Friday, June 29, 2018
Saturday, February 10, 2018
Working The Roots: Over 400 Years of Traditional African American Healing
Peaceful Greetings Friends.
After 22 years the book is finally complete and published.
Available now on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and soon coming to your local bookstore.
I am updating this blog so stay tuned. In the meantime, for updates and information you can also visit / friend me on my facebook page at Michele Elizabeth Lee, or contact me at workingtheroots@gmail.com
After 22 years the book is finally complete and published.
Working the Roots:
Over 400 Years of Traditional African American Healing
Over 400 Years of Traditional African American Healing
Available now on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and soon coming to your local bookstore.
I am updating this blog so stay tuned. In the meantime, for updates and information you can also visit / friend me on my facebook page at Michele Elizabeth Lee, or contact me at workingtheroots@gmail.com
 |
Also available at the following bookstores:
Marcus Bookstores, Oakland, CA
Eso Won Books, Los Angeles, CA
Simply Wholesome, Los Angeles, CA
Sankofa Video Books & Cafe, Washington D.C.
Special note: Some buyers have reported printing errors in the images where some are too dark or there are striations, so if you feel your copy is not up to par, please send back or contact me and I will help facilitate. I can also order books for you. Appreciate your support and patience!
Sunday, December 4, 2011
CHANGE YOUR DIET and LOWER YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE
Yes, they live in a society free from the stressors of the modern world, yet their culture has been described as one “that encourages aggression and a life of chronic warfare with violence and tension.” The key to their low blood pressure is their dietary salt intake. It is <0.5 mg per day. They represent the ultimate human example of the relationship between dietary salt intake and high blood pressure.
The key common denominator is maintaining a balanced diet that is naturally low in salt.
Heart disease or cardiovascular disease associated with high blood pressure is the leading cause of death for people of all races and cultures around the globe.
Unequivocally, around the globe, in every demographic group, research confirms that ADDING SALT TO YOUR DIET INCREASES BLOOD PRESSURE.
Humanity has known this for thousands of years. The earliest medical comment that relates dietary salt to blood pressure was recorded in 1700 BC and comes from Chinese physician Huang Ti Nei Ching Su Wein who stated, ". . . therefore if large amounts of salt are taken, the pulse will stiffen and harden." (Translated by Wan Ping, AD 762.)
There are other contributors that could also increase and compound high blood pressure in addition to dietary salt as well. Stress, a magnesium deficiency, lack of exercise and movement of the body, obesity, and a poor diet that is high in fat and includes too many packaged, processed and prepared foods can cause high blood pressure and lead to other chronic health problems.
The daily-recommended sodium health intake is:
Under age 51: 1,500 mg per day
Ages 51-70: 1,300 mg per day
Ages 70+: 1,200 mg per day.
The average American consumes 3400 mg. of sodium per day, way over the recommended amount. To give you an idea of how much this is, 1 teaspoon of table salt is 2325 mg.
Some foods naturally contain sodium like dairy, meat, shellfish and vegetables. They do not contain a high degree of salt but it contributes to your overall salt intake. 1 cup of milk has 107 mg. of sodium. And, sodium is essential for our body functioning in small amounts. Sodium, salt is harvested in the sea and on land. Some people think sea salt is better for you than iodized salt, but research shows and many health professionals say sea salt impacts our body the same way.
The vast amount of sodium in the American diet comes from processed and prepared foods that typically have high sodium content.
Many prepared foods from restaurants market themselves as healthy alternatives but have high sodium content. Six-inch subway sandwiches have very high sodium content that exceeds or almost meets our recommended daily dosage in one serving! Some of these readings are below.
Italian sandwich 1640 mg of sodium
Chicken fillet 1123 mg. of sodium
Tuna 998 mg. of sodium
A Chick Fil A Hard-grilled Chicken Club sandwich contains 1460 mg. of sodium.
El Pollo loco Jalapeno Chicken Sandwich contains 2017 mg. of sodium.
You can’t always tell how much sodium foods contain by tasting them. To help lower your sodium intake, get in the habit of reading the nutrition facts label found on packages. You can also find nutrition guides of most common restaurant chains online.
Below is a list of salt and sodium-containing compounds in most packaged and processed foods. When you see these products on the label, you know the sodium content is high:
Baking soda
Baking powder
Monosodium glutamate (MSG)
Disodium phosphate
Sodium alginate
Sodium nitrate or nitrite
These terms and condiments also indicate high sodium content: (Image courtesy of huffingtonpost.com)
WATCH OUT FOR HIGH SODIUM MEDICINES
Surprisingly, medicines such as the antacids Alka-Seltzer and Bromo-Seltzer have rich sodium content. A two-tablet dose of Alka-Seltzer contains 995 milligrams of sodium while Bromo-Seltzer contains 761 milligrams in just one tablet. These two "medicines" contain more sodium to your diet than many processed foods.
OTHER WAYS TO LOWER AND MAINTAIN HEALTHY BLOOD PRESSURE LEVELS:
Black folk medicine remedies
Wild harvested YellowRoot tonic recipe
Harvest a bunch full of yellow root, pulling up the plant from the root.
Clean off the dirt with luke warm water.
Break the root into 1-2" size pieces and fill a pint sized mason jar 1/4 to 1/2 with the root.
Fill the jar with luke warm water and let sit for a day until the water turns deep yellow.
Take a sip, 1-3 times daily until all gone.
Wait a week and repeat process.
Or, you can buy the Yellowroot tincture known as Goldenseal and swallow a dropperful under the tongue or in a cup of warm water 1-3 times a week. Follow recommended dosage and if your pressure elevates, discontinue use.
EAT 2 CLOVES OF GARLIC DAILY
Eating 2 cloves of garlic daily will lower your blood pressure. Just chop it up and sprinkle it on your meals. Add a raw clove as a condiment to your meals or add it to your dish.
BAY LEAF REDUCES BLOOD PRESSURE AND RELIEVES MIGRAINE HEADACHES.
Add 3-4 leaves regularly to dishes like stews, soups, casseroles, meats and vegetables. Make a tea using 2-3 dried or fresh bay leaves, letting them steep in 1 cup of hot water for 10 minutes. Drink 2-3 times a day.
SEASON WITH COLORFUL HERBS INSTEAD OF SALT TO BOOST FLAVOR. The herbs and spices below enhance any meal and are also medicinal. Ginger, cayenne, garlic and bay all reduce blood pressure.
WAYS TO PUNCH UP THE FLAVOR WITHOUT SALT
- Marinate meats in vinegar, citrus or pineapple juice
- Use balsamic, apple cider and plain vinegar to flavor greens and salads
- Cook and flavor with wines, the alcohol will evaporate with heat and the flavor stays.
- Season with SPIKE, DASH and other salt alternatives you can buy in the store.
- Adding celery to your diet regularly lowers blood pressure.
Eating ¼ cup a day, about one stalk, will help to treat your high blood pressure.
FINALLY, Exercise and . . .
- Eat more fresh foods, fiber rich foods and fruits and vegetables.
LIVE HEALTHY!!! The world loves you and needs you!
Friday, August 26, 2011
Staying Healthy as Life Happens: 10 Preventative Healthcare Routines
Peaceful Greetings Dear Readers. It’s been a minute since I posted my last article. I had every intention of doing one or two posts a month. But hey, life happens and we do the best we can. I hereby declare again that I will make one or two posts a month. By the way, my months stretch from 30-60 days--☺
In the past year, I’ve been laid off from my job, lost my health insurance, downsized my living situation and turned in my car. Like I said, life happens.
And, on the other hand, my son graduated from college, my daughter is starting high school and they are both healthy and happy. I’m a full-time urban bicycler. It's great exercise! I sleep through the night and wake up rested. I am grateful!
At 52+ years young, I am infinitely thankful for my good health and strong physical ability. No pills, aches or pains and I still get my “Moon” like clockwork.
And now, I have another opportunity to expand who I am.
In the meantime, I am without health insurance, like so many of my kindred global beings. So, I heartily embrace the healing and healthy living traditions of my ancestors who stretch 7 generations back in New Orleans and Mississippi.
I face the same situation they did which is having no health insurance or limited access to it. I do what they did and take care of myself by maintaining a routine of preventative health care so I don't get sick. And if I do fall ill, I use natural remedies to treat the ailment. Our healthcare industry is not based in preventative care or holistic healing but rather relies on "drugs" to mask the symptom and other aggressive treatments. I’m afraid of “them” and besides, I do a better job at my healthcare than they would anyway.
It's time to start using some of the preventative health care routines the wise ol’timers did to stay healthy. My grandmother, Maw-Maw, is a testament to that. She’s 104 years young. MawMaw is a New Orleans native who moved up to Oakland, in the 1940s. She lived on 54th street below San Pablo Ave. for over 50 years. She cooked with garlic in everything and had her occasional garden of seasonal veggies like peppers, collards, tomatoes and milliton (chayote squash).
Here are 10 Healthy Living Routines to maintain good health:
1. The Daily dose of Cod Liver oil or another omega3 like Flax seed oil.
Cod Liver oil has omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, is an immune booster and is anti-inflammatory which keeps your body oiled and joints from aching. It also helps prevent dementia, alzheimers and degenerative conditions associated with aging.
2. Apple Cider Vinegar tonics.
Cuts the mucous from your system, maintains healthy intestinal bacteria so you poop regularly, anti-inflammatory, kills viruses and bacteria to ward off colds and flu, helps regulate blood pressure. Granny from North Carolina would take regular vinegar shots after she’d eat dinner to “cut the mucus.” Use 1 tablespoon in a 1/4 cup of warm water and drink.
3. Castor oil.
Cleanses your colon to eliminate toxins and tone your intestines and help ward off colds. Take 4 times a year at the beginning of each season. Take one tablespoon and wait.
4. Eating chalk or clay from the side of the road.
Pulls toxins and heavy metals from your body. Your body does not digest it, so it expands and pulls toxins and metals from your body and is eliminated in your poop. You can get it today in the form of bentonite at any health food store.
5. Eating a lot of vegetables, fruits and beans, which were organic back in the day.
6. Eating minimal meat, which was also organic back in the day. Folks used to say “I knew what was in my cow, chicken or hog because I fed it.”
7. Cooking with healing foods and spices such as tons of garlic, onion, peppers, cayenne, vinegar, bay leaves, basil to name a few. Garlic and onions are natural antibiotics and antiseptics. Cayenne and peppers move the energy through your body and eliminates mucus. Eating collard, kale, mustard and turnip greens and drinking the pot liquor are very nutritious.
8. “Sip” on or take your seasonal tonics such as yellow root (aka goldenseal), mullein or sassafrass in the fall. All strengthen your immune systems to ward off colds. Mullein is also an expectorant and a great decongestant that can be sipped on or smoked. Also used in baths to reduce swelling and pain from inflammation.
9. Make your body more alkaline by drinking plenty of water with a lemon squeezed in it. Many people have a high acidic ph in their bodies which contributes to dis-ease.
10. Move it our lose it! Move your body by dancing, exercising or doing your regular chores. Even mopping, washing and hanging your clothes, vacuuming, carry your own groceries, gardening, hiking, walking the hood or the lake are good ways to exercise.
Breathe deep and slow and give thanks for the journey you’ve had so far. We all have amazing stories to have made it this far.
Finally, I’ll leave you with this. I canvassed the North Oakland area yesterday promoting Phat Beets farmers market (Saturday's on the corner of 57th and Market Streets in Oakland) and “chopped it up” with many of my neighbors. A few houses from where I live on 57th Street, I met a southern born 90 year old gentleman who was sitting on his porch. He has lived in his house on 57th Street since 1961. I found out he was a merchant marine who has travelled the world 3 times. What experience and stories he had and has to share. Many of our elders live among us and have valuable things to share. Let’s engage our elders and learn from their wisdom.
Below are a few of those down-home southern remedies for arthritis, rheumatism, gout and general inflammation that worked for the folks who used them:
Oak Bark soak and poultice for swelling and joint pain
With an axe or a sharp tool, shave the bark down to the wood on a small section of the oak tree. Peel the bark back like skin and tear off several pieces, about 5-10. Place bark in a pot, cover with ample water and slow boil it for about an hour. Soak the painful or swollen area in the solution or rub it on. You can also soak a cloth in the oak bark solution and wrap affected area with the cloth. If you use the oak bark as a rub, save the remaining solution with the bark in a glass container and use as needed.
Oak bark contains the minerals manganese, potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron, and zinc. It has strong anti-inflammatory and astringent properties. It strengthens blood vessels and tightens tissues.
Mullein leaf bath, poultice and tea for swelling and pain
The mullein plant has strong anti-inflammatory properties. Southerners often soak in a mullein bath or drink mullein tea to reduce pain and inflammation. The Mullein plant grows plentiful in the southern landscape. If you can’t find a plant nearby, you can always go to your local health store and get the tea, tablets or tincture.
How to use:
Bath or soak
Cut 4-6 dried leaves per 5 cups of water; boil in a pot and soak your feet or whole body in a bath for at least twenty minutes. If you soak your body in a mullein leaf bath, add approximately ten leaves uncut.
Tea
Mix 4 parts (4:1:1) dried and finely chopped mullein leaf to one part water to one part apple cider vinegar. Heat up and put in a cotton cloth and place on affected area.
Celery stalk broth to treat Gout
Many people have successfully treated their gout by consuming celery. Mama Farlice of Los Angeles, CA– Candie’s, Vickie’s and Bobby’s mother - recently gave me this natural remedy which works for her gout. Chop a bunch of celery, place in a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Let cool and drink the broth, eat the celery. You can also take celery extract, 75 mg. 2x a day or tablets. Include celery in your diet.
LIVE HEALTHY!
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Apple Cider Vinegar: A timeless treatment for Arthritis and Rheumatism
For centuries, people all over the globe have conjured their own remedies to treat arthritis. And, southern folks being their own unique brand of people are no exception. Many took apple cider vinegar (ACV) shots after meals regularly to prevent or ease arthritis and to cut mucous in their system. Apple cider vinegar dissolves the acid crystals in the body that cause pain, joint stiffness, and inflammation associated with arthritis and rheumatism.
Image courtesy of acv-steven.blogspot.com
The best health practice is always a preventative one. But if it’s been a while since you’ve taken a regular dose of preventative medicine like your parents or grandparents did with apple cider vinegar or cod liver oil, (or another Omega 3 oil), then using some of these remedies may take a while to work. And the length of time it takes to see results, vary with each person. You may see a difference immediately or in 6 months. Remember, for many it has taken the good part of a life-time for the illness to develop, so be patient.
As a good friend of mine from southern stock always says, “there ain’t nuthin instant, not even oatmeal. . . you gotta cleanse yo’self before you heal yo’self.” And in addition to being an effective treatment for arthritis, regular doses of ACV is a good cleanser.
What works for one person, may not work for another. Find the treatment that works for you. You have nothing to lose ‘cept that doggone pain.
Below is an Apple Cider Vinegar folk remedy followed by modern day testimonies celebrating its healing power with arthritis and rheumatism.
Ms. Ola B Hunter-Woods’ Organic Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) tonic and Castor Oil rub. The tonic is to be taken internally and the rub is an external treatment
Ms. Ola B Hunter-Woods of Arkansas in her garden. Age 94
Internal ACV remedy:
A dose of Apple Cider Vinegar with honey helps dissolve acid crystal deposits left by uric acid that collect in your joints and in muscles causing pain, stiffness and inflammation. Once dissolved, the acid crystals leave your body by passing through your urine. So drink plenty of water. Both the ACV and honey have anti-inflammatory properties.
Dose: The standard remedy for ACV to treat arthritis or for preventative health care maintenance is one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, one teaspoon of honey in ¼ to ½ cup of warm water, once per day or week depending on your system. Variation: add one tablespoon of ACV to a serving of juice.
External ACV remedy:
Apply apple cider vinegar to the affected area so the skin can absorb its anti-inflammatory healing properties. Next massage warm castor oil onto affected area and wrap with a cotton cloth and cover with plastic so the oil does not stain. Castor oil is easily absorbed through your skin and it also has many healing benefits for arthritis. It reduces inflammation, repairs damaged tissue and increases immunity.
Modern Day Testimonies and studies:
Today, Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) is the medicine of choice for many rheumatoid arthritis sufferers. For some, it has eased the pain and reversed the disease when conventional medicines did not work. One woman, Sarah Gall, got relief after following "a strict dietary regime that meant avoiding alcohol, cutting out foods with refined sugar and any citric fruit, as well as taking cider vinegar, mixed with honey, hot water and molasses, after every meal. This was combined with vitamin supplements - including A, B, magnesium and calcium - and a hot bath in Epsom salts. After one month, she got relief and after three, she was pain free."
Image courtesy of jymfitness.com
Sir Ranulf Fiennes, the first man ever recorded to cross the Antarctic by foot, started taking apple cider vinegar 27 years ago when he developed bad arthritis in his hands and hip. Prior to that, he had watched his mother become bedridden at age 86 from debilitating arthritis. She was given an ACV tonic for six months and started to get better. A few months later, she completely got over the problem and was able to live pain free until she crossed over at age 92. After seeing her full recovery, he was convinced of it’s healing and cleansing power. You can read Sarah Galls' and Sir Ranulf Finnes’ testimony in the article, The Acid Test for Arthritis, published in the UK Telegraph.
If you decide to try apple cider vinegar to treat your arthritis, then use an organic Apple Cider Vinegar like Braggs.
Image courtesy of ehow.co.uk
For more information on the health benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar visit the GlobalHealingCenter.com.
Grow healthy by taking the lead role in your wellness and become your body’s best friend. With so many people lacking health insurance, there is no better time than now to be responsible for your wellness. Being consistent with your natural remedies and finding the right routine is important for sustained good health. Patience is key. Remember, you may have to cut through years of bad eating.
Finally, here are some words of caution:
Before taking any supplement or changing your healing routine, it’s always best to consult your health professional, if you have one. If not, consult friends and others who are natural health practitioners or use books and the INTERNET as a resource for your research.
If you are taking pharmaceuticals, some natural and folk treatments may not be compatible. And even some natural remedies and herbs may contradict each other and give you a bad reaction or have a limit on the length of time you can take the herb. Also, keep in mind that ingredients used for home remedies 50 years ago may not have the same constituency or potency today. Only your body can tell you if it’s effective or not. Be in tune with how it responds to treatments. Finally, herbal and natural remedies work best at the right dosage and when taken consistently.
I wish everyone much success in living healthy and long!
The best health practice is always a preventative one. But if it’s been a while since you’ve taken a regular dose of preventative medicine like your parents or grandparents did with apple cider vinegar or cod liver oil, (or another Omega 3 oil), then using some of these remedies may take a while to work. And the length of time it takes to see results, vary with each person. You may see a difference immediately or in 6 months. Remember, for many it has taken the good part of a life-time for the illness to develop, so be patient.
As a good friend of mine from southern stock always says, “there ain’t nuthin instant, not even oatmeal. . . you gotta cleanse yo’self before you heal yo’self.” And in addition to being an effective treatment for arthritis, regular doses of ACV is a good cleanser.
What works for one person, may not work for another. Find the treatment that works for you. You have nothing to lose ‘cept that doggone pain.
Below is an Apple Cider Vinegar folk remedy followed by modern day testimonies celebrating its healing power with arthritis and rheumatism.
Ms. Ola B Hunter-Woods’ Organic Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) tonic and Castor Oil rub. The tonic is to be taken internally and the rub is an external treatment
Internal ACV remedy:
A dose of Apple Cider Vinegar with honey helps dissolve acid crystal deposits left by uric acid that collect in your joints and in muscles causing pain, stiffness and inflammation. Once dissolved, the acid crystals leave your body by passing through your urine. So drink plenty of water. Both the ACV and honey have anti-inflammatory properties.
Dose: The standard remedy for ACV to treat arthritis or for preventative health care maintenance is one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, one teaspoon of honey in ¼ to ½ cup of warm water, once per day or week depending on your system. Variation: add one tablespoon of ACV to a serving of juice.
External ACV remedy:
Apply apple cider vinegar to the affected area so the skin can absorb its anti-inflammatory healing properties. Next massage warm castor oil onto affected area and wrap with a cotton cloth and cover with plastic so the oil does not stain. Castor oil is easily absorbed through your skin and it also has many healing benefits for arthritis. It reduces inflammation, repairs damaged tissue and increases immunity.
Modern Day Testimonies and studies:
Today, Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) is the medicine of choice for many rheumatoid arthritis sufferers. For some, it has eased the pain and reversed the disease when conventional medicines did not work. One woman, Sarah Gall, got relief after following "a strict dietary regime that meant avoiding alcohol, cutting out foods with refined sugar and any citric fruit, as well as taking cider vinegar, mixed with honey, hot water and molasses, after every meal. This was combined with vitamin supplements - including A, B, magnesium and calcium - and a hot bath in Epsom salts. After one month, she got relief and after three, she was pain free."
Sir Ranulf Fiennes, the first man ever recorded to cross the Antarctic by foot, started taking apple cider vinegar 27 years ago when he developed bad arthritis in his hands and hip. Prior to that, he had watched his mother become bedridden at age 86 from debilitating arthritis. She was given an ACV tonic for six months and started to get better. A few months later, she completely got over the problem and was able to live pain free until she crossed over at age 92. After seeing her full recovery, he was convinced of it’s healing and cleansing power. You can read Sarah Galls' and Sir Ranulf Finnes’ testimony in the article, The Acid Test for Arthritis, published in the UK Telegraph.
If you decide to try apple cider vinegar to treat your arthritis, then use an organic Apple Cider Vinegar like Braggs.
For more information on the health benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar visit the GlobalHealingCenter.com.
Grow healthy by taking the lead role in your wellness and become your body’s best friend. With so many people lacking health insurance, there is no better time than now to be responsible for your wellness. Being consistent with your natural remedies and finding the right routine is important for sustained good health. Patience is key. Remember, you may have to cut through years of bad eating.
Finally, here are some words of caution:
Before taking any supplement or changing your healing routine, it’s always best to consult your health professional, if you have one. If not, consult friends and others who are natural health practitioners or use books and the INTERNET as a resource for your research.
If you are taking pharmaceuticals, some natural and folk treatments may not be compatible. And even some natural remedies and herbs may contradict each other and give you a bad reaction or have a limit on the length of time you can take the herb. Also, keep in mind that ingredients used for home remedies 50 years ago may not have the same constituency or potency today. Only your body can tell you if it’s effective or not. Be in tune with how it responds to treatments. Finally, herbal and natural remedies work best at the right dosage and when taken consistently.
I wish everyone much success in living healthy and long!
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
EVEN DINOSAURS GOT ARTHRITIS -- AAARRRGH -- WHAT YOU CAN DO IF YOUR 'TISM IS ACTING UP
Recent studies show arthritis and rheumatism are preventable, treatable and are not inevitable, as you get older. Before I get into the details, I want to share with you the story of Mr. Red from North Carolina who raked in 100 pounds of pine straw 5 days a week until he was 80 years old. He had his share of aches and pains, but he kept on going. He took a swig of cod liver oil daily and applied his sister’s special herbal rub for “ar-ther-ri-tis” or “tism” pain whenever he needed. He also used oak bark soaks and poultices for swelling. Mr. Red, like many, still felt the affects of arthritis as he matured. But his health regimen which included a daily dose of cod liver oil (an essential fatty acid), physical activity and healthy eating allowed him to maintain an active life far beyond most his age today. Below is an excerpt of Mr. Red's interview, (1998-1999.)
“I haul pine straw for a livin’ now. I’m 79 and can rake 100 pounds of straw a day. I go back in da woods in da sandhills to rake dat straw. Throw it in da back of my truck. I put up dat wood (plywood) along da side (of the truck) so it could hold mo straw and won’t fly out. Sometimes I go by myself, sometime my lady friend hep me to haul straw but she been sick. I get out dere ‘bout 8:00, cuz when it gets a li’l hotter, you cain’t handle a load.
"I was an ‘ol man befo’ I ever went to a doctor but I went to one for this ar-ther-ri-tis ‘bout two Saturdays ago, over heah in Laurel Hill. I was hurtin’. What I did dat got me to hurtin’ so bad was I went and got a load of straw dat Wednesday and it got to rainin’. I come out da woods and I come and got dat ‘ol plastic out dere to cover up da straw so it wouldn’t get so wet. You don want it wet, you want it dry. An I mess ‘round out dere trying to cover dat stuff and got soakin’ wet. I could feel da water runnin down my back. I had on my jacket. It wasn’t too cold but I got wet. You cain’t get wet wit dat ar-ther-ri-tis. You gotta stay dry and warm. You cain’t get cold. And I come right in da house, pull off all my clothes, top to bottom. I rubbed on me what my sistah made fo me heah in dis jar. Da next five to ten minutes it gets warm and it helps ease the pain some. I don know what herbs in it, she jus’ give it to me.
"It work good for my ar-ther-ri-tis and poor circulation. If yo blood don’ circulate good, my feet will get numb and cold and start to hurtin. I put on dry clothes and I thought it would be alright. Later on dat night, dat thang (arthritis) tore me up, hurt me so bad. ‘Bout eleven or twelve o’clock dem pains was runnin’ up and down from my hip to my toes. When I went to da doctor and he was checkin’ me out and thangs, he say my blood is good.
I tol’ him, “There’s one thang I want to ask you, have you got anythang that can cure the ar-ther-ri-tis?”
“How in da hell can I hep you and I cain’t hep myself? I’m hurtin now!” That’s what the doctor said. “If I can cure you, I can cure myself.”
"I say, 'Well can ya give me anythang to hep me or ease da pain?'”
"The doctor say, 'No, no no. I ain’t got a thang for dat. I cain’t do nuthin’ for you.'”
"I say what’s the matter wit dis doctor, dere outta be sumtin’ for it but he say, 'No we ain’t got a thang for ar-ther-ri-tis. As long as you can stay warm, it won’t bother you much. But if you get cold, it would tear you up.'"
"They had ar-ther-itis back in my Mama’s day. I heard her say several times, “Oh my bones hurt, must be getting ‘ol.
"Maybe befo’ the world comes to an end, somebody will find sumtin’ for ar-ther-ri-tis.”
Mr. Red interview excerpt, 1998-1999
DINOSAURS AND PREHISTORIC HUMANS SUFFERED FROM ARTHRITIS!
Arthritis may be the oldest known ailment on planet Earth. Mammals, reptiles, birds and amphibians have all suffered from inflammation and pain from arthritis. Evidence of arthritis has even been discovered in dinosaurs and it was frequently referred to as the most common ailment of prehistoric peoples.
The first known traces of human arthritis date back as far as 4500 BC. It has been found in mummies from Europe to Egypt. An estimated 21 million Americans will develop some form of inflammation and joint pain from arthritis. Three out of five of those will be diagnosed with the disease while under 65. The disease is non-discriminatory and according to a growing number of health professionals, it is preventable and manageable.
The book, "Preventing Arthritis: A Holistic Approach to Life Without Pain" by physician Ronald M. Lawrence and health writer Martin Zucker advises readers that arthritis is not inevitable. The book explains how arthritis can be prevented and offers ways people who already suffer from arthritis can find relief.
According to the authors incorporating the following into your health regimen can prevent or reduce a persons risk of getting arthritis and alleviate the symptoms:
• Healthy eating (a low acid, high alkaline diet rich with green vegetables, whole grains and fruits, proteins like fish, minimal red meat and dairy, and no process or refined foods, see link at bottom of page.)
• Taking the right supplements (like Essential Fatty Acids (EFA) cod, salmon, flax seed or hemp seed oil)
• Moderate physical exercise (particularly focusing on the joints affected by arthritis), stretching, yoga and/or massage, and walking.
• Ample water intake prevents and reduces a person's risk of getting arthritis.
WHAT YOU CAN DO NOW:
Add Essential Fatty Acids (EFA’s) in your diet like fish oils (cod or salmon), flax seed oil or hemp oil.
Many of our parents and grandparents relied on folk medicine for good health and took a teaspoon of cod liver oil (an essential fatty acid) daily or on a regular basis. Some can remember being made to line up and take "that nasty medicine" as children. It was given to keep the immune system up and keep colds at bay, which it did. Other than a health maintenance and cold prevention remedy, few knew all the critical health benefits they were getting by taking that regular dose of cod liver oil, rich with Vitamin A and D, Omega-3, Omega 6, EPA and DHA. Cod liver oil is the only EFA that has Vitamins A and D.
Recent health studies show that including Essential Fatty Acids (cod, salmon, flax seed, or hemp seed oil) in your diet prevents and treats many health conditions including:
arthritis, rheumatism, inflammation and joint pain, osteroporosis, depression, cardiovascular diseases, neurological illnesses like Alzheimer’s and autism, premenstrual syndrome, menopuase, MS, addiction, attention deficit disorder, cancer, constipation, diabetes, diarrhea, earache, edema, fatigue, immune deficiency, obesity, tuberculosis, athersclerosis, and skin conditions such as eczema, neurodermititis, and psoriasis.
Just like you keep your vehicle lubed and oiled up, you must do the same with your body through Essential Fatty Acids. The body does not work well without them. EFA's can’t be produced by our bodies and must be obtained through diet. That’s why they’re called Essential. EFAs contain Omega 6 and Omega 3 fatty acids and other nutrients that are necessary for proper body functioning like tissue growth and the regulation of critical internal functions. Cod liver oil is the only EFA that has Vitamins A and D.
WAYS YOU CAN GET ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS IN YOUR DIET
1. Eat cod, salmon and other fish 2-3 times a week.
2. Take cod liver oil, salmon oil, flax seed oil or hemp seed oil supplement. (Recommended dosage: one teaspoon daily to one tablespoon weekly.)
3. Consume foods like Olive oil (extra virgin or virgin), olives, avocados, almonds, peanuts, sesame oil, pecans, pistachio nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, etc. Note: high heat, light and oxygen destroy EFA’s. Olive oil can withstand high heat.
My weekly EFA regimen
Currently, I take a teaspoon of hemp seed oil at least 5 times a week. In the past I’ve taken flax seed oil, cod liver oil and salmon oil. Be in tune with how your body responds to diet changes and supplements. Do your research and find out which oil will work best for your body. For example, I stopped taking salmon oil because I noticed it affected my hormone balance and my menstrual flow. Once I stopped taking the salmon oil, my cycle returned to normal.
Precautions: EFA supplements, particularly fish oil, while generally considered healthy, are not appropriate for everyone. Consult a health professional to see if it will interact with other medicines, and disorders.
For more detailed information on EFA oils and all they do visit
Advance Health.com
Good Fats
Cod liver oil
Hemp oil
Flax seed oil
Stay tuned. Blog posts will be coming sooner and I'll give more remedies for arthritis and if your 'tism is acting up like: apple Cider vinegar tonics and poultices, castor oil poultices, mullein, acupuncture, massage and more.
Share your arthritis, rheumatism, joint pain and inflammation remedies by clicking on post, or send me an email at earthwerk@gmail.com.
Monday, May 16, 2011
POKE: The Jedi of the Plant World
From the Declaration of Independence to solar technology
Phytolacca Americana, aka: poke, pokebush, pokeberry, pokeroot, polk salad, polk sallet, inkberry, ombú, American pokeweed, cancer-root, cancer jalap, pocan, pigeon berry, reujin-d-ours, sekerciboyaci, skoke, virginian poke, yoshu-yama-gobo, yyamilin. (Image courtesy of umces.org)
“I had been over-warned by veteran southerners not to eat the berries of the poke bush and to cook the salad (leaves) three times, rinse and throw off the water each time and then season just like collards. I've seen poke salad as tall as five feet high with long leaves that resemble spinach. Stalks of deep crimson berries jettied out of the leaves. They looked sensuously sweet and delicious and the birds delighted in their fruits. Most people said the berries were poisonous. Poke salad grew wild and plentiful in the southern landscape from Appalachia to Florida. If one needed a quick green to cook, poke salad was the choice because it was free and you usually found it close by. . . “ excerpt from, Working the Roots by Michele E. Lee
Immortalized in the song “Poke Salad Annie” sung by Elvis Presley and written by Tony Joe White, the poke bush is a powerful and potent plant that has a multitude of miraculous properties or it can be fatally dangerous if used incorrectly. Many health professionals caution against using the plant, particularly the berries which they say are poisonous. Ol' timers disagree and swear by their curative properties and simply say, “you have to know how to use the berries, leaves and root as medicine.” Over the centuries the poke bush has been used in the United States as:
• food (particularly by poor southerners and Appalachians)
• medicine to treat ailments that range from skin conditions
to arthritis, cancer and HIV
• moonshine
• ink for writing famous documents like the Declaration
of Independence
• a dye that Native Americans used to put on their horses
• Rock ‘n Roll lyrics
• a dye used on solar panels to help them absorb more energy
POKE SALLAT as FOOD
Image courtesy of krazoacres.org
Grown throughout the east coast and flourishing in the south, the poke bush is known as the poor man’s green. Free and plentiful, those of you with southern roots have heard of eating Poke Salad. You won’t eat the leaves of the poke bush in a raw salad but you cook them like collards or turnips, with one little variation. You have to boil them in a pot of water three times, and throw off the water each time. Then you can eat them. Why? The leaves carry the toxins, phytolaccatoxin and phytolaccigenin which are poisonous to mammals, if not prepared correctly. Cooking the leaves and throwing the water off two to three times, reduces the toxins enough to eat without cause. You may be wondering why anyone would go through such trouble to eat a green. Well imagine if you had no money to buy or even grow food. . .
POKEWEED “STRONG “MEDICINE
The vivid red berries and the root have been used in the treatment of arthritis, rheumatism, immune stimulation, HIV and cancer inhibition, and for a variety of skin disorders. Old timers make pokeberry wine to treat arthritis. Even though medical professionals caution against their use, the people of Appalachia, Native tribes and southern Black folks have used the berries as medicine for generations. Below is a testimony from Ms. Oscelena Harris of Madison, Georgia sharing how she came to know the healing power of the pokeberry:
“I still use all this medicine on my grandkids and children. They still comes to me first when they get sick. I brought mines up on medicine like that. I would work and wouldn’t make nuthin’, bout two dollars a day, and I didn’t have nuthin’ to carry to the doctor.
I had a l’il boy, my baby boy, he had sores. Great big husky sores all over him and I thought it was infitaigo (impetigo). I don’t care what I done for him, it wouldn’t cure them sores. Every year he break out the same way. So, this lady live next door to us, she was an Indian lady.
She say, “What’s wrong with him?”
I say, “I don’t know I done everythang I can. I carry him to the doctor, I done everythang I know.”
She say, “I tell you what you do. You see that poke berry bush out yonder . . .you take him out there and let him eat nine poke berries that are ripe.”
“If you don’t know how to eat them, the pokeberry is poison. But she told me to take him out there and let him eat nine off that bush, don’t let him eat but nine. I took my baby out there and let him eat nine pokeberries. He lost some scales and then he lost them all. Never found out what it was. So, every year I made my kids go out there and eat 9 poke berries. They don’t be breakin out with them sores neither."
Ms. Dot in her yard, Madison, GA, 1999. photo: Michele E. Lee
“For hives or rash, you use pokeberries, the nine pokeberries. Everybody say the pokeberries is poison but they ain’t poison, my grandmother used to make pokeberry wine. That’s my Indian grandmother. My aunt used to make wine out of it too and sell it to people and folks who come from long way off. She say she had people come from Tennessee to buy her pokeberry wine. She would make it every year. Folks would come and buy it by the gallon. There still a lot of pokeberry bushes here in Madison, Georgia." (Image below of wild harvested pokeberries, courtesy of fiberfling.com)
"I cook the greens from the poke sallat bush. Cook ‘em just like collards and turnips. Wash ‘em and put ‘em on in your pot. Some folk cook ‘em with turnip salad. I cook mine just regular*, cuz the doctor told me one time everybody oughta eat too much of poke salad cuz it cleanses out your system. I freeze it. It taste good. When you use it by itself it taste like spinach.” [*note: Cooking the greens "regular" or one time and not throwing out the water will make your bowels run.]
Poke bush curative properties and application:
Pokeberries and pokeroot have similar properties and constituents. They are both anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, anti-fungal, anti-parasitic and will stimulate your immune system. Poke tinctures can be taken both internally and externally for numerous conditions. It contains vitamins A, C and the minerals calcium, iron, phosphorus, and iodine. Poke Root has a long history as a cancer-fighting herb. One of its name is Cancerroot. It stimulates lymphocyte production and increases the number of blood plasma cells. Recent medical studies in Germany and the United States are even finding healing agents of the pokeweed plant to have anti-cancer and anti HIV properties. Poke’s antiviral proteins inhibit HIV-1 production in patients.
Image courtesy of seedback.com
Tinctures are made from the berries and the root to treat:
arthritis
rheumatism
sore throat, strep throat, tonsillitis and throat and mouth diseases
severe colds, flus and respiratory infections
swollen lymph glands
breast cysts
gum infections
genital herpes
lyme disease
thyroid and spleen ailments
numerous skin conditions from acne to scabies to boils
Cancer
HIV
Instead of making a tincture, many southern folks just eat a specified number of berries that they determined, over time, was the correct dosage to treat their ailment. But they make sure to never chew the berries, or eat the seeds which are poisonous.
Pokeroot, image courtesy of msu.edu
For information about the healing agents of pokeberries, pokeroot and how to make pokeberry wine, tinctures, dosage and testimony visit these sites:
Gardenweb.com
American Cancer Society
Holistic Wellness
Home Remedy Central
HISTORY AND REVOLUTION
The berry is by far the most versatile part of the Poke Bush. In addition to being used as medicine and moonshine the juice yields a rich sanguine dye. Native Americans once used it to decorate their horses. The Declaration of Independence was written in the red ink of fermented pokeberry juice and Civil War soldiers wrote letters to loved ones using pokeberry ink. But, it was Benjamin Lay, the outspoken abolitionist Quaker who came up with the most creative use for the pokeberry. He burst into one meeting of Philadelphia's Quaker leaders and plunged a sword into a hollowed out Bible filled with blood-red pokeberry juice, which he then sprayed in the shocked faces of the slave-owners. From here on, pokeberry juice became a symbol of blood for the anti-slavery movement. One person's poison is another's medicine. (Image below courtesy of wetcanvas.com)
Today, the vivid red of the pokeberry is used to make paint, natural plant dye and in magical wiccan workings. Below is a recipe for dye used in magic work:
• 2 Cups pokeweed berries
• 1 tsp vinegar
• A glass jar or bottle
Mash the berries into a pulp in a small strainer over your jar. This will allow the juice to seep into the jar while the skins and seeds of the berries remain behind. Crush the berries as much as you can.
Once you have the juice in the jar, add the vinegar and mix thoroughly. This will help thin the ink enough to use it in a fountain pen, as well as preventing spoilage.
For more information go to: Paganwiccan.com
LOW COST SOLAR POWER
Pokeberry dye + Fiber could provide low cost solar power for developing nations (Image below courtesy of atensolar.com)
Since the writing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776 to today in 2011, the Poke Bush and it’s amazing berries continue to be the JEDI of the plant world. “Today, the bright-colored berries are being used for a far more modern purpose. Researchers at Wake Forest University’s Center for Nanotechnology and Molecular Materials created low-cost, fiber-based solar cells that work more efficiently when coated with a layer of pokeberry dye. The dye allows the fibers to absorb twice as much power as current flat cell technology and will convert even more sunlight to power. Scientists hope the cheap solar cells combined with a common plant will help provide inexpensive electricity to developing nations like those in Africa. The pokeberries can be grown locally and the system could create a low-cost and environmentally friendly method of providing electricity to those who normally live without power." The above passage was excerpted from an article written by Sarah Parsons for Inhabitat.com 4/30/10
Pokeberry dye on solar panel. Image courtesy of solarpowerwindenergy.com
Read more about pokeberry and solar technology at
Inhabitat.com
Renewable Energy Blog
And finally, I’ll conclude this post with an excerpt of the legendary lyrics to Poke Salad Annie:
If some of ya'll never been down South too much...
I'm gonna tell you a little bit about this, so that you'll understand what I'm talking about
Down there we have a plant that grows out in the woods and the fields, looks somethin' like a turnip green.
Everybody calls it Polk salad. Polk salad.
Used to know a girl that lived down there and she'd go out in the evenings and pick a mess of it...
Carry it home and cook it for supper, 'cause that's about all they had to eat, But they did all right. . .
Polk salad Annie polk salad Annie Everybody said it was a shame Cause her mama was working on the chain-gang.
Click here to view the song performed by Tony Joe White and Johnny Cash on Youtube
SHARE YOUR POKE STORIES AND POST THEM HERE AT WORKING THE ROOTS!
“I had been over-warned by veteran southerners not to eat the berries of the poke bush and to cook the salad (leaves) three times, rinse and throw off the water each time and then season just like collards. I've seen poke salad as tall as five feet high with long leaves that resemble spinach. Stalks of deep crimson berries jettied out of the leaves. They looked sensuously sweet and delicious and the birds delighted in their fruits. Most people said the berries were poisonous. Poke salad grew wild and plentiful in the southern landscape from Appalachia to Florida. If one needed a quick green to cook, poke salad was the choice because it was free and you usually found it close by. . . “ excerpt from, Working the Roots by Michele E. Lee
• food (particularly by poor southerners and Appalachians)
• medicine to treat ailments that range from skin conditions
to arthritis, cancer and HIV
• moonshine
• ink for writing famous documents like the Declaration
of Independence
• a dye that Native Americans used to put on their horses
• Rock ‘n Roll lyrics
• a dye used on solar panels to help them absorb more energy
POKE SALLAT as FOOD
Grown throughout the east coast and flourishing in the south, the poke bush is known as the poor man’s green. Free and plentiful, those of you with southern roots have heard of eating Poke Salad. You won’t eat the leaves of the poke bush in a raw salad but you cook them like collards or turnips, with one little variation. You have to boil them in a pot of water three times, and throw off the water each time. Then you can eat them. Why? The leaves carry the toxins, phytolaccatoxin and phytolaccigenin which are poisonous to mammals, if not prepared correctly. Cooking the leaves and throwing the water off two to three times, reduces the toxins enough to eat without cause. You may be wondering why anyone would go through such trouble to eat a green. Well imagine if you had no money to buy or even grow food. . .
POKEWEED “STRONG “MEDICINE
The vivid red berries and the root have been used in the treatment of arthritis, rheumatism, immune stimulation, HIV and cancer inhibition, and for a variety of skin disorders. Old timers make pokeberry wine to treat arthritis. Even though medical professionals caution against their use, the people of Appalachia, Native tribes and southern Black folks have used the berries as medicine for generations. Below is a testimony from Ms. Oscelena Harris of Madison, Georgia sharing how she came to know the healing power of the pokeberry:
“I still use all this medicine on my grandkids and children. They still comes to me first when they get sick. I brought mines up on medicine like that. I would work and wouldn’t make nuthin’, bout two dollars a day, and I didn’t have nuthin’ to carry to the doctor.
I had a l’il boy, my baby boy, he had sores. Great big husky sores all over him and I thought it was infitaigo (impetigo). I don’t care what I done for him, it wouldn’t cure them sores. Every year he break out the same way. So, this lady live next door to us, she was an Indian lady.
She say, “What’s wrong with him?”
I say, “I don’t know I done everythang I can. I carry him to the doctor, I done everythang I know.”
She say, “I tell you what you do. You see that poke berry bush out yonder . . .you take him out there and let him eat nine poke berries that are ripe.”
“If you don’t know how to eat them, the pokeberry is poison. But she told me to take him out there and let him eat nine off that bush, don’t let him eat but nine. I took my baby out there and let him eat nine pokeberries. He lost some scales and then he lost them all. Never found out what it was. So, every year I made my kids go out there and eat 9 poke berries. They don’t be breakin out with them sores neither."
“For hives or rash, you use pokeberries, the nine pokeberries. Everybody say the pokeberries is poison but they ain’t poison, my grandmother used to make pokeberry wine. That’s my Indian grandmother. My aunt used to make wine out of it too and sell it to people and folks who come from long way off. She say she had people come from Tennessee to buy her pokeberry wine. She would make it every year. Folks would come and buy it by the gallon. There still a lot of pokeberry bushes here in Madison, Georgia." (Image below of wild harvested pokeberries, courtesy of fiberfling.com)
Poke bush curative properties and application:
Pokeberries and pokeroot have similar properties and constituents. They are both anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, anti-fungal, anti-parasitic and will stimulate your immune system. Poke tinctures can be taken both internally and externally for numerous conditions. It contains vitamins A, C and the minerals calcium, iron, phosphorus, and iodine. Poke Root has a long history as a cancer-fighting herb. One of its name is Cancerroot. It stimulates lymphocyte production and increases the number of blood plasma cells. Recent medical studies in Germany and the United States are even finding healing agents of the pokeweed plant to have anti-cancer and anti HIV properties. Poke’s antiviral proteins inhibit HIV-1 production in patients.
Tinctures are made from the berries and the root to treat:
arthritis
rheumatism
sore throat, strep throat, tonsillitis and throat and mouth diseases
severe colds, flus and respiratory infections
swollen lymph glands
breast cysts
gum infections
genital herpes
lyme disease
thyroid and spleen ailments
numerous skin conditions from acne to scabies to boils
Cancer
HIV
Instead of making a tincture, many southern folks just eat a specified number of berries that they determined, over time, was the correct dosage to treat their ailment. But they make sure to never chew the berries, or eat the seeds which are poisonous.
For information about the healing agents of pokeberries, pokeroot and how to make pokeberry wine, tinctures, dosage and testimony visit these sites:
Gardenweb.com
American Cancer Society
Holistic Wellness
Home Remedy Central
HISTORY AND REVOLUTION
The berry is by far the most versatile part of the Poke Bush. In addition to being used as medicine and moonshine the juice yields a rich sanguine dye. Native Americans once used it to decorate their horses. The Declaration of Independence was written in the red ink of fermented pokeberry juice and Civil War soldiers wrote letters to loved ones using pokeberry ink. But, it was Benjamin Lay, the outspoken abolitionist Quaker who came up with the most creative use for the pokeberry. He burst into one meeting of Philadelphia's Quaker leaders and plunged a sword into a hollowed out Bible filled with blood-red pokeberry juice, which he then sprayed in the shocked faces of the slave-owners. From here on, pokeberry juice became a symbol of blood for the anti-slavery movement. One person's poison is another's medicine. (Image below courtesy of wetcanvas.com)
• 2 Cups pokeweed berries
• 1 tsp vinegar
• A glass jar or bottle
Mash the berries into a pulp in a small strainer over your jar. This will allow the juice to seep into the jar while the skins and seeds of the berries remain behind. Crush the berries as much as you can.
Once you have the juice in the jar, add the vinegar and mix thoroughly. This will help thin the ink enough to use it in a fountain pen, as well as preventing spoilage.
For more information go to: Paganwiccan.com
LOW COST SOLAR POWER
Pokeberry dye + Fiber could provide low cost solar power for developing nations (Image below courtesy of atensolar.com)
Since the writing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776 to today in 2011, the Poke Bush and it’s amazing berries continue to be the JEDI of the plant world. “Today, the bright-colored berries are being used for a far more modern purpose. Researchers at Wake Forest University’s Center for Nanotechnology and Molecular Materials created low-cost, fiber-based solar cells that work more efficiently when coated with a layer of pokeberry dye. The dye allows the fibers to absorb twice as much power as current flat cell technology and will convert even more sunlight to power. Scientists hope the cheap solar cells combined with a common plant will help provide inexpensive electricity to developing nations like those in Africa. The pokeberries can be grown locally and the system could create a low-cost and environmentally friendly method of providing electricity to those who normally live without power." The above passage was excerpted from an article written by Sarah Parsons for Inhabitat.com 4/30/10
Read more about pokeberry and solar technology at
Inhabitat.com
Renewable Energy Blog
And finally, I’ll conclude this post with an excerpt of the legendary lyrics to Poke Salad Annie:
If some of ya'll never been down South too much...
I'm gonna tell you a little bit about this, so that you'll understand what I'm talking about
Down there we have a plant that grows out in the woods and the fields, looks somethin' like a turnip green.
Everybody calls it Polk salad. Polk salad.
Used to know a girl that lived down there and she'd go out in the evenings and pick a mess of it...
Carry it home and cook it for supper, 'cause that's about all they had to eat, But they did all right. . .
Polk salad Annie polk salad Annie Everybody said it was a shame Cause her mama was working on the chain-gang.
Click here to view the song performed by Tony Joe White and Johnny Cash on Youtube
SHARE YOUR POKE STORIES AND POST THEM HERE AT WORKING THE ROOTS!
Sunday, May 15, 2011
POKE: The Jedi of the Plant World
Phytolacca Americana, aka: poke, pokebush, pokeberry, pokeroot, polk salad, polk sallet, inkberry, ombú, American pokeweed, cancer-root, cancer jalap, pocan, pigeon berry, reujin-d-ours, sekerciboyaci, skoke, virginian poke, yoshu-yama-gobo, yyamilin.
“I had been over-warned by veteran southerners not to eat the berries of the poke bush and to cook the salad (leaves) three times, rinse and throw off the water each time and then season just like collards. I've seen poke salad as tall as four feet high with long leaves that resemble spinach. Stalks of deep crimson berries jettied out of the leaves. They looked sensuously sweet and delicious and the birds delighted in their fruits. Most people said the berries were poisonous. Poke salad grew wild and plentiful in the southern landscape from Appalachia to Florida. If one needed a quick green to cook, poke salad was the choice because it was free and you usually found it close by. . . “ excerpt from the book, Working the Roots by Michele E. Lee
• food
• medicine to treat ailments that range from skin conditions to
cancer and HIV
• moonshine
• ink for writing famous documents like the Declaration of
Independence
• Rock ‘n Roll lyrics
• a dye on solar panels to increase energy absorption
POKE SALAD OR SALLAT OR SALLIT AS FOOD
Grown throughout the east coast and flourishing in the south, the poke bush is known as the poor man’s green. Free and plentiful, those of you with southern roots have heard of eating Poke Salad. You prepare them like collards or turnips. But, be careful because many parts of the poke bush can be toxic if not used carefully. You won’t eat the leaves of the poke bush in a salad but you cook them like collards or turnips, with one little variation. You have to boil them in a pot of water three times, and throw off the water each time. Then you can eat them. Why? The leaves carry the toxins, phytolaccatoxin and phytolaccigenin which are poisonous to mammals, if not prepared correctly. Cooking the leaves and throwing the water off two to three times, reduces the toxins enough to eat without cause. You may be wondering why would anyone go through such trouble to eat a green. Well imagine if you had no money to buy or even grow food. . .
POKEWEED “STRONG “MEDICINE
“I still use all this medicine on my grandkids and children. They still comes to me first when they get sick. I brought mines up on medicine like that. I would work and wouldn’t make nuthin’, bout two dollars a day, and I didn’t have nuthin’ to carry to the doctor. I had a l’il boy, my baby boy, he had sores. Great big husky sores all over him and I thought it was infitaigo (impetigo).1 I don’t care what I done for him, it wouldn’t cure them sores. Every year he break out the same way. So, this lady live next door to us, she was an Indian lady. She say, “What’s wrong with him?”
I say, “I don’t know I done everythang I can. I carry him to the doctor, I done everythang I know.”
She say, “I tell you what you do. You see that poke berry bush out yonder?” She say, “You take him out there and let him eat nine poke berries that are ripe.”
“If you don’t know how to eat them, the pokeberry is poison. But she told me to take him out there and let him eat nine off that bush, don’t let him eat but nine. I took my baby out there and let him eat nine pokeberries. He lost some scales and then he lost them all. Never found out what it was. So, every year I made my kids go out there and eat 9 poke berries. They don’t be breakin out with them sores neither.
“For hives or rash, you use pokeberries, the nine pokeberries. Everybody say the pokeberries is poison but they ain’t poison, my grandmother used to make pokeberry wine. That’s my Indian grandmother. My aunt used to make wine out of it too and sell it to people and folks who come from long way off. She say she had people come from Tennessee to buy her pokeberry wine. She would make it every year. Folks would come and buy it by the gallon. There still a lot of pokeberry bushes here in Madison, Georgia.
I cook the greens from the poke sallat bush. Cook ‘em just like collards and turnips. Wash ‘em and put ‘em on in your pot. Some folk cook ‘em with turnip salad. I cook mine just regular, cuz the doctor told me one time everybody oughta eat too much of poke salad cuz it cleanses out your system. I freeze it. It taste good. When you use it by itself it taste like spinach.”
Pokeberries and pokeroot have similar properties and constituents. They are both anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, anti-fungal, anti-parasitic and will stimulate your immune system. Poke tinctures can be taken both internally and externally for numerous conditions. It contains vitamins A, C and the minerals calcium, iron, phosphorus, and iodine. Poke Root has a long history as a cancer-fighting herb. One of its name is Cancerroot. It stimulates lymphocyte production and increases the number of blood plasma cells. Recent medical studies in Germany and the United States are even finding healing agents of the pokeweed plant to have anti-cancer and anti HIV properties. Poke’s antiviral proteins inhibit HIV-1 production in patients.
Tinctures are made from the berries and the root to treat:
arthritis
rheumatism
sore throat, strep throat, tonsillitis, and other throat and mouth diseases
severe colds, flus and respiratory infections
swollen lymph glands
breast cysts
gum infections
genital herpes
lyme disease
thyroid and spleen ailments
numerous skin conditions from acne to scabies to boils
Cancer
HIV
Instead of making a tincture, many southern folks just eat a specified number of berries that they determined, over time, was the correct dosage to treat their ailment. But they make sure to never chew the berries, or eat the seeds which are poisonous.
For information on the healing agents of pokeberries pokeroot and how to make pokeberry wine, tinctures, dosage and testimony visit these sites:
Gardenweb.com http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/herbal/msg1115292317689.html?27
American Cancer Society
http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/pokeweed
Holistic Wellness http://www.nzwellness.com/herbs/poke_root.html
Home Remedy Central: http://www.homeremedycentral.com/en/herbal-remedies/herb/poke-root.html
HISTORY AND REVOLUTION
Image 6
The berry is by far the most versatile part of the Poke Bush and has been used in many interesting ways over centuries. In addition to being used for medicine and moonshine, the juice yields a rich sanguine dye. Native Americans once used it to decorate their horses. The Declaration of Independence was written in the red ink of fermented pokeberry juice and Civil War soldiers wrote letters to loved ones using pokeberry ink. But, it was Benjamin Lay, the outspoken abolitionist Quaker who came up with the most creative use for the pokeberry. He burst into one meeting of Philadelphia's Quaker leaders and plunged a sword into a hollowed out Bible filled with blood-red pokeberry juice, which he then sprayed in the shocked faces of the slave-owners.2 From here on, pokeberry juice became a symbol of blood for the anti-slavery movement. One person's poison is another's medicine.
Today, the vivid red of the pokeberry is used to make paint, natural plant dye and in magical wiccan workings. Below is a recipe for dye used in magic work:
• 2 Cups pokeweed berries
• 1 tsp vinegar
• A glass jar or bottle
Mash the berries into a pulp in a small strainer over your jar. This will allow the juice to seep into the jar while the skins and seeds of the berries remain behind. Crush the berries as much as you can.
Image 6a
Once you have the juice in the jar, add the vinegar and mix thoroughly. This will help thin the ink enough to use it in a fountain pen, as well as preventing spoilage.
For more information go to: http://paganwiccan.about.com/od/mabonmagic/ss/How-To-Make-Pokeberry-Ink_2.htm
LOW COST SOLAR POWER
Pokeberry dye + Fiber could provide low cost solar power for developing nations
Image 7
Since the writing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776 to 2011, the Poke Bush and it’s amazing berries continue to be the JEDI of the plant world. “Today, the bright-colored weeds are being used for a far more modern purpose. Researchers at Wake Forest University’s Center for Nanotechnology and Molecular Materials created low-cost, fiber-based solar cells that work more efficiently when coated with a layer of pokeberry dye. The dye allows the fibers to absorb twice as much power as current flat cell technology and will convert even more sunlight to power. Scientists hope the cheap solar cells combined with a common plant will help provide inexpensive electricity to developing nations like those in Africa. The pokeberries can be grown locally and the system could create a low-cost and environmentally friendly method of providing electricity to those who normally live without power.
Image 8
The above passage was excerpted from an article written by Sarah Parsons for Inhabitat.com 4/30/10
Read more at Inhabitat.com
http://inhabitat.com/purple-pokeberries-could-help-provide-low-cost-solar-for-developing-nations/
And finally, I’ll conclude this post with an excerpt of the lyrics to Poke Salad Annie:
If some of ya'll never been down South too much...
I'm gonna tell you a little bit about this, so that you'll understand what I'm talking about
Down there we have a plant that grows out in the woods and the fields, looks somethin' like a turnip green.
Everybody calls it Polk salad. Polk salad.
Used to know a girl that lived down there and she'd go out in the evenings and pick a mess of it...
Carry it home and cook it for supper, 'cause that's about all they had to eat, But they did all right. . .
Polk salad Annie polk salad Annie Everybody said it was a shame Cause her mama was working on the chain-gang.
To hear the song performed by Tony Joe White and Johnny Cash on Youtube: http://www.totallyfuzzy.net/ourtube/tony-joe-white-johnny-cash/poke-salad-annie-video_959fe536b.html
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