Mom told me that when I was a little girl, daddy used to feed me a spoonful of fresh young neem leaves blended with tumeric and a little bit of salt everyday. No wonder, till today I don't seem to have any aversions towards eating bitter stuff.
When I stayed in the kampung, I enjoyed the malay ulams very much. Unassuming plants that grew by the roadsides, in longkangs or even by the riverbeds, daun Pegaga being my favourite with sambal belacan. I also loved drinking its juice. When I started dating, my boyfriend whom eventually became my husband, would stop by his favourite stall to have some Chendol, while I would walk a few feet away to get my dose of the Pegaga's refreshing juice. You can find plenty of stalls in Penang that sells it.
My mom, uncle & hubby on the other hand, introduced me to many lovely chinese herbal drinks & soups. From the time I went through puberty till the day I gave birth, I got the best of everything! Most of the times, I am required to stomach the bitter concoctions first thing in the morning on an empty stomach or before I sleep late at night. Some of the ingredients are quite expensive. I was taught from young that all things yummy are not always healthy & a little bit of bitterness can bring you a wholesome of goodness! At one stage, during my marriage days, we even grew our own wheatgrass & have it at the break of dawn.
Most of these, you can get for free if you know what it looks like and where to look for it. Better still if you are able to plant it in your own gardens. Coming back to Neem & its amazing properties, I can't help but be thankful that it is just growing freely right infront of our yard. My mother prefers to eat Buah Tunjuk Langit, ( please don't ask me the English name for it ), while I prefer to eat the young Neem leaves. To me, besides the bitterness, it tastes a whole lot of garlicky too, and I like that. Mom also blends the leaves for us to shower in at times. It seems to have a wonderful effect on my son, Ryan currently. His wounded area doesn't itch as much now therefore, we seldom have to give him his Piriton medication. Google Neem & you'll be amaze by its healing wonders. It is so bitter that even a mosquito will not be interested to suck your blood, hence I am sure chances of us, Malaysians, getting the silent Denggi fever will be next to nil!
Grandma & grandson getting the Neem leaves ready for usage.
Ryan's chest ~ 5 days after discharge & two weeks since his unfortunate incident with hot water.
There is something else that my son & I have been eating as well, on & off long before his hospital stay.
Chia Seeds. I believe that it has aided in Ryan's cell growth tremendously. ( I want to believe that it has anyway ). On Ryan's first week in hospital, the Dr & nurses told me that Ryan might have to stay in the hospital for at least another 2 weeks. By the 3rd dressing, which was on the 9th day, we were given the greenlight to discharge & no dressings were required on him anymore. What a pleasant surprise for all of us. Only advise, keep the affected area off sunlight for at least another 6 months to avoid from scarring.
Yeay! Power to the Chia! Our favourite mode of consuming this yummy seeds? 2 tbsp for me & a tsp for Ryan, added into our water bottles everyday :) You can eat it on its own or sprinkle it on your food. Drink plenty of water after.
I get my stock from Organic Shops. Mila is the best. It is always cheaper in Australia.
Please Google yourselves or ask the experts for more information & remember to always read its benefits as well as side effects. All these organic stuff is supposed to be good for us. Every action has a reaction though, thus everything has to be taken in moderation. You are what you eat. That is true. Having said that, not everyone can afford some of the more exquisite ones, nor do they have the time or knowledge to prepare what's best. However, keep it simple. Anything that was good for our ancestors, is good for us! Like I have always said, the best things in life, we get for free..like Oxygen :* a Smile :) & even our Mother's Love ♥ Eat right, sleep well & don't forget to exercise!
My grandpa used to say ~
Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy & wise ♥
