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                                                                                                           LOCAL Thursday 11 July 2024































            Lessons from our elders:

            Plants and fruits for medicinal use


                                                                      Eggplant/Aubergine
                                                                      Eggplants, or aubergines, are
                                                                      easy to find in supermarkets
                                                                      around the world and can
                                                                      be grown all year round on
                                                                      the island. Related to potato
                                                                      and tomato, eggplants are
                                                                      good to calm nerves. It can
                                                                      also be used to lower blood
                                                                      pressure, by steeping its leaves
                                                                      in boiled water and drinking it.   Eggplant kataplan* can also   *warapa: term referring to a water
                                                                      You can also make eggplant   be used to treat skin tumors,   and sugar solution, a.k.a simple
                                                                      juice to help purify your blood.   abscesses and hemorrhoids.   syrup.
                                                                      However, do make sure to     Eggplant kataplan can also   *kataplan: porridge-like mixture
                                                                      drink slowly; let it mix with your   be used externally to treat   used externally for wounds or
                                                                      spit and then swallow.       arthritis.                   parts of the body that are painful
                                                                                                                                or swollen.
            (Oranjestad)—Though western  diseases, like arthritis.
            medicine is now widely used
            for common illnesses and to  However,     breastfeeding
            keep our bodies healthy and  women who cannot produce
            happy, it is still very common  much milk are advised not to
            in every household in Aruba  consume too pineapple, and
            (and  around  the  world)  to  people with acid reflux are
            have staple home remedies  recommended to not con-
            that is passed on through gen-  sume any pineapple at all.
            erations. Here are some tips
            that our elders have passed  Arrowroot
            on to us over the years.     Arrowroot is native to tropical
                                         America and can be sold as
            Pineapple                    a powder or whole. It is said
            Pineapple has more uses than  that you can take arrowroot
            topping it on your Christmas  powder and make a “shalup”
            ham. According to elders, the  (porridge) for stomach pain
            skin of a pineapple is great  or when you’re feeling weak.
            to use to refresh your body.  You can make it with milk too,
            Clean  the  skin  thoroughly  but it is advised to best use
            and make tea or warapa*  just water. You can also add
            with it. It is said that this tea  prunes for a bit of sweetness.
            can also be drank after an  Arrowroot shalup is also good
            operation on the ovaries or  to treat an unhealthy gut or
            uterus. This gets rid of irritation  for diarrhea.
            and inflammation.
                                         To make arrowroot shalup,
            When the fruit is unripe and  boil a bit of water and add
            green, this can be used to  one tablespoon of arrowroot
            stimulate menstruation flow  powder and stir continuously
            in women. This also stimulates  until you reach porridge con-
            the  passing  kidney  stones.  sistency. If you make a shalup
            When ripe, the fruit can be  with milk, add a pinch of salt.
            used for poisoning in the gut  Raw arrowroot powder can
            and can help treat rheumatic  be used to powder babies.
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