The humble malunggay – horse radish

Health is number one priority of everyone. Of what use are talent, money, power, high position, fame, material acquisition and even loved ones, whom when we are deathly sick?

How do we keep ourselves healthy? We do not wait when we are sick. We act now when we are still healthy.  We do not wait when we are sick. We act now when we are still healthy.

I would like to share to all our experiences with one shrub or vegetable which is prolific in the Philippines and is found almost everywhere in our country. It is the “malunggay “(called “kalamunggay “in Visayas Region, Philippines ). Its scientific name is: Moringa Oleifera Lam.

In the Western countries, it is called horse radish.

Allow me to recall that in Africa, there was one village where the majority of the villagers were suffering from extreme anemia. To remedy the hazardous situation of its citizens, the African authorities imported ‘malunggay ‘seedlings from the Philippines. The villagers were instructed to plant the seedlings around the village. The seedlings grew to adulthood, easily adjusted to the hot climate.

The villagers would harvest the leaves and include them daily in their diet. It didn’t take long for the villagers to be cured from anemia. The veggies also got rid of their usual health maladies.

The method used by the African government was simple, practical, at the cheapest cost and very effective.

One of our neighbors, Nelita H. Bije, went to Manila to visit her son, Joshua (nickname: Jet). Jet is employed by an American company with his base in Manila. Nelita found Jet suffering from enlargement of the heart, high blood pressure and migraine due to the pressure of his job. Jet followed his doctor’s prescriptions and still, his condition did not improve.

What Nelita did was to buy malunggay in the local market. Jet could not eat the leaves but he agreed to drink the juice. Nelita boiled all the leaves and stalks.

Within three days, Jet’s migraine was gone. He continued drinking the juice. Now Jet is a healthy young man once more.

Our neighbor, a retired teacher, has her own tale to share. Mrs. Idulza’s father lived up to 104 years old. She described the lifestyle of her father’s: at night, one tablespoon of wine before sleeping and a cup of malunggay tea upon waking up. Had he not bumped into a table and hurt himself, he would have lived longer. Though most aging persons suffer from Alzheimer’s disease or dementia or forgetfulness, he still had his wits around.

Another neighbor, Maribel Cuajao, related how she ate malunggay everyday while she was expecting her first daughter, Honey. Honey turned out to be First Honors in her grade school and graduated Valedictorian from high school.

My in-laws are two very active senior citizens. They not care much about the leaves. They just drink the juice. Before the treatment, every night Daddy Pete would rub efficascent menthol oil to quiet down his aching limbs. Now he had forgotten this ritual. Mommy Reba used to have migraine. It had not recurred since. Both do not have problems in their daily visit to the comfort room. The malunggay aids in the digestive system.

Anya, my first born, was always constipated. Mommy Reba explained to her in one simple paragraph: “A person who has constipation may develop cancer of the colon. Why don’t you drink a cup of malunggay juice every day, Anya? It will soften your stools. “

Anya proved to be intelligent and obedient. She would not refuse a cup once given to her. After a week and a half, she announced it was already soft.

I myself would eat the leaves. I prefer the young leaves as they are soft to chew. The matured ones are tough. My wife is also a nursing mother. We both belong to the skinny type, but my wife has lots of milk. My babies would choke for her milk would ooze like a geyser.

The most dramatic influence of this plant happened to my family. My brother-in-law, Peter Lionel, was encouraged by Mommy Reba to eat malunggay. His response was: “It’s just your imagination, Mommy. “

Peter Lionel and his wife, Florence, had difficulty to have a baby. They went to the doctors for treatment and spent much already, but to no avail. Something was wrong with Florence’s menstrual cycle and Peter Lionel himself had low sperm count. After two years, still no sign for a baby.

Mommy Reba explained that she heard through a TV interview, that the Senator from Bukidnon, Philippines, Miguel Zubiri testified how their first baby was brought about. He and his wife took a daily diet of lots of malunggay leaves. Their doctors’ advice proved to be futile! The malunggay was their savior.

Peter Lionel and Florence was at their wits’ and plunged into this decision: lots and lots of boiled malunggay leaves every day. Florence did not cater to the leaves. With Peter Lionel, it was different story. He ate the leaves with gusto, like it was salad. We would laugh at the way he consumed the leaves!

The result was positive. Florence got pregnant with Chloe at last! They waited for 2 and half years.

Peter Lionel’s sperm count originally was only 10 million. The malunggay diet had upsoar it to a 100 million in first 1 and half months. The normal count is 70-80 million for a healthy male.

We Filipinos are lucky in this aspect. If we do not have the plant in our garden, we can simply go to the neighbor and request a few stalks. In the City, the local market has plenty of this vegetable.

The average Filipino does not indulge in these expensive vitamin pills. We simply utilize rich energizing vegetables such as the malunggay. Why spend so much to good health? We have better use for money.

My family led frugal lives and tries to be practical.

For the really busy people and for those who live in big cities, there are also malunggay pills available.

We may have a few converts for those who read this article. Please do not expect instant miracles. It may take a long to see the effects to our health. Certainly, our skin and hair may improve. Our blood pressure may be regulated as well as our sugar level. For those who suffer from headaches and migraine, why don’t you try it? For the forgetful type, the malunggay may be the best effective tool for good memory.