Page 174 - EBOOK_Jamu: The Ancient Indonesian Art of Herbal Healing

not aware that some oils are dangerous if incorrectly mixed or wrongly applied,

and seem to think if something is applied to the skin, it cannot do any harm. It is
not common knowledge that one of the body’s most efficient transport systems
moves oils from the skin’s surface into the blood stream.
But where health is concerned, logic doesn’t always enter into the
argument. Take cinnamon, for example. For years, sports massage therapists
considered it essential to their work. Yet the oil derived from cinnamon has been
banned in some Western countries owing to its toxicity level. One highly
qualified British beautician, aromatherapist and sports massage expert was
furious over the decision.

“Problems only arise because we don’t understand how to use cinnamon
and other potentially toxic herbs correctly in the West,” she says. “This kind of
thing doesn’t arise in Asia where reputable healers know exactly when and how
much to use. Why not teach therapists how to use the oil instead of rejecting it?”
However, such decisions are having little affect on the overall trend as belief in
natural medicines is growing.

The West Looks East
Now that some people in the West are beginning to have reservations about
orthodox medicine, medical practitioners are considering the implications of
treating the whole person more seriously rather than curing parts of the body in
isolation. Doctors are increasingly recommending methods used by our
grandparents. Professional bodies are recognizing treatments that used to be
labelled alternative (acupuncture, osteopathy and reflexology, for example),

while in the United States, a government sub-committee is considering setting up
a properly-funded centre for conducting complementary and alternative
medicine research.

A PROFITABLE OPERATION

At 54 years of age, Ibu Mulyono has 30 years of jamu experience to her credit. She describes herself
as “an old-fashioned woman” and this is reflected in her jamu making. She insists grinding and
crushing are done by hand “to ensure the drinks taste fresh”. Ibu Mul used to grow most of the
ingredients in her own garden until lack of space made it more practical to buy the items from the
market instead. Her shopping list usually comprises kencur, jungrabat (Baeckea frutescens),
lemons, turmeric, fenugreek, ginger, tamarind, sintok bark (Cinnamomum sintoc), pulosari (Alyxia
stellata) and lastly, a solid block of gula Jawa, Javanese brown sugar.
Jamu preparation starts at 7 pm when the men come home from work. They wash the raw