A common bitter herb that is good for the heart

Many years ago, I suffered from high blood pressure and my father in-law introduces this bitter herb to me. It taste horrible! But with much determination, I began to force myself taking it. Seven medium sized leave were picked and chewed (the most difficult part) for several minutes until all the bitterness spreads all over my mouth and guts. I then swallowed it with lots of water (the bitter taste will still be lingering in my mouth for hours). I stayed with this regime for about a month; taking it in alternate days of course. A good review about this herb can be obtain here
I have taken it for 5 years now, on and off and my blood pressure has gone down to normal. This bitter herb is also very good for the liver and cures soar throat like magic. From then onwards, I began to look for other herbs in my back yard or went searching for new herbs to be planted in my garden.
PLEASE TAKE NOTE: I am not a doctor or any herbalist but just a teacher who likes to plant herbs for personal consumption and as a hobby. Thank you

Saturday, March 10, 2012

Talinum Triangulare (local Ginseng)

 Talinum (Talinum triangulare)
This herb is equivalent to the expensive ginseng that we know in the market. Its leaf and stems are succulent and can be eaten and cook just like any vegetables. When cook, the cooked herb tastes very good and it has a very smooth and slippery feeling when chew. It is also use as a vegetable soup. It was noted that the potent ginseng part of this herb is not in the root but in the leaf. The flower of this herb is small and is purplish in colour just that is shown on the picture above. This plant is gaining popularity in Japan. So far it is propagated using its roots. The seeds are very fine but they grow very readily especially in rich soil. This herb although popular is relatively hard to find as compared to the Hempedu bumi.
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Saturday, March 3, 2012

Sabah Snake Grass

This is a new addition to my herb garden. It is locally call The Sabah Snake Grass (Clinathanus). It was said that this herb if taken regularly is able to cure almost all form of cancer.
From far, this herb looks like the Hempedu Bumi which incidentally is at the background of this picture. The part to watch is the leave texture and the stem. The stem of the Hempedu Bumi is squarish while the Sabah Snake Grass is cylindrical in shape. The leave does not taste bitter (not like the Hempedu Bumi)

The only problem I noticed is that its growth is rather slow and needs a lot of fertilizer and does not like too much sun. It will not grow very well if planted in a pot. It is propagated by stem cutting. Click this link to see a more in-depth on the number of leaves to take if you suffer from cancer.
Share with me as how this plant can be made to grow faster and greener. If this plant is really what people has claimed it to be, then we must grow a lot of it as the leaves to be taken is by the hundred - daily!
By the way this plant can be taken for general health too.
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Friday, March 2, 2012

Andrograhis paniculata (King of Bitter Herb)

Hempedu Bumi (Andrograhis paniculata)
Hello and greetings to all who loves plants. What do you think of this bitter herb? Have you tried it? Please share with me other uses of this bitter herb. In Hockien it is pronounce as "Si pan Kee".
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