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A9
LOCAL Thursday 18 January 2024

Lessons from our elders:

Plants and fruits for medicinal use
(part 2)

(Oranjestad)—In last week’s edi- toes are also great for people who
tion, we shared with our readers work hard labor jobs, and it’s been
some medicinal use for plants and said to be aid blood circulation in
fruits, passed down from our elders the body, as well as help those with
through generations. This week, we hemorrhoids or diarrhea.
present two more uses of fruits and
plants for medicinal use. Many of our elders opted to plant
sweet potatoes themselves, mostly
Sweet potato because of how easy it was to do
According to our elders, sweet po- so. Cut the end of a sweet potato
tato is mostly useful for low blood let it sit in shallow water until it starts
pressure. People who suffer from to sprout. Then you may plant it in
low blood pressure were advised the ground. Sweet potatoes need what the difference is between a In terms of medicinal use, pome-
to eat sweet potato 2 to 3 times a plenty of water to grow, especially small and big pomegranate tree, granate skins are said to have a
week. However, if you have high in the first week in the ground. It for which the answer is based on few benefits for our health. Ac-
blood pressure, it is best not to eat was said that once you start to no- harvest time. Tiny trees produce cording to customs, pomegranate
too much sweet potato, as this tice the ground crack underneath tinier pomegranates that can be skin tea can help those that suffer
raises blood pressure. Sweet pota- the flowers, it is time to harvest. This harvested early on. Contrarily, big from diarrhea. Dried pomegranate
should happen around month 3. trees produce bigger pomegran- skin tea is also good for people who
ates, but they need enough time have worms. Pomegranate flowers
Pomegranate to fully ripen before harvesting, can be boiled to make a drink and
Pomegranates are also one of the otherwise you might end up with this can be used for irritated gums;
easier fruits to plant and harvest. bitter seeds. Pomegranate trees just take a swig and let the tea sit in
Originated from Persia, this plant are also very easy to plant. In es- your mouth for a couple minutes.
can grow almost everywhere. In sence, if you just throw the seeds
Aruba, there are many homes on the ground, they could grow Source: Remedi i Kustumber di nos
that have a tiny or big pomegran- into a tree. Bieunan (Medicine and Customs
ate tree. You may be wondering of our Elderly) by Dinah Veeris q

Prohibited by law: leaving the island with seashells, white sand or corals

(Oranjestad)—Often times, and amount of sand con- give nature the respect it
the customs department at fiscated is very strange and deserves by protecting our
the airport intercepts many it is suspected that our own environment. Stop collect-
tourists leaving the island locals are the ones selling ing seashells, white sand
with seashells, white sand these to the tourists, which and corals from our shores
and/or corals as souvenirs. is unacceptable. and stop buying or accept-
Upon confiscation at the ing these from local sellers
Conforming to the inter- airport, you can also face or companies.
national treaty of CITES a fine that they have to
and our local law which pay before leaving. This is We want our future gener-
protects our Flora & Fau- surely not a pleasant ex- ations and visitors to enjoy
na, it is absolutely prohib- perience for the tourist. This the beauty of our beaches,
ited to take any seashell, also leads to a negative re- shells and corals in a sus-
sand and coral outside action which can put our tainable way, without de-
of Aruba. This is to protect tourism in a negative light. stroying or disrupting the
our environment. The high Though we love to accom- Aruban ecosystem. Help us
number of seashells, coral modate our visitors, let’s all protect what is ours!q