Morinda Citrifolia , a deciduos creeping vine with twining stems and white flowers which is native to Malaysia, Austrailia, and Polynesia, is gaining popularity in west due to it’s apparently wide ranging health benefits. Part of Madder family, Morinda’s thick, intertwined purple roots are harvested in spring and fall for use in herbal medicine and to make increasingly popular noni juice.

The Polynesian culture has long used morinda to treat a wide variety of symptoms ranging from respiratory problems, poor digestion, and high blood pressure to menstrual problems and immune deficiency. Rich in vitamin C, noni juice also contains hill spectrum of amino acids, as well as naturally occurring vitamins, minerals, trace elements, enzymes, beneficial alkaloids , co-factors and plant sterols.

Recent research suggests that noni root compounds contain natural sedative properties and may lower blood pressure. Biochemist , Dr Ralph Heinicke, asserts that proxeronine, an alkaloid precursor to a vital compound called xeronine, helps in normalization of abnormally functioning cells. Heinicke claims that noni juice provides a safe and effective way to increase xeronine levels, which can be decreased by anger, stress, trauma, disease and injury.

"Rich in vitamin C, morinda provides natural antioxidants that support kidneys, increasing flow of urine to flush toxins from body. It works to correct problems with structure of proteins and cells. Working at cellular level, morinda solves problems within body ranging from cancer to digestive distress." - From Prescription For Nutritional Healing, by Phyllis A Balch, CNC

Depression

Naturally, if I recommend a diet, I have to try it out on myself. It wouldn't be very fair to do otherwise. I bought some fish, nuts and avocados, and kept to diet for about two weeks. During that time I can honestly say that I had little desire to eat very much. I wasn't sure if this was caused by leptin balance, or simply because I told myself I wouldn't want to eat. During beginning phase of a diet, it's always easy to convince myself that it's working.

Then I had company, and I used it as an excuse to head down to Cuban restaurant I'd been hearing so much about. It was a treat, and I found more excuses for more treats while my company was in town. For a few days, diet was forgotten. In just that short time, I became aware of a remarkable difference in way I felt about food.

Almost immediately after going off Rosedale diet, I felt compelled to eat everything in sight. It took willpower and commitment to not give into this compulsion.

But I was not hungry! I was no more hungry after I went off diet than I had been while following program. What seemed to be missing was "not hungry" signals that tell brain to quit eating.

"Hungry" is a feeling that middle-class Americans rarely (if ever) experience. Yet we eat, and eat, and eat. We blame it on cravings, emotions, nerves, and habits. But perhaps Dr. Rosedale is right. We may be missing "not hungry" signals that are needed to turn off our hunt for food.