Well folks it is the start of a new decade! I am sure that many of you, like me, have plans to make a huge change for this new decade :-). If your plans include making a change healthwise, then here is one of many natural plants that can be used to cleanse your body for a fresh start.
Caresse medicinal herb, aka bitter melon (scientific name – Momordica charantia) is a potent natural cleanser that offers a myriad of health benefits. Cerassie /Bitter Melon plant is native of Africa, Middle East, and Asia and was brought to the Caribbean, Brazil, and Latin America by the enslaved Africans.
Figure 1 (Source Creative Commons)
Cerasse has detoxifying properties and is used as a blood and body cleanser or as a “wash out” to purge the body, It’s used as a tonic to detox the body of toxins, therefore increasing energy, vitality, and stamina It also aids ulcers, bile, and digestive disorders. Ceresee is good for all joint ailments, such as arthritis, rheumatism, gout, and other similar ailments. Also known to settle the nerves and aid fatigue (2018/03/22) Jamaica Cerasee – let’s talk about the sweetness of this bitter herb Retrieved from https://empressroots.com/).
The leaves of the caresse plant is dried and then used to make tea. As well, the melon fruit is used to make soup and tea. Caresse has a very bitter taste. However, when consuming tea, honey can be used as a sweetener. My grandmother use to leave out the honey and give us orange slices to eat after we drink the tea. She was serious about how she used medicinal herbs.
Cerassie tea is rich in a large number of phenols and natural antioxidants, which can help with high cholesterol and inflammation. It is also rich in Vitamin A and C prevents premature aging, diminishes wrinkles, and helps to protect the skin from harmful UV rays. See figure 2 for more benefits
Making the Tea
⦁ Add two tablespoons of dried cerasse leaves to the pot with two-three cups of water
⦁ Boil leaves for 5 minutes
⦁ strain the leaves
⦁ pour tea into a cup and sweeten it to taste with honey or you can drink it straight up and eat an apple or orange after.
Another way to make the tea
⦁ You can also pour boiling water over the leaves in your mug cover the mug and let it seep for 5 -10 minutes.
⦁ strain the leaves or keep it in.
⦁ sweeten and drink
For a proper cleanse drink a cup of tea in the morning and at night for 7 days. I usually do a cleanse every three months.
As I always note, anything taken in excess can have harmful effects. Thus, Cerasse side effects if taken in excess are as follows:
⦁ Abdominal pain and diarrhea (with bitter melon juice, several times more than the recommended amounts)
⦁ Headache, fever, and coma (with excessive ingestion of the seeds)
⦁ Worsening low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)
Always consult a (your) physician before introducing any new natural medicines especially if you are taking prescribed medicine(s).
Be well :-)
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Bibliography
https://healthyeating.sfgate.com/health-benefits-cerassie-tea-12057.html
https://www.epainassist.com/articles/bitter-melon
https://food.ndtv.com/food-drinks/7-health-benefits-of-bitter-gourd-karela-juice-1423896
https://www.rxlist.com/consumer_bitter_melon_balsam_apple_balsam_pear/drugs-condition.htm
