Hey y'all! It's @riverflows writing under the @naturalmedicine banner, because I wanted to give my earnings from this straight back into the @naturalmedicine blog to increase our votes for you guys. Upvoting this post helps us put it back into the community.
This is a post I've been meaning to write for a while, and I'd love you to add to it in the comments, adding to the value of this post. What do you use papaya or pawpaw for? What's been your experience? What do you know about it? One of my favourite things about Steemit is what we can learn from each other, and that's why me, @holisticmom and @mountainjewel started this initiative - we really wanted us to grow and learn together.
So, Every morning for breakfast in Bali we'd have pawpaw. I love all fruit, and grew up in a country where bananas, pineapples and pawpaws were fairly easy to come by. Yet I have mixed feelings about pawpaw (papaya) - I just don't like the taste. Jamie loves them, and has always been convinced they were good for his digestion. The enzyme in them, papain, helps break down protein in meat and other food sources in the gut, so much so it's used commercially to tenderise meat. It can help break down the gluten in wheat and casein in milk, which can also cause digestive problems. However, I think it's the green papaya which is of most benefit, as it's higher in papain than the overripe fruit. These and other enzymes are meant to break down fibrin protein, which is involved in the forming of dangerous blood clots and coats cancer cells with a protective layer. However, like all natural medicine, there are potential side effects, which I'd look into of course if you were planning on taking it. Papaya powder, I'm told, is great in smoothies, but I haven't come across it.
When I got sick in Bali, I wasn't keen on finding out that one of the local natural remedies around me that could help me was pawpaw (I'm just going to call it that from now on, it's an Australian thing, and you'll just have to live with it!) and J. went off on a mission to find me some, which I forced down my throat as I really don't like it!
In the absence of cranberries or cranberry juice, I was clutching at straws. Fruits with high acidity, however, like limes and pawpaws, are said to help remove bacteria and care for the urinary system because they are high antioxidants and vitamin C. They're also rich in fibre, so can help cleanse the colon, intestines and bladder, as well as containing enzymes that help reduce inflammation. However, it wasn't til later that we learnt that underripe paw paw would have been better.
J. also got the host at our homestay to give us the paw paw seeds too, which also contain papain. Just as it breaks down undigested protein, it can also break down the biofilm and fibrin that covers parasites, particularly the eggs, on the walls of our lower intestine. The more digestive enzymes help improve our intestinal ecology, making it less hospitable to worms and other parasites and make it harder for them to breed. Like paw paw itself, I wasn't fond of the taste, except these had a completely different flavour - a bit like mustard or pepper.
In the end, I was forced to take a course of anti-biotics. I read so many forums on what natural remedies to take, and did try everything I could - kombucha, lime, coconut water, and drinking plenty of water. However, I also got bali belly on top of that, so being violently ill with a UTI was not a time where I felt I could rely wholly on natural medicines as the pain was excruciating. I think it's important to take everything into account with natural medicines and make your own judgement about what's best for your body at the time. I certainly didn't want to end up with a severe kidney infection in the middle of a foreign country, and thanks to advice from many Steemians here who are also lovers of natural medicine yet knew that sometimes antiobiotics are absolutely necessary, I took a course of them, which brought me back to life sharpish so I could enjoy the rest of my holiday.
I haven't given up on the health benefits of pawpaw, and I'm going to hunt down some of that powder for summer smoothies. And I certainly relied on natural medicines to bring my system back into balance when I returned, namely coconut yoghurt and kombucha to restore my gut health. Thankfully I'm back to normal, as I know some of these tropical bugs can persist long after we return home.
Have you ever used paw paw as a natural medicine? What fruits DO you use as natural medicine? If you've got a great story, consider using the #naturalmedicine tag so we can find you easily and give you some love. We're happy to support posts under this tag as much as we possibly can.
I have another story, too, about paw paw ointment, but that's for another time.
We share a dislike for the taste of Papaya! Not my favourite fruit either I must say. I'm a big fan of lemon as fruit medicine. I think I already mentioned honey and lemon green-tea on discord, great for hangovers and digestive discomfort! As well as being a traditional remedy for a sore throat (A little whiskey in there also works a treat!) I also use lemon juice in my natural shampoo and all-purpose surface cleaner. Awesome post 🌿😘💚
Lemons are the best. Do you have your own lemon tree?
We have a little one. It actually produced something this year. A few small, skinny lemons!
Green papaya is BIG NATURAL MEDICINE here in Thailand. We eat it raw, grated, as a spicy salad called Som Tum. It removes bowel plaque phenomenally and so is a brilliant cleansing food. It is a go-to food by Thai people whenever they're feeling poorly. It is unbelievably rich in enzymes and the basis for most commercial enzyme supplements you see in the west. I will make spicy som tum for you when you visit. :)
Yeeeh papayah-bok-bok!! Love me a 2 chilli som tum sweat down lol! Got my lunch decision made for the day thanks. Oh and River so funny my Jamie don't enjoy ripe pawpaw either, though gut health is immune health and well a coffee grinder works perfect to powder up some dry seeds to throw in a smoothie if that helps disguise the taste. Works in our house 💚
That sounds amazing, @artemislives - I would love that. I love thai food. I like green papaya, but not the overripe stuff - ugh - @riverflows. xx
We use ripe papaya in smoothies with a lot of lime and banana - Thai standards - and the overripe stuff is PERFECT with honey and a little bentonite clay for natural facials. I have a whole series of natural kitchen face-body masks and scrub posts planned. :)
Perfect!!!!
Thanks it is great to learn more about Pawpaw.
Thanks @j850683! No pawpaw in Tassie.... xx
Only the ones that get freighted in from the big island :)
No pawpaws here either. But we do have an abundance of organically grown, nutrient densely raised wild blueberries. We pick and freeze up 100 lbs each year. We eat a LOT of them.
I have been very jealous of your blackberry picking!
Blueberry, different plant.... Some times I wish I had blackberries, but then, I don't! LOL
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STOPI am so glad you are back to normal. I know how arduous the healing process can be for infections of that nature. I didn't know any of this about papaya so It was a great food medicine lesson!
I don't think I've met a fruit I didn't like and I certainly I like papaya, but it's too expensive. It's been years since I had one. I am currently stuffing as many blackberries into my body as I can possibly manage though.
oh my god who wouldn't - yum!! Okay, here's the challenge @walkerland - durian fruit!!!! Have you had it? I like most fruits too - papaya though is very 'meh' to me. And durian is another story entirely!
oh I've never had it. Living in Rural Canada I'm not likely to get the chance at it for a while. I like stinky cheese and my husband won't come near me when I snack on cheese n' onion crisps so ...
I'm in. If I can ever find some to try! You've had it? What did you think?
It tastes okay.. sweet.. but the smell just counteracts all of that!!!! Ha... love Bourdains description..
We call it Pepaya in Bahasa Indonesia and people who Java Island mostly called it with Kates ☺️
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With Kates? Is that what you mean?
Sorry wrong typo, I mean Kate's , whuups... Auto typo on.... Kates, that I mean ☺️
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