MORINGA, THE MIRACLES TREE THAT CURES 300 DISEASES

Photo credit: Courtesy

Moringa is a plant whose origin is believed to be India. It is used in the treatment of arthritis, cancer, asthma, stomach pains, heart problems and parasitic infections, among other diseases.

*Allow me to the forester i am just a bit...*

The Moringa Oleifera tree is a fast growing, drought resistant tree producing a tuberous taproot, whose origin is believed to be India.

In the wild it ranges in height from 5 to 12 metres with a straight trunk (10 - 30 cm thick) with corky whitish bark and an open, umbrella shaped crown .

When grown in orchards, the tree is normally cut back every year or two (ratooning) and allowed to regrow to encourage vigorous leaf and pod production and so that the pods and leaves remain within arms reach.

The Moringa Tree grows best in well drained sandy or loamy soil with a slightly acid pH of 6.2 to neutral 7.0 . It can tolerate poor soil including coastal areas.

Photo credit: Courtesy

The plant is small and reaches up to 15 metres in height. It is exceptionally nutritious and can tolerate hostile conditions and poor soils" said one agronomist

Kisumu residents call it mti mboga because of its diverse benefits.

 Botanical name: moringa oleifera

Trade name: moringa, drumstick tree, horseradish tree, ben oil tree, or benzoil tree

The Moringa seeds:

Photo credit: Courtesy

• Moringa seeds have more vitamin C than oranges
• Four times more Vitamin 4 than carrots
• Four times more Calcium than a glass of milk
• Three times more Potassium than a banana
• And two times more Protein than yoghurt.
• The Moringa Powder have:
• 17 times Calcium of Milk
• 15 times Potassium of Banana
• 10 times Vitamin A of Carrot
• 9 times Protein of Yogurt
• 4 times chlorophyll of wheatgrass
• 25 times Iron of Spinach
• Vitamin A to Z, Omega 3, 6, 9 Oil and Zeatin.

#Moringa - Most Nutritious Plant On Land

The Moringa is the world’s most powerful natural multi vitamins and antioxidant. It does not contain just one or two vitamins or antioxidants: Moringa Oleifera contains more than 92 nutrients, 46 types of antioxidants and vitamins A-Z. The next closest plant on earth has only 28 nutrients. 

Moringa has almost all the vitamins found in fruits and vegetables and most in larger proportions. 36 Anti-Inflammatories, 18 Amino Acids, 9 Essential Amino Acids.

#Prevents and Cures Over 300 Illness

Moringa nourish your whole body, kidney, liver, heart, eye, blood vessels. It cures and prevent over 300 illness including diabetes, high blood pressure, arthritis, stroke and cancers. It is also commonly use for energy, slimming, beautiful skin, sleep and strengthening teeth. When taken, it makes you feel good, fresh and energized. Many people who take Moringa live healthily past the age of 90.

HOW TO GROW MORINGA

There are two ways to grow moringa.

“If the ground is wet, you can soak the seeds overnight, then plant the following day. If dry soak for 24 hours to break dormancy.

From Seeds

Farmers are encouraged to soak the seeds to hasten germination.

Soaked seeds take about four to five days to germinate.

1. Make a cutting at least 1" (2.5cm) in diameter and at least six feet (1.8m) long.

2. Dig a hole 3 ft. (1m) x 3 ft. (1m) and 3 ft. (1m) deep.

3. Place cutting in this hole and fill with a mixture of soil, sand and composted manure and pack firmly around base of the cutting.

4. Water generously, but do not drown the cutting in water.

NB: Form a slight dome or cone shape, sloping down away from the cutting. It is desirable that water not touch the stem of the new tree.

From Cuttings

A farmer can also plant 20 to 30cm moringa stems, just as it happens with cassava.

The best method is direct planting from cuttings

They grow quickly even in poor soil and bloom 8 months after planting.

Make a cutting at least 1" (2.5cm) in diameter and at least six feet (1.8m) long. Dig a hole 3 ft. (1m) x 3 ft. (1m) and 3 ft. (1m) deep.

NB: The young seedlings are fragile and often cannot survive transplanting.

1. Choose an area with light and sandy soil, not heavy with clay or water-logged.

2. Dig holes 1 ft (30 cm) square and 1 ft deep. Back-fill the holes with loose soil. Compost or manure will help the tree grow better, even though Moringa trees can grow in poor soils.

3. Plant 3 to 5 seeds in each hole, 2 in. (5 cm) apart. Plant the seeds no deeper than three times the width of the seed (approximately ½ in. or 1.5 cm -- the size of one's thumbnail).

4. Keep the soil moist enough so that the top soil will not dry and choke the emerging saplings, but it should not be too wet or else the seeds can drown and rot.

5. When the saplings are four to six inches tall, keep the healthiest sapling in the ground and remove the rest.

NB: Termites and nematodes can kill a young sapling. Take measures to protect saplings from these two dangers.
If the soil is heavy, dig a larger hole of up to 3 ft (90 cm) in diameter and 3 ft deep, and backfill with 1 part sand and 2 parts original soil. Added compost or manure will help. This will take about one week to start germinating.

In Plastic Bags:

When it is not possible to plant directly in the ground, use the following method:

1. Fill seedling bags with light soil mixture, i.e. 3 parts soil to 1 part sand.

2. Plant two or three seeds in each bag, ¼ in. (0.5 cm) deep.

3. Keep moist but not too wet. Germination will occur within two weeks.

4. Remove extra seedlings, leaving one in each bag.

Seedlings can be transplanted after four to six months when they are 2-3 ft (60-90 cm) high.

Transplanting

When transplanting your saplings (if grown in bags) we suggest transplanting when the sapling is around 60 cm tall and is bushy and strong. Only transplant your sapling when the average temperature warms up especially the evening temperatures.

Transplanting steps:

The ground where the trees are to be planted should be light and sandy, not heavy with clay or water-logged.

Dig a hole 1 ft (30 cm) square and 1 ft deep. Backfill with loose soil. Adding compost or manure will help the trees grow better.

1. Water the planting holes one day before transplanting the seedlings.

2. Plant seedlings in the late afternoon to avoid the hot sun the first day.

3. Make a hole in the pit to accept all soil in the bag. Carefully cut open the sack and place the seedling in the planting hole. Be careful to keep the soil around the seedling's roots intact.

4. Pack soil around the seedling base.

5. Water only lightly for the first few days.
If the seedlings fall over, tie them to a stick for support. Protect young saplings from termites

How to Use Moringa Seeds

Photo credit: Courtesy

The seeds are rather unique in appearance; with grey-ish white ‘wings’ surrounding them. However, just like other seeds, Moringa seeds can be eaten like nuts and added to cereals and trail mixes.

Alternatively, if you are able to find fresh Moringa seeds in your local health shop, serve them boiled like peas with main meals. They can also be steamed or roasted for stews and sauces.

Others suggest the seeds can be popped like popcorn but you should still be weary of how much you intake.

How much should i take?

Moringa seed

Through lab research, the current ‘ideal’ dosage seems to be 150-200mg/kg.

This equivalent to one nut per day

Moringa powder

It’s perfect recommended to sprinkle on salads, soups or blend into your favourite smoothie.

You starting with half a teaspoon per day before building up to 2-4 teaspoons (maximum).

Warnings for Using Moringa Seeds

Like any supplement or medication, there are a few warnings to be aware of before using Moringa seeds for personal benefit.
Despite this supplement being entirely natural, there can be complications and side effects, so it’s best to know a few warnings before beginning any treatment.

Do not take on an empty stomach

It is not advised to eat Moringa seeds on an empty stomach. This may cause vomiting.

Peel the seeds before eating

Some people suggest keeping the peel on and washing the seeds thorough with salt water can be beneficial when trying to lose weight and detox.
However, we would not suggest eating the seeds with the peel on.

Do not eat the seeds if you are pregnant or lactating.

Whilst eating the leaves and powders of the Moringa plant are deemed safe whilst pregnant, the seeds are very high in fibre and concentrates of vitamins so it is not advised to intake these during the pregnancy.

NB: If you are pregnant, breastfeeding or on medication, please consult a doctor before use.

Do not take more than two seeds.

In contrast however, Moringa seeds are great for improve libido and maintaining the reproductive cells. This may be helpful if you are trying to conceive.

Read more about moringa or here for more

Market of moringa seeds in kenya

A kilo of moringa powder costs Sh600 while the same quantity of seeds goes for Sh400

Edom Nutritional Solutions (ENS), a company in Kisumu, Kenya offers ready market for the product.

THE BIG DEBATE AMONG CONSERVATIONISTS

PLASTIC X-MAS TREE OR NATURAL X-MAS TREE???
 

As we usher in the x-mas celebrative mood, environmentally conscious people realize that it comes with both chimings of carols as much as destruction of the lovely trees.

Christmas trees.

Christmas tree is a decorated tree, usually an evergreen conifer such as spruce, pine, or fir or an artificial tree of similar appearance, associated with the celebration of Christmas.

In the face of constrained supply of real Christmas trees, it is important to note that increased use of fake, plastic Christmas trees may only exacerbate the environmental damage. Even if used for six years, a plastic, chemically-laden Christmas tree still has a 60 percent larger environmental footprint than a real tree.

On the hand, it is worth remembering that despite their short lives after having taken 8-12 years to grow to the requisite size, Christmas trees take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen, which plastic trees obviously do not do...

The Big Question

And here comes the question: should fake plastic xmas trees be chosen over natural tree?

Leave your comment below

THE LURKING HORROR THAT IS THE SMARTPHONE CHARGER

A couple of weeks ago a friend of mine posted this:

" Left my charger plugged to the wall after removing my phone... the tip was touching the sofa.. I do not know how to explain.. I came back and found it burnt.. a small part of the sofa burnt too..."

These were some of the sampled comments:

 " Similar happened to us. Gary was charging something (that was resting on an armchair) and the whole lot went up in flames. The armchair cushions weren't flame retardant." Joanna Tomlins

 " power surge my dear. It happened to us a week ago. Ours was in the morning and I saw the charger burst into flames (small though)" Ambila Lilian

From the above comments,  you REALIZE this PHONE CHARGER threat is real !

"BELOW ARE THE FACTS:

👉 Leaving phone chargers plugged to the sockets can cause fire.
 👉 Plugged chargers not in use draw power, albeit minimally i. e. 0.3 kWts/hr

HOW DANGEROUS  IS IT TO LEAVE A CHARGER PLUGGED INTO WALL SOCKET?!

The risk results from the way chargers extract their power. Chargers use the principle of transformers ( some physics here). They convert alternating current, or AC, to direct current, or DC, from the outlet using transformer circuits. Simply, they contain coils which change DC to AC or vice versa.

During this process, heat is generated. When you unplug your electronic device from the charger, this breaks the circuit on the smaller coil, but the bigger coil continues to move electrons. This causes a little bit of power to leak into the charger even if it is not connected to any device. This builds up heat after sometime. If the cable is in contact with fabric, your guess is as right as mine. Fire.

This is made worse by moist surfaces. If the cable's metallic tip ( the part you plug into your phone's charger) of your charger comes into contact with moist surface, a short- circuit is created. Just like connecting +ve and -ve terminal of charged electric wire and BOOM.!!!

The situation worsens when the charger you are using is not of the standard quality.  Standard chargers have an in-built mechanism to break the circuit when the phone is fully charged. Lack of this mechanism makes the chargers to easily cause electrocution as in the picture below.

TAKE CARE, SAVE A LIFE!!!

CYBER BULLYING IS REAL, DO NOT GIVE EXCESS DATA

Cyber bullying is a crime! 

A cybercrime.

To start with let's define the word Cyber Crime.

What does Cyber crime mean?

Cyber crime is defined as a crime in which a computer is the object of the crime (hacking, phishing, spamming) or is used as a tool to commit an offense (child pornography, hate crimes). Cyber criminals may use computer technology to access personal information, business trade secrets or use the internet for exploitive or malicious purposes.
Criminals can also use computers for communication and document or data storage. Criminals who perform these illegal activities are often referred to as hackers. Cyber crime may also be referred to as computer crime.

What Is Cyber bullying?

Cyber bullying includes sending, posting, or sharing negative, harmful, false, or mean content about someone else. It can include sharing personal or private information about someone else causing embarrassment or humiliation. Some cyber bullying crosses the line into unlawful or criminal behavior.

The most common places where cyber bullying occurs are:

Social Media, such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitter SMS (Short Message Service) also known as Text Message sent through devices
Instant Message (via devices, email provider services, apps, and social media messaging features) Email

Warning. Stay Safe !!!

• Keep your computer current with the latest patches and updates.
• Make sure your computer is configured securely.
• Choose strong passwords and keep them safe.
• Protect your computer with security software.
• Protect your personal information.
• Online offers that look too good to be true usually are.
• Review bank and credit card statements regularly.

This is the real story of cyber crime victim that was suicidal...

The first time the police arrived on her doorstep, in March of 2015, Courtney Allen was elated.
She rushed to the door alongside her dogs, a pair of eager Norwegian elkhounds, to greet them. “Is this about our case?” she asked. The police looked at her in confusion. They didn’t know what case she was talking about. Courtney felt her hope give way to a familiar dread.

Three days earlier, Courtney and her husband, Steven, had gone to the police headquarters in Kent, Washington, a suburb of Seattle, and reported that, for the past few months, they had been the victims of a campaign of online harassment. They had found a fake Facebook page under Steven’s name with a profile picture of Courtney, naked. Emails rained down in their inboxes; some called Courtney a cunt, whore, and bitch, and one they felt was a death threat. Her coworkers received emails with videos and screenshots of Courtney, naked and masturbating. The messages came from a wide range of addresses, and some appeared to be from Steven.

There were phone calls too. One to Steven’s grandmother warned that her house might burn down, with her in it, if she didn’t stay out of the Allens’ lives. There were so many calls to the dental office where Courtney worked that the receptionists started to keep a log: “Called and said, ‘Put that dumb cunt Courtney on the phone,’ ” one of them wrote in neat, bubbly handwriting. “I said, ‘She is not here at the moment, may I take a message?’ ” At one point Courtney created a Google Voice number to ask, “If I talk to you, will you leave me alone?” Instead, dozens of voicemails poured in: “Do you think I’m ever going away?” one said. “Now that my private investigator went and got all the tax information? There’s no job either one of you guys can have that I won’t know about and be there.”

The Kent police officer who took the Allens’ statement seemed unsure of what to make of their story. Courtney and Steven told him who they believed was behind the harassment: a man in Arizona named Todd Zonis with whom Courtney had an online relationship that she had recently broken off. She says she told the officers that she had sent Zonis the videos of herself while they were still involved and that he had sent ones of himself to her, but that she had deleted their exchange. In a report, the officer noted that, while Courtney and Steven insisted that his role was obvious, Zonis’ name barely appeared in the folder full of printouts and CDs that they had with them. The officer assigned them a case number and advised them not to have any more contact with Zonis.

Now, three days later, the two officers on Courtney’s doorstep explained why they had come: An anonymous tipster, who claimed to work with Steven, had left a report on the Crime Stoppers website. It said that Steven “had been telling everyone for months that his wife was leaving him but he had a plan to beat her into staying.” The tipster added that he had noticed “a lot of bruises.” When prompted for more information on the suspect, the informant wrote that the Allens had a “large gun collection” and two big dogs. (One detective later noted that some of the reports seemed designed to trigger “a large/violent police response.”)

Three days later, two detectives knocked on the Allens’ door in the early afternoon...Read on here