Growing Chinese Lemon Leaves, Indian Borage Or Cuban Oregano And Its Medicinal Uses

I can still remember the day when my ex-colleague gave me a few stalks of Chinese Lemon Leaves or Indian Mint Leaves. It was after the Chinese New Year festive holidays many years ago, should be more than 10 years. I started with a very bad sore throat, after that followed by a very persistent cough. My colleague knew that I have been coughing for a long time. The doctor even stopped giving me anymore medication. He told me that it was a chronic cough and I had to be very careful to avoid food that would irritate my cough and aggravated my cough.

During the day, many hours would go by without a cough from me, but once the cough started, I just couldn't stop coughing. My throat would suddenly get very itchy and the cough would continue. In the night, I would be sleeping soundly up to midnight, suddenly my cough would start. I coughed so much till my diaphragm hurt and even my bladder leaked.

It was the first time I have seen these Lemon leaves. She told me that the leaves are good for healing cough. Since I have been coughing for so long, I was willing to give it a try. Following her instructions, I took the leaves back home during lunch break. I plucked off two or three of the bigger leaves, rinsed them under runny tap water, heat the leaves on both sides on the dry, hot frying pan. I was supposed to pound the leaves and squeeze out the juice and drink it. But I needed to rush back to office, so to save time, I put the leaves in my mouth, chewed on it. Urghhh! I quickly spat out the pulp because of the strong taste which I do not know how to describe. I forced myself to swallow whatever juice was in my mouth and drove back to my office.

I went back to work and totally forgot about the leaves and of course my cough! Hey! What happened to my cought? I suddenly realized that I did not cough the whole afternoon, not even once since I came back to work after lunch break! My throat felt fine, there was no irritation or any itchiness. From then on, my cough was totally gone!

The first thing I did when I reached home that day was to plant the stem cuttings. I broke off the lower, bigger leaves from the base of the stems and stuck them into the soil in a pot. I watered the stems and from then on, they grew into healthy plants.

This plant has many names. Some of its names are Chinese Lemon Leaves (Leng Mong Yip in Cantonese), Indian Mint Leaves, Broad Leaf Thyme, Cuban Oregano, Indian Borage (Karpooravalli), etc. Its scientific name is Coleus Amboinicus Lour.

It is an herb and its leaves are fleshy, succulent and hairy. They give out a very strong, pungent smell when they are touched. My hubby doesn't like the smell of this plant and in fact, wanted me to get rid of the plant. The leaves are broad, soft and hairy, feeling somewhat like velvet.

This plant grows well in any kind of soil, especially with good drainage. It needs plenty of sunlight and it loves the sun. It is also drought resistant and hardly any fertilizer is needed. It is an evergreen and a very hardy plant. It is easily propagated from stem cuttings. I think it can even be propagated from a leave stalk. I have not seen any shoots growing from this leaf stalk yet. Now I am keeping watch to see if it can indeed grow from the leaf stalk. Can you see the black soil and the roots of the leaf in the above and below picture?

The underside of the leaf is more hairy and has very noticeable veins. One day, I noticed roots growing from the leaf stalk that I left behind in one of the flower pots in my garden.

I grew my first plant in a pot in my side garden. It grew healthy and was branching all over the place. I uprooted the whole plant and propagated another plant outside my house. Very soon, the second plant also grew healthy and was crowding out my lily plants. I trimmed the second plant and at that time the rainy season started. I do not know whether I over trimmed the plant or was it due to the excess rainfall, my plant died.

My third plant was grown from stem cuttings taken from my sister's garden. It is now growing very well and matured enough for me to harvest some of its leaves for boiling herbal drink. I like the taste of this herbal drink and it is also aromatic. Whenever I feel a slight discomfort in my throat, I will drink this herbal drink to ease my throat and prevent any possible cough. Sad to say, my hubby did not appreciate this herbal drink. He complained it has a kind of smell and taste. So each time I boiled this herbal drink, I will share it with the two young ladies who are my neighbours. They love and appreciate this drink.

The more experienced older folks claimed that these Lemon or Mint Leaves have many medicinal uses especially in the treatment of cough, chronic cough, sore throat, nasal congestion, rheumatic pain, flatulence and other digestive problems, hiccups, skin ailments, menstruation pain and cramp. It is also claimed to have liver protection property, etc. Here, I would like to advice those who have not tried this and are wanting to try this plant for treatment. First, try it out in small dosage to check for any side effect because most or some alternative treatment or traditional treatment with any herbal plants has its side effect, depending on individual's body. So far, through my own experience, I have not encountered any side effect.

From my own experience in treating my chronic cough, I found that the raw juice from the crushed leaves is effective in healing my cough. But of course, the juice doesn't taste nice.

Suggested homemade remedy:

Cold/Nasal Congestion

• Break or crush leaves to smell the leaves to bring relieve to congestion.
• Add some crushed leaves to a small basin of hot water, hold face over the hot steam to bring relief to congestion.

Cough/Chronic cough/Sore Throat

• Pound a handful of leaves, extract or squeeze juice, drink concentrated juice, or if preferred, add a little water to juice and drink.

For now, I prefer to boil the leaves with other ingredients to make it a more tasty herbal drink. I do not need to wait till I have a sore throat or a cough to boil this drink. Whenever the weather is hot or whenever my throat feels dry, I will boil and consume this drink.

Some of my Indian friends used these leaves as cooking ingredients.

How I boil my herbal drink.

Ingredients:

• A handful of Lemon or Lime Leaves about 8-10 big leaves. Rinse both sides of the leaves under running tap water to remove any dirt.
• 2 pieces of compressed, dried sweetened tangerines (kat paen in Cantonese, can be bought from any Chinese medical shop). Rinse them and cut them into smaller pieces. (Please refer to picture below, its the orange ones with sugar coating).
• A few pieces of sweetened honey dates. These too can be bought from Chinese medical shop or Chinese grocery shop. Rinse and break or cut into pieces. (Please refer to picture below, its the brown ones with sugar coating).
• Place all these ingredients in a pot of water, about 4 to 5 soup bowls. Once the water started to boil, lower the fire to slow boil. Amount of water depends on the concentration you prefer, according to your taste. Slow boil for 30 to 40 minutes or even more. Sometimes I will slow boil for about an hour.
• There is no need to add any sugar or sweetener because the dried tangerines and dried dates are sweetened ones.

He who is full loathes honey,

but to the hungry even what is bitter tastes sweet.

(Proverbs 27:7, New International Version-NIV)

Herb Plantago Major Or Common Plantain And Its Medicinal Uses

I like this herbal drink because of its flavour. Once in a while I will boil this herbal drink for my family. What is this herbal drink that I am writing about? This herbal drink is made by boiling the herb Plantago Major. This herb has many names. Some of the names are Plantago Major, Common Plantain, Broadleaf Plantain, Greater Plantain, English Man's Foot, etc. In Cantonese, I learnt that it is called something like "Teen Koon Choe". It belongs to the Plantaginaceae Family.

Plantago Major is a short, little herb plant. It has green, roundish oval shaped leaves. The leaf when matured is very tough and not easily broken. A poultice made from the leaves can be applied to wounds, cuts, burns, insect stings or bites, ulcers, sores to promote healing and prevent infection. It is also anti-inflamatory, antioxidant, etc.

The very young and tender leaves can be eaten raw as salad green. The matured or older leaves are very fibrous and stringier but they can be cooked and boiled in stews. Tea made from boiling leaves in water can be used to treat diarrhea, dysentery and to soothe and promote healing.

The leaves are high in minerals especially calcium, vitamins and also contain very high healing compounds.

The flowers are tiny and are on long, thin and straight stalks raised high above the leaves.

Plantago Major is wind pollinated. It is propagated through seeds. The seeds are very tiny and they are oval shaped.

I can still remember the weekend trip in Fraser's Hill many years ago with some church members. We got up very early in the morning to go for our morning walk and at the same time to catch the beautiful sunrise. On our way back to the bungalow for breakfast, we saw plenty of Plantago Major growing wild on both sides of the road. They were so healthy and fertile. We stopped to gather some of these plants.

We wanted to pull out some of these herbs to take back to Ipoh to boil as herbal drink for the coming small group meeting to be held in my house. We were all squatting by the roadside, ready to begin pulling the plants when on of the ladies (Shirley) stopped us. She told us to hang on and watch. She then used her hand to gently rustle the tip of the leaves and there on the ground we saw many leeches appearing upright, swaying and reaching up, ready to cling to whatever is causing the movement of the leaves.

Those of us who were squatting screamed and jumped up and away from where we were! We were so taken aback at the size of the leeches, they were approximately about an inch and a half long. After overcoming the initial shock and fright, the lady showed us that once we can see the leeches, now we can carefully pull the plants without touching the leeches. That was a very memorable incident and lesson that I can never forget.

Last year, I saw some fresh Plantago Major on sale in the village market by an elderly woman. Plantago Major is not always on sale and it is no longer cheap. For a small bundle, it costs about MYR 2.50 to 2.80 (approx. 0.70 to 0.79 USD). Usually I need about 2 to 3 bundles. The Plantago Major plants are tied in bundles with the whole plants and roots intact. I bought a few bundles home to boil and I kept 1 bundle aside. I wanted to try growing them in my garden since the plants are still fresh with the roots intact.

The bundle of Plantago Major grew very well in my garden. This picture is the second generation Plantago Major.

The dried seeds from the first batch dropped onto the soil and many small plants started to grow from the soil.

Wherever the seeds dropped, they grew into many baby plants. They are very hardy, able to resist and withstand all the trampling when I move about in the garden. They are left to grow wherever they are and harvested when matured. In this way I no longer need to buy from the market, I now have my own supply from my garden.

On Monday morning, I harvest some Plantago Major to boil herbal drink. I picked and throw away all the dried, old leaves and shake the roots free of all soil particles.

Then I soaked the plants in a basin of water to loosen all remaining soil particles from the roots. I rinsed the plants with a few rounds of clean water to remove all dirt particles.

I boiled the Plantago Major plants in a pot of water with a packet of the above ingredients bought from the Chinese medical shop. I was told that these are half cooked barley beans. These are ready packed and when you tell the sales person that it is for boiling "teen koon choe", they will give you this ingredient.

I placed the plants, ingredients and water together in the pot and boiled for about an hour or more over low fire. After a while you can smell the nice aroma coming from the kitchen. I did not add any sugar because we prefer the drink plain without sugar. According to your preference, you can add rock sugar or brown sugar or palm sugar.

This is how the drink will look like. Just drink like any normal herbal drink. This can also be used to treat fever, respiratory infections and to soothe sore throat. It is also commonly used to cleanse kidney, urinary bladder and urinary track of impurities and stones.

I would like to add that all herbal drink and alternative treatment are to be taken with caution and at your own risk. For those who are taking medication, it is advisable to seek the advice of your doctors.

Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river.

Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fail.

Every month they will bear,

because the water from the sanctuary flows to them.

Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing.

(Ezekiel 47:12, New International Version-NIV)

ALOE VERA AND ITS MEDICINAL USES

I received my first Aloe Vera plant from a friend who introduced me to its benefits and medicinal uses.

The ones I have in the photos are grown from offsets or babies from the initial mother plant.

Aloe Vera is a succulent plant that needs plenty of sunlight, at least a minimum of few hours of sun. It grows well in normal garden soil with good water drainage.

Too much of water or poor water drainage will cause root or leaves rot. It is not a deep rooted plant. It does not need much fertilizer. It is easy to grow and hardly any pest problem.

The leaves are green, thick and fleshy. The edges of the leaves are jagged. Some Aloe Vera plants have white specks on the leaves. The surface of the leaves are smooth and waxy. The leaves can grow to 35 to 36 cm (about 3 feet) long.

Aloe Vera plants can be grown in pots and in the ground.

The yellow slimy juice just below the skin of the leaves are toxic. It can cause stomach cramp, purging or skin irritation. It is best to keep out of reach of young children and pets. The part of the leaves that are edible is the transparent gel.

Aloe Vera can be propagated through offsets or baby plants. Allow the baby plants to grow to about 20 cm (8 inch) or more to allow the roots to grow before replanting them or re-potting them.

When the plants are matured, they will bloom yellow flowers in very long stalks.

Aloe Vera is widely used in medicines, cosmetic and alternative healing. It has healing and soothing properties. From my personal experience, Aloe Vera is very effective in healing of burns, cuts, abrasions, wounds, sunburns and insect bites. Remove the green skin of leaves and apply the gel directly onto affected parts.

It will stop bleeding for cuts, prevent blisters for burns and relieve itchiness. Repeat application till bleeding stop or redness of skin is gone. Other uses are for dandruff by rubbing gel onto scalp.

Another popular use is for sweet soup/drink (tong sui)...this is my simple recipe.

I bought this little cute winter melon from the road side stall after my morning walk.

I found this packet of sugar-cane rock sugar and a small packet of dried longan in my refrigerator.

Cut the winter melon into cubes after removing the skin and seeds.

Cut two Aloe Vera leaves from the plant and let the yellow slimy juice drip.

Peel off the green skin from the Aloe Vera leaves and cut the gel into cubes. Place cubes in a sieve and rinse with runny water to remove traces of yellow slimy juice. Place the winter melon, dried longan and water to boil till winter melon is soft. Then add in the rock sugar and boil till sugar dissolve. Finally, add Aloe Vera and once water boil, turn off the fire. I love chilled Aloe Vera sweet soup/drink, very refreshing.

Pleasant words are a honeycomb,

sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.

(Proverbs 16:24)