I WILL NEVER, ever forget my honeymoon in Trinidad.
It was a very passionate occasion and I enjoyed every second of it. Joy and laughter were ever present as we explored Trinidad.
In essence, our honeymoon was awesome and unforgettable.
After that glorifying celebration I returned there on numerous occasions and continued to enjoy the warm hospitality of the people.
I also travelled to the countryside and admired the silent doctors.
Furthermore, I met two everlasting friends, Noel and Remy, at the Mas Camp. Hearing about Trinidad is one thing but visiting and savouring the environment is awe-inspiring.
Today, I pay my respects to Trinidad by presenting oleander.
Oleander, or Nerium indicum Mill, is a member of my garden. What is incredibly amazing is that at the village level in Barbados we only know it as a toxic or poisonous plant, an abortifacient, a skin irritant and that it should never be ingested.
However, after reading the book Healing Wonders Of Herbs by Herminia de Guzman-Ladion and her amazing use of oleander to treat health challenges including herpes, ringworm and snake bite.
I purchased a plant and continue to observe it. I also realize that it is used as a healer in other parts of the world. This continues to show the ingenuity of our Creator.
South Sea Rose, or oleander, blooms in white, pink or red and is very popular in Barbados.
Website www.sutherlandiaopc.com/ revealed that “oleander has been used for medical purposes for more than 2000 years.
In biblical times it was known as the desert rose. In Turkey, it has been used as a folk remedy for centuries”.
It was further revealed that “during the 1960s, Turkish doctor Huseyin Ozel saw that people using the remedy were mostly free of cancer and other serious diseases.
He knew about the poisonous nature of the plant but soon discovered how to prepare the extract used as folk medicine”.
“As head of the surgical department at Mugla State Hospital in Turkey, he started experimenting with the extract and subsequently used it successfully as a treatment for cancer for more than 35 years.”
Research also showed that used externally, oleander treats shingles, haemorrhoids, snake bite, eczema, epilepsy and other challenges, and in Punjab and Cashmere, the roots are used for asthma.
Finally, as I cling to memories of my honeymoon in Trinidad, implore you to read my past articles this month about my other expeditions with silent doctors in Grenada, St Lucia, and Venezuela. They demonstrate that healing with herbs in on the Creator’s agenda.
•Annette Maynard-Watson, a teacher and herbal educator, may be contacted via [email protected] or by telephone 250-6450.
DISCLAIMER: It is not our intention to prescribe or make specific claims for any products. Any attempts to diagnose or treat real illness should come under the direction of your health care provider.
