Another trip to the past

When our ancestors suffered of an irritable stomach, they would add a few drops of lime or lemon juice to some water, mixed it with milk in equal amounts and then took the mixture by the tablespoon through the day, as needed.

Didn't feel well (malaise) and didn't know why? Took a handful of barley and washed it in cold water changing the water several times; at the end left 4 cups of water and allowed this to boil until the water had reduced to 2 cups, added lemon rind and sugar for flavor and ate it without straining.

Without energy and looking forward to a long and hard day? Took a handful of oats and mixed with two quarts of cold water; allowed it to stand for 30 minutes and drank it through the day - as needed. This very much sounds like Orchata, doesn't it? All we have to do is blend it, add sugar and maybe cinnamon or vanilla.

Tamarind

I grew up with tamarind juice for lunch; I never really liked it until now, when it is hard to get... strange? No! very common indeed to yearn for something when we don't have it anymore.

I thought tamarind was a Guatemalan tree and now I find out that it is actually African and that India and Mexico claim it as their own as well.

At any rate it is a tropical evergreen, which requires dry soil during fruit development.

Tamarind has diverse uses in the kitchen, like the juice I used to drink or as an ingredient to prepare preserves or chutney; to make meat sauces, marinades an to pickle fish.

Candy can be made by mixing the pulp with dry sugar and molding it into colorful balls leaving the pit inside so you can roll it in your mouth at the end. You may always eat the fresh fruit, it might be a little tart but it is agreeable to the taste.

I also found out that it is an important ingredient on Worcestershire sauce, I suppose the English learned that from the Indians.

And here are some of its uses:

• The wood is used to make furniture and wood flooring because it is dense and durable
• In some places in Asia, the pulp is used to polish brass
• The tea of the leaves is used to reduce Malaria fever
• In Guatemala the tamarindo juice is used to relieve constipation - the stronger the juice the faster its effect
• In the Caribbean, the tea is given to individuals suffering measles
• Also in the Caribbean the tea is used to bathe individuals suffering measles, small pox, chicken pox and body ache
• Again, the tea can be used as an eye wash to reduce the red and the swell
• The tea made out of its roots is used in the Caribbean to control hemorrhages
• and if all of the above were small, the tea of tamarind leaves can also be used when suffering chest colds, cough, sore throat and of all thing, Diabetes!

I believe a tamarind tree would probably make a beautiful Bonsai.

Ginger

I had a plant of edible ginger once; it grew beautifully - white flowers at the end of long, healthy green stems. We enjoyed using the root for teas, soups and Chinese dishes.

One of the reasons I planted the root I bought at the grocery store, is because at the time I was chronically suffering of a sore throat and I had been told to drink the tea or broth (depending on what I liked more - sweet or savory). Since the results were excellent, my curiosity was piqued and I had to research on it.

Please note that only the root is edible and that only of the Zingiber Officinale.

Here is what I found out:

• Ginger is a good decongestant - nose and chest. Therefore recommended for asthma, coughs, colds, and the flu.
• It stops the production of mucus (see above)
  
• It purifies your breath (that's why it is always served right next to sushi)
• It is a great digestion aid
• It is used to aid gastric problems
  
• It is great for a sore throat
  
• If you are shivering, have some ginger tea, it will warm you up and will eliminate toxins through your skin
• If you are having a headache, it is good to chew on a piece of this spicy and delicious root
• In the islands of the Caribbean the powdered ginger is made into a paste and then spread on brown paper that is made into a sort of envelope and then applied on the forehead to relieve a headache

Uses in the kitchen: Add a piece of ginger root and two sprigs of mint to the chicken soup, it is delicious and very healthy.

Ginger tea or broth on the stove: Great for colds and chest congestion, take a 3 inch piece of ginger root, peel and cut into little pieces, add three cups of water and bring to a boil until it goes down to two cups, if you like it savory add a chicken bouillon; if you like it sweet add plenty of sugar and juice of one lime. WARNING: If done like this it will be very spicy, not good if you suffer of stomach ulcers.

Ginger tea in the microwave: Take a piece of about 1 1/2 inch of ginger root, peel and cut in slim pieces, put in a mug, add water and microwave for two minutes. Add plenty of sugar and the juice of a lime - it is delicious.

Bad memory? Here is what our forefathers did

No vitamins, no complicated exercises, just try this one:

1. Lie down, take three strips of raw bacon and place it on your forehead. Your memory should return soon.

More advise from years past

"After breakfast, work awhile;
After dinner, sit awhile;
After supper, walk a mile."

If you want to make sure your baby won't be crossed eyed, make sure that he does not look at himself in a mirror.

And this is one of my favorites:

If your ears are burning, name one person you think could be talking about you for each ear. You will know who is talking about you when that ear stops burning.

How to regain good health - lore

Find your best dairy cow and take it to a meadow, milk and pronounce out loud:
"The health is in the milk!". Now, somehow get the cow to kick the bucket full of milk and spill it over - lick the spilt milk - see how you recover your good health.

Strange, but I wonder... when I was little and later on when my boys were little, I used to hear that children should be allowed or be exposed to dirt, that this unappreciated element would for sure strengthen their immune system.

On my part I would be so happy drinking the fresh milk that I would probably not leave much in the bucket to be spilled by the cow's kick.

On the other hand, how about if the cow feels lazy, does not want to raise its foot or simply does not want to move - can you coerce it to kick - the equivalent to twist somebody's arm, in its case its front leg?

How about if you get to close to that kick? I think I better stop here!

Old time folk cures

"For every illness under the sun,
there is a cure or there is none.
If there is a cure, go and find it.
If there is none, never mind it."

Now I would like to go back in time, to the 18th and 19th centuries here in our United States.

Remember, if you feel tempted to try any of the remedies or procedures, think about it, be careful.

Now if you feel tempted to smile with skepticism, think that many of these remedies were amazingly efficient and some became the platform that launched our modern medicine.

Before syrups and pills, there were teas, ointments, tonics, poultices and salves and several strange and effective processes to get relief if not cured.

So, let's move on to the first of my findings.

White Vinegar

My apologies to all my readers for being absent. Here I am again.

Yesterday I was with my good friends Leslie, Myriam and Janet and among many things we shared a few secrets about white vinegar.

1. Get rid of all chemical residuals in your hair. After shampooing your hair and before the rinse, pour some white vinegar in it; it will not only eliminate all chemical residuals but will also leave it soft and manageable. Myriam said that the first time she used it, there was this plastic-like substance coming out of her hair. Now she is a believer!

2. Clean your clothes washer periodically. Then I remembered what I have been doing for several years since a Venezuelan lady shared this with me. Once a month or every two months (depending on when I remember to do this) I put 1/2 a cup of coarse salt and 1 cup of white vinegar in the washer, then run a cycle and it is ready to go. This will eliminate all the fuzz and guck (slimy matter) that accumulates even if we don't see it. Clean washer = cleaner clothes.

3. Wood cleaner and polisher. When I was little living in Guatemala, long before commercial cleaners in their multiple variations would invade the market, my mother used to make a mixture of cooking oil and vinegar to clean the wooden furniture once a week. I remember a glass bottle with something not precisely attractive and smelling rather sour, however, her furniture always looked shiny and clean.

Simple ways, environmental ways and not too expensive. What do you think?

Headaches

I don't know if this happens to you, but when I have a headache, I have a headache! I can't think clearly, I don't see very well, I do not want to talk, I do not want to be touched, and everything and anything ignites a spark that makes me "not a nice person".

Of course there are plenty of over-the-counter medicaments that work fairly well, however, they do alleviate the symptom... they do not go to the core of the problem.

A headache could be caused by a million things: Stress, menstruation in women, "growing pains" in young men, indigestion, bad posture, lack of sleep, allergies, hunger, anger, heat, cold, sinusitis, prolonged exercise, prolonged sun exposure, vision problems, inappropriate prescription glasses or lenses; the list could go on and on.


Here are the several things I have found we can do besides taking the well known over-the-counter medicine.

• Reduce all external stimuli, such as light and noise
• Exercise outdoors
• Do not smoke
  
• Do not drink alcoholic beverages
• Open the windows and allow fresh air in
• Turn off the radio and the TV or, that infamous electronic game
• Try to relax using one of the many techniques available

We can also:

• Refer to my posting on parsley from March 28th

• Use acupressure: Using the tips of your index finger and your thumb to put pressure over the bridge of your nose

• Rub the soft area between your index finger and your thumb

• Put your feet in water that is at 95 degrees Fahrenheit and gradually add hot water every five minutes until it reaches 115 degrees; once the water reaches this temperature, leave your feet for five minutes and then add cold water until it is lukewarm. Dry your feet, put on socks and lay down for 20 minutes.

• Cover yourself (warm sweater and pants) to make sure your whole body is warm, put your feet in cold water for 10 minutes dry your feet and put socks on.

• A quick way to get read of your headache will be to add a few drops of lime juice to a sugarless cup of coffee and drink it very slowly. However, be aware that this could irritate your stomach.
  

• It is believed that kava kava alleviates headaches caused by stress and that ginkgo biloba can prevent migraines.

There are some poultices that can be used to alleviate a headache and I will dedicate a post to them.