The
benefits of Yam
Dounne Alexander speaks about
traditional remedies for menopause.
"I
was extremely fortunate to have been brought-up in the Caribbean,
(Trinidad) where I experienced an amazing quality of life,
obtained through living in a pollution free environment,
on a rich diet of natural foods, good old fashioned home-cooking,
home-made herbal remedies and spirituality - all of which
was carefully taught and passed on to us as children, to
enable us to take care of ourselves and future generations.
My
great-grandmother Elizabeth Adams, lived to 112 years but
could easily have passed for 70. She had incredible skin,
perfect eyesight, physical strength, exceptional memory,
and all her teach (strong, clean, brilliantly white with
no cavities or plaque).
My
ancestors ate a variety of root vegetables, like cassava,
sweet potatoes and yams. Young women never experienced pre-menopausal
symptoms, or osteoporosis; neither did older women in menopause.
Men sperm-count remained high and could still father children
well past the age of 90. Yam, particular is known as the
great natural hormone balance for both women and men. It
not only helps in the production of progesterone, oestrogen
and stimulates bone-building, but also prevents breast cysts
and cancer, fibroids, fluid retention, depression, stress,
high blood pressure, fatigue, low thyroid function, obesity,
weight gain, plus it aids liver and bowl function. Unlike
HRT recently reported to treble the risk of breast cancer,
yam prevents it. This information alone, could increase
yam sales, and provide a substantial income for third world
farmers, if fair-trade and not commercial greed is practiced.
My
ancestors also used to make bush tea, by brewing leaves,
flowers, tree barks, stems and roots, to drink as herbal
cleansers. Once or twice a a year, everyone was given a
complete worming, follwed by a strong herbal purge. The
first question asked when anyone felt sick was "have
you gone off today?". Constipation was the first sign
of illness. There were no big words like healthy eating,
organic, detoxification or immunisation - as everything
was simply natural.
The
above are examples of what God has provided us through nature.
The
old phrase "Your health is your wealth" still
stands true today. It's what we need to protect, safeguard
and value above all else. You cannot truly appreciate, enjoy
or celebrate your life, if you are constantly sick.
The
worsening critical state of the nation's health shows that
the Government's daily recommended intake of 5 fruits and
vegetables, healthy eating, exercise, conventional/alternative
medicines or vitamin supplements - are not supply all our
body's essential needs. Proving beyond a doubt that either
science has got it all wrong, or that something vital is
definitely missing from our daily diet - and or both. We
are bombarded daily with so much conflicting information
on health, food and medical scares, junk-food advertising
posing as healthy, numerous scientific breakthroughs which
never seem to materialise - that people are now lost in
a health maze and simply don't know what to do, believe,
or where to turn"
by
Dounne Alexander
1st October 2003
Read about The missing link
- provided by Zara's Herbal Tea, invented by Dounne Alexander.
