Nature’s medicine chest
Nature’s medicine chest is right outside your door. In the last week I’ve harvested large quantities of kumarahou and ginkgo. The leaves are now drying in our hot water cupboard. I have a cup of kumarahou tea beside me as I write.
A library patron told me the other day that he had cured rheumatoid arthritis in his hands using kumarahou tea. He still drinks a maintenance cup of the herbal brew daily. How’s that for a simple solution to a potentially crippling and painful illness?
Kumarahou has long been used by Maori as a detoxifying and blood-cleansing plant, being prescribed first and foremost for respiratory tract diseases, but also for the treatment of indigestion, diabetes and kidney problems. It is one of my most frequently used teas. I believe its name stems from the fact that its time of blooming in early spring heralds the time to plant kumara.
Gingko is perhaps the most ancient tree on the planet. It is also extremely long- lived, reaching 1000 years or more. The New Zealand native tanekaha, also used medicinally, is distantly related and of equally prehistoric provenance.
Ginkgo has long been used to improve blood circulation and is particularly effective in the treatment of brain issues such as Alzheimer’s and memory loss. It is a warming herb. Of late I’ve been making one cup of tea a day with gingko, nettles and peppermint, all from leaves I’ve dried myself.
Another library patron recently spoke of the success he’s having with the lemon and garlic treatment I’ve written of before. A volunteer overheard this conversation, and passed on that she knows of a group of people who are all using the lemon and garlic concoction. One man in the group had high cholesterol. He was re-tested after the treatment and his cholesterol had come down. I realise this is anecdotal and there is room for peer-reviewed research, but the stories speak for themselves, do they not?
After hearing the above I decided to embark on another lemon and garlic cleanse. I happened to have recently purchased organic lemons and garlic from Don at Kaitaia’s Saturday market, so it was a simple matter of placing five whole lemons ( peel and pits included) in the blender with 30 cloves of peeled garlic and a litre of water. The blended mixture is heated just to a boil, allowed to cool and then stored in glass jars in the refrigerator. Just take a tablespoon or two before your main meal each day until the mixture is finished. This is an easy to make-and-use blood purifier that was originally prescribed for heart patients in a military hospital.
I would love to receive feedback of your experiences with these suggestions. Please consult your doctor before experimenting.