Papaya - a world class meat tenderizer, natural digestive aid, prevents ulcers, and also a soft contact lense cleaner.
The remembrance of these astounding folk discoveries... should sober our thoughts when we criticise too freely the old pharmacopoeias. It is easy to make fun of medieval recipes: it is more difficult and may be wiser to investigate them. Instead of assuming that the medieval pharmacist was a benighted foot we might wonder whether there was not sometimes a justification for his strange procedure. -- George Sartori, Harvard Professor and Author
DISCLAIMER: Green Papaya offers Home Remedies with specific annotations to health and well-being. Such remedy advices are offered as emergency first aid and are governed by the Good Samaritan Act. Under the common 'Good Samaritan laws' - "a citizen is obliged to provide first aid when necessary and is immune from prosecution if assistance given in good faith turns out to be harmful". Within our developing "wireless world" there comes a time when the only immediate assistance is that offered through the Internet. Green Papaya therefore feels that obligation and thereby offers this resource of Home Remedies as necessary.
Green Papaya's home remedies are meant for temporary relief and first aid measures; for the average person without any special needs or uncommon or compounding medical conditions. Green Papaya's advice, regardless of the situation, IS NOT a replacement for professional care and consultation. Please consultant with your family doctor or any emergency service immediately.
Powdered allspice adds a warm, rich flavor to foods, but its highly concentrated oil should never be swallowed. As little as I teaspoon can cause nausea, vomiting, and even convulsions.
Although allspice oil is effective when applied externally, this may not always be a good idea. In people with sensitive skin, particularly those with eczema, the oil may cause inflammation.
Allspice is a mild antioxidant. Antioxidants help prevent the cell damage that scientists say eventually causes cancer. On the other hand, in laboratory tests, eugenol weakly promotes tumor growth. This makes allspice one of many healing herbs with both pro- and anti-cancer effects. At this point, scientists aren’t sure which way the balance tilts Until they are, people with any history of cancer should probably not use medicinal doses of allspice.
Allspice is on the Food and Drug Administration’s list of herbs generally regarded as safe. For otherwise healthy non-pregnant, non-nursing adults, allspice is considered safe in amounts typically recommended. Allspice should be taken in medicinal amounts only in consultation with your doctor. If allspice causes minor discomforts, such as stomach upset or diarrhea, use less or stop using it. Let your doctor know if you experience any unpleasant effects or if the symptoms for which the herb is being used do not improve significantly in two weeks.
Native Cultivation
Native to Central America and the Caribbean, and now cultivated in South America, the 40-foot allspice tree has large, leathery, oblong leaves and produces clusters of ½-inch berries in July and August. It is not grown in the United States.
Allspice berries contain an oil that is the source of all its healing powers.
Digestive Aid - Allspice oil is rich in the chemical eugenol, also found in clove and several other healing herbs. Eugenol may promote activity of digestive enzymes.
Pain Reliever - Eugenol has also been found to be an effective pain reliever, lending credence to the Guatemalan practice of applying the crushed berries to painful muscles and joints.
Anesthetic - Dentists use eugenol as a local anesthetic for teeth and gums, and the chemical is an ingredient in the overthe-counter toothache remedies Numzident and Benzodent. Allspice oil may be applied directly to painful teeth and gums as first aid until professional care can be obtained.
Rx for Allspice
When using powdered allspice as a spice, season food to taste.
For toothache, apply the oil directly to the tooth or gum, one drop at a time, using a cotton swab. Take care not to swallow it.
As a digestive aid, prepare an infusion using 1 to 2 teaspoons of allspice powder per cup of boiling water. Steep 10 to 20 minutes and strain. Drink up to 3 cups a day. You’ll find that allspice has a warm, pleasant harmony of flavors: cinnamon, pepper. juniper. and cloves.
Medicinal doses should not be given to children under age 2. For older children and people over 65, start with low-strength preparations and increase strength if necessary.
Also known as: Pimento, Pimenta, Jamaican Pepper, Clove Pepper
Parts used: Mature, but unripe, green berries
Many people know the Caribbean as a place to find sunshine, sailboats, and calypso music amidst a warm tropical breeze. But few know the Caribbean as a place to find folk healing at its finest.
Folk healing has been alive in the Caribbean for centuries.
Some of its medicinal magic is found in the spice that’s native to the islands but known universally to just about any cook allspice.
Allspice, which combines the flavors of cinnamon, pepper, juniper, and clove, is used as a digestive aid, pain reliever, and anesthetic. Jamaicans drink hot allspice tea for colds, menstrual cramps, and upset stomach. Costa Ricans use it to treat indigestion, flatulence, and diabetes. Cubans consider it a refreshing tonic. And Guatemalans apply crushed allspice berries externally to treat bruises and joint and muscle pains.
Papaya - a world class meat tenderizer, natural digestive aid, prevents ulcers, and also a soft contact lense cleaner.
Powdered allspice adds a warm, rich flavor to foods, but its highly concentrated oil should never be swallowed. As little as I teaspoon can cause nausea, vomiting, and even convulsions.
Allspice berries contain an oil that is the source of all its healing powers.