Food as Medicine — Alexandra Yok

My teacher Homprang takes us around her garden. Excited students follow her, smelling each flower, tasting the leaves. The herbs spread out across the property, are used for healing different illnesses. Turmeric grows beside the classroom, and tamarind trees by the road.

“This is for the liver,” she smiles, handing me a bitter leaf.

“And this makes your hair beautiful,” she holds out a blue flower. Mulberries are sweet and bilimbi is sour.

This strong lady, my teacher, overflowing with wisdom, and glowing in her element, her nature.

I have done this class many times, and the lesson of Thai medicines is one of my favorites. We gather plants, carry them to the kitchen. With the smell of zingerber in the air, it’s time to crush the herbs, mortar and pestle. One student smashes bits of turmeric, another carefully peeling the kefir lime. It’s joy and laughter to work together, so close to the earth.

After mixing in the camphor salts, it’s time to make the herbal compress balls. We all watch, as Homprang spins string between her fingers, tightly wrapping, patiently, and with care to all the details. Finished compresses are put into the rice steamer, and heated, and then, ready to use.

Thai herbal compresses, are used to massage along the body. Pressing the warm medicinal herbs into arms and legs, along the spine and up to the neck. The heat opens and relaxes the tissue, the herbs treat inflammation and muscle pain, detoxing and bringing the body back to balance. This is what healing looks like; smells like.

It’s nature, it’s always been nature.