‘Ōlena, or turmeric, is a "canoe plant" brought to Hawai'i by some of the first to settle in these islands. It has many uses, including an impressive host of medicinal functions, and is also used widely throughout India as a culinary and medicinal plant. Below is a summary of a study from the American Chemical Society about the physiological way ‘ōlena contributes to bodily health.India's "Holy Powder", Turmeric, Finally Reveals Its Centuries-old Secretfrom Journal Of The American Chemical SocietyScientists in Michigan are reporting discovery of the secret behind the fabled healing power of the main ingredient in turmeric - a spice revered in India as "holy powder." Their study on the ingredient, curcumin, appears in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, a weekly publication.In the study, Ayyalusamy Ramamoorthy and colleagues point out that turmeric has been used for centuries in folk medicine to treat wounds, infections, and other health problems. Although modern scientific research on the spice has burgeoned in recent years, scientists until now did not know exactly how curcumin works inside the body.Using a high-tech instrument termed solid-state NMR spectroscopy, the scientists discovered that molecules of curcumin act like a biochemical disciplinarian. They insert themselves into cell membranes and make the membranes more stable and orderly in a way that increases cells' resistance to infection by disease-causing microbes.
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  • Mahalo Puamaeole - sounds `ono!

    Will check about online classes...
  • oh yeah you can bake the kale and some adda veggies and sprinkle olena and get ono kine healthy chips.
    trow some olive oil and olena then bake.......sea salt if u like....kale,eggplant,snap peas,carrots,onions,sweetpotato ,ect. someone should try breadfruit, i wonda how taste.........ummm
  • can they put the class online so i can go? thanx yeah.............
  • Mahalo for responding. The remedy wasn't for me but for my moopuna. That being the case it is alittle more complicated, since he is only 2 years old and wouldn't be able to fast. Any other suggestions?
  • Kale is so healthy and tasty, yeah?

    We don't recommend ‘ōlena for pink eye. We sent you a recommendation through email, Miliaulani.

    If anyone would like to learn more about how to use ‘ōlena and other mea kanu koa, please think about checking out UH's Fall 2009 classes, which are listed below - and you can check class availability at this website: http://www.sis.hawaii.edu/uhdad/avail.classes?i=MAN&t=201010&am....

    There are also going to be free community classes coming up around Spring 2010. Keep in touch for details and other ways to learn more about lā‘au lapa‘au.

    Fall 2009:
    HWST 285 La'au Lapa'au I: Hawn Med He, 4 units, L Ohai, TR, 0130-0320p, KAMA 202, 08/24-12/18
    HWST 385 La'au Lapa'au II: Adv Med He, 4 units, L Ohai, T, 1030-1220p, KAMA 210, 08/24-12/18
  • im in michigan i actuall have olena too and just did a presentation at a lu'au yesterday how cool is that! now matchem up with da science..............i dig stir frying em with kale, all winter the i've been crave oleana and kale!
  • I know 'olena is good for upper respiratory infection. Would it be safe and effective to use as eye-drops for pink eye?
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