil and apply a few drops into the ear.
15) Hemorrhoids - apply some neem oil to a cotton ball and gently rub for about a week. If preferred, a paste can be made by adding a small amount of olive oil or Aloe Vera oil until desired consistency is reached.
16) Prevent hair loss - mix a few drops of neem oil with coconut or olive oil and massage into scalp.This can even prevent hair graying!
17) Cuts and abrasions - Neem helps. Increases blood flow which aids in creating the collagen fibers that helps the wounds to close.
18)Burns, sunburn - neem oil can kill the bacteria, reduce the pain and stimulate the immune system.
19) Head lice - neem oil should be massaged into the scalp and left on over-night. Shampoo your hair as usual the next morning.
20) Neem detoxifies body, helps maintain circulatory systems, digestive and respiratory systems and helps keep the urinary tract free of infections.
21)Lab studies incidcate neem can treat symptoms of food poisoning associated with both salmonella and staphylococcus. Neem extracts kill the salmonella bacteria and flush it out of your system, reducing the severity and length of the ailment.
22) Chicken pox - neem paste applied directly to the sores caused by chicken pox, will relieve itching and reduce scarring.
23) Neem tea taken twice weekly can even help prevent colds. If you already have the symptoms associated with a cold they can be lessened by drinking neem tea three times a day.It will help alleviate the fever, cough, aches and pains, sore throat, fatigue and nasal congestion.
24) Neem has anti-fungal properties that have been shown to aide in the treatment of athletes foot, yeast infections, thrush and even ringworm.
25) In treating hepatitis, 80% of test subjects showed improvement. Neem extract can block the infection that causes this virus.
26) Drinking neem tea during an outbreak of influenza helps alleviate symptoms and speed up the recovery.Neem has ability to work around viruses and prevent them from even infecting the cells.
27) Neem based powder used for jock itch will reduce itching, dry the area and kill the fungus.For severe cases a neem lotion may be more effective.
28)The length and severity of an outbreak of mononucleosis can be decreased by drinking neem tea twice a day for two weeks.
29) Shingles - neem cream should be applied to the affected area at least three times a day. Severe cases should also be treated with neem tea after each meal, but tea should not be consumed for more than two weeks at a time.
30) Thrush can be treated with neem tea, it can reduce inflammation, pain and speed healing.
31) Children under the age of 12 should not drink neem tea, for children this young it should only be used to gargle.
32) Secondary bacterial infections in the nasal passages and respiratory system can be decreased by inhaling steam from boiling the leaves.
33) Study on neem shows cholesterol levels can be brought down when taken for a month in either the capsule form or the extract.
34)Scientific studies show that neem reduces blood clot, heart irregularities and even reduce blood pressure. Results can be seen within one month on a regimen of extract or capsules.
34) Neem increases production of T-cells in body to fight infections.
35) Neem oil on the skin is known to actually rejuvenate the skin; promote collagen and will work to treat many skin conditions including acne. Acne can be cleared up within days by taking two neem capsules twice daily.
36) Neem will help in fighting chronic fatigue.
37) Headache - neem powder should be applied to the forehead, neem oil should also work.
38) Inflammation, pain and swelling of the joints associated with arthritis can be greatly relieved with the use of neem.
39) Clinical research has shown remarkable effects in the reduction of tumors.
40) Neem is effective in treating gastritis, indigestion and heartburn.Blood disorders such as blood poisoning, kidney problems and poor circulation have been benefited by the use of neem.
Neem is being studied as a treatment for AIDS, cancer, allergies, diabetes and both male and female forms of birth control!
Neem oil should be stored in a cool dark place, if the oil solidifies it can be placed in warm water to bring back to liquid form.
