I’ve been living in St Lucia for the last few months and was here during the last lock down February to June in 2020. I felt the angels had sent me, as I was recovering from a major heart operation and healed so well being here, it was the perfect place to be stranded, in the heat and surrounded by nature, lush greenery, birdsong, sun, sea and fresh air.

After getting over slight feelings of guilt being in ‘paradise’ while friends and family were suffering at home, I came to the conclusion that being in the best health physically and mentally meant I can serve others much better as a friend, mother and health coach. I found that living in nature, having seasonal food, doing daily yoga, regular walks, good sleep, beach visits and swims a few times a week made for an excellent recovery.

Whilst here experimenting with local teas picked from the garden, fresh turmeric, ginger, papaya and the moringa pods amongst others, I was interested in how local plants are used as medicine here from a long tradition. Here is one of the first plants I discovered while in St Lucia.

I discovered this on my first visit here, introduced to me by a friend as ‘good for your health’.

I love the Moringa tree and pods. Visiting health food shops at home you will find Moringa tablets, powder and one wonders where it comes from, and what it looks like in the natural form.  Outside the house where I stay in the north of the island it is common to see it growing along the roadside, or in peoples’ gardens, available for everyone to pick at their leisure.

I do actually have heart and circulation issues and am experiencing first-hand how this wonderful super food helps. 💓 Being my own experiment, I eat about 2 to 4 pods a day. They are a little bitter, and then you sip water and your mouth is filled with a sweetness. Ten to thirty minutes you can drink water again and experience the sweetness in your mouth. You can make a tea from the leaves too, which I do. 🍵 The green powder you buy back at home is from the crushed leaves.

It is good for everything, particularly cleansing the blood and it is anti-inflammatory. It has shown to be effective in reducing blood sugar levels and provide a long lasting energy boost,  as well as more endurance in daily activities or playing sport.

Last year I planted the pods in my pots on my terrace in St Lucia for decoration, and this year two trees are sprouting up.🌿🍃

I completely fell in love with the plants on the island, so much so that I started writing a book about all the incredible plants I discovered. I’ll be sharing snippets of the book over the course of the next year, so stay tuned!

Much love, and til next time,

Geraldine