Now, now…calm down, everybody. This is NOT going to be a post on contraceptives! Well, if you’ve noticed, I’m using titles of songs for all my posts (except for a couple of earlier ones) and this is the closest that I can get to what I am going to share with all of you.
As we all know, there is this shift in the medical world to alternative medicine and that includes natural herbs, even those that we can find growing around us. For one thing, I understand that herbal medicine takes some time before there can be any effect. Recently, I saw the label of one for osteoarthritis (The composition includes ginger, lemon grass, tumeric and so on!) that states that it will take a week or up to a month, so if the pain persists, the indiviidual can take painkillers in the meantime.
I have also been told that some of these herbal treatments will detoxify and cleanse the body and improve blood circulation to enable the body to handle whatever health problem the individual is suffering from, thus promoting recovery through natural healing. Some people, on the other hand, insist that they should not be taken together with western medicine because not enough research has been done and there may be unwarranted contradictions. Others say that they will wash away all the western medicine you have taken, rendering them virtually useless; in fact, the same has been said about Chinese tea.
Well, I am not in any way prescribing or asking anybody to follow suit but I have been taking these leaves for a few years now and my blood tests have been encouraging – none of those threatening luminous yellow highlights (though rather high on my triglycerides) in the reports!
Well, these are daun hempedu bumi or andrographis paniculata. I understand that they can lower a person’s blood pressure, and others claim that it can lower one’s blood sugar level. There have been cases of friends and relatives (or their parents) who have taken these leaves…and they will testify to the fact that they are very effective. Actually, you can google to read up on these leaves; there are quite a number of websites that will provide you more detailed information on them.
Last year or maybe it was the year before, the Sarawak Herbal Society published a series of articles on medicinal herbs in a local newspaper and these leaves were featured in one of them. The article claimed that the leaves could be helpful for many kinds of ailments and even inhibit the growth of any cancerous tumour in the body.
I usually drink it once a day. I will pluck a few leaves every morning and place them in a mug and then, I pour boiling water in it. After sometime, I will drink the water…but be forewarned! It is extremely bitter (The MOST BITTER bitter gourd will pale in comparison!)…but after having been drinking it for so long, I can just gulp it all down in one go. Anybody wants a cuppa…?
P.S. Another intention of mine in wanting to post on these leaves is to show off that I CAN take and post good, clear photographs! Now, anybody has any more complaint??? Humph!!!! LOL!!!
...STILL CRAZY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS! 
you’re gonna be rich..HAHA
Why? How?…Anyone who wants the seedlings, I just give them free! That day, Jienster took some for his allergy after a night of wine (women and song?). It worked for him, didn’t it?
Sorry to pour cold water but your photo is out of focus lah.. Bitter herbs? Gulp! None for me pls.
Professionals and hobbyists will not touch those auto-cameras with a ten-foot pole even though they produce 100% perfect photos. They would rather struggle with the focus, aperture, exposure and what not…and come out with less than perfect pictures. They call it ART!
And those darn leaves grow on the ground and for STP to stand in the hot sun and bending over, trying desperately to keep his balance and hold his hand steady at the same time without tumbling over…THAT’s an achievement!!!! Now, do I hear applause??? LOL!!!
If one is desperately ill, any kind of herbs that can ‘cure’ will be taken without second thoughts. Personally, I will try western medicine first and if that doesn’t work, anything goes. I will be a sucker for just about anything as I’ve got nothing to lose right? Yes, I remember you telling me about those leaves. Didn’t know you’re still taking them. To all of you out there, stp is still in the best of health so the herbs really work!
I don’t know whether credit should go to the leaves …but one thing’s for sure, we can strike out healthy living and healthy eating off the list! I guess I am blessed…including being blessed with lots of friends who wish me well. All that positive vibes/energy must be good for me. Now, some people are into this REIKI healing thingy! You can google to read about it.
by the way..i just realised..the title of your post reminds me of the song “Just like a rose”
“Like a rose”? That boy band, A1? Hey…I’ve got the karaoke vcd! LOL!!!
I was thinking this morning, what you will write about with song like “Umbrella”. If can find the photo i mentioned earlier what would it be. “Bohemian….”?
“Umbrella”? That will be a post on condoms! They call them raincoats, right? As for that lampah kueh photo, how about “Stuck on you” or “We two forever shall be one” (LOL!!! Anybody knows Heather and the Thunderbirds???)?
Dis is interesting I am currently studying alternative medicine, but haven’t reached the herb section yet, hehe.
Come…come…let me give you private lessons!!! LOL!!!
u pluck it? u have plenty of that in your garden? bring some seeds to KL la….
by the way… high on triglycerides? what the hell is that? anyway, low on blood pressure is certainly good.
i am now drinking celery juice every morning to control my uric acid.
Seeds? Have to wait till they dry up…and by then, all eaten by birds liao (Guess they know what’s good for them!)…but if you come, I can give u the seedlings, or if I go over to KL…but can’t get away at the moment. I think local people call triglycerides “blood fat”…and looking at STP and what he has been eating all his life, not surprising lah!!!
Uric acid? So young? Gosh!!!! Cut down on protein (And some veg and beans contain high levels of protein too!!) and NO boozing!!! My uric acid is below the maximum limit…but on two occasions when I had a glass of beer or two, I had gout attacks immediately the next day!!! And once you’ve the attacks, no cure! Just take painkillers…and bear with it till it disappears…usually after about a week!!!! (Chinese) celery is good for high BP too!
i am taking chlorophyll drink. 😀 so i maintain handsome. muahahaha. what is this daun? never show to me geh? so you take tongkat ali or kacip fatimah not? :p :p good post, er photo ada improvement, focus sikit lari, usaha lagi. usaha tangga kejayaan. yakin boleh! percaya kau boleh melakukan la la la. (neh that song at school). muahahaha!
Gee! Plants need chlorophyll for photosynthesis! LOL!!! U come to Sibu sekelip mata only, how do u expect me to show u everything??? (Oops! That didn’t come out quite rite, did it? Hahahahaha!!!!) And what tongkat ali? I club ur head with my tongkat, then u know! (Oops! I did it again!) Wah…wat’s this? Simon Cowell wannabe? See my reply to Coral! That ur school song lah! Not mine! Wat the song talking about hah? Berusaha melakukan apa??? ROTFLMAO!
i agree with sophia, that if a person is desperate, anything goes.. i hope i don’t ever hv to do that 😦
eh? what green drink is bongkersz taking to maintain his hensem-ness? maybe u hv to try that too? kakaaka…
and isn’t kacip fatimah for fatimahs??? alis can take it too?? gee, that’s sumting new to me…
Aiyor! Me oredi so hensem, no need drink whatever colour lah!!! Dunno anything about tongkats and kacips! Only people who need those things know!!! Hahahahahaha!!!!!
i have not gotten any gout attack… not yet. i have been cutting down on a lot of protein already. i am not that young la… and it’s better to take care while i am young right? a lot of damages are done while we are young.
Not that young? Gosh! That would make me a dinosaur! Should be extinct already! LOL!!! I agree with your last remark…all those icecream, chocolate, sweets! At least my time, we didn’t have fast food joints!!! It is good that u’re sensitive to this whole health thingy and are taking measures…!! A step in the right direction? Exercise…????? Putting on weight already, I see? LOL!!!
it’s an alfafa drink lah 😀 not that ‘chlorophyll’ for photosynthesis.
Alfafa? Isn’t that food for horses and cattle? Oooo….does it make u as well-endowed??? Hahahahahahahaha!!! I know lah! Just pulling ur leg! U take me so seriously!!!
bitter ah… campur gula, can bor? ehehe…
That’s like exercising hard…and eating a heavy fattening meal after that!!!
bitter gourd is bad enough. Almost anything that taste bad is good for one’s health. No wonder swallowing a pill is easier. I wouldn’t be able to recognise the plant even if I have some in my backyard. I’ll probably think it’s some weed.
They have it in capsules. Some people in Sarikei will dry the leaves and then grind them into powder form and insert in capsules. I think it’s only RM17 for 100 capsules…but I hear they’re selling at RM1 each here! Daylight robbery! Anyway, being a home-based production, I dunno how hygienic it actually is.
I don’t like taking pills or any sort of medicine unless I have to…like the time I broke my foot, baru makan calcium pills and Anlene, aftr that no more..kekeke…
But I like to drink Green Tea, Winter Melon Tea, Wheat Grass, Cincau…count or not? ;p
As far as I know, green tea and wheat grass are good 4 u! Cincau and winter melon tea have cooling effects…and u’re not talking about the canned ones, I hope!
oh oh where can I get this? Hehe .. here we take that “misai kucing” plant .. I got the scare of my life when my BP showed 144/99 and I stop eating red meat immediately.. for a few months hehe .. darn lamb chops!
I’m happy that my BP is normal now hehe .. so I can take that occasional Double Cheese Burger at Burger King … teehee… and I exercise regularly … then eat .. then exercise again .. wahahaha
I know there’s a Chinese sinseh sumwhere on the way to Kundasang. He can do massages for sprains and other physical injuries! He’s got a whole lot growing under the trees in his compound. My cousin’s hubby went there for treatment and I saw the leaves and told him…and he asked the sinseh and the sinseh said it was for high BP!! Gosh…you’re so young!!! Exercise! And watch your diet!!! Lamb chops…bad for uric acid too! Gout!
Yes, I do exercise regularly now, suituapui hehehe … and I haven’t eaten any lamb chops for the past 3 months :p I can slow jog for 20 mins without stopping now, last time 3 mins felt like forever *LOL*
I have to watch out for uric acid, cholesterol level, blood sugar .. in short everything lah – we have all these in our family history .. yikes! And I love food!! Haiyaaa…. as people say.. moderation is the key … KONON la in my case hehe
…Learn to relax, pamper urself and be happy! Laugh a lot!!! It helps, u know!
…err…if canned ones no good kah? 😉
Got canned ones meh? I only know they’ve that in capsules…and at Ta Kiong, they’ve something QUITE bitter in tea bags. Maybe the same thing! No English words so I won’t know.
Of course got! The drinks one maa…Yeos, Seasons…
Eyew! Those! So sweet!!!!
Haha…I’ve tried the original versions of the four though…Green Tea no nice – Tasteless! And Winter Melon…in the drink, sliced2, look pelik…how does the fruit look like whole? It is a fruit right? and also tried “air ular” – why call it that? no related to snake maa…
Winter melon…is just one of those green labu you can see in the market. Sometimes, in Chinese cooking, they dig a hole in it and serve the soup inside. The air ular is mostly sugarcane, I think! Very sweet! Supposed to be “cooling”.
Air ular = sugarcane?! I don’t want to question the old and wise STP, but…Ya meh???!!! 😉
Not 100% sugarcane lah!!! U buy in tins – Shizecao or someting like that!!! Made of a certain kind of grass/herb u can find gowing in ur garden, got medicinal value (Can’t remember good for what) PLUS sugarcane extract. U just dilute the granules in water and drink. Cooling, they say!