Practical 4-Wheeling

Getting to the exotics require the right equipment. The pitcher plant shown above is accessible only in certain areas in the rain forest. Getting there is itself an adventure. I remembered one time my 4WD truck was stuck and in spite of engaging low ratio and all wheel drive, I was not able to nudge the vehicle much further. Getting down I realized the rear left side wheel was lodged inside a rain induced rut. The steep incline of the rut had trap the vehicle by its chassis and in spite of the wheel spinning, the truck would not come out. It was back to the old fashioned method of extraction - by using a spade to clear out the extra height of the rut. After 10 minutes of digging the land rover came out quite easily. The moral of the lesson is this. Never under estimate the power of going down to the field and taking a first hand observation of what the problem is!

Smell the Flowers

This week is in fact a very busy one. Accounts have to be closed up and company and society's annual general meetings have to be conducted. The Registrar of Companies and Societies decree that in fact no entity is to hold its AGM later than March 31, if its operating cycle is from 1st January to 31st of December. That is to say, accountants and secretaries will burn the midnight candle to some extent to ready the audits and meetings' minutes. Not long after the loathesome taxmen will come knocking. In many countries the tax season will run from February to April. Hence the title of today's Post - Smell the Flowers. In spite of the topsy turvy and tumble of corporate rat races, the stress and the grind, its good to be able to come home at the end of the day and be in an entirely different environ. How good it feels to take a hot shower, be massaged, smell the flowers, and be pampered!!

Neem Tree - Azadirachta indica

Multitude of Uses and Remedies Include:
• AIDS - The National Institutes of Health reports encouraging results as an AIDS preventative and possible cure using neem extracts.


• Allergies - Neem inhibits allergic reactions when applied externally or eaten.


• Birth control (men) - In India and the United States, trials show neem extracts reduced fertility in male monkeys without inhibiting libido or sperm production, making it potentially the first male birth control pill.


• Birth control (women) - Used as a vaginal lubricant, neem oil was up to 100 percent effective in preventing pregnancy.


• Cancer/immune - Polysaccharides and limonoids found in neem bark, leaves, and seed oil increased immune responses, reduced tumors and cancers without side effects.


• Diabetes - Oral doses of neem leaf extracts reduced insulin requirements by between 30% and 50% for nonkeytonic, insulin fast and insulin-sensitive diabetes.


• External parasites - Neem quickly kills external parasites and a neem decoction is safer and just as effective as standard treatments for head lice and scabies.


• Heart disease - Neem delays the coagulation of blood, calms erratic heartbeats and helps reduce elevated heart rates and high blood pressure.


• Herpes - Recent tests in Germany show that neem extracts are toxic to the herpes virus and can quickly heal cold sores.


• Hepatitis - Tests in the U.S. show neem hampers the virus that causes hepatitis B.


• Fungal toxin - Neem is toxic to several fungi which attack humans, including those that cause athlete's foot and ringworm, and Candida, an organism that causes yeast infections and thrush.


• Insect repellent - Studies have shown that one neem compound is a more effective insect repellent than the widely used synthetic chemical known as DEET (N,N,-diethyl-m-toluamide), a suspected carcinogen with long periods of use.


• Insecticide - Neem extracts have been approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for use on food crops. It is non-toxic to birds, animals, beneficial insects or man and protects crops from over 200 of the most costly pests.


• Malaria - An active ingredient in neem leaves, called irodin A, is toxic to resistant strains of malaria.


• Psoriasis - Neem seed oil and leaf extracts is suggested to be a cure for psoriasis. It relieves the itching and pain while reducing the scale and redness of the patchy lesions.


• Periodontal disease control - German researchers have proven neem extracts prevent tooth decay and periodontal disease.


• Soap/Shampoo - Neem oil soaps can be used to treat a variety of illnesses and ailments.


• Ulcer relief - Neem extracts give significant protection from discomfort and speed the healing of gastric problems.

Sunsets

I am posting the photos above to let you know there are some pleasures of life that can be obtained for free, courtesy of nature. A friend once pointed out to me how beautiful sunsets or sunrise can look. Since then I've always enjoyed gazing the horizon to see the sun gets up or go down. These stunning photos of sunset at Tanjung Aru (trans. Casuarina Beach), Kota Kinabalu, were taken by telecommunications contractor Vincent Garinang. Enjoy.

Good Medicine

Its a well known medical fact - our health is linked to our emotions. In Proverbs its written - a merry heart is good medicine. I am posting the above pictures to remind ourselves to not take life too seriously. As a writer once so aptly puts it, don't take yourself too seriously, afterall you'll never get out of it alive!!

Boats and Fishermen

Of course there's little to connect between fishing boats and plants. However certain herbals and agro-produce can only be found by pushing out into the seas or waterways. Posting the pictures above on the blog is my way of honoring sea-faring folks who brave gale winds and raging waves to provide for food, and, other maritime products, some of which can be turned into pharmaceuticals.

New Year Resolutions

This time of the year when snow still blankets the field in many places in the Northern hemisphere, it is a good time to remind ourselves to set targets. New Year resolutions singly is a good tradition. For me I will resolve to eat more greens for the rest of the year. I have the above pictures to remind me.

Treasure Trove in the BackYard

A treasure bounty sits in the wooded area near our apartment building. Rather than gold and precious stones, the treasure lies in the rustic, a trove of priceless heritage from mother nature. The arachnid or scorpion, the scaly ant eater, and the tongkat ali plant are all found inside the wooded area near our housing estate. In other words it is as if mother nature had set up a forested island in a sea of urban development.

Interesting Sights - Mission Trip

Travelling through Sri Aman, Sarawak, I captured the following pictures in the Bakong and Sunga villages. The bottom-most picture is that of a coconut eating mud crab. It actually climbs up the tree to snip at its favourite cuisine! The middle picture depicts the granguatan size of jackfruits in the area. Its a testimony of the land's fertility. The top picture is that of wild lotus in a pond.