Before I extol the virtues of corn, I must give a shout-out to Usain Bolt, Shaggy, June Wong, Jackie Tyson, Sharon Burke and the crew that I mingled with at the Shakti love fest on the weekend.

Kudos to all of you, I had fun reading you up, especially my good friend the Mahfoods of Wisynco!

Now back to the kernel of the matter… Corn can take care of diabetes and heart ailments. It can also prevent neural tube effects if consumed regularly during pregnancy. That is why it is rated as one of the most wonderful cereals in the world. Scientists believe corn is a diuretic and a mild stimulant . It can be beaten into a poultice and used as an emollient for ulcers, swelling and rheumatic pain . An infusion of parched corn allays nausea. It is an excellent diet for convalescents. Some of the finest cobs of corn grow in Australia. It also grows profusely in the hills of Afghanistan and would you believe it, our very own Trelawny! In fact it grows profusely in most back yards across Jamaica. The silk of the corn is very good for people who suffer from kidney and bed-wetting problems.

They boil about a teaspoon of it for consumption as a tea. It is good for swelling of the feet and promotes hair growth because of its para amino benzoic acid (paba) content. It can be used to make a powder which is good for acne. It provides calories necessary for the daily metabolic process and is a rich source of Vitamins A, B(especially Thiamine and Niacine) and E as well as many minerals plus folic acid. Its high-fibre content renders it useful as relief from constipation and haemorrhoids, and people who have problems with their colon also stand to benefit much from corn. Corn has anti-oxidant properties that can act against colon cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. Because of its high phyto-chemical content, corn can prevent many diseases if consumed regularly.

One hundred grams of corn contain 342 calories, the highest concentration of most cereals.

A stick of corn a day will alleviate major kidney problems and a host of other problems, so why not get ahead of the health game while time’s on your side?

– Buckston Harrison is well known for his work as a herbalist, especially in western Jamaica. He resides in Sheffield, Westmoreland.

Huber’s local fruit smoothie

I used these four ingredients to come up with a truly delicious smoothie which my guests are still raving about. Try it for yourself…

Ingredients

Four naseberries

One papaya

Six honey bananas

One large dry coconut

Six-eight cubes of ice

One teaspoon nutmeg powder

Method

Place ice cubes in blender

Dice fruits and add

Squeeze out the milk from the coconut flesh and add along with the water from the coconut

Blend to desired consistency

Spinkle with nutmeg powder and serve immediately

Thomas ‘Bongo Tommy’ Huber is a Swiss national who migrated to Westmoreland’s Retrieve District 10 years ago. He is a naturalist who lives off the land and is deeply involved in an ongoing effort to create Jamaica’s next generation of exotic fruit trees.

– Buckston and Huber’s Alternative is not intended as a substitute for the diagnosis, cure, prevention or treatment of disease. You may send your questions and comments to thealternative@ jamaicaobserver.com.

From the mailbox:

Dear Buckston,

I have a condition that the doctor said is fungus. When I put relaxer in my hair, there is a special part on the middle where the hair breaks. If I keep the hair natural there is no problem with that spot, but once I put relaxer on the hair after a couple of weeks, the hair is gone. What perplexes me is that it happens at the same spot on the scalp. I have been to a doctor more than once and he prescribed a cream and tablets for me, but as soon as the medication is finished, there is the problem again. Is there anything that you can recommend? I am at my wits’ end. Help.

– June

Dear June

Why don’t you just stop relaxing your beautiful hair?

Anyway, it sounds as if you are deficient in vitamins and minerals. Please start drinking some horsetail grass and oatstraw tea which will provide you with much-needed silica. Eat a balanced diet and see what happens.

– Buckston