Thailand -- Natural Remedies and Herbs

Image from A Mom in Red High Heels

The Health Education Practice Trip at the Mission Health Promotion Centre (MHPC) in Thailand includes a session on herbs. Most of the herbs discussed were plants indigenous to Thailand so it is not really relevant to us not living in South East Asia. I’ll just focus on some of the more common herbal and natural remedies discussed.

Many of the points mentioned focussed on cleansing the digestive track. One such a way is to start your day with a solution based on the juice of two freshly squeezed lemons and a teaspoon of healthy salt in a litre of lukewarm / room temperature water. Drink this first thing in the morning. This will flush your digestive system and cause bowl movement within a short time. Tea made of green papaya functions as a laxative and was also suggested as an intestine cleanser.

Another interesting cleansing concept, which I have not heard of before, is known as “oil pulling” – an ancient Indian natural therapy. In the morning, before breakfast, pour a tablespoon of cold pressed oil (e.g. sunflower, olive oil, sesame oil) in your mouth and swish it around in your mouth. The website Oilpulling.Com explains the process: “In the morning before breakfast on an empty stomach you take one tablespoon in the mouth but do not swallow it. Move Oil Slowly in the mouth as rinsing or swishing and Dr Karach puts it as 'sip, suck and pull through the teeth' for fifteen to twenty minutes. This process makes oil thoroughly mixed with saliva. Swishing activates the enzymes and the enzymes draw toxins out of the blood. The oil must not be swallowed, for it has become toxic. As the process continues, the oil gets thinner and white. If the oil is still yellow, it has not been pulled long enough. It is then spit from the mouth, the oral cavity must be thoroughly rinsed and mouth must be washed thoroughly. Just use normal tap water and good old fingers to clean.”

One of the main focuses of this session on herbs was consuming lots of chlorophyll. It is similar in composition than blood, but the base element is not iron, but magnesium. For this reason, chlorophyll is a powerful alkalinizer. Chlorophyll juice can be made by blending green leaves (e.g. spinach) in a food processor. This juice can be made more palatable with coconut or lime juice. Over the last couple of months I’ve personally started the habit of making “Green Smoothies.” I blend different greens with soy milk. I also add a banana or two to give it a “smoothy” consistency. I usually have a Green Smoothy as part of my breakfast.

A more common herb discussed was turmeric, which is an anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and liver stimulant. I’ll definitely be adding more turmeric in my cuisines. They suggested adding it to my milk, but I’m not sure if I’m up for that.

A natural remedy I have never heard of before is distilled organic Wood Vinegar, which is good for fresh wounds, pimples, burns, mouth sores and skin conditions. On the Internet I found out that it can also be used internally, although we didn’t discuss internal uses at MHPC. It seems like a good remedy to have in one’s medicine cabinet, so I bought me a bottle.