Since I wrote about aloe vera a few issues ago, I have received a lot of questions about, medicines from the garden. This topic created a lot of interest and there was a huge response. I received many questions about aloe vera and how to eat it, as well as requests about what other plants could be easily grown, and used for general health benefits.
I know that many readers have already had success with using aloe vera externally for a variety of skin conditions, as I advised, and many more people are interested in how to use it internally. Aloe vera is good as a general immunity booster, but it is also good for people with diverse problems such as digestive disorders, kidney problems, chronic fatigue and skin conditions, such as psoriasis and eczema.
Consuming aloe vera has a strong effect on the immune system as it activates and stimulates antibodies and T-Cells. Internal use of aloe vera helps removes toxins and dead tissues from the body and it also aids in cell regeneration and healing. It can be consumed internally by eating the entire leaf on its own. If you eat the entire leaf it will be very bitter, but also very healthy too! A more palatable way to consume aloe vera, is to take the gel from inside of the leaf, which is the same material used externally to remedy skin problems.
To use, first slice off the outer skin of the leaf and then take out the gel. You can eat the gel raw if you like or add it to your favorite juice or fruit salad. I prefer to put it in a blender with watermelon juice. When you consume aloe vera it soothes the digestive system, aids kidney and liver function, and helps to detoxify your body. Be careful, as aloe vera can have a laxative effect if consumed in large amounts.
Another medicinal plant that I like is the papaya tree. Papaya is a very common plant in Bali, but few people know about the great medicinal properties possessed by this wonderful tree. It is very easy to grow, and all parts (the fruit, the seed and the leaf) are beneficial for health.
Papaya tree (left) and young papaya leaf (right).
Papaya is at home in the conditions of the Bali climate, and you can often see papaya growing wild by the roadside, or on the edges of farmland. It is also grown in many hotel gardens and local residences. It grows near the beach, it grows up in the mountains, papaya will grow almost anywhere! It will tolerate poor growing conditions such as nutrient deficient soil and can withstand long periods of dry hot weather. Papaya is also easy to grow from cutting and is quick to fruit.
The last time I went to my local nursery in Denpasar to buy a papaya plant, the boss did not have any for sale. Instead he dug one out of the ground from the jungle at the rear of his plot, and gave it to me. He thought it strange that I had wanted to buy such a common plant, and happily gave it to me for free! If you have trouble finding papaya plants to buy, simply go to the market and buy a fresh papaya. There are so many seeds inside, scoop them out in a clump pop them in some soil and water them regularly. Seeds always sprout better when sown in clumps. Once the seeds have sprouted, thin them out so that only the strongest specimens remain.
There are many health benefits attributed to the papaya fruit. While eating papaya is good for you, the seeds and leaves also contain health properties that benefit you.
I originally came across the wonders of young papaya leaf a few years ago with help from a jamu practitioner from Madura. The papaya leaf or seed is good for any digestive disorder including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), which is a common problem of people with western food diets. Papaya is also good for the blood, and is as all round health tonic and immunity booster. There are many types of jamu in Indonesia that include papaya leaf or seed in the recipe.
Regular consumption of the fruit aids digestion, and it is a rich source of fiber, so it can help to lower cholesterol levels. The juice of papaya also helps to clear infections of the colon. You can also use the leaves, skin and the flesh of the fruit to treat burns and wounds on your skin, in a similar soothing way to Aloe Vera.
The papain enzyme, which is found in both the papaya fruit and its leaves, has proven to be a cancer-fighting enzyme and has also been used to treat digestive disorders. The papaya leaf contains beta-carotene, calcium, vitamin A, C and E. It also contains a compound, which is currently being researched and rumored to be a remedy for male infertility. A primary use of papaya leaf or seed in natural medicine today is as is to destroy and expel intestinal worms. I know of many herbalists that recommend a tea made from boiled papaya seed to clear the intestines of parasites. Another common remedy is to take two teaspoons of papaya seeds after each meal for one week to effectively treat intestinal parasites. You must chew or crush the seeds first.
For optimal health benefits, I advise using the papaya leaf (daun papaya), as it is the easiest, cheapest and most effective way to get the most health benefits from the papaya. Young papaya leaf is best. Take the leaf from the center crown of the plant. Older leaves at the outside of the crown, will be much larger and less nutritious. You can cook the leaf on its own or add it to your recipes. I prefer to steam a handful of the leaf. Steaming keeps all the vitamins, and minerals inside. Another good way is to boil the leaf in water, and drink the resulting tea. Either way the leaf or tea is very bitter. Most natural medicines have this characteristic of bitterness. The way I see it, the more bitter it tastes the more healthy it is for you. If you’re not brave enough to eat the papaya leaf on its own try to add steamed papaya leaf to other meals.
To make a papaya leaf tea, simply take two to three young papaya leaves, chop them up and add to 500mls of water. Lightly boil uncovered for 20-30 minutes until half of the water has evaporated. The tea will be very bitter, so add sugar if you must. Drink this every morning for a week and you will feel great. This tea is also used as a form of jamu to stimulate breast milk production for mothers with newborn babies. I made this for my wife for just two days, and it worked better than the pills that were given to us by the doctor at the hospital. This simple papaya leaf tea is also said to have a beneficial effect for the healing of internal wounds, and I notice that it has an instant soothing effect on body aches and tension. As my Jamu seller put it to me, young papaya leaf cleans our blood and our whole body system. I also found papaya leaf tea is a useful remedy to recover from Bali belly and any other stomach problems. Please note that pregnant women should always consult a health care professional before using any herbal remedies, and un-ripened papaya should never be consumed by pregnant women.
It is good to see that many people are interested in growing their own plants as medicine, and I was genuinely surprised at the amount of interest that this topic generated, so don’t hesitate to email me if you have any further questions on this or any other gardening related topic.
Yours Sincerely
Dr. Kris
