Bali Car Rental Blog

Bali Nature Remedy

2 April 2009

A closer study of our natural environment makes us aware of the existence of all kinds of plants, animals, soils, water and stones. It seems that not all of the natural resources have been used to human advantage. Some of them are still unknown to us. Of more than 5 million species supposedly existing worldwide, up to now only 1,5 million have been identified. Out of these, there are 751 thousand varieties of insects, while other animal varieties have reached a total of 281,000, around 275,000 plants and sea weed, 38,000 Protista, 69,000 mushrooms, 4,800 bacteria and their families, and 1,000 viruses.

Human well-being is also closely connected to the existence of these smaller creature and plants in the lower biological ranks of life. “Lately, chemical components in medicine has reached such a degree of intensity and its spread that the general public is worried about the medicinal side effects to users”, chemical experts from Natural Product Study Group, FMIPA Udayana University, Bali said. Consequently, there is a tendency among people to make use of material of natural origin instead of the chemical ones. For example, they might try to use concentrated tea to deal with diarrhea preventively due to its contents of so-called tannin astringent compound to guard against diarrhea. The iodine content of turmeric is also an effective method of curing a deep wound.

Bio-pesticide
In view of poisonous and dangerous residual effects originating from the application of chemical pesticide, it is advised to make use of the more environment-intimate bio-pesticide. One of the alternatives known in this context is the application of bio-pesticide in place of the chemical ones. As an example, it might be proposed to apply the extract produced from neem tree kernels, used to protect vegetables against pest attack.

Vegetables
All kinds of vegetables such as long beans, cabbage, carrot, beans, sawi vegetables (Brasica rugossa), and other natural material provided by agricultural produces, are the source of vitamins and minerals. More over, vegetables are capable of absorbing water with the effect of feces softening and preventing constipation.

Spices
Cooking spices such as onion, chili, garlic, ginger, kencur herb (Kaempferia galanga), turmeric, Iengkuas, Alpina galanga are the chief ingredients of Balinese dishes. These spices produce a certain taste, and some of them have an effect of hampering bacterial growth.

Cosmetics
Various cosmetic materials can be provided from natural resources. Creams for skin treatment and powder can be produced using seaweed extract. On the other hand, dry skin might be treated by means of oil provided by coconut fruit.

Jewelry
All sorts of stones originated from the petrifying process of organic matter might be used to make jewelry. Many people believe that such stones are not only suitable for its wearer, but also function as jewelry for the person and bring about a certain success for him or her.

Antioxidant
Vitamin E contained in Chinese bean sprouts is believed to be capable of functioning as an antioxidant to retard a stale- becoming process of material. It is also believed of being capable of hampering the aging process. Consequently, a great necessity has arisen to take care of its consumption for body treatment so as to remain looking young.

Fewer Side Effects
Natural materials usually have far fewer side effects and are cheaper than chemical products. Nevertheless a weakness of their usage is that they often take longer to show any benefits. Indonesia is a country with high scale of bio-diversity. It is really a country ranked second after Brazil in the degree of worldwide bio-diversity level. That’s why its potential to develop material of natural origin is very big.

Research
Researchers aiming to recognize active substances contained in certain organic materials have launched various studies. There is a study on its “Structure Activity Relationship” to define its structure. In some cases the active substance sometimes need to be isolated before being increased in concentration, or even being mixed with another substances. The original substance might also be extracted to make it more appropriate for practical consumption.