Healing using organic plants | The Ulwazi Programme
Healing using organic plants
Healing from home provides indigenous methods and recipes from organically grown plants that have medicinal purposes. These plants can be used to heal, soothe, and alleviate pain. Not only do these methods save time and money but they are easy to prepare.
1 The Banana Tree
6 IsiZulu Summary
7 Isihlahla sikabhanana
Peel and mash unripe bananas and apply over rashes, infected scrathes or burns. Cover with warmed banana leaves and bandage.
Apply mashed banana pulp to sunburned skin.
Press the red spongy sheath into the back of the shoe as a heel guard to ease cracked heels.
Chew fresh, well rinsed fennel to relieve peptic ulcers.
Pour boiling water over fennel leaves and flowers. Drain and drink to alleviate flatulence, heartburn, colic and to ease fullness.
Pour boiling water water over a half cup fennel leaves, four cloves and one teaspoon of crushed cinnamon. Cook for five minutes. Strain and add lemon juice, one tablespoon of honey and a dash of brandy.
Mint provides relief from abdominal discomforts, eases digestion and stomach upsets. It eases nervous energy and helps concentration. Relieves cold and flu symptoms and can be used as a mouthwash to clear mouth infections. Relieves hot flushes in menopausal women.
Pour boiling water over a few sprigs of mint and drink
The fruit, leaves and flowers can be used to calm nervousness, soothe, tranquilise, and stop fear and anxiety. Useful for sufferers of insomnia and panic attacks and aids with digestion.
Pour boiling water over one granadilla flower. Sweeten with honey.
The grass which has a strong lemon flavour, has a calming effect and can be used to prevent anxiety and insomnia.
Rinse and fold the grass to release the lemon flavour.
Boil until the water turns yellow.
Strain and add sugar or honey to taste.
Ukulaphela ekhaya kusetshenziswa imithi noma izihlahla ezitholakala ekhaya akugcini ngokonga imali, kodwa nesikhathi siyashesha ngoba konke kutholakala eduze futhi kulula ukukulungisa. Ungelapha ukukhwehlela, inkinga yesikhumba noma ukuqubuka kanye nokuqeda izinhlungu. Ezinye zezinto ongelapha ngazo:
Sisiza enkingeni yesikhumba.
Uthatha ubhanana ongakavuthwa uwugaye bese uwugcoba lapho uqubuke khona, mboza ngamaqabunga afudumele bese uyabhandisha.
Ungakugcoba esikhumbeni uma ushiswe yilanga.
Thatha ingxiwa (okubomvu) uyifake esicathulweni ngasesithendeni uma unenkinga yamasense iyawelapha.
Reference: Edible and Medicinal Flowers by Margaret Roberts
Written by: Beverley Webster
Amakhambi esintu, Izitshalo zokwelapha, Medicinal plants, traditional medicine
Idolobha lethu umphakathi wethu