Why moringa seeds deserve a place in your diet
Nutrient-dense superfood
Moringa seeds are rich in vitamins A, C, and E, and minerals like calcium, iron, and potassium—vital for immunity, vision, skin, bones, and blood pressure.
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Time of India
3 days ago
- Time of India
10 fast-growing trees in India that you can plant for cooling shade
In a country where the sun can blaze for months and temperatures soar past 45°C, planting trees isn't just a green initiative—it's a necessity. Trees don't just make our surroundings prettier; they cool the ground, purify the air, reduce energy use, and offer welcoming shade. And if you don't want to wait decades to see results, you're in luck. Some trees grow fast and start providing shade in just a few years. Whether it's your backyard, a school campus, or a roadside stretch, here are ten fast-growing trees in India that you can plant to enjoy a cooling canopy sooner than you'd expect. Want shade and greenery quick? 10 fast-growing trees to plant now including Neem , Kadamb, and more 1. Karanj (Pongamia pinnata) Time to grow: 3–4 years Shade: Dense, rounded, cooling The Karanj is a native Indian tree that grows quickly, even in degraded or waterlogged soils. Its thick, evergreen leaves offer rich shade. It also enriches the soil through nitrogen fixation and is used in biodiesel production. A sustainable choice for both cities and rural landscapes. 2. Moringa (Moringa oleifera) Time to grow: 1–2 years for functional shade Type of shade: Light and patchy Also called the drumstick tree, moringa can reach up to 4–5 metres within one growing season. While it doesn't have dense foliage, its feathery leaves offer mild shade—great for kitchen gardens and schools. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Free P2,000 GCash eGift UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo 3. Subabul (Leucaena leucocephala) Time to grow: 2–3 years for moderate shade Type of shade: Light to medium, dappled shade Subabul is a small to medium-sized tree known for its speedy growth. It's ideal for rural fencing and fuelwood, and its open canopy offers light, cool shade. Grows quickly even in poor soils. 4. Indian Coral Tree (Erythrina variegata) Time to grow: 2–3 years for usable shade Type of shade: Moderate, seasonal With striking red flowers and fast upward growth, the coral tree is often planted around farms. It offers partial shade in warm months and drops leaves in winter, making it good for mixed-use areas. 5. Kadamba (Neolamarckia cadamba) Time to grow: 3–4 years for full canopy Type of shade: Dense, round canopy The kadamba is revered for its beauty and shade-giving nature. Its thick foliage forms a near-spherical crown, offering excellent cover for parks, riversides, and temples. Birds love it too! 6. Siris (Albizia lebbeck) Time to grow: 2–3 years for wide shade Type of shade: Spreading, moderately dense The siris tree develops a broad, umbrella-like canopy quickly and is great for both city and rural environments. Its leaf litter also enriches the soil, making it a smart eco-friendly option. 7. Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus spp.) Time to grow: 3–4 years for substantial shade Type of shade: Sparse to moderate, vertical shade Eucalyptus trees shoot up quickly and are great for reforestation and open farmlands. While they don't provide very dense shade, their height offers heat protection and strong wind barriers. 8. Melia (Melia dubia) Time to grow: 3 years for commercial height and shade Type of shade: Moderate and columnar Melia grows rapidly and is a preferred timber tree, but its fast-forming canopy also provides practical shade for farms and boundaries. Best used in rows or clusters for maximum cooling. 9. Gulmohar (Delonix regia) Time to grow: 3–4 years for full canopy Type of shade: Broad, light-filtered Gulmohar spreads horizontally and produces fiery blooms in summer. Its soft, lacy leaves give a filtered shade that's perfect for gardens, schools, and street boulevards. 10. Neem (Azadirachta indica) Time to grow: 3–5 years for full shade Type of shade: Dense, cooling, medicinal Neem trees grow steadily and are low-maintenance. Their thick foliage creates reliable shade that stays green year-round. Bonus: their leaves repel insects and purify the air naturally. Planting fast-growing trees is a simple, impactful step toward a cooler and greener future. Depending on your space, soil, and goals—be it shade, aesthetics, or ecology—there's a tree here for every need. Start now, and in just a few years, you'll be walking under your own green canopy. One step to a healthier you—join Times Health+ Yoga and feel the change
Indian Express
15-06-2025
- Indian Express
Why moringa seeds deserve a place in your diet
Nutrient-dense superfood Moringa seeds are rich in vitamins A, C, and E, and minerals like calcium, iron, and potassium—vital for immunity, vision, skin, bones, and blood pressure.
Straits Times
13-06-2025
- Straits Times
Non-invasive electrode stimulation gives hope to spinal cord injury patients with partial paralysis
Mr Reuben T. Sreetharan, who injured his spinal cord in the middle back in 2024, was the first participant in the electrode stimulation trial. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY SINGAPORE – Last year, while clearing debris from the Moringa tree in his backyard, Mr Reuben T. Sreetharan fell, landing hard on his feet before collapsing into a seated position. There was no pain, but he couldn't move his legs. At the hospital, the 53-year-old businessman learnt that the fall had injured his spinal cord in the middle back, which partially severed his brain's connection to the body from below that area. His hospital stay lasted five months, during which he had to learn how to live without the use of his lower body. In Singapore, the National Neuroscience Institute (NNI) and Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) have previously said they see approximately 100 new cases of spinal cord injury (SCI) annually, while the hospitals in the National University Health System cluster manage an average of 35 new inpatient cases every year. Falls are a leading cause of this life-altering condition, especially in older adults, who may be at an increased risk of premature death due to injury-related complications. There is no known cure for SCI, which results in either complete or incomplete loss of sensory and/or motor functions below the injury level, but researchers around the world and here are exploring new treatments, including therapies and advanced assistive technologies. A promising research area is electrode stimulation, which involves delivering electrical pulses either through electrodes placed on the skin known as transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation, or surgically implanted near the spinal cord. At Alexandra Hospital (AH), Clinical Assistant Professor Gobinathan Chandran, a consultant in rehabilitation medicine, started a new trial that uses non-invasive electrode stimulation with robotic gait training to enhance mobility in SCI patients. In November 2024, Mr Sreetharan became the first of six participants in the trial, and underwent 32 sessions of therapy using a wearable robotic device that supports and assists movement known as the exoskeleton, including 16 done with electrode stimulation. It was not till the 25th session that he started to notice subtle changes. He said he can now feel his feet pressing on the footrests of his wheelchair, his hamstrings, and even his glutes, when previously he felt like he was living on a cloud. Mr Sreetharan is hoping the therapy can become a clinical service, as Dr Chandran had said that overseas studies done on the use of non-invasive electrical stimulation for upper limb mobility showed that at least 60 sessions are needed to show sustained functional improvements. 'I would say that, frankly, I've not given up. I think that's what keeps me going,' he said. So far, early results from the trial are promising – participants were able to take more steps per minute with the stimulation when using a robotic wearable device to assist with the walking, and this led to improved walking speed, said Dr Chandran. 'Those who are severely injured might not be able to walk at the end of the day, but if they're able to improve their truncal control, are better in transferring on their own and all that, these are small things that really will improve their quality of life,' he told The Straits Times . 'If they're already a walker, then we want them to walk with a better gait, or even independently.' Mr Reuben T. Sreetharan can now feel his feet pressing on the footrests of his wheelchair, his hamstrings, and even his glutes, when previously he felt like he was living on a cloud. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY AH has recruited four patients for the first study of six patients funded by a NUHS $150,000 seed grant and one patient for the second study of six patients with partial paralysis of four limbs. As there is no grant for the latter, participants have to pay $180 for the physiotherapy for each session. The trials are for patients who were diagnosed with a traumatic and incomplete SCI between six months and five years ago and cannot walk independently. Dr Chandran said the aim is to use electrodes to stimulate the surviving dormant nerves of patients with an incomplete injury to improve their functional mobility. Likening the spinal cord to an expressway, where an accident there would result in a traffic jam, he said the treatment is assumed to work by helping to widen the road a bit to let more cars go through. 'The brain signals can then easily go through the area, because you have now managed to augment the signalling around the area,' he said. The loaned device used in AH's trials is the ARC-EX system from ONWARD Medical. The firm's global clinical trial for the therapy, the results of which were published in the Nature Medicine journal in 2024, had found that 72 per cent of the 60 study participants who completed the trial demonstrated improvement in both strength and function. It came in late 2024, nearly three years after Dr Chandran and Adjunct Associate Professor Effie Chew, AH's head of the division of rehabilitation medicine, made a field trip in 2022 to the Reade rehabilitation hospital in Amsterdam – one of the sites in the trial done across the United States, Europe, and Canada – to learn about this new device and observe its use on patients. The loaned device used in Alexandra Hospital's trials is the ARC-EX system from ONWARD Medical. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY In a statement released through AH, ONWARD Medical CEO Dave Marver said that it was excited to support the study, the first of its kind in Singapore and Asia, as they work on expanding access to their technologies globally. 'The preliminary results reported by Dr Gobinathan Chandran and his team validate what we have seen in other regions – that ARC-EX Therapy, when combined with physical therapy, can enable meaningful improvements for people living with spinal cord injuries,' he said. Meanwhile, AH has also just received ethics approval to study the use of non-invasive electrode stimulation in 16 SCI patients with upper-limb functional impairments. Elsewhere in Singapore, there is another trial studying the use of surgically-implanted electrode near the spinal cord to restore motion for patients with complete spinal cord injuries. The Restores (restoration of rehabilitative function with epidural spinal stimulation) clinical trial is conducted by NNI, TTSH and A*Star. It has completed the first phase, with three patients, and is moving into the second phase, with 15 patients, later this year. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
