Go Local >> Part 1: Cancer Commonality Factor - Constipation

A few weeks I listened to Dr. Lou Coutinho speak on treating cancer patients and the research that they have done with these patients in finding the commonality factors.  They found 4 factors and I find them interesting as as he puts it, you do not need to spend a lot of money to prevent cancer but make changes in your daily diet and lifestyle.  This I truly belief.  As he puts it, there are all types of cancer patients irrespective of ethnic backgrounds, body size, occupation or financial status and they collected data on patients from many different countries.
One of the factors is constipation.  This makes sense to me as with constipation, your body retains the wastes and toxins longer in your body as well as prevents regular disposal of your body wastes as well as toxins.

If you are constipated regularly, heading for the medicine cabinet is not the answer as it addresses a symptom but does not solve the underlying issue.  It is crucial that the body can get rid of the wastes and toxins efficiently and that it does nor cause issues with your gastro-intestinal system or lead to the toxins and wastes re-entering the blood system as it would mean that these toxins and wastes would then cause problems to other organs of your body.  This would create a conducive environment for the cancer cells in your body to mutate and become active.

Thus caring for the gastrointestinal (GI) system is of the upmost importance and this includes the stomach, pancreas, intestines and colon.  Water is one of the essential elements in maintaining a healthy GI system.  Hence be sure to drink sufficient clean water daily and the amount varies depending on the activity from at least 1 liter.  Coffee, tea, carbonated drinks are not considered to fall into the water category.

Our GI system contains friendly-bacteria that helps in the process of digestion.  Certain things that we do can cause these friendly bacteria to die or reduce in quantity.  Amongst the most often cause is prescribed antibiotics.  Many take costly probiotics and probiotics but there are so many kinds and each person varies in the type and quantity of bacteria present.  After all, each person has a different kind of diet, etc. After thinking about it, I decided to write this article on what we have locally that is low in cost and effective.

We are blessed because we have natural herbals locally grown which contribute towards a healthy GI system.  The top on my list is turmeric and ginger.  They are easily available and easy to grow in our gardens, whether in pots or in the ground.  As long as they get sunshine, water and some fertiliser, they will grow just fine.  As many already know, black pepper is essential in increasing the bioavailability of curcumin (the main phytonutrient we want in turmeric) and we have these grown locally.  I favour Sarawak black pepper or any organically grown black pepper.  We can easily incorporate this into our daily diet.

Many of our normal daily dishes can easily have these ingredients added to it.  When we make soups, just add some turmeric, black pepper and ginger.  When we do stir-fry dishes, again these three


ingredients can be added.  Most of us have rice as the main staple and we can elevate this staple by adding these three ingredients.  We can also add these ingredients to our teas or milk drinks.  Be sure not to use refined sugar as this will help create an acidic environment favourable for cancer cells mutation and growth.

What else can we eat to further improve our GI system.  Try adding tapioca, another easily available, locally-frown ingredient,  to your diet as with its high fiber content, it will help the disposal of toxins in our GI system.  It also has a low glycemic index hence replacing your rice with this as the staple carbohydrate will further add benefits to your diet.  It also helps in the growth of the beneficial bacteria in our GI system.

It is hard to overdose on this when you eat it naturally and I haven't been able to find any adverse reactions or contraindications when taken as normal food.  Simple changes that can make a difference.

Bye, Bye Sunday morning market at Sg. Penchala

Today was our last time having a stall at Pasar Pagi Sg. Penchala.  It was the first place where we

started to sell our produce in September, 2010.  In the beginning, we only sell fresh produce and more on what was considered "sayur kampung".  It was my first experience at doing consumer direct sales to the masses.  In the beginning, many looked at us "sideways" and looked down on us.  After all, we were selling "sayur kampung" whilst they were selling items bought from "passer borong" - to them denoting that they were better off because they had money to buy the items from suppliers whereas our was planted from our farm in the "boonies".  It was challenging but I always felt that what we had to offer was good and competitive.  The farm has been an organic farm from day 1 so what we have offered has always been organic produce.
Through the years, I have learnt a lot but the one principle that I have always stuck to was "I do not sell what I don't or wouldn't want to eat".  This principle was the main guide to what I planted at the farm.  What I don't eat, I don't plant even if it was fashionable or the in-thing.  I harvest things in accordance to how I like them for consumption.  My prices was based on cost-recovery basis hence it was competitive to non-organic produce and at times, even cheaper.  My prices were not based on supply and demand and I was often questioned and sometime labelled stupid for not raising prices when everyone else was.  Then again, I do business in accordance to my principles and goals.  In this instance, it was to provide good, healthy food at competitive prices for the masses.  You can say it was my jihad.  I have always tried to practice my business in accordance to Islam: fair and just.
Our presence at the market has also provided me with the opportunity to meet with other and share as well as exchange knowledge from planting to caring for it to harvesting and on to how to consume
I have also learnt a lot about people being on the front-line of meeting customers.  One of the comments that stuck in my mind was a mother saying to her child: " Look, even the vegetable seller can speak English".  This was a reminder to me to never assume that a person has limited capabilities just from looking at them from a distance - it pays to get to know people as you never know what knowledge you can gain.  At the same time, it also reminded me that someone who looks humble doesn't mean that they have nothing to offer or that their academic education is lacking.  It is about choices on how you want to lead your life.
One question or should I say complaint I got is "How come your signs and notices are in English.  This is Malaysia, you should use Bahasa Malaysia".  The reason is simple, it is a language that most people understand and my customers are not only Malaysian but also people from other countries.  You could say that I have an international clientele.  By using English, I got more customers.
Now, our farm has produced more: from fresh produce covering food, vegetables and fish to processed products such as teas and EVCO.  I also do customised herbal mixture based on a customer's purpose.  The underlying principle is the raw materials are always from the farm so I can control and be assured that it is organic.  In this aspect, I do not compromise.
Although we will no longer be doing market at Sg. Penchala, we will be offering our produce and products at my home base in K.L.  With the easy access to communications for everyone, people can also order online or through whatsApp, for example and pick-up or delivery arranged.  A selection of our herbal products is also available at The Jasmin Foundation Homeopathy Clinic in Setiawangsa.  We will also continue to do events, especially those promoting green living.  Next year, we also plan to do more events at the far as well as offering specific classes based on what we do.  Does opting out of the Sg. Pencahala Sunday morning market mean that we will have less to do?  I don't think so.  I anticipate that our future will have lots of opportunities and activities that we will remain as busy as ever.
Thank you to all that have supported us at our stall in Sg. Penchala.  In shaa Allah, we will meet again.

Only constant is change: 2018

Our tilapia growing with natural food

As we head to the end of the year, I am finalising my plans.  Over the last 10 years, every step that I took has been leading me to this direction.  I experimented, researched, tested and studied what was a new field to me.  My inherent belief that we an improve our health through our normal daily diet led to the development of the farm and the ensuing produce and products developed.  I cannot change what happened to me from a health standpoint previously, but I can improve it for my future with the aim of leading a quality, fruitful life filled with joy.
When I first started the farm, the concept has always been to maximise on nature's bounty to provide good food for the family.  The application of it was to have a farm free from chemical pesticides, herbicide, hormones and to have a symbiotic relationship with nature.  In our fresh produce production, we use natural, organic fertilisers and methods for pest control.  It included in the water that was used hence the implementation of our own water pipeline from a natural source.  Our fish lives of the living water with its natural minerals and small fresh water shrimps and fish that flows in.  We complement their food with greens and naturally-produced larvae.  Our chickens feed on the insect sand also on the organic waste such as used grated coconuts, and extra fruits and tubers.  Our organic wastes are converted into fertilisers and pest control and even into cleaning liquids.  The aim is to limit introduction of toxins into our environment and surrounding areas - doing our part in conserving the environment.

Our liquid concentrates

EVCO and lemongrass range

As years passed, we started doing a market stall in Sg. Penchala to sell the excess food produced.  I began to produce products from our produce such as liquid drink concentrates and dried herbals which we added to our list of offerings.   So our weekly items included the fresh fruits, vegetables and our products.  Sometimes I would bring plants and fertilisers, either on order or just-because.

The ginger and turmeric range

When I first started the farm, I started my collection of herbals, mainly because I was told of the benefits and I felt I may need them in the future.  Further study on the benefits and therapeutical values of what we grew led to the development of our line of SHL Naturals in early 2017.  As we progressed in 2017, I had a lot more requests for customised herbal mixtures ranging from colds and flu, cholesterol control, high blood pressure, gout, diabetes to cancer.  The basis is alway from what we produce at the farm as I can then be assured of the c\"clean" source and quality.  I knew where the source materials were coming from, how it is grown and processed.

Our first community bazaar

I also organised a Community Bazaar where I live and held our first one on November 5th.  It was a success so we will continue with it with the frequency changing to fortnightly in 2018.  We have also began to offer our dried herbal products at The Jasmin Foundation, a homeopathy clinic in Setiawangsa.  We began to do deliveries for orders subject to minimum spend.  Our customers can order our dried products which we send through poslaju.  With these activities in mind, we will cease to do our Sunday morning market in Sg. Penchala in December.  For the month of December, we will focus on planting, maintenance, producing our products as well as doing some planning and marketing.
We are a lean operation team and it is not just about adding people to the team but adding the right people.  As we grow, I may need to add more people to the team but it will be something to deal with in the future.  I look forward to the future with the many possibilities of discovery and opportunities to help people, a life filled with activity driven by passion.

Go Local: Power trio

We have been mind-trained to look west that in the process we have lost our traditionally wonderful vegetables.  To me, peperomia pellucida (sireh cina), cosmos dianthus (ulam raja) and wild purslane (beremi) are superfoods that can be eaten raw as a salad.    They grow easily in our weather and requires minimal care.  To maximise the benefits, it is best grown organically without the use of chemical fertilisers or pesticides and not exposed to any chemical herbicides.

This combination provides the following nutrients:

1. Vitamin A
2. Vitamin B1, B3, B6
3. Vitamin C
4. Calcium
5. Copper
6. Iron
7. Magnesium
8. Manganese
9. Potassium
10. Omega-3 fatty acids
11. Sodium
12. Zinc

These combination has the following properties:

1. anti-oxidant
2. anti-hypertensive
3. anti-diabetic
4. anti-inflammatory
5. bone-protective effect
6. anti-microbial
7. anti-fungal
8. anti-cancer
9. lowers cholesterol
10. anti-arthritic
11. anti-rheumatic
12. anti-diarrheal
13. analgesic

The beauty of this trio is it is natural food so it can easily be incorporated into your daily diet.  You don't have to worry whether you take it before a meal or after a meal or on empty stomach because it is food and not chemicals.  I am not a proponent of juicing but if you want to drink it, blend it so that you get all the nutrients and benefits.  Happy eating :)

Busybody about my body: Dealing with Flu Naturally

I do not know of anyone who has never gotten a flu and it is a common disease that I think people look at it less seriously.  However, not taken care of, it can lead to other complications such as pneumonia, sepsis, inflammation of the heart (myocarditis) as well as aggravating some other conditions like asthma.  So whilst it is common, I do not take it lightly.  The symptoms include :

1. sore throat
2. runny or stuffed nose
3. fever
4. muscle aches and pains
5. headache
6. fatigue.

It is cause by a virus and nowadays there are so many variants.  Often, when you visit a doctor, you can expect to get three types of medication: one for fever, one for sore throat and congestion and of course antibiotics.  Most literature strenuously point out that it is important to complete the entire course of the antibiotics for it to be effective.

Last week I caught the flu.  I knew I was going to get it because my son came down with it in a bad way and there is no way I can avoid contact with him.  He was literally stuck to my side and with his high fever, I was monitoring him very closely.  Being only 4 years old, he has a higher risk of complications.  When his fever rose to close to 40 degrees Celsius, we headed to the hospital.  I wasn't taking any risks.  We managed to bring his fever down about 2 hours later but he was still feverish.  As for me, the minute I saw he caught the flu, I began my regime of 1 tablespoon of EVCO every 4 hours and 1 tablespoon of honey twice a day.  At the same time, I also gave my son EVCO every 2 hours along with his fever medication every 4 hours until his fever was all gone, which was a day later.  He also was on antibiotics for 3 days which caused diarrhoea so now he is also taking probiotics daily to re-balance his digestive system.  My son is still on daily 1 teaspoon of EVCO and 1 teaspoon honey, twice a day until he fully recovers.  He is not taking any other medication.  Then it was my turn.

I was flat on the bed for about 16 hours and during this period, I continued with hourly tablespoon of EVCO and every fours 1 tablespoon of honey. Then it was the morning on the next day and my fever was gone but I felt the muscle aches.  It was time to start taking my Bentong ginger and turmeric concentrate - 2 tablespoon diluted with warm water with 1 teaspoon of honey every 4 hours.  By evening, I was left with a slight cough and slight congestion.  So, I continue with my three times a day of 1 tablespoon of EVCO and 1 teaspoon of honey.  I have also added drinking Roselle juice twice a day to boost my immune system and to prevent any more fever.

There is pharmacological and studies backing the treatment that I chose for myself.

1. Flu is cause by virus (and there are many strains) and can be complicated with bacteria.  To address this, the EVCO has strong anti-viral and anti-bacteria properties.  Honey too has strong anti-bacteria and anti-viral properties.  This composition gives me a wider range of defence.  It also helps in strengthening my immune system.  This also became a source of food for me.
2. Muscle aches and pains makes movement painful so the Bentong ginger and turmeric helps to ease these aches and pains as well as reduce any internal inflammations.  It has strong anti-inflammatory properties as well as digestive system protection properties.  At the same time, since my appetite was non-existent, I barely ate so this combination help reduce any stomach problems.
3. Roselle has good immune boosting capabilities so is a good option to take during the recovery period.

I prefer going the natural route as I do not like drugs and antibiotics because of all the side effects including destroying the good bacteria necessary for a healthy digestive system (one of the reasons why people also tend to get diarrhoea when they get flu).  With no appetite, I didn't have to try and stuff something in me before I took the EVCO, honey, Benton ginger & turmeric or Roselle as they are all food.  They were also my food.  It is also hard to overdose on these because as we age, all types of body parts need maintenance and repair as well as some rebuild.  Throughout this whole flu experience, my brain remain active, alert and lucid even when I had my eyes closed.  Being down for only a day was good as the next day, my son was ready to play.

As always, we have choices.  What is important is that we are aware of what we are doing, monitor our condition and be sure that what we are taking is pure, natural items which are organic and processed in a way to ensure maximum properties and nutrients are preserved.  Be knowledgeable in taking care of your health.

Natural Preventive and curative: My Basics

The main purpose of the farm is to produce chemical-free and hormone-free edibles and through the years, I have selected some staples for a reason.  I still continue to plant and nurture many different plants as I am ever the optimist in believing that I will have time to study them further for their benefits so until them, I will care for them.  The staples that I have narrowed down to is based on what I feel is the basics for my health from a preventive and curative view.  So what are my basics: ginger, turmeric, coconut, and roselle.  Why you may ask?  Simple, I need to keep my immune system and my central nervous system (including the brain) healthy.   I am not a doctor so I do not do diagnosis or pharmacological advise.   I practice natural food therapy in my daily life so I share what I experience and know.

The largest organ in my body for the immune system is the gut which includes the stomach, intestine and bowel.   It performs the key function of removing toxins and wastes from our body as well as allowing absortion of nutrients by our body.  If our gut cannot function properly, the food is not digested properly, our body doesn't get the proper nutrients, and our body doesn't eliminate the toxins and wastes properly.  If the gut is not healthy, it can also cause toxins and harmful bacteria to enter our blood system which can result in other organs being damaged and allergies.  For me, the easiest way to care for them is to incorporate ginger, turmeric, tapioca and roselle into my normal food intake, either as solids or liquids.


To care for my central nervous system, especially my brain, I look to coconuts which I either consume as a drink or using extra virgin coconut oil (EVCO).  Studies have proven that the ketones in coconut oil can help rebuild or repair our brain cells.  An illness that many of us are aware of that affects the brain is Alzheimer's.  It has been shown that consumption of EVCO can improve and even cure this condition and best of all, no negative side effects - this is something that almost all the drugs cannot claim.  I choose EVCO because it is the purest form of coconut oil and when produced from organic coconuts does not contain contaminants.  It is produced using cold-pressed method from fresh coconuts.  It doesn't undergo any chemical process or drying that can contaminate the coconut.

Of course, ginger, turmeric, coconut, tapioca and roselle also have other benefits so by incorporating them in my diet, I get to enjoy them too.  These 5 provides antibacterial, antiviral, improve the immune system, helps to lower cholesterol, improves blood circulation, helps to improve high blood pressure condition, improve digestion, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer - to name a few.  One of my key focus is to share what can be planted by everyone or if not, what can be obtained locally with the cost also being a factor.  Ginger, turmeric and roselle can be planted in containers for those who do not have much planting space.  If you have a small space, you can plant tapioca and dwarf coconuts but if you can't, they are easily purchased.  None of these need to be imported as they can be obtained locally so this can make it affordable to many.  Try incorporating them into your normal daily diet and I hope you can reap the benefits of a better health.

Bentong Ginger: What we do

Amongst my favourite rhizome is the Bentong Ginger.  Its benefits are well documented and it is a popular herbal spice.  At the farm, we grow it and we have to keep rotating the area where we plant it because it "eats" a lot so I need to let the soil rejuvenate before planting in the same location again.
Although it stores well, I always like to process it as soon as it is harvested.  Apart from using it fresh, we do process it to a concentrate drink and to a dry, powdered form.

Our concentrate is a blend of the ginger, turmeric and black pepper.  As it is a concentrate, it can be diluted to prepare a drink, either hot or cold.  It is also used in cooking as well as a marinate.
As no preservatives or additives are used, it needs to be stored refrigerated.  This is one of our popular products and we produce it in batches as needed.  Our customers use it for many reasons:

1. to maintain their digestive system and as a preventive measure against leaky gut
2. to control cholesterol
3. to reduce gas and bloating
4. to reduce joint aches and pains including for arthritis
5. as a post-natal supplement.

Personally I use it as a preventive measure so it is something that I consume everyday, in different forms.  Making it as part of my daily normal essential diet has been key to enabling me to continue consuming it for the benefits without feeling bored, something which can easily occur if you are popping pills.  I treat it as a natural therapy and it assists my body in healing itself.

The second processed product is our new product: producing ginger powder.  The ginger is sliced and dehydrated using a dehydrator which allows me to ensure maximum retention of nutrients as well as prevention of contaminants such as dust, dirt or other types of contaminants.  This dehydration process reduces the ginger to approximately 10% of its fresh original weight.  What it means is if 1 kg of fresh ginger is dehydrated, the dehydrated ginger will weigh around 90-100g.
The dehydrated ginger is then ground to a powdered form.  The end product is really concentrated so you do not need to use much of it.  No additives or preservatives are added to it so it is pure ground ginger.  It can then be stored in an air-tight container in the cupboard or if you prefer, in the refrigerator.  This ground ginger can be used in many ways: used in cooking and marinating as well as in creating drinks like ginger tea or added to other teas to flavour it.  The dehydrated ginger will also be used to create our ground spice mixes such as with lemongrass and turmeric.

Eat for Life: Naturally maintaining my gut

We often are more reactive than proactive and we tend to want miracle cures.  I decided to change my diet from being reactive to proactive and one of the major changes is the diligent inclusion of turmeric and ginger, roselle probiotics and virgin coconut oil in my diet.  This combination provides a wealth of health benefits but in a proactive measure, one of the main ones that I want is the care and maintenance for my gut.  I have done a lot of research on this and will continue to follow developments from both the medical world as well as the alternative holistic therapies.
Our gut is the biggest immune organ in our body with the main function of processing our food and removing toxins.  It is basically our digestive tract.  Over the last few years, more and more information has been disseminated regarding a condition called leaky gut.  A leaky gut causes allergens and toxins as well as bacteria and viruses to enter out bloodstream leading to many illnesses including infections to other organs like the brain, heart, kidney and others, allergies and autoimmune.  The symptoms are many and is often misdiagnosed resulting in our medical treatment addressing the symptoms but not the condition.   Some of the symptoms are:

1.  allergies
2. infections to various organs and within the body
3. body aches and pains
4. bloating
5. cramps

The symptoms and manifestation of the problem is common enough that the treatment is often for the symptom and not addressing the underlying issue.

Some of the causes are:

1. age
2. gluten
3. antibiotics
4. food additives
5. carcinogens

How to avoid a leaky gut?  Easy but can be difficult to do for some: take care of your gut and prevent the lining from breaking down or having holes.  Basically, one needs to take care of what one consumes.  A healthy gut has good digestive tract walls and good bacteria.  As we age, our body will breakdown and need repairing so similar to having a car, one needs to do maintenance.  Some repairs here and there, replacing what is worn down, etc.

In my proactive mode, I have added 3 items which not only is good for my gut health but also contains other health benefits:

1. Bentong ginger and turmeric with black pepper
2. Roselle probiotics
3. Extra virgin coconut oil

These 3 items promotes the repair work, addressing the symptoms with its anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti inflammation properties and then continues to promote the health of my gut with the probiotics and "cleaning" activities.  They are simple to add to my daily diet and doesn't require major changes to my routine and readily available.  I am a firm believer that if we cannot make something a normal thing to do, it will be hard to remain diligent and sustain it as a normal course in our life.  Whilst some of this are available in pill forms, a few factors make it less desirable:

• I do not know what is added during the process to convert it from natural state to pill or capsule
• The cost is higher than the natural state
• While it may be convenient, over a period of time, I will become bored and lazy to pop the pills and ultimately, just stop doing it
• There is no fun in pill popping - there is no enjoyment in consuming it and it becomes a to-do task as opposed to something I do normally

My focus has always been on organic and local so that it is easily available and affordable.  After all, if it is expensive that it is out of reach to the masses.  As with everything you consume, do find out about the source of what you consume and that it is natural, organically grown without hormones as well as additives-free and this includes preservatives, sugar, colouring.

Go organic and go local

Over the last few days I have been involved in many discussions regarding GMO vs non-GMO, organic vs non-organic, local vs imported.  The underlying grievance was the cost issue.  So I thought I will lay down my take on it.
GMO vs non-GMO
GMO food inherently contains carcinogens at the cell level so if is just about impossible to get rid of it.  The purpose of GMO was to alter the natural state of the produce at a cellular level so that it can contain pesticides to enable the plant to produce more and or standardised product.  This is great for commercialising a produce as you can have high yield at a lower cost. The major GMO produce are corn and soy and more will probably be added in the future.  These two items appear in many forms,  For corn, some of the items are  fresh corn, frozen corn kernels, corn oil, corn syrup, corn flour, and breakfast cereal.   Another item often forgotten is animal feed as many use corn which are GMO so the toxins gets transferred from the feed to the animal and to us such as in chicken, beef and fish and shellfish and also in milk.  For soy, some of the items are soya bean oil, soya sauce, soy milk and soy flour. The pesticides are carcinogens and though Big Businesses claim that it is safe, there are many non-industry sponsored studies that show otherwise including the proliferation of a new disease called Autoimmune.   Good for business but bad for people.

Organic vs non-organic
Organic produce is produced without using any chemical pesticides, herbicides or fertilisers.  The soil has also got to be toxic chemical contaminant free.  Hydrophonic method is not necessarily organic.  For non-organic, anything goes.  Organic farming is also more labor-intensive.  For my definition I also include avoidance of plant hormones.

Local vs Imported
For some reason, many are ignorant and automatically assume that if something is imported then it is good.  Not necessarily so.  Imported costs more as there is transportation costs, handling costs and other related costs.  So the higher price doesn't mean that it is of better quality.  It goes back to knowing your source.

What it boils down to is: "Do you want to pay now or pay later?".  So, if you think that choosing organic, non-GMO and local is more expensive or not of high quality, do be sure to add up the costs properly.  The other hidden costs are medical bills, transport costs (for treatment and related services required), pharmaceutical bills (bear in mind that sometimes you will be prescribed a few drugs as the first is for your condition and the others to treat the effects of the first drug), future higher food costs (as then you can only eat foods that meet the criteria for your condition), loss of work days, lower quality of life and other costs.

The bountiful God's Crown (Mahkota Dewa) Fruit

With such a grand name, Mahkota Dewa (God's Crown) is traditionally used in many ways.  It's botanical name is Phaleria Macrocarpa.  At the farm, our 4 years old tree stands about 2 meters.  I haven't trimmed it since I propagated it from

seed and it is now fruiting in abundance so I will wait a little while before I prune it a bit.  Watching its growth, I would say it is a slow grower in height but that doesn't mean the same for the fruiting.  It starts fruiting in about 1 year.  The fruit is a dark red color when it ripens and it is at this stage that I harvest.
The outer skin of the fruit is slightly waxy and the flesh is fibrous and white in color.  For the first 3 years, I only fertilised it about once every six months so there wasn't much fruits produced.  However in the last year, I fertilised it quarterly and I see a marked difference in the quantity of the fruit.  I use organic, farm-produced fertiliser since I wanted to ensure as best as I can that it is free from toxins and chemicals as ultimately, I plan to use it as a health "supplement".
I use the fruit to produce my tea.  It contains alkaloid, flavonoid, polyphenol and antioxidants making it rich in benefits in traditional preventive and curative therapy.  I drink the tea at least once a week as part of my detoxification regime with its alkaloid content.  It helps to cleanse the liver, kidneys and digestive system.  It is also antiviral and antibacterial which helps strengthen my immune system.  Sometime I drink more times depending on how I feel.
Amongst its other uses in traditional therapy are:

1. To help lower the blood sugar for diabetics due to its saponin content
2. To cleanse the blood due to its flavonoid content
3. To improve the body's metabolism due to its flavonoid content
4. To reduce cholesterol due to its flavonoid content
5. As an alternative tutor and cancer therapy from its antioxidants and alkaloids
6. To reduce the fats in the blood due to its flavonoid content

A noted point is pregnant women and post-natal women shouldn't consume this.

I checked around for dried Mahkota Dewa fruit and the price ranges from RM 50-60 per 100 gm.  As I cannot verify that it is organically produced nor using the method that least introduces contaminants, I decided to make my own.  I produce the tea by first harvesting mature fruits, slicing and dehydrating them.  Traditionally, it is sun-dried but I prefer to dehydrate so as not to introduce contaminants.  Once dried, it can be stored
for many months - at least 3 months - though I tend to prepare mine at regular intervals.
I use a claypot to are my tea, about 10gm per litre of water.  I bring it to a boil and allow it to cool in the claypot before drinking it.  It looks like regular tea and the taste is slightly bitter (like when you are too strong tea) with fruity undertones.  To make it more bland, you can always add more water to dilute it but I find that it is not necessary.
With all the benefits and the taste, I find it easy to add it to my regular drinks list.  In case you wonder what is on my regular drinks list, they are misai  kucing tea, soursop leaves tea, Bentong ginger and turmeric drink, Roselle (tea and drink) as well as variations of calamansi drinks (with lemongrass or bunga telling).  With this variety, I am never bored but I feel that it makes going organic and natural brings lots of benefits to my health maintenance.

Bedroom must-have plant: Mother-in-law plant or Snake plant (Sansevieria trifasciata)

As part of natural therapy and incorporating simple ideas into our daily lives, I began to look for plants that improves our environment.  For me, hands-down, this is the plant to have in every bedroom and not just one, tiny plant but several if you have the room.  The Sansevieria trifasciata has 2 main varieties that most of us are familiar with: the one with the yellow stripe along the leave outer edge is also known as the Mother-in-law plant and the one without the stripe is knows as the Snake plant.  Both have geometric patterns that look like scales all over the leave except for the edges.

This plant is very easy to care for as it requires minimal sunlight as well as can withstand long periods without watering.  What this means is if you place the plant near a window that gets minimal sunlight, you are set.  If you place it in a space that receives no sunlight, just let it sunbathe once in a while.  If you are one of those who always forget to water the plants, this plant can tolerate weeks of not watering.  so, when you remember, you water it.  I know of no other plant that is so resilient and easy to care for.

For barely caring for this plant, you reap tremendous benefits.  It is one of the best natural air purifiers and has had numerous studies done including by NASA which has ranked it as the top plant for air purifying as it purifies over 100 different toxins including formaldehyde, xylene, benzene and nitrogen oxide.   The main source of xylene is the automotive exhaust and various solvents.  It is also released in petroleum processing such as refineries.  So, if you have an office at a refinery, you should have this plant in your office.  You can read more on the toxicology report published by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Centre for Disease Control (CDC).  Formaldehyde is also commonly emitted from furnishings such as wood or plywood furniture, carpets as well as from automotive combustions.    A more detailed report on emissions can be found in an article from the U.S. National Institute of Health as well as other regulatory bodies.  Formaldehyde affects your respiratory system and is also classified as a carcinogen.  With new furniture, it may emit for several months.  So, if you just move into a new home, an easy way to detoxify the air is by having this plant throughout your house.  Formaldehyde can also be emitted from candle burning, incense burning and cooking - activities which seem harmless.  You can research more into the other toxins but you can be assured, there is nothing good about them.  Just by having this plant in your home or office space, you can improve your air quality substantially and it is a painless method that requires very little effort on your part but delivers tremendous benefits.

Unlike most other plants which use oxygen at night, this plant releases oxygen.  So while your body is doing its repair work while you sleep at night, you are also getting "oxygen therapy".  The leaves are not toxic so the plant is safe around children and pets unlike the money plant, which has toxic leaves.

As a result, over the last month, I have been seriously cultivating the plant and placing it all over my home, especially in the bedrooms.  I also place it in the bathrooms.  This is one plant that I think is wonderful as a air purifies and providing additional oxygen at night whilst requiring very little effort on the owners part.  I can think of no reason not to have this plant in our homes.  Can you?

SHL Edible Products: Going forward

It has been over 10 years since I embark on my organic agriculture journey and over the years, I have planted over 100 types of plants and trees, researched and experimented the use and benefits and processing some of them to form products, a step beyond its natural form.  As I move to the future, I have made moves to streamline our produce and plants.

I have a keen interest in making food as medicine and to make it as a normal part of our daily diet with the ultimate aim at preventing diseases and illnesses whilst at the same time having therapeutic values. This is a way to adjust our diets without making it a chore and working through natural healing which takes time.  I am not a medical practitioner nor do I presume to be an expert.  However, I do consume what I produce and it is a tenet of the farm that we do not sell edibles that we do not eat ourselves.  What I produce for my own consumption is what we in turn productize.

All the products are based on what we grow at the farm as it is important for me that the source materials are as clean as possible from toxic chemicals either from the ground or what is used during its growth and processing.  I have streamlined our  products to those that I find is easiest to consume and with loads of benefits

Bentong ginger and turmeric

Ginger and turmeric are well-known for its anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, antiviral and antibacterial properties as well as for the benefits for reducing cholesterol, improving the immune system and digestive system.  Our concentrate also includes black pepper to further aid in the absorption of curcumin into the body.  This combination aids in the healing of many inflammatory based illnesses like gout, many forms of arthritis, and muscle pains.  It also has anti-cancer properties especially for the digestive system as studies found that it kills the heliotrope bacteria which is found to support activation of cancer cells in the digestive system.

There are many ways to consume our concentrate:

• Dilute with water – either hot or cold to make a drink that can also be sweetened
• Use in your cooking to add flavor

Blue Pea Flower (Bunga Telang Biru)

This flower can be used as a natural food coloring and is a must if you want to create authentic nai kerabu – using blue coloring is just not authentic or good for you.  The flowers are dehydrated and it can be stored in a cool, dry area or in the refrigerator for longer term storage.

Like many colored natural food, this flower is rich in antioxidants.  Another property that it naturally has is as an anti-depressant.  It can be used to create a blue-colored drink and when mixed with calamansi juice, turns purple and can serve as a relaxing drink after a stressful day.

In traditiinal or alternative therapy, it used:

• To Improve eyesight and eye strain
• As a blood cleanser
• To detoxify
• To relieve stress

Calamansi

It is a great source for vitamin A and C.  The main acids in this fruit is citric acid and ascorbic acid.  Using cold-pressed pure juice, I have created the following

• Pure calamansi juice which can be turned into a drink on its own by diluting or used in flavouring cooking
• Pure calamasi juice with lemongrass which brings the benefits of lemongrass as well as a refreshing flavour
• Pure calamasi juice with blue pea flower (bunga telang) which adds more antioxidant properties

Cat’s whiskers (Misai Kucing)

Our dehydrated Misai Kucing tea is made from the leaves and flowers and can be turned into a drink by steeping in just-boiled water for at least 5 minutes.  It can be served hot or cold.  The many health benefits that have been reported include :

• It has properties that enables it to be used to regulate the blood sugar hence is used as an alternative treatment for diabetes
• This herb inhibits blood platelet from sticking together and has powerful hemolytics that can lower blood pressure thus making it an alternative treatment for high blood pressure as well as for reducing cholestrol, which is often used in traditional medicine.
• This herb has the ability to clean toxins within the blood hence it is also used in traditional herbal medicine in the process of detoxification and in removing metabolic waste within the body.  This in turn makes it a useful addition to weight loss efforts.
• It also has diuretic properties making it beneficial in the treatment of kidney stones and for flushing the kidney and urinary tract.  It helps to flush out the uric acid as well as block the production of uric acid.  This in turn also helps other conditions such as gout and inflammation of joints due to high uric acid levels in the body

Another health property of this herb is its ability to act as an anti-inflammatory hence its use in the herbal treatment for athritis and rheumatism

Extra Virgin Coconut Oil

Only in the last decade or so that this much maligned oil has been proven to be good for you.  It has strong antiviral and antibacterial properties as well as being rich in lauric acids.  Amongst its benefits are:

•  Improving the immune system
• Improving the brain cells regeneration 

It is often used in alternative therapies such as:

• Alzheimer’s disease
• Viral infection including flus and colds

It can be consumed on its own or incorporated into you cooking and even in flavoring coffees.

Gingertorch (Bunga Kantan)

Gingertorch is a popular addition to flavor dishes especially laksa, asam pedas and various other local Malaysian dishes and a must-have for many in nasi kerabu.  

Sometimes it is hard to find and when fresh, doesn’t last long.  So I decided to produce dehydrated ginger torch flower which can be stored in the cupboards or for longer storage, in the refrigerator so that it is on-hand when you want it.

It has antioxidant properties.  In traditional or alternative therapy, it is used:

• as a blood cleanser
• to increase mother's milk during post-natal
• to reduce body smell

Lemongrass

A popular herbal spice which can be used to make a tea or in cooking which has been dehydrated to make a dried lemongrass flakes which can be stored in a cool, dry area or the refrigerator for longer term storage.  To make a tea, just steep in just-boiled water and serve hot or cold, sweetened or not.  It has high antioxidant , antiviral and antibacterial properties.  In alternative therapies, it is used for:

• Digestive system problems
• Treatment of certain types of cancers
• High blood pressure
• Rheumatism

Roselle

Roselle is rich in vitamins A and C and is good for the immune system.  Amongst its properties is it is anti-oxidant, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory.  Based on a study by Purdue University, it is high in calcium, niacin, riboflavin, vitamin C and iron.  It is also caffeine-free hence it can be made as an after-dinner tea for those who cannot consume caffeine after late afternoon or they have a hard time sleeping.  It has anti-hypertensive properties so it is also good for people with hypertension of high blood pressure.

We have 3 different types of products:

•   Roselle concentrate which also contains the calyces
•  Roselle tea concentrate which is made from the leaves
• Dehydrated Roselle tea which you can make a drink by steeping in just-boiled or hot water and sweeten to taste if desired.

The concentrates need to be stored refrigerated and can last at least 3 months.  It can be used in cooking to make jelly or in dishes that you want to have a sour flavor addition like assam pedas and singgang. 

The tea leaves should be stored in a cool dry place, just as you would store any other tea.  The drinks help chemotherapy patients as it helps to flush out the toxins from the body as well as helps to improve the immune system. It is a good alternative drink especially for children.  It has often to likened to Ribena.

Snakegrass

The snakegrass tea is produced by dehydrating mature leaves and crushed to form loose tea leaves.  It is prepared by steeping in just-boiled water for at least 5 minutes.  In traditional and alternative therapies it is used to treat:

•  Certain types of cancer such as lymphatic, ovarian, breast and prostate cancer
•  Kidney disease
•  Improving the immune system
• Lowering cholesterol
• Lowering blood pressure

Soursop

We created soursop tea by dehydrating it mature leaves and crushing them.  It is prepared into a drink just like any normal herbal tea, using just-boiled water and allowed to steep for at least 5 minutes.

Based on research by USDA:

•  It is an excellent source of vitamin C
• Has a high fiber content which can prevent constipation
• Contains half the potassium in bananas which can help prevent leg cramps
• Its high magnesium content can help prevent water retention especially for women who experience this in PMS.
• Good source of thiamin, the B vitamin needed for aerobic energy production, the process where oxygen is used to convert sugar into usable energy 
• Loaded with the trace material copper which is essential for healthy bones.  It also helps boost the effectiveness of vitamin D, which promotes the absorption of calcium.
• A good source of niacin which studies have shown to have significant benefits on levels of HDL, the good cholesterol
• Good source of folate which is a mineral that is recommended to prevent deficiencies during pregnancy for pregnant women.
• Good source of iron, an essential element in the body producing healthy red blood cells
•  Rich in riboflavin where studies have shown can help prevent migraines.

With the iron and vitamin K, it promotes red blood cells production hence it is good for anemic but not for people with DVT and similar “rich blood” illnesses.  It is rich in antioxidants and is often used as either complementary or alternative treatment of certain types of cancer.