Bitter melon (Karela) is a unique vegetable more commonly used in Asia and the Caribbean than the United States. With an appearance similar to a cucumber with warts, the melon, or gourd, is sometimes called the most bitter of all vegetables. Despite that, it has several health benefits that can increase the functioning of your immune system. Naturopathic healers have found bitter melon effective in treating HIV/AIDS, diabetes, viruses, colds, infections, tumors, high cholesterol, psoriasis, cholera and eye disorders.
Instructions
1. Drink bitter melon tea. The leaves from bitter melon plants can be used to make a medicinal tea. The fruit and seed of the melon can also be used for this purpose but are not as easily available for purchase, if you live in non-tropical areas
2. Take supplements. Pills and capsules are available with recommended dosages ranging from 1 to 3 pills per day.
3. Eat bitter melon fruit. The fruit or flesh of bitter melons can be eaten to improve your immune system. Where not commonly grown, the melons can often be purchased from Asian grocery stores.
4. Drink bitter melon juice. If the bitter taste of the fruit is too much for you to handle, the fruit or leaves can be juiced and consumed in liquid form. To decrease bitterness, soak the melon or leaves in salt water for 30 minutes prior to juicing.
5. Take some tincture. Bitter melon tinctures or liquid extracts are also available in health food stores. A dropper full can be added to your water or juice up to 3 times per day.
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