IMPORTANT MEDICINAL PLANTS IN NIGERIA FOR IMPROVING NUTRITION AND HEALTHY LIVING

Abstract

Human life and existence have continued to be under serious threat especially with different kinds of diseases and ailments
that keep emerging. Some of these diseases are environmentally induced while others are caused by poor nutrition. These
diseases, whether environmentally or nutritionally induced reduce performance and productivity in human. Seeking orthodox medical solutions to these life threatening diseases have not always been easy especially as their medical treatments are very expensive and come with varying side effects. Hence, the need to embrace and appreciate nature in arrays of medicinal plants which the nature has endowed us with. Medicinal plants have been used as traditional treatment for numerous human diseases for thousands of years in many parts of the world. The researchers of this paper thus focus attention on important medicinal plants and their uses in curing and management of diseases such as hypertension, Sickle Cell Anemia and eye diseases. The researchers concluded that since these medicinal plants are environmentally friendly, easily available, and cheap and have curative effect than many substandard orthodox medicines imported into the country, individual and family members should embrace them in nutrition and diseases for healthy living