Why my trip to Indonesia got me learning about the world of Indonesian Jamu juice an ancient remedy passed down from generations.
My trip to Bali not only was an initial dream to emulate Eat, Pray and Love film journey to self discovery and enlightenment but also allowed me to begin my love for the Indonesian traditions of inner and outer wellness approaches developed over centuries. My many travel stories will be shared such as my encounters with local healers but this article focuses on Jamu Juice.
Indonesians I realised drink Jamu daily from natural ingredients as a way to maintain a health and gain their essential vitamins and minerals. These ancient remedies go back 1,200 years and began as homemade recipes handed down from mothers and daughters.
My experience of Jamu was when a local lady selling a concussion of juices and remedies on a street corner was able to provide me something for my mild allergies. The mixture contained homemade herbs and the main ingredient ginger and spices only after 3 days I felt cured and symptoms relieved without reliance of antihistamines for my trip.
Jamu is like a homeopathic medicine with an array of drinks, pills or capsules that can be made to cure nearly anything.In Indonesian the philosophy includes healing through spiritual, religious, herbal and magical forms combined.
Both pre Islamic and Islamic residents of Indonesia believe God created Nature for humans to use. The concept of harmony for these treatments include humans need to be in balance with their environment but also the segregation of hot and cold illnesses and treatments to retain that balance.
The concept differs to western medicine which is seen to cure infections instead Jamu is seen as a way to stimulate the body to produce more antibodies or boost existing internal organs to relieve the symptoms. Traditionally Jamu was made by the women of the household. Recent commercial growth is removing the old rituals that include spiritual and alternative mixtures to be personalised to the specific body needs.
A traditional jamu producer will keep up to 100 plants preparing daily stock and with the rich biodiversity of Indonesia that has over 40,000 tropical plants in it’s region rich in natural resources.
One ingredient out of hundreds used is Turmeric almost the most common Jamu juice ingrediant and also now endorsed in modern medicine with its ant-fungal, anti-bacterial, anti-viral properties. Turmeric contains the active ingredient Curcumin which has also been known to reduce inflammatory by 50% almost beating steroids. Recent medical research have compared it to rhizomes in aspirin where Turmeric has proven to also to compete.
The typical Jamu juice drank daily by every Balinese and I was served every morning included the below ingredients which I now also make at home and drink as a daily morning ritual to help retain my health -Try it -its simple and keep it up you will see the effects after a few days :
Jamu Turmeric Juice
When to drink it :
· You can drink it with the onset of a cold.
· When having a tummy ache.
· When bowels aren’t moving as they should.
· When you are cold.
· When hot flashes take over.
· Or just drink it every morning for general health
How to make it :
1. Combine the ginger and turmeric in a blender along with the water. Puree until smooth.
2. Add turmeric-ginger mixture to the pot and bring to a simmer. Once it simmers, turn down the heat to the lowest possible and let the mixture simmer for 25 minutes.
3. Remove the mixture from the heat and let cool for about 10 minutes before straining it into the jar. Stir in the lime juice and the honey and a little peeper. Adding more honey if you prefer things on the sweeter side. Let the mixture cool completely before storing in the refrigerator.
4. To drink as a shot, just add 2-3 tablespoons to a glass and enjoy. To make a spritzer, add 2-3 tablespoons to a large glass along with a few orange slices and ice. Top with carbonated mineral water.
I will be submitting more Jamu recipes with different treatments soon please email me for any urgent recipes. (divineconnection@sacredsoul.com)
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