Page 7 - AHATA

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local Thursday 24 OcTOber 2024
Lessons from our elders:

Plants and fruits for medicinal use (part 2)

time to harvest. This should granate trees are also very
happen around month 3. easy to plant. In essence,
if you just throw the seeds
Pomegranate on the ground, they could
Pomegranates are also grow into a tree.
one of the easier fruits to
plant and harvest. Origi- In terms of medicinal use,
nated from Persia, this pomegranate skins are
plant can grow almost ev- said to have a few benefits
erywhere. In Aruba, there for our health. According
are many homes that have to customs, pomegranate
a tiny or big pomegranate skin tea can help those that
(Oranjestad)—In last blood pressure were ad- Many of our elders opted to tree. You may be wonder- suffer from diarrhea. Dried
week’s edition, we shared vised to eat sweet potato 2 plant sweet potatoes them- ing what the difference is pomegranate skin tea is
with our readers some me- to 3 times a week. Howev- selves, mostly because of between a small and big also good for people who
dicinal use for plants and er, if you have high blood how easy it was to do so. pomegranate tree, for have worms. Pomegranate
fruits, passed down from pressure, it is best not to eat Cut the end of a sweet po- which the answer is based flowers can be boiled to
our elders through genera- too much sweet potato, as tato let it sit in shallow wa- on harvest time. Tiny trees make a drink and this can
tions. This week, we present this raises blood pressure. ter until it starts to sprout. produce tinier pomegran- be used for irritated gums;
two more uses of fruits and Sweet potatoes are also Then you may plant it in the ates that can be harvest- just take a swig and let the
plants for medicinal use. great for people who work ground. Sweet potatoes ed early on. Contrarily, tea sit in your mouth for a
hard labor jobs, and it’s need plenty of water to big trees produce bigger couple minutes.q
Sweet potato been said to be aid blood grow, especially in the first pomegranates, but they
According to our elders, circulation in the body, week in the ground. It was need enough time to fully Source: Remedi i Kustumber
sweet potato is mostly use- as well as help those with said that once you start to ripen before harvesting, di nos Bieunan (Medicine and
ful for low blood pressure. hemorrhoids or diarrhea. notice the ground crack otherwise you might end Customs of our Elderly) by Di-
People who suffer from low underneath the flowers, it is up with bitter seeds. Pome- nah Veeris

Planning on snorkeling? Get to know our Picuda!

(Oranjestad)—If you’re English. Its scientific name one. Its peduncle, where fight once hooked. It can
ever planning on snorkel- is Sphyraena barracuda. It the body meets the tail, In Aruba: be caught via trolling from
ing during your vacation is a widely caught fish. It is is thick, while the tail also Picuda can be found in our a boat, casting from shore
on Aruba, you may spot found throughout the year forms a crescent but in this waters around our island with a line or rod, or by jig-
fish that you can’t recog- in our waters, where it is a case one more "full" than throughout the year. Picu- ging, casting the lure (ar-
nize. One of these may be so-called "ambush preda- that of mullet or conefish. da, in our waters, is edible tificial bait) and moving it
the “Picuda”, a very com- tor" that stays still or floats This reflects the hunting without any problem. Picu- with certain rod motions.q
mon fish that swims all year in the water waiting for style of the Picuda. It needs da is also a highly sought-
long in the waters of Aruba. its prey to approach so it to be able to accelerate after fish by sports fishermen Picture courtesy of the De-
Here’s some information can attack it with lightning quickly when the prey gets or recreational fishermen partment of Agriculture, Live-
about the beloved Picuda. speed. It is well known for close. because it puts up a good stock and Fisheries.
fishermen, especially for
Let's talk about the names its white flesh in fish soup.
of fish. Do you know your In fishing culture, there are
fish? This is an informative many other names, such as
article that illustrate some Pecho blanco, Blekito, Ba-
fish and their names in Pa- nana, or Bleki. The names
piamento, which the De- vary according to size.
partment of Agriculture,
Livestock and Fisheries, Description
known as “Santa Rosa”, The Picuda is a long fish,
wants to share and also with a round body like a
obtain information from the torpedo and silver in color
public. with shiny black stripes.
Below, that is, the belly, is
Picuda, Sphyraena barra- whiter, while the top part
cuda, Greater Barracuda is darker. Its snout is very
Well known is the Picuda on pointed, and the lower jaw
the island—Barracuda in is longer than the upper