Bush Tii (Herbal Tea)

Audio Podcast



Jamaicans have a long history of being tea drinkers. Although we produce some of the best coffee in the world, Jamaicans favor a variety of herbal teas over coffee any day. In fact, the majority of our coffee is exported worldwide. Side note: If you ever see Blue Mountain Coffee in your local supermarket, take a gander, try it out and let me know what you think.


Last Thursday, my husband and I drove up to Toronto for my aunt's funeral. Nerves were shot, anxiety attacks lurked around, everyone was tense so one of my MANY cousins (my fathers 1st cousin) decided to make some bush tea. Bush tea is any tea concoction of flora and herbs. This time, the bush tea consisted of dried lemon grass and sour sop leaves. I mentioned in a previous post the importance of sour sop leaves and their cancer-fighting properties but combined with lemon grass, they not only fight off the kuru kuru (anything that's bad; unhealthy) in your body but also calms you and frees you from anxiety. Very good for the upset stomach too.

1. Add as much or as little of the bush you want to the kettle/pot
2. Add water
3. Bring to a boil
4. Allow to steep
5. Pour into your favorite mug
6. Add honey, sugar, agave or any other sweetener to taste

I was so grateful for that tea and it tasted great as well. I added agave to it and I think I'm going to invest in these calmatives.

This is Lemon Grass—natural calmative

 

Soursop leaves tea—cures cancer and strengthens immune system

Nyam Raiit aa Liv (Eat Right and Live)

Death has always been a hard thing to come to grips with even though it's a natural aspect of life. Ever since I knew and understood what death was, I became petrified of it. In fact, it's my deepest fear. It brings me such angst to which I'm governed and sometimes even paralyzed by it. I've lost so many family members to it and just a couple of weeks ago, once again, I lost my aunt due to complications of ovarian cancer.

For weeks I've been a mess for obvious reasons but mostly because CANCER has been the cause of many deaths in my family.

1. Maternal Grandmother—colon cancer
2. Mother—colon cancer
3. Paternal Grandmother—breast cancer and other complications
4. Paternal aunt—ovarian cancer and other complications
5. Paternal 2nd cousin (still alive)—cancer in the shoulder

And this is what I know of. Cancer has plagued many Jamaicans in recent years and honestly I believe it's because of diet and a lack of exercise. We've adopted a "1st world" diet and lifestyle so the same diseases "1st worlders" face, we're also getting them. In other words, the high-carb, heavy, meat-filled, highly processed diet is killing us. We need to get back to our roots and embrace the healthy foods and remedies we grew up with once again.

Believe it or not, there are natural ways of beating cancer. The consumption of various plants and herbs will aid in cancer prevention, stop malignant cells from further metastasis and heal the body from the disease and other complications.

1. Marigold Flowers
2. Moringa Leaves
3. Soursop Leaves and Bark
4. Guinea Hen Weed
• Click on each item to find out more about these remedies.

These four herbs are packed with healing properties and are commonly grown in the backyards of the typical Jamaican and they're not difficult to procure here in North America either.

Often times, people think that death is a senseless act but after burying my aunt this past Monday, her death has taught me somethings:

1. I need to take better of myself. I really need to invest into my heath
2. Get check-ups on a regular basis because cancer should be paying my family rent for taking up residence with us.
3. Have a will
4. Eat right, exercise, live and love

If we have the means to be better and do better, why not? Until next time, eat healthily and walk good.

End A Suma Wash Out (End of Summer Detox)

Summer break was the best time of the year. The countless beach trips with your friends and family were greatly anticipated. You ate, drank and was merry! But the last week of summer was met with dread—not only because you had to go back to school the following week, but you also had to do that dreaded annual detox a.k.a WASH OUT! (DUM DUM DAHHHHHHH!) The main method of this dreaded process is by drinking a tea made from the leaves of the Cerasee/Bitter Melon plant.

Cerasee Tea is the most bitter, vile thing you'll ever, EVER experience! I know this is a broad statement but trust me, it's a horrifying experience. It's one of those things that the more you try to make it palatable by sweetening, the worse it gets. Just pinch your nose and gulp it down. The fruit itself can be eaten raw or cooked as well as juiced but Jamaicans primarily consume it in tea form.

Not only did you go back to school with new books, uniform and possibly new shoes, you went back with a clean bill of health ready to tackle the new challenges of a new grade level. Cerasee purges the blood and organs of impurities, which in turn clears up any skin blemishes, eases menstrual cramps, clears up infections such as urinary tract, flu viruses and other viral infections. It also helps regulate the sugar content in the blood—a good remedy for diabetes. 

Once you're washed out, you have so much energy and stamina. You sleep better. Your urine and bowel movements become regular and your immune system can better fight off infections and diseases. According to Al Sears, "Cerasee, or bitter melon, has so many healing properties that researchers brought it to the University of Miami to study it. They discovered that an enzyme in the ripe fruit can inhibit growth of cancer cells. A recent study looked at a compound called “kuguaglycoside C” that’s in the leaves of cerasee. They found that the extract killed off cancer cells of the nerve tissue (neuroblastoma) in just 48 hours." (Click here for more information)

Luckily drinking cerasee does not result in "violent" detoxification i.e. diarrhea or cramping. You'll excrete the toxins through your pores, urine and bowel movements. You'll notice a change in as little as a couple days of consumption. If you can tolerate it, drink it daily for at least a week or two. If you're a super health nut, it can become a regular dietary practice. 

You might be able to find cerasee tea bags in specialty stores and grocers that are in areas with a large Jamaican diaspora or on Amazon.com.

If you want more information on Jamaican remedies, check out crazyjamaican.com and click on Over 80 Herbs—their medicinal benefits and Illnesses—Herbs for Cure.

***CLICK HERE*** for a link to the audio podcast

Momordica charanta

Momordica charanta

Momordica charanta

Awayii Mariniaad—Jumeikan Staiil (Hawaiian Marinade—Jamaican Style)

As I mentioned in my first post, Jamaican cuisine is influenced my many other cultures and cuisine. It is a true melting pot of flavors and traditions. Like many other cultures, Jamaicans love their marinades and so do I. Jerk, escoveitch and brown-stewed meats, fish and veggies are often marinated in an aromatic bath of home-made concoctions for hours then grilled, fried or cooked on a stove-top to perfection. I love making my own marinades and I had fun making this one.

I got the idea from a friend of mine who'd recently had an Hawaiian rib-eye at a restaurant some weeks ago. She told me that the steak was marinated in pineapples, soy sauce and ginger for hours then grilled to perfection. I'm not a big steak eater so I wasn't too interested about that, but what peaked my interest was the marinade. So I decided to make my own. I had no instructions as to the measurements of each ingredient so I eye-balled it.

I didn't have fresh pineapple so I used dried chunks instead. I didn't have fresh ginger either but I had the powder, which is more concentrated anyway. I reconstituted half of the dried pineapple chunks by soaking it in a soy sauce, ginger powder and rosemary mixture from the night before. The next day, I added more dried pineapples, ginger powder and a little bit of water and avocado oil. Into the blender it went. A smooth, rich marinade was born.

 I was surprised at how perfect it was. Not too sweet, not too salty, just perfect. I used it to marinade some tofu then grilled it later that day for dinner. I also added a bit of the marinade to come chick peas and cooked it down with some tomatoes, garlic and other herbs and spices. Along with some basmati rice and arugula, this dinner was not only healthy, but completely vegan.

Ital Suup (Vegetarian/Vegan Soup)

I know what you might be thinking. "Is Jamaican cuisine more for the carnivore?" And the answer is absolutely not! As a matter of fact, we have an ever-evolving vegetarian/vegan cuisine to match the growing need. Many of the Rastafarian mansions (tribes) along with many Judeo-Christian religious groups follow the biblical dietary laws found in the books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy as well as practice a vegetarian/vegan lifestyle.

"Ital food is derived from the word "vital food" (Self-determination of the black race resulted in the Rastafarians usage of the word 'I" to replace the first letter of many words). Ital food means it is natural, pure and clean food. For a Rastafarian it means no salt, no chemicals, no flesh, no blood, no whites (called whiteblood), no alcohol, no cigarettes and no drugs (herbs are not considered drugs)."—Jamaicans.com (retrieved 03/30/2014) Read more here.

Although I am a flexitarian (I eat vegetarian and vegan foods as well as certain meat products depending on my mood) I do adhere to the biblical dietary law so no unclean foods for me.

One Friday night, I cooked some ital soup and it was delightful. Growing up, having soup on a Friday night was somewhat of a tradition. Feeling nostalgic, I prepared a 16 bean soup with white potatoes, carrots and corn on the cob. Jamaican soups are rich and packed with various vegetables, dumplings (wheat, cornmeal or white flour) and whatever else we have in the fridge. It is NOT the watery stuff you buy in the can at the supermarket. It is a hearty meal. Let me tell you what's in this one.

1. 1/2 bag of Goya's 16 Bean soup mix (minus the flavor packet—THROW THAT OUT!)
2. Water
3. 3 peeled chef potatoes
4. 6 halves of corn on the cob
5. A bunch of baby carrots
6. Thyme
7. Rosemary
8. Pimento (grounded)
9. Salt
10. Garlic powder
11. Onion powder
12. 1 whole scotch bonnet pepper
13. 1/2 tsp of cayenne pepper
14. A bunch of herbs and spices (of which I do not remember)
15. Lots of love!

So I parboiled the beans before I added the other ingredients. I added the seasonings, herbs and spices. Lastly, the vegetables. I allowed this to cook low and slow for 3 hours and this is the end result:

• NO MEAT
• NO OIL
• NO ARTIFICIAL PRESERVATIVES
• NO ARTIFICIAL FLAVORINGS
• NO ARTIFICIAL COLORINGS
• PURE ITAL