Nothing tastes as good as a cup of the hanging tea.
We are here to discuss the Bahamian perspective, on the arts, and the Bahamian Way.
Let's welcome our guest.
To Tien Talk, this is Robert Bain and yes, I'm back with another podcast.
Today is a beautiful day in the Bahamas of course, to wear this kind of interesting.
I like this kind of wear, I can put on some clothes.
But you know what this podcast is all about, it's about educating, educating persons about
the arts or anything that's Bahamian.
Tien Talk has been heard in a couple of countries around the world, the numbers are growing.
Thank you for listening.
And this podcast is coming from the Bahamas, coming from one of the islands of the Bahamas
called Nassau, Nassau Bahamas, which is the capital.
We boast of 700 islands, there are 30 of them that's inhabited.
The islands are very beautiful, Bahamians are beautiful people, just like the island.
Now you know this podcast was established to talk about the arts, to talk about anything
that impedes our development or things that are good for us, things that are happening.
I must say that there are some good things happening, there are also some bad things
happening but we're going to talk about some good things today.
And you know all the guests that come on this podcast are very special people.
We're going to, we have an interesting topic today.
We're going to talk about teas, would you believe, bush teas.
Before we start, I'd like to thank Jason Ferguson for that open play introduction, the music.
It's awesome, he's able to combine Jhankunu and whatever he calls it.
It's beautiful.
My guest today is a lady by the name of Denise Warrell.
Denise Warrell is, I would say a tea connoisseur, she deals with teas.
And of course, you know this program is called Tea and Talk and I thought it would be really
nice to, as always, to sit down and have a cup of tea.
But to talk about, you know, teas, they have some beautiful benefits and we don't talk
about them enough.
And a lot of people, well, their history, people can tell you about teas.
You know, we grew up on the islands, we grew up with teas, pear bush tea and all those
kind of teas, we grew up with, we got somebody here who can talk about that today.
And I want to welcome to Tea and Talk, Denise Warrell, your mic is on and you can say hi.
Welcome to Tea and Talk.
Thank you, it's good to be here.
Denise, tell me, tell us a bit about yourself.
Well, I am an herbalist, I have studied our behemoth herbs, spices and I enjoy mixing
and also using them and also being able to help people who are having issues, help to
eradicate or lessen the issue by using our behemoth herbal teas.
Interesting.
So, I mean, how did you get into, I mean, how did you actually get into it?
Is it something that was passed down from your parents, a grandma or somebody?
Well, like every good old behemoth, I grew up on seraceae.
Seraceae, yeah.
That's when I learned my first art of deception by pretending to consume it when I was not
many times.
But my grandparents were great believers in bush tea and in addition to seraceae, they
also provided other teas for when children got sick, had fever or anything like that.
My parents to a lesser extent used teas but I made a trip back to Akans which is the home
of both my parents and grandparents and there I worked along with persons who were actually
harvesting some of our, what we call bush and selling it abroad.
Interesting.
Yes, very interesting.
That's something that happens in this country, eh?
Yeah.
So, I got to learn a lot about the value of some of our native plants and it stuck with
me and even though I became an educator, while I was homeschooling my own children, I decided
to explore it more as an alternative to providing healthy drinks for them instead of the usual
things you find at the food store.
Sure.
So, I started eating from our garden more and then I realized we actually had a kind
of survivalist secret right in our own garden.
Isn't that something?
Yes, it's absolutely amazing.
So, we started to do things that would feed our family in a healthy way and so, I then
began doing studies in herbalism and successfully completed those and launched a business.
How aware, how aware are our behemoths to what you do, to herbalism?
How where are we?
I'm not sure.
I know many behemoths know of our business, naturally behemoth and many of our hotels
use our products in their hotels.
So, that's great but behemoths are learning more and more every day.
Every time we do a pop up or do something like this podcast or something educational,
more and more people learn about it.
Yeah, I'm learning about it, I'm learning much more than I ever did.
I know for like this morning I got up, I went outside and picked some leaves of the
saw-saw tree and so, behind that, I think behemoths just naturally know that some of
those trees are good.
I learned recently that even the mango tree leaves are good.
I didn't know that and I have an all spice tree in my yard.
Also I heard that's very good.
I heard those things are used for regular complaints like high blood pressure, help
to diabetes and some other things.
Tell us about some other plans that you deal with on a daily.
You know the humble shepherd needle that everybody weeps out of their yard.
The shepherd needle, that's right.
And for people who have a high A1C count, diabetic.
And so they're able to lower their, my husband was pre-diabetic.
I gave him some of that tea and the doctor thought he had been using prescription meds
that he had prescribed and he said, no.
He said, well what do you ever do?
Keep doing it because it's working better than the medicine ought to.
That's amazing.
The shepherd needle.
There are lots of stuff.
I've seen a bush that actually grows.
It looks like almost like a vine or something like that.
That grows on the ground.
But we just walk over it and dig it up out of the garden and throw it away.
And recently I can't remember the name of this plant.
And I think it probably has a flower on it.
I'm not sure.
Probably a purple flower on it.
Is it the blue flower?
Possibly so.
It has a long stamen that sticks out.
I think we pick it up, we pull it out of the garden and throw it away.
And somebody said to me that's thick.
Good for respiratory issues.
I remember as a little boy, well I remember hearing my father talk about a blue flower
that they would pick and they would mash it a little something to do with putting warm
water and then hot water, taking it orally and then you go behind it with cold water
and it actually pulls all of the mucus out of the body.
It's amazing that that stuff exists and we don't know about it.
And I think a lot of, probably you can find a lot of that stuff in African countries.
Stay aware of that.
I think people are just now becoming aware of the morangotree which has been around for
a very long time.
And that also makes great tea as well and has a lot of healthy benefits.
What are some of the health benefits of a morangotree?
Mere is used by a lot of people for their high blood pressure issues.
But it also has many other uses as well.
Some of it, you really have to study a person to understand their habits and their health
issues because sometimes it's not just one issue that's presenting, it's other things
as well.
So a good conversation with them will help you to determine how to apply certain herbs
to help them best.
I never believe that one solution is for everybody because we're all different.
So sometimes you require several different approaches to help a person who has a presenting
issue.
Right.
And you're talking about the other plant, the noni plant.
How do you prepare that particular?
Okay.
There are several things that can be used.
The noni leaves can be used.
I heard, yes.
But also the noni fruit can be used.
You might want to wear a mask when you're preparing the fruit.
But it has to be ripe.
If you use it green, it's dangerous for you.
Oh really?
It's dangerous to consume if you use it green.
So you have to wait until it is completely ripe.
And then you can macerate it and strain the juice out.
And then you can use the juice.
It helps to build your immune system.
It helps with colds, flus, that sort of thing.
And it has other health benefits as well.
But those are the more popular uses.
Right.
Yeah.
So we see it on television a lot.
They advertise a certain drug.
And then there's a long list of side effects that are very unpleasant.
The beauty of our Bahamian herbs, plants, roots and stems is that very few of them have side
effects that you need to worry about.
I would say don't take any medication or herbal product forever.
You use it for a certain time to get rid of something and you quit.
You don't use it forever because the body will respond to that.
And usually in a negative way.
So you need to watch what you put into your body and how long you put it into your body.
So that is on both sides?
Yes, on both sides.
For instance, there are some people who have high blood pressure.
I have a product called heart tea, which is a combination of herbs that I use.
And when people use it, I tell them they use it for a certain period, get rid of that and
then they stop.
Because they don't need it anymore.
Once they keep up with their exercise and their diet, then they should be fine.
So it regulates it?
Yes.
Okay.
So when they are back when they have been naughty, then they will need to go on for
a certain period and then they come off and their blood pressure is quite fine.
I mean personally, I think blood pressure too.
I think people, I think a lot of us have, I think they are different.
I think blood pressure is triggered by a lot of different scenarios.
I think one of them is bad eating and stuff like that.
And the other one could be exercise, stress.
Be conditional, right?
Environmental and sort of thing.
Because I've known people, for example, like teachers that I know who have actually been
on meds and then the minute they got out of it, out of teaching, they were taken off the
medication.
Stress.
So it has, right.
But what are some of the, tell us about some of the, I know you brought some teas today.
What are we going to have today?
Because it's nice to be sipping, having a cup of tea.
So she did break, see now I told you about this program.
This program, at the end of this program, it is my hope and dream that we can all be
smarter.
That's what it's about.
So today we're learning about teas and I'm talking to Denise Warrell, who is an herbalist.
So what are we drinking now?
What is this?
So this is serenity.
Serenity.
It's my favorite tea and I brought it for you as a sample.
Okay.
It's slightly sweetened and it has some things that you might recognize.
Tell me what you can taste.
Okay, let me go again.
This is really good.
It has a really great taste.
And smell.
Okay.
I don't know, but do I taste anything?
Do I taste ginger in this?
Not at all.
It's not ginger, but it might be considered the Bahamian ginger.
What plant do we have that grows, that kind of smells and tastes like ginger?
Oh, long, slim.
Yeah, we have fibagrass.
That's right.
Fibagrass.
Yes.
Okay, fibagrass.
I love fibagrass tea and I think everybody in there have, everybody in their mother have
a fibagrass tree in the yard, right?
But I normally like to combine fibagrass and ginger.
This is really good.
So this tea, serenity, is a tea that soothes and calms your whole body.
It soothes the muscles and the nerves so that you can relax and then it makes you sleep
better at night.
Really?
Yes.
I need a whole barrel of this thing.
So if you're stressed out, this is what you want.
I need a whole barrel of this one.
Yeah.
Oh, serenity.
So you bag these things like tea bags?
Yes, I do.
I actually brought some for you to keep for yourself.
Oh, super.
Okay.
But yes, I bag these teas and I also, they make singles as well as a pack of 20.
Okay.
So you can purchase a pack of 20.
This one is called Whirl Sorrel.
That's a beautiful tasting tea and this one is Maingaleef tea.
We were just mentioning that earlier.
So where can this be purchased?
Is this in the supermarkets?
So this can be found normally at Fresh Market.
Fresh Market.
At Fresh Market.
Sometimes at Harbor Bay, but usually out west near the Old Fort.
Right.
Yeah.
So they can be purchased there or people contact me.
Oh, give them your number.
Yeah, you can do that.
Because we have people listening also internationally.
So you know, just make sure to put that 242 behind the number.
Yes.
So 242-557-5270.
Yeah.
Yes.
Yeah, absolutely.
We'll come back to the number at the end, almost at the end of the podcast.
That's fine.
We also have a website, www.naturallybehamian.com.
Super.
Yeah.
So I grew up in a little area in Edmira called Seagrake.
And I remember my grandmother, you know, going out in the yard.
Some of these plants don't even grow no more like mint.
Mint used to grow in people's yard.
Wild.
And they don't exist like that anymore.
What were some of the benefits of mint?
Oh, mint is very good.
Mint is also in this tea.
And it helps with the calming and settling of the stomach.
People who have upset stomach like to take serenity to soothe the stomachs as well.
So mint has that quality.
It soothes.
It helps to relax.
It also has a lot of minerals and vitamins in it.
And it has polyphenols in it as well.
And it's a very tasty and appealing plant.
One of the other plants that people tend to mow down when they get property is the guava
tree.
And guava, if you look at the scientific studies, is very good for the skin, for skin health,
for the brain, brain health, and also for the hair.
But you know, I asked a young person the other day to try some guava juice that I had made.
And he couldn't tell what it was.
Like mango?
Is it mango?
And I thought, oh my goodness.
Not only does he not know guava.
He doesn't know mango either.
So a lot of our young people, unfortunately, are growing up without the experience of picking
a guava and eating it because the trees are no longer around.
Yeah.
That is, you know, in my yard, oops, my yard.
I remember my grandmother again.
I always like to refer to my grandmother.
She was a very wise woman.
And she always said, plant stuff in the yard you could eat, right?
So I plant stuff in my yard.
Like in, right now in my yard, I have a base.
I love a lot of behaving stuff.
So I have pomegranate.
I have banana trees.
I have guava trees.
But like, I don't have a guava tree.
A mango tree.
And again, and I've learned of late that a lot of those things, once they grow fruit,
you can actually, they could be also made of, you know, tea.
I didn't know all that stuff.
But I plant stuff in the yard so that my grandchildren also can actually have the opportunity to go
and probably pick a fruit, to pick a mango or to pick a guanap, something like that.
Is there any benefits in guanap trees?
Yes, there's benefit in guanap trees.
Now, I don't use the leaves myself, but I know that there are people who do use it.
Is there a scientific name for that?
Because I think that there is, but I don't know it.
Okay.
Because we call it guanaps, right?
Yes, we call it guanaps.
Yeah.
And so that has benefits as well.
So there's a tree in my yard that I'm trying to get rid of.
The roots are so huge.
And I just recently got rid of a morangotry because they grow pretty huge.
And I had, as a result of it, I had to actually repave it, right?
But also, is there benefits from the roots of a morangotry as well?
Or that's the part you shouldn't eat?
No, I don't know about the roots, but I use the leaves.
The leaves.
And people also use the, they chew the seeds.
The seeds.
But I would say don't chew too much of it, especially at one, at one go, because it could
be dangerous to your health.
I just told that as well.
I saw somebody do a test on it or something like that, and they said that just once a week
or something like that.
Exactly.
Not too many times.
Not too many, right?
Yeah.
But what about some of these bush teas that we call, I think we call them aphrodisiacs?
Oh.
Yes.
So we have a tea called virility.
Virility.
Virility makes you virile.
Yeah.
I've had a lot of success stories.
I have five children.
I can.
I'm not advocating that you have it anymore.
You've done your part.
Yes, I've done my part.
But you know, there are people who have problems sexually, and virility has been known to correct
those problems.
Okay.
I'll tell you a funny story about a man who came to market one day, and he heard us talk
about the virility and some of the things that it does, and he said, that's not true.
You don't have any scientific proof.
We said, well, you can be our scientific proof.
Why don't you try it and see if you notice a difference?
And he was very loud in saying, you know, you can't prove it or whatever.
So we said, okay, you buy one and you let us know.
You try it and you let us know what happens.
Before we closed out that night, he slipped through the side gate because the front gate
was closed.
Yes.
And he said, can I get a case?
So he had gone his way and actually tried it and enjoyed the results and came back.
So virility, guys.
One of the people who had succeeded said, it rises the dead.
But it also is traditionally the leaves, the Aphrodisiac leaves in it were used after mothers
gave birth to children to help restore their reproductive system because it had been through
the trauma of birth.
Only it used to help to bring things back to normalcy in a shorter time.
So that got started in that way, but then men started using it and enjoying it.
And we would tell the men not to leave the women behind, make sure they get a little
sip or two so they could keep up.
But yes, virility is another tea that's popular.
And it has the Bahamian Aphrodisiac in it all but one because I could not explain to
tourists what that was.
Yes.
I've heard 21 guns salute.
21 guns salute.
And what is that all about?
That's got all the Bahamian Aphrodisiac in it.
Really?
Yes.
And our tea, the virility, has about 15 of those 21.
Oh my God.
Yeah.
Because you know, a lot of tourists buy our product.
And you have to be able to explain some things to them.
Right.
And when you even call it.
You know, I want people to know that these medicines have existed long before Big Farmer,
long before they knew, persons back in the day knew about these medicines.
These things will pass down from one generation to the next.
And we here at Bahamas, we got some of these things.
We might have lost a lot of it.
But there are still some places in the world that actually still maintain a lot of this
in terms of some places in the Caribbean.
Africa, people still use bush medication because it's what they have.
It might not work as quick as but it actually works.
And we have a lot of people who are still in the Caribbean.
And it actually works, you know, and so I think a lot of things have been passed down
the generations to our persons here in the Bahamas.
And it's sad that we're losing it, but also in the same breath.
I'm happy because I got persons like yourself and I'm sure there are others out there.
And I think I've heard some names about that actually still dabble with bush medicines,
you know, that sort of thing.
And people still using it.
People are still aware of the value of it.
They prefer using that before using the, you know, synthesized stuff, you know.
So what are some other things that we don't know about Bush teas that we would like to
share with the Bahamian public?
Because, I mean, how do, first of all, how do we get persons aware?
Like, we like to go, a lot of us like to go straight to Princess Margaret or someplace
if we get sick.
And sometimes, you know, I don't know if you ever had that experience of going to feeling
sick, sick, sick, sick.
And you take in your bush medicine, like you're Cercie and all that sort of thing.
And I understand also that we're not the only one that use Cercie.
But you take your Cercie, then you go to the doctor, then you feel better.
And you're sitting then when you pay, right?
We don't give a chance to work.
But I understand that we're not the only culture that actually use Cercie.
Because and then we have on the Cercie, there are these pots, these, these orange pots that
are so sweet.
People don't realize that, right?
And I know that in some of the Caribbean countries, persons use those, they cook with those.
And the pots are much larger, like in Guyana.
Gourds, yes, that's right.
They are used widely in the Caribbean, Western side as well.
And also in other parts of the world, they grow them as gourds.
And they use the insides to feed themselves, to make interesting dishes and that sort of
thing.
So, yeah, we have a lot of Bahamians who know about that because they themselves used to
open the pods and eat it.
I've done it.
You've done it?
Yes, yeah.
My brother, he's a doctor in Atlanta.
And his first degree is in molecular biology.
And I know he did some research.
I think it was his, I think it was his master's thesis or something like that.
And he did, his research was in Cercie in Acanasia, all right?
He, I remember him asking, but I remember my mother and whomever, I think a former teacher
was trying to get Cercie to his university, right?
And apparently he said that when he was done, the lab was actually covered with Cercie because
the little piece he had to do.
And then he said that we're not the only one that actually used Cercie, right?
And then he would call and say, so tell me something, how much Cercie Bahamians drink,
you know?
And he would say, well, like eight ounce glasses or something like that.
Because he was trying to determine then how, if they were to freeze dried and put it into
a capsule form, how much would it, you know?
I thought that was rather interesting.
But also to find out that Cercie, all these years we've been using it, it's actually a
true, it's a true thing.
Most of these things are just true, true things.
Yes, yes.
And what the pharmaceutical industry does is they find and identify the ingredients that
are useful and they make them the active ingredients in certain medications.
And then because it's not in balance with the rest of the plant, the isolation causes
a reaction in the personal consumer.
So, you know, it's kind of scary.
What about sweet Margaret?
Yes.
Sweet Margaret is one of the ingredients in virility.
It's an aphrodisiac, but it also has a wonderful flavor and smell.
Maybe one day I think I might make it into a tooth powder or toothpaste, because it's
so refreshing to the mouth, you know, just to use it, you know, as a drink.
But it makes an excellent tea and it has a lot of good qualities.
It's not very easy to grow, but it's out in the wild in abundance.
And it's interesting, any Lutra, they have a sweet Margaret that creeps along the ground
like a weed, like a vine.
But there's also one that grows upright, like a tree.
And you have a whole tree with branches of sweet Margaret on it.
It's amazing.
But you know, the different islands have different, I guess, specialty plants that they are really
famous for.
So I went to Freeport looking for certain plants and could not find.
Did you find Begerina?
Yes, Begerina is there.
But I wasn't able to find some of the other plants.
You go to some other islands and you find, say, Cascarilla in abundance, but you don't
find something else.
So our different islands have different plants that are grown.
And we should one day capitalize on that.
Begerina used to grow a lot on the beaches.
Yes.
I don't see that anymore.
I think that's how it got its name.
From Begerinium.
But then it got shunned.
Oh, really?
Yes, to Begerinium.
Oh, you know, we got everything short, right?
I know.
It's part of that culture.
Yeah, yeah.
Yeah, Begerina.
There, oh man.
So most of our teas, I mean, we do it.
We are trying to, I think in your case too, you know, I mean, you found some way of getting
some financial gain from it.
But even though you're commercializing it a little, you know, you're commercializing
it, it does have benefits.
Absolutely.
And that was a driving force.
It's only because you had to make a living.
You study this, it costs money, so you needed to make it back.
But education is very important.
One of the things that we did last year, we launched a tea book, which has, it's a huge
tea book.
It has information on the various teas.
In it, we have one that's singles and one for blends.
Oh, I remember hearing about this book, yes.
Yes.
Because when I connected with you the first time, I think, yes.
And so the tea book has description of the tea as well as benefits of the tea.
And it has, in the case of the singles, it has an insert that tells you how the tea was
used traditionally and how it was drunk.
So for example, let's take Fevergrass.
Fevergrass used to be drunk with sweet milk.
Who knew?
Sweet milk.
And then some people would also add carnation cream with it.
I know that.
To make the tea.
You used to do that?
I know that, yes.
But a lot of people today don't know about that tradition, but traditional way of preparing
the tea.
But there are many different ways that people did, and so that insert is in there.
And then in addition, there are little pouches in the book.
You open a pouch, and there is a pack of three of that particular type of tea.
So you can read and sample while you're reading.
What could you get in this book?
We have it.
5, 5, 7, 5, 2, 7, 0.
Okay, there you go.
There you go.
So we have the blends as well as the singles.
And it's a terrific gift for someone, but it's also educational.
And it's something that you can put on the coffee and enjoy as a coffee table book.
And your guests can sample teas from it.
And when you run out, you can always contact us to get some more.
These teas, are they good for children?
So the teas are great for children.
Now obviously I wouldn't give them the virility.
Okay, I'll tell you a story about that one.
My friend and her husband wanted to have some virility because they wanted to add spice
things up.
And they got a gallon and put it in their fridge.
And throughout the day, the model was working, but she kept carrying the fridge door open
and closed, but she didn't pay it any mind because you have children in the house, right?
They're thirsty.
It's summer.
And when she went to go and get herself a cup of tea, the tea was just about gone.
And so when her husband came home from work, she had to give him the bad news.
The next morning when they went to wake up their son, there he was with the whole sheet
stuffed into his pajama bottom.
Yep.
Okay.
So yeah, we advise them, please put whatever signs you need to put, even the poison cross
bones so nobody consumes some more tea.
Yes, this is awesome.
So nobody consumes it, who shouldn't.
Yeah, what about, I remember too, there used to be dill seed.
Oh yes.
Dill seed tea was very popular to give to children who had what we call gas.
Gas, thank you.
And that would help them.
Now, you know, you have to know what you're doing with dill seed because if you get the
dill seed and it's not properly ripe, it could also kill.
Really?
Yes.
So you have to know what you're doing with dill.
And dill is a very pleasant item to use to cook with as well.
So a lot of chefs are calling for dill.
So yeah.
So I thought dill was just a very simple tea.
It's very good, very tasty.
Once you handle it properly, but there are some people that don't and then you have a
problem.
I didn't know that.
See, that's what I'm saying.
The podcast is supposed to educate you.
See, I didn't know that.
I would have probably just went and picked some and not even think about it.
Pick it green.
Yeah.
Oh, don't pick it green.
So it has to be completely.
I remember it used to flake off, right?
Yes.
Because we had growing up in Aitmarok.
We had in the front of our yard, I remember we had these peas tree, which they call bonobos
or something like that.
Bonobos, yes, upright bonobos.
They're the very hard, bay thing.
Yes.
They were these vines just growing in front of our yard.
And then there were patches of dill seeds.
So you could find them in person's yard.
Yes.
And that along with fibrogras, that was one of the things that I remember.
But persons just took it and just boiled it, just got the stuff on boil and it had such
a beautiful aroma.
Yes.
Very nice flavor too.
And I know my mom did it for gas.
My brothers, you know, for gas and stuff like that.
Wow.
So we have, we're sitting on here in the Bahamas, we're sitting on a gold mine.
Yes, we are.
We're sitting on a gold mine and I realize that persons tend to come to our country sometimes
and take these things away from us.
Because they know.
God, we don't.
And we don't.
And so it's important that we try and educate ourselves.
It's like anything else they've been taking away from us.
You know, I'm not going to get into that one, but we're going to stick with the teas.
I've seen some companies around and so I am asking you guys to support Ms. World, Denise
World.
It's called.
Naturally, Bahamian.
And this stuff can also be purchased at the airport too, right?
Yes, it's at the airport.
So, yeah, see, there you go.
So if you're coming in or going out, you can always stop and get a box and get some
virility, man.
I'm interested in this virility tea, you know.
What about the, I remember some time ago, somebody gave me a piece of stick and it turned.
Is it red inside?
Yes.
What is that called?
What's that stick called?
That's called braziletto.
Braziletto.
That's right.
There was a gentleman of the school that I worked at.
He actually made braziletto tea or something like that or whatever it was.
I can't remember, it was cola hot, but he made it and then I got a stick, but I never
used it actually.
I shouldn't say that, but I never used it because I got to, you know.
But there are lots of things.
And then I remember also snake stick.
I've heard of snake stick and I may have even seen it, but I've not used it.
Well, everybody in my neighborhood had some snake stick in there and their house.
So, my grandmother would say, I'll go down the road and tell Mrs. Such and Such to set
up a piece of snake stick.
And so what they would do with the snake stick, they would put it in water, chip it, just
chip pieces of it and put it in water.
And once you drink that, if you had a pain in your stomach, it goes away.
Amazing.
But these are things that I guess we really thought about it.
We could have been making some money a long time ago.
And that's one you need to investigate.
Snake stick.
But I remember it being a little bitter, right?
It's probably.
The brasiletto is not bitter, but it's a very pleasant tea.
Yes.
What about hibiscus?
Hibiscus is used as a tea as well.
It's very tasty.
You have to steep it for maybe a little longer time than usual.
It has a lovely color, fragrance, and you can add a little honey, you know, but it's
quite nice.
Yeah.
Are there any other flowers in the Bahamas that we can actually make tea from?
Well, the sorrel, the world's sorrel, we grow it in abundance, I think.
Yeah.
We're the largest growers of sorrel in the Bahamas.
And it is very tasty.
It's fruity.
The studies show that it's anti-cancerous.
So if you have cancer cells in your body, it will fight and destroy them.
And it also is very good for blood circulation in your system.
And it's high in polyphenols, so it can be used safely.
A lot of our Caribbean sisters and brothers use it.
At Christmas time, because that's when it's harvested with a tuple of rum, well, maybe
more than a tuple of rum.
And after it, you can't really distinguish the sorrel taste, but the color is so brilliant
and red.
Yes, I had it.
You've had it?
Okay.
So yeah.
Yeah, so they enjoy that.
A friend of mine's from Jamaica.
And as a matter of fact, there are a couple of persons actually, but in particular, a friend
of mine's from Jamaica, used to make it for a friend every Christmas.
So I would just make my way there to get a sip of that stuff, you know?
Right.
But yeah.
I brought some for you.
Oh, super.
Cold, so you can enjoy some of it.
Okay.
So let's see if I can pour you a cup.
That's sorrel?
Yes, sorrel.
I'll use that same.
So I'm getting treated today.
Tea and talk, there you go.
And you guys can pick up a cup and just imagine you enjoying this as well.
Sorry.
But this is, but cheers again.
Have a taste and see.
Yeah, have a taste and see.
See what it's like.
Yeah, yeah.
It's a little citrusy and I put in some spices.
Oh, this is good.
A little cinnamon.
So I taste the cinnamon.
A little ginger.
Ginger, I taste the ginger.
See, this one I recognize.
This is really good.
This is good stuff.
It's very refreshing.
Hot or cold.
Yeah, you need to go, you guys need to go and get some of this stuff.
And we're not doctors.
I'm not a doctor and I was like to say that as well.
Yes, not a doctor.
So even though we are talking about this stuff and...
These are traditional uses of the plants.
Of the plants, of course.
So it's always good to also consult your doctor as well.
And if you are taking this stuff, make sure you let your doctor know that you are taking
it.
That's important.
So we have to be responsible.
So cancer agents, SARS-SOP, what about that?
That also has anti-cancer properties along with it helps people to sleep better.
And so does SAPPADILLA.
But SARS-SOP is very, very good.
It's healthy.
It makes a nice drink.
Once people don't sweeten it and negate the effects, that's really a top one, number one
drink that you can use if you're trying to fight cancer.
What about the name?
What's your name?
Name.
The name treatment.
Oh, NIM.
That's what it's called?
Yes, NIM, N-E-E-M.
N-E-E-M.
Yes.
NIM has some very good properties, but one danger, if you're pregnant, you should not
be taking more than one or two cups a week because NIM, when you take it too much, and
by that I mean several times a day, for several days in succession, could lead to abortion
of the fetus.
Really?
So yeah.
So people need to understand these things and drink and use the products sensibly.
So when we have our NIM packaging, we put on there to avoid during pregnancy.
Interesting.
Yeah.
But people like to take it for the other qualities they can enjoy.
Well, I take it.
It's very bitter.
Yes, it is.
I was told many a long time ago, you should just only take about three leaves if you can
stomach it, right?
And I also learned that you shouldn't boil it.
It should just be steeped because I take it, even with this morning and my saw-saw, sometimes
I feel the urge to have it, especially when I've been guilty of something.
So this morning I got three leaves and sometimes I just rough it up a little bit, put it there
and then put it in hot water and just let it steep and it's really good with just that
by itself.
And I also do the same thing with the name.
I would take three leaves.
I was told a long time ago, just use three leaves.
And I was trying to figure out why to only use three leaves.
I go like, nah, man, three leaves, nothing.
So I took six and put that thing in there.
When I put that thing to my head, it was so bitter, I could not believe it.
So I am now wiser because of it.
But name, there are a lot of people who are actually exploring also creating other products
with some of these plants.
Yes, you can use them in soaps and also other preparations that you're making, some lotions,
other toiletry items, that sort of thing.
And it's very useful.
People enjoy it.
Well, what else is up for Denise Warrell in terms of plants, teas?
I'm sure there's a lot to be said about teas.
I'm sure there's...
But what else is up?
What would you say to persons listening to this podcast other than where they can purchase
it?
And to put that in there, let them know where they can purchase it.
But is there anything that you want to say about the benefits of all of these things?
I mean, teas and...
Well, just generally that before you consider processed foods, drinks, and that sort of
thing, you should consider doing healthy things for your body, like consuming healthy things
grown in your yard or purchase that you know was grown without insecticides and these heavy
fertilizers with metal in them and so on and so forth.
So you need to make sure that what you put into your body, your body is a temple, so
what you put in is going to affect it.
So you want to put in things that are positive, things that are going to bring help.
We are growing a lot of our greens, lettuces, tomatoes, even strawberries, one ripened today,
first one.
But we're trying to make sure that we have sufficient greens in our diet that will promote
good health and we're also looking to use these products and some of the teas in things
like preparations for the skin, soaps, lotions and that sort of thing.
Shampoos, rosemary makes a great addition to it.
And when you're drinking tea, you mentioned steeping.
A lot of people feel that they should boil the tea.
What you boil is the water and you soak the tea in the boiled water.
That's very important.
Some people use the microwave as a substitute and they're shilling themselves in the food
because they're not getting the benefits of the plant.
So you steep it in there so that you don't destroy all of the good qualities in it and
then you can consume it safely.
So my goal and this is a family business, even though I'm the one talking today, we
try to encourage people and educate people about taking care of their bodies in a healthy
manner.
I have nothing against doctors.
I think we all need doctors from time to time, but the pharmaceuticals, that's another
thing.
You can use it when you don't have, but then don't use it forever.
Just try and be sensible and wise about it.
I feel like doctors, well, I know a lot of doctors support the addition of teas to your
diet or native teas, but there are some that are still just sold out on pharmaceuticals.
So I think we can live harmoniously together once.
The end goal is to have a healthier person in front of you rather than just somebody
you can pour meds into and send away.
Well, Miss World, Denise, that's my daughter's middle name.
It's a good name.
Yes, a good name.
I want to thank you for actually sharing this information with us today.
It's amazing.
It's always, that's why I look forward to these podcasts because I sit and I learn as
well.
I don't know everything.
I know some things, but I have an opportunity to listen and learn.
And today I got an opportunity to taste.
So I want to encourage you guys to try and live healthy, experiment with some of those
teas, get in contact with Miss World.
Tell us the number again, please.
557-527-0.
And the email address is?
NaturallyBehemian at gmail.com.
The website is?
The email website is www.naturallybehemian.com.
And that again, the number and everything else.
Okay, it's 557-527-0, area code 242.
Gmail is naturallybehemian at gmail.com and website www.naturallybehemian.com.
All right, you got that.
All right, so please check it out.
Check it out.
And I'm going to tell you what I'm having today is really, really, really good.
So I can only imagine the rest of it.
So check it out.
So like I say, at the end of this podcast, I just hope that everybody listening to it
will be much smarter.
So today I am.
I really am.
So like I said, this podcast is emanating from Nassau Bahamas, one of the islands of
the Commonwealth of Bahamas.
We boast of 700 islands, yes.
And 30 of them are inhabited.
And we have beautiful people.
The islands are not only beautiful, but the people are as well.
So you need to come down and visit us.
You know, there's some, come share, come share with us.
You know, there's lots that we can tell you about our culture, our stories, and you can
have some tea, you know.
So until the next time, Denise Warrell, thank you for coming on Tea and Talk.
You're very welcome.
And please, you're welcome to come back at any time and we can chat.
Thank you.
All right, thank you.
We are listening to Tea and Talk.
You're listening to the podcast, Tea and Talk.