HOROPITO - NATURALLY ANTI-FUNGAL

The New Zealand native plant Horopito (Pseudowintera colorata) Pepper Tree possesses anti-fungal properties that are today well-documented by scientific research. The main biologically active chemical constituent of Horopito is the sesquiterpene dialdehyde polygodial 1. This Polygodial has been shown to exhibit fungicidal activity against yeasts and filamentous fungi by damaging the membrane of the fungal cell walls. Horopito is most well known for its action against Candida albicans.

With their great knowledge of New Zealand's native flora Maori traditionally utilised the leaves of Horopito to treat skin problems, skin diseases and oral thrush. The leaves were bruised and steeped in water and this lotion was used on ringworm, wounds, chaffed skin, and even venereal disease. A Horopito decoction was created for sick babies. The leaves were steeped in water and this juice was given to babies to treat Candida alibicans (oral thrush) which was a major cause of infant mortality at that time.

Early European settlers named Horopito the Bushman's Pain Killer and chewed the leaves and seeped them for tea to treat diarrhoea and stomach illnesses. In the 19th Century the French Nun, Mother Suzanne Aubert lived with Maori by the Wanganui River and studied Maori herbal knowledge. She cared for orphans and unwed mothers and supported them with the sale of her natural remedies based on Maori herbal lore. She believed that Horopito was a stronger remedy than Quinine (Quinquina) for chronic stomach illnesses although Quinine was the treatment of the day. Her remedy, Karana, contained Horopito and was successfully used throughout New Zealand in the 19th Century.

Today the Herbal Bush Company, Self Heal, reproduce Karana as a natural remedy for stomach upsets and for those with allergies who are susceptible to sprays and environmental toxins.

This is the link to Karana: http://www.purecurenz.com/
catalog/product_info.php?cPath=25&products_id=51

1. McCallion RF, Cole AL, Walker JR, Blunt JW, Munro MH. Antibiotic substances from New Zealand plants, II: Polygodial, an anti-Candida agent from Pseudowintera colorata. Planta Medica 1982;44:134-38.

EXERCISE AWAY THAT DEPRESSION

SELF HEAL BUSH BITTERS has so many healing qualities. It is particularly useful for depression. We recommend you see a doctor for depression first but there is something else you can do too – exercise.

Depression is more common nowadays than ever – the stresses and anxieties of modern life take their toll on our emotional health. We work long hours, we have huge mortgages, we multi-task, and society pressures us to earn more and spend more. It all encourages feelings of helplessness and depression.

Depression can suck all of your energy, make you feel tired and with a feeling of being stuck in a deep, dark hole.

Exercise is wonderful antidote for depression. It can distract your worried thoughts and lift your spirits. Exercise improves emotional and physical health, and so increases feelings of self-esteem. Any form of exercising could help you eliminate stress and frustrations, and you are more likely to have a good nights sleep.

Set easily achievable goals to start with, for example, get out of bed, get dressed, go outside and walk around the block. Add a bit more each day. If you can build this up to exercising three times a day then you are getting outside and getting air and sunshine throughout the day. Do the type of exercise you enjoy – weights, jogging, yoga, biking, etc. And exercise with others to increase your social interactions and shared experiences.

www.purecurenz.com

HARAKEKE PHORIUM TENAX

New Zealand’s answer to Aloe Vera!

New Zealand Flax is a lowland swamp dweller but is also found throughout New Zealand bush and gardens. For Maori Tohunga (healers) Harakeke has many physical and spiritual healing uses. The leaves of the plant are so strong that they were used traditionally for binding broken bones.

Each part of the plant has a specific purpose – the leaves and roots can be beaten into a poultice, roasted and applied to abscesses in order to draw the toxins to the surface. The gum is a powerful agent and was used to treat burns, scalds, sunburn, and wounds. It was also pushed into holes in molars to treat toothache and applied to the skin to treat ringworm.

Harakeke has an important spiritual role in Maori healing. TheTohunga used the leaves to determine the health of the patient in a very unique way - if the leaf made a screeching sound as it was pulled from the flax clump this signified that the patient would recover.

To check out our popular Self Heal Harakeke Cream for wounds/bites/cuts/rashes that are hard to heal -

http://www.purecurenz.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=34&products_id=60

AID TO BURMA / MYANMAR

The devastating cyclone, Nargis, has destroyed towns, villages, lives in the Irawaddy Delta area of Burma. If you would like to donate money to the Burmese people visit the Red Cross websites:

www.redcross.org.nz
www.redcross.org.uk
www.redcross.org

The dictator generals aren't doing anything to help the people. They have a huge army but it has only been trained to kill.

The Burmese need our help.

GIVE NOW.

QUICK SUSTAINABLE IDEAS

1. Collect your shower water in a fabric collapsible bucket and use the water for the garden. Don't let bathwater go down the plughole. Use a bucket and water the garden - good weight-training exercise too!

2. Don't line the bin with a plastic bag - use newspaper.

3. Don't use plastic bags at the supermarkets - cloth reusable bags only

4. Have long curtains at every window (thermal) - on curtain rail attach a long board so there is no gap above the rail.

5. When you need to travel - run, cycle, walk, bus, train, donkey. Avoid the car.