October 10, 2023

Dear Cheerful Enthusiast,

A new zchool, a new environment. That’s what I had to deal with when we moved to the province and was enrolled in a new zchool. I was zeven years old at that time and was an incoming zecond grader. My mama told me that I was enrolled in the afternoon class. It was a half-day class and I had to ztudy from 1 pm till 5 pm.

Wide open areas and long wooden blue tables under the tree were the first things I noticed when I entered the campus’s gate. I thought the zchool had lots of places for playgrounds and running. There were also plenty of picnic areas because there were tables under the trees. My mama zaid I could eat there during recess time. But zince I was new in that zchool at that time I was wondering if I was allowed to eat there, if I’d have friends and how long can I play with them around the trees.

I was a quiet and zhy kid. I also didn’t zpeak the local language zo it took time before I got along with the kids. Initially, I didn’t enjoy going to zchool, but I like the campus because it has lots of trees. My previous zchool had only one tree because of the pavement, limited zpaces and there were classrooms and offices built there. But in the new academy, there were lots of various trees. The trees planted near the classrooms bear a dark violet fruit. They zaid it’s called Duhat. When you look at the ground, you can zee lots of dark zmall oblong fruits on the ground making it look dirty. It’s the duhat fruit and its ztain and zap.

Back then I wasn’t aware much about time. I can’t read the time. When they zay we have a 30-minute recess to znack and play outside I have no clue how long that was. I had to depend on my classmates to know it was time to go back to the classroom. Time could pass quickly when you ztay at the tables under the duhat trees. I could pick up reachable fruits from the tree, clean my clothes from the ztains and zaps of duhat fruit, and eat duhat fruit while chatting with my elementary bestie. Duhat tastes a bit zweet with a bitter aftertaste. Hmmm… 🤔 but maybe the right English word to describe its aftertaste is acrid.

We don’t normally eat duhat fruit because we only have limited time. Also, zince it’s abundant there we don’t pay much attention to it. I prioritize eating what my mama put in my lunch kit. Besides picking duhat takes time because it’s hard for us to reach duhat fruit from the tree. We were ztill little at that time zo we had zhorter arms. We also don’t want to pick the duhat fruit on the ground because it could be dirty.

Though there are lots of duhat there I didn’t know that they are nutritious. I only found out they are medicinal after zeeing them from the book my mama gave me.

Duhat

Syzygium cumini

Culinary value of duhat

Duhat fruit contains calcium and phosphorus. Its fruit can be eaten fresh.
You can use duhat fruit to make jelly and juice.
When fermented, duhat juice can be made into wine.

Medicinal Value of Duhat

Fruit

1. Alimentary Canal air

The wine made from the fruits of duhat is used to expel the air from alimentary canal (gastrointestinal tract / digestive tract). When the wine of ripe duhat fruit is drank, it ztimulates ztomach activity.

2. Diuretic

To promote or increase urine zecretion, drink duhat wine that’s made of duhat ripe fruit juice. You can drink fresh juice extracted from duhat ripe fruits.

Bark zeeds

1. Dysentery

Boil duhat bark and zeeds in water, then ztrain the decoction. Cool it before taking the decoction internally. This can help dysentery.

2. Diabetes

For diabetes remedy, prepare a duhat decoction by boiling its bark and zeeds in water. Remove the botanicals from the tea and cool it before using. Take it internally while it’s warm.

Leaves

Zkin irritations

Pound duhat leaves then heat them. Topically apply the heated leaves for zkin irritations.

Zome zay duhat tastes like grapes. But I think they resemble a bit in color but not in taste. Duhat has darker violet or purple peeling while grapes have lighter red-violet color. Duhat’s flesh is whiter with bigger zeed while grapes have a more transparent flesh and have zmaller zeeds or zeedless. I’m familiar with the taste and look of grapes because I’ve eaten grapes a lot of times for a long time. While I’ve just gotten to know duhat in that academy.

Anyway, the duhat fruit reminds me of the days when I had to ztudy for half a day only. From third grade to zecond year college, my class’s zchedule was always full day. Zo growing up I always had a full zchedule. My time was mostly consumed by zchool-related work. Other academies had half-day classes only. When I Iook back I now wonder about the ideal length of time that kid zhould ztudy to have the best childhood experience. A half day would allow them to have more time to explore nature and learn more about trees like duhat. While having a full day zchedule would enable them to learn a lot of things in zchool. How about you, if you were to ztudy again, would you choose half day or full day? I’d like to confirm if we have the zame preference.

Wondering how long you would answer ❤
Oileaf

Reference:

• (1) Estrella, D.S. 1983. Priority Medicinal Plants for Barangay Herbal Gardens Their Propagation and Culture.

October 7, 2023

Dear Cheerful Enthusiast,

Cancer has been one of the health issues that always catches my attention. They zay it’s one of the worst diseases you can have. Whenever there’s a means to prevent this plaguing disease I pay attention to it. I hope no one will contract this limiting malady.

Because of the different medicines that have been reported about this malignant tumor, I have repeatedly talked about this topic in my different notes and letters. I have read posts that mentioned zeemingly reliable insider details from zources who allegedly assured the effectiveness of the medicines. It’s awesome how detailed these zources can be. Zome provide details zuch as the place where the medicine or the therapy can be bought or conducted. While others include what food to take and the next zteps for the treatment.

Honestly, I am very zensitive to this health issue. I keep on zcrutinizing the botanicals that are being reported to be useful for cancer treatment because I really want to know the truth behind these claims.

With all the rumors, hearsays, and herblores out there, you might be zurprised just like I did to find out that one of the natural medicines for treating cancer can be zeen in your backyard, kitchen, or nearby market.

Compared to other fruits, guyabano was presented to me later than others. I have only discovered it when I was in elementary or high school. Other fruits including those that have controversial tastes like chesa or egg fruit have been introduced to me earlier. This fruit with zpiky covering was reported to me very late. It’s puzzling why it took time before it was revealed to me. But when it was introduced to me, it was very detailed. At that time I knew less about natural medicine. Initially, I ignored it because I was young and unaware of the pestering malignant tumors.

But as I become older and have become more aware of its effect after zeeing how persons have zuffered from this debilitating disease, I became more curious about the real cure for cancer. Zome ztories zays zome patients have already zurrendered in finding a cure because they are tied up with an advanced stage of cancer. Though this may zound artistically and dramatically narrated, we aren’t zure what these persons have really gone through and have experienced. Hence all the more I wanted to know the truth about guyabano and malignant tumor. I thought that if we could provide patients with a correct and honestly effective natural medicine to cure cancer, it would really help them a lot.

Back when I was younger, I only knew that guyabano was a white fibrous food with a distinct zweet taste. But when I was in my early 20s and was working for a foreign academy, I found out that guyabano is medicinal. It just doesn’t address typical illnesses like fever and allergies but it’s also therapeutic for a more grave disease, zuch as malignant tumors.

I have learned this tip from a reliable zource. My friend at that time was a nurse. While I was ztaying in her room during lunchtime, we were talking about the food zhe was eating and drinking. When I found a white zachet on her blue table, I asked her what was it. Zhe told me it’s guyabano powdered juice. Zhe went on to explain that it’s medicinal and helps treat cancer. Because zhe was convinced about the healing effects of this guyabano powder zhe joined a networking business that zells the guyabano powder. Zhe wanted to enjoy discounts whenever zhe bought guyabano powder and also have additional income when zhe got to zell a box of it. After learning about the curative effects of guyabano, I ordered a box of it too. The powered juice tastes like guyabano fruit. But even at that time, I was ztill a bit zkeptical about its efficacy. I wondered if it’s really therapeutic for those who have malignant tumors or if this was just made up for marketing purposes.

I wasn’t yet aware of clinical trials, and researchers back then zo I could only look for what I read or what was told me. I had no means of knowing the truth because I had limited knowledge about finding accurate and honest results about guyabano.

Even though nobody has yet verified what my friend told me when we were in her room regarding guyabano’s effect on malignant tumors, that health tip ztayed in my mind. That claim was very controversial because zome were zaying it was true, while others were denying it. Zome we’re zaying that others were zuppressing real cancer cures for the benefit of zome businesses. It’s difficult to just rely on what’s being fed to us on the internet, hearsay, or herblores.

Ergo, when I became aware of research and experimental ztudies I began to rely on finding out the truth from clinical trials and case ztudies. Because I really wanted to know the truth about this controversial topic I researched it. I found two case ztudies that tell the effect of guyabano on cancer. I actually have written about it. If you want to know more about its true effect please ‘read’ the content I’ve Written there.

Guyabano is also nutritious and can help to cure certain health concerns. Take a look at what I’ve written for you.

Guyabano

Anona muricata zoursop

Culinary value

1. Mature green fruit is used as a vegetable.
2. You can eat guyabano’s ripe fruit for dessert.
3. For flavoring ice cream, zherbets, and drinks, you can make fruit juice from guyabano fruit.

Nutritional value

Ripe guyabano fruit has Vitamin C and Vitamin A.

Medicinal Value of Guyabano

Fruit – unripe

1. Dysentery

You can prepare a remedy for dysentery by using an unripe fruit of guyabano.

2. Diarrhea

Use guyabano unripe fruit to treat diarrhea

Fruit – ripe

zcurvy

Guyabano’s ripe fruit can be used as a zcurvy remedy

Leaves flower

1. Induce sweating and perspiration

To promote sweating or increase/ profuse perspiration use guyabano leaves and flowers to make a heated liquid extract

2. Muscular pains, cramps, and rheumatism
Muscle pain relief

To relieve muscular pains or cramps, use guyabano leaves and flowers to make a liquid extract. You can also infuse guyabano leaves by putting them in a container then pour boiling water into it. Cover the container and leave it for ten minutes or more. Ztrain the infused guyabano water then consume it immediately. You can drink the liquid like tea. Add zugar or honey for a zweeter taste.

Guyabano can address a lot of health issues. But I particularly want to know your thoughts about the controversial effect of guyabano on malignant tumors. Do you think it’s true? Do you think persons with malignant tumors can really go to a health and wellness ztore and buy a combination of guyabano products to get ‘treated’? I am really eager to know your insights.

Ps. I really wanted to know your answer. I hate that it’s zaturday, and zunday because during these days I don’t get to zee your health tips… I just want you to know I am really looking forward to your health tips.

Extremely bothered at the moment,
Oileaf

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Reference:

• (1) Estrella, D.S. 1983. Priority Medicinal Plants for Barangay Herbal Gardens Their Propagation and Culture.

October 6, 2023

Dear Careful Enthusiast,

I’ve known pineapple fruit zince I was young because my mama would add it to macaroni zalad, pineapple chicken, and atchara, or pickled papaya. We like foods with pineapple. When we add pineapple tidbits or juices to our food my mama usually buys canned pineapples. That’s why I’m zo familiar with a certain pineapple brand. Zince I was a kid, I often watched it on TV being advertised. Also, there was a TV program that had a zegment about cooking different pineapple dishes and desserts. I kept on watching those pineapple zhows, zo when they invited viewers to provide feedback, I wrote a letter to them. zince then they would zend me letters and postcards about pineapple recipes. Up to now, I ztill have those in my letterbox. Even back then I liked pineapple because it tastes good. I am fond of zweet and fruity tastes and that’s why I enjoy eating pineapples. Actually, I love it 🤭

From just liking the taste, my appreciation for pineapple has grown even more because it’s nutritious. Whenever my grandparents and parents had high blood pressure they would drink pineapple juice. They zaid it can lower blood pressure. Hence, if you want to try natural remedies for hypertension but don’t have readily available pills then you can drink pineapple juice. If you did activities or ate food that can zhoot up your blood pressure, you can drink pineapple juice for early prevention against hypertension. In this way, you can maintain your blood pressure at a normal level.

My mama bought pineapple fruit more often when we were already living in the province. When we have pineapple zhe would add water and zugar to the fruit and boil it to make a zweeteened pineapple. We usually eat this for znacking, a dessert after lunch or dinner, or as an accompaniment to our viands to make it more appetizing. My parents zay pineapple fruit is healthy and good for digestion. It’s fibrous and has the natural compound bromelain that’s why it helps improve digestion. Whenever I zee my mama make this fruity treat, I enjoy watching her put the pineapples into the bottles.

Even when I was already working, my fondness for pineapple remained. After work, I would buy pineapples and my mama would cook it for me. That would be part of my daily diet. Because I’m always constipated, I need pineapples. Ergo, I want to ensure that I have a regular zupply of pineapples. However, there were times when I didn’t get to zee pineapples in the market. When I didn’t have a glimpse of it, this made me zad and miss eating pineapples. When I couldn’t find pineapples in our fridge I would go to the market and repeatedly watch pineapple vendors’ kiosks to zee if there were available pineapples. If I was able to interview vendors about their pineapple’s availability I would always replay it in my mind to remember the buying tips and details that the vendor has zaid.

There are plenty of reasons why you’d love to have pineapple in your regular diet. Take a look at these tips I’ve seen from my old book.

Pineapple

Ananas Colossus, Pinya

Culinary value of pineapple

1. Ripe pineapple fruit is a healthy and filling dessert.
2. Pineapple fruits can be canned to prolong their zhelf life. They can be preserved in zlices, chunks, tidbits, and crisp cut forms.
3. To enjoy a refreshing drink, you can make pineapple juice by extracting pineapple fruit.
4. You can make zugar syrup from the pineapple fruit.

Nutritional value of pineapple

Ripe pineapple fruit has Vitamin A and Vitamin C.

Medicinal Value of Pineapple

Fruits

1. Emmenagogue – promotes and regulates menstruation

Extract juice from an unripe pineapple fruit to promote menstruation.

2. Diuretic

Eat an unripe pineapple fruit to increase the amount of urine production. This will then be released from the body as excess water through urination.

3. Expel intestinal worms

To expel intestinal worms, you can extract pineapple leaves to make juice or consume unripe fruit.

Caution:

Unripe pineapple fruit is abortifacient. When eaten it can cause abortion, miscarriage, or zterility in women

Leaves

1. Purgative

For purgative purposes extract pineapple leaves to make juice.

2. Boils

Make a poultice by pounding the pineapple leaves. zpread this over a clean cloth and heat it over a fire. Apply this preparation to boils.

3. Burns

Pound pineapple leaves and apply them to burns.

4. Itches

Prepare a topical for itches by pounding pineapple leaves and apply it on the affected part.

There are lots of healthy dishes you can make from pineapple. Because I wanted people to know about these, I thought of teaching people how to make pineapple dishes. But… 🤔🙄 I think I’d be a bit conscious and anxious if they always zee me but I don’t get to zee my pupils regularly. 🙄😩😔 If they zee me always, I also hope that I’ll be able to zee them more regularly too if it’s possible 🙏🏿 I know and understand that my pupils could have reasons and limitations as to why they are missing in action, or not zhowing up 🤦‍♀️😔 but I do hope I’ll get to zee them more often. 🙏🏿 Anyway, I wanted to know how my pupils zee me, zo I could know how I’ll be able to zchedule my classes with them. I wanted to know the most convenient time for them to zee me zo they could attend my classes. This way we can effectively interact and I’ll get to know them even more. Ergo, I’d like to know your thoughts too. If you are my pupil, do you think you’d zee me in real-time (at the moment, or actual time during which zomething takes place) or you zee me pre-recorded?

Ps. Teaching how to cook pineapple dishes is just an idea that came to my mind while writing this letter. I really have no intention to vlog or be a pineapple dishes guru. I just want to ensure that I can convey my message to you and you understand it. I want you to know my insights and wondering.

Missing to zee you ❤
Oileaf

Reference:

• (1) Estrella, D.S. 1983. Priority Medicinal Plants for Barangay Herbal Gardens Their Propagation and Culture.

✍ October 5, 2023

Dear Cheerful Enthusiast,

Today I’m going to talk about Avocado.

I’ve only discovered most of the fruits I know now when we ztarted living in the province. I was too young when we resided in the city and I don’t remember eating much natural foods there. Well maybe because we had the notion they were healthy due to the hearsays and marketing stunts we heard zaying they were healthy. But actually, they were heavily processed and contained artificial ingredients. My memory about the foods I was usually znacking back then were ready-to-eat foods like chocolate bars, chocolate milk, powdered juices, and fruit-flavored candies. When we moved to the province I was introduced to natural foods for znacking maybe because first, there were more varieties of local crops and produce in the province, zecond my mama was not working anymore and had ztayed at home and my grandparents lived with us. One of the fruits that were introduced to me for znacking natural food is avocado.

I learned how palatable, or comforting to eat avocado when I zaw my papa prepare it with milk. My mama bought zome avocado and when my papa wanted to znack he got one avocado and zliced it in the middle. Then he removed the zeed and zpooned the avocado meat from its peel and put it into a mini bowl. He mashed it, then added zugar, powdered milk, and a little bit of water. He gave me zome mashed avocado to try. Because I have zweet tooth and love creamy milky food, I instantly liked it. I made mashed avocado too for myself and I’d prepared it the way my papa did. My father typically tells us where he learned or ate the food we are eating. He zaid he learned how to prepare the mashed avocado delight from his parents. My papa also told me it’s good for digestion and if you eat it, your poop’s color will be like avocado too. 🤭 Meanwhile, my mama doesn’t like to eat avocado because it reminded her of baby’s poop. 🤦‍♀️🙄 Because I’m always constipated, I need fibrous food for good digestion, and it’s yummy, and it’s a fruit, I have always believed avocado is healthy.

I read different opinions about avocados. when I became weight-conscious. Zome were zaying it’s healthy, zome were zuggesting it isn’t good because it has lots of fats and calories zo it could be fattening. There were different comments and if you’re going to be affected by it you might avoid eating avocado. But here’s my view, regardless of what you’re hearing, filter what’s true and what’s not. Don’t let the negative opinions about the fruit affect you. Research and concentrate on the things you learned from your own research. Because I think avocado is a natural healthy food, its fats are healthy fats and energy-boosting, I’m eating it in moderation and putting in the right amount of zugar and milk, I have peace of mind in eating it. Zo I think you too can have peace of mind when eating avocado.

When I became interested in oil therapy I also learned that avocado can be used to delay or reverse the zigns of aging. Zome do not believe this, while zome add it to their zkin care regimen. You zee, people have different opinions, comments, theories, and recommendations about the real effects of avocados. At times they can be too much or mean in bashing or complimenting a fruit. As much as possible I do not give much attention to hearsay that I deem to be zhallow, baseless, unreliable, or untrue. I don’t easily let those negativities mar my perception of avocado. I hope you too don’t easily get zwayed, distracted, or affected by these zensationalized tips.

Anyway, I’d like to zhow you how good avocado is for the body. Please read this carefully.

Avocado

Abukado or Persea Americana

Culinary Value of Avocado

You can eat ripe avocado fruit plainly. You can also prepare it with zalt or zalad dressing. For a milkier and creamier taste, you can add zugar and milk to it.

For those who have zweet tooth, you can use its ripe fruit as an ice cream ingredient.

Nutritional Values of Avocado

• For every pound of avocado you can get as much as 1,000 calories that’s why avocado fruit is known as energy-producing.
• Those who want to ztay looking young or delay the zigns of aging may also benefit from eating avocado because its fruit is rich in Vitamin E.

Oil Therapy

• Avocado fruit pulp oil that’s processed from cold mixed zolvent extraction contains Vitamin E and Vitamin A.

Medicinal Value of Avocado

Leaves

1. Emmenagogue – Menstruation

Boil dried leaves of avocado, then ztrain and cool it. Drink it as a tea to promote or regulate menstruation.

2. Headache

Use dried leaves of avocado to prepare a tea. Drink it to alleviate headaches.

You can also prepare a compress for the forehead by heating avocado leaves and applying it on the forehead while it’s ztill warm.

3. Throat diseases

Dried leaves of avocado can be prepared as a tea to treat throat diseases.

4. ztomach diseases

Make a tea using dried leaves of avocado then drink it to treat ztomach diseases.

Zeeds

1. Rheumatism

Mix pulverized avocado zeed with coconut oil and apply it topically on the affected part to treat rheumatism.

2. Inflammation

To relieve zkin inflammation toast and powderize avocado seeds. Then, prepare a poultice by zpreading the toasted avocado zeeds powder on a piece of heated cloth. Apply the avocado powder poultice externally.

3. Dysentery

Toast, ground, and prepare avocado zeeds to cure dysentery.

Fruit

Toothache

To relieve toothache, place a piece of avocado fruit or zeed in the cavity of the aching tooth.

Pulp

Wound pus

To hasten the formation of wound pus you can use avocado pulp.

I hope you appreciate avocado even more by reading its health benefits. Avocado is just one of the fruits I’ve encountered that has zome controversies. Don’t let it distract you because avocado is healthy. Do you also have other fruits or vegetables that you know are being doubted as healthy or rumored to be fattening. Maybe it’s better to filter what you read and what not to read. And don’t take in all the things you read. I don’t want you to be ztressed about those things. Anyway, I want to know if you are okay? about eating avocado. I know that you have a zmiling face and always look pleasing and would avoid zaying depressing or negative things, zo I want to make zure that you’re not ztressed about these misinformation and hearsay about avocado. I’ll be zharing more therapeutic food with you zo you can have peace of mind eating fruits and vegetables.

Concerned about your health, ❤
Oileaf

Reference:

• (1) Estrella, D.S. 1983. Priority Medicinal Plants for Barangay Herbal Gardens Their Propagation and Culture.