I believe that for every illness or ailment known to man, that God has a plant out here that will heal it. We just need to keep discovering the properties for natural healing. ~Vannoy Gentles Fite
Since young, my family from traditional Chinese background had been using alot of herbs for sickness, way before they believed in taking pills. The herbs ranges from plants' root, stems, leaves and flowers.
.
The most common one we often used due to its properties plus it is not expensive is ginger. Slice the ginger and rub them all over the body will cure hives, we called it 'fong mok' in Hakka. I got that alot when I was young, but rubbing ginger all over it, and avoid wind, the hived would be gone in half an hour. To me, that time, ginger was magic.
We treated cold with ginger too. Boil ginger in water and drink it. Water retention could be cured by ginger drink too. As for bloatedness, soak your feet in a large of warm ginger water (water boiled with lots of ginger).
Then as I grew up, we were introduced to more herbs of varieties of roots and stems and leaves and flowers and seeds. Seriously, I can't remember the names except ginseng, some yam root.
When I started to have menstruation pain, my mum would boil for me a drink consisted of water, jaggery/black sugar, red dates, black dates, dried longan, goji berries (wolfberries in other words) and ginger. It really soothes the pain. And helps in formation of red blood cells.
We still drink this very often until now. And it is a popular drink for us women after childbirth for the one-month confinement recovery at home. People also believe this drink help to rejuvenate tired cells in the body, hence helping in rebuilding immune system.
In fact, I just bought packets of the ingredients for my next batch of boiling this delicious drink. Sweet and soothing.
There are many more natural remedies passed down from my ancestors, but I really cannot remember all the leaves. Ahh! Aloe vera, another magic plant for soothing mosquitoe bites and insect bites, for soothing itch or rashes, moisturising dry skin. Egg white as face mask. Grind coffee beans as exfoliator. Grind rice to as exfoliator too. Grind green beans, red beans.
.
I love natural remedies...
But...!
There is one weird natural remedy that until today I could not accept. Not sure is this weird remedy more than natural remedy, but people believe insects and animals are from nature and so they have natural remedies. Eating cockroach's heart (do not ask me where is its heart, the older aunty will know) cure lungs disease. Drinking raw snake blood heals mysterious sickness. Eating monkey's brain makes you smarter. Eating own's placenta after giving birth (boil in soup) replenishes your youthfulness. Last one was evil to me, the most wicked one I had ever seen, eating embryo makes you never grow old. Yikes! 🤮
I prefer to stick to what my mum believes, the plants' roots, stems, leaves, seeds and flowers with their healing properties. Not those insects or animals or little human in the womb!!!
This is another 5-minute freewrite using daily prompt by @mariannewest. You can check her out. I love freewrite because anything goes, no right or wrong, but having fun writing your thoughts or story. If you want to know more about 5-minute freewrite, click here.. Join us as at the @freewritehouse
Thank you for your support. We will be working for a new payout scheme for you soon. Keep your chins up and stay tune!
I love ginger and that drink sounds amazing! I need to see if I can find the ingredients.
But eating monkey brains - no, thank you... Or any of the other stuff. lol
Your mom sounds like a smart and caring woman! Lovely.
Curated for #naturalmedicine by @artemislives.
We encourage content about health & wellness - body, mind, soul and earth. We are an inclusive community with two basic rules: Proof of Heart (kindness prevails) & Proof of Brain (original content). Read more here.
Our website also rewards with its own Lotus token & we'd love you to join our community in Discord. Delegate to @naturalmedicine & be supported with upvotes, reblog, tips, writing inspiration challenges for a chance to win HIVE and more. Click here to join the #naturalmedicine curation trail!
I use ginger for a ton of things, and would love to try your mother's other recipes -- thanks for putting the knowledge out there for us!