Jamaican Herbs
Are Jamaican Herbs More Powerful and Effective?
With plenty of herbal medicine around it may be hard to believe that Jamaican herbs can deliver anything above what natives can. Is there a difference in the soil, the cultivation or harvesting methods? Does the tropical air or nonchalant attitude produce more potent herbs?
Some Jamaican herbs are strictly available in the amazing country. Others give that impression with names like Jamaican Thyme – which also grows in India. Many people think of jerk spice or cayenne pepper when thinking of Jamaica – but does that famous hot spice have healing benefits as well?
Of the many herbs and spices that can be found on the Caribbean island, sarsaparilla, cocoa and graviola are a few. Although cocoa is highly popular for things like chocolate and baking, can it truly be classified as a healing herb? Some would claim that the oils in the cocoa bean are beneficial for good health. Years ago a British scientist named Hans Sloane spent time in Jamaica observing and collecting various herb and plant samples. He stated the health benefits of cocoa, especially when dissolved in a hot drink (but likely not as sweet and creamy as our hot chocolate is today).
Sarsaparilla, on the other hand, has many different uses. The roots of these Jamaican herbs are used to treat rheumatism and arthritis. It can be made into a tonic and drank to purify the body of infections. Also highly treasured by Jamaican men, sarsaparilla is known as an aphrodisiac by helping to balance male and female hormones. In that same way, the herb is used to treat premenstrual difficulties in women. Other uses of this herb include curing syphilis, clearing up skin problems such as acne and psoriasis and purifying the blood. Truly sarsaparilla is a powerful herb.
Consider the wide ranging uses of graviola as well. Also known as sour sop leaves, graviola fights against teeth pain and nervous issues like anxiety and insomnia. The roots and leaves are both used as a poultice while the bark can be applied in the mouth against tooth pain or bleeding gums. Graviola seems to act as a pain reliever in many different ways, from soaking in a bath for menstrual cramps or aches to taking this herb for back pain. It is claimed that this herb fights against high blood pressure, gout and kidney problems. Surprisingly, graviola is also touted as a way to increase male potency and virility. There seems to be plenty of Jamaican herbs for that issue.
Another of the popular and wide ranging Jamaican herbs is cerasee. It is often made into a hot tea to cure everything from cramping to tooth aches and stomach pains. Some women use the herb as a birth control. Cerasee can be used in a bath to cleanse the skin from sores, eruptions and acne. The raw leaves are also chewed for mouth and gum cleansing. It should be noted that consuming too much tea with cerasee is not healthy for your liver. As with anything else, too many doses of one herb will upset the body’s natural balance and can have negative side effects.
Perhaps Jamaican herbs seem more powerful due to the culture. Old world healers are still common and many grow their own herbs on small plots to treat their local clients. This type of atmosphere provides more encouragement for the use of herbal medicine. The presence of larger farms that grow Jamaican herbs for export is growing, but the knowledge and expertise of the native healers is still a large force.
Jamaica is a country rich in a healing culture and herbal medicine. Enjoy the fruits of their labor with the many health benefits of Jamaican herbs.