Marc Olivella Lladó
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About "The Team"
Always looking for new community friends
My "first aid kit team," as I've liked to call it, although it's not just about "help," it's about support and love primarily. They are the people with whom I share my day and much more... and the tools I use to cross my own bridges. They are so because I have created a deep relationship with them. We know what each of us needs, and we are always at each other's service to support the processes that arise along the path, mine and theirs, listening each other with empathy and prevailing collaboration and respect.
First aid kit Team
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Úrtica Dioica
Nettle is a great friend and ally, it is said that if you get up 3 times a night to "water" it with your urine, it recognizes the deficiencies in your system and the next day it offers you its properties to balance them, medicinal and nutritious, an iron "bomb" if you eat it in soups, you have to go with tweezers or gloves to collect it for its calcium spikes that disappear when cooking it, even its roots offer us their goods that help regulate prostate hyperplasia, for example...
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Tradescantia Zebrina
The cockroach or "miracle" plant is very present, with the purple shine of its leaves it illuminates with feminine energy, for its beauty, its fertility and also for its individuality and versatility, it multiplies very quickly and with great agility, it climbs, hangs, crawls... it is very generous, nutritious and medicinal, it helps in feminine lunar processes, it helps with digestion, it is semi-succulent, and it is said that if you speak to her from the heart and thank her for helping you it can perform "miracles"
Theobroma Cacao
What can I say about this Goddess... there's a whole page for her in the menu, I'll leave the link in the photo, but we won't leave this alphabetical space without honoring her, thanking her, and recognizing her, "mamita cacao" as I affectionately call her, is a very powerful feminine spirit, generous, abundant, nourishing, sweet and bitter, hospitable and vigilant, it's a blessing to share this space with her and gratitude for what we've shared so far and for what we will continue to share. Ahó "mamita"!!
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Sansevieria trifasciata
Mother-in-law's tongue is a protective spirit, they are planted on the paths that lead to the house for example, I have not had the pleasure of sharing their medicine, I was close once since it is used for snake bites and one day one marked me with its teeth, she was the first to arrive, even before realizing that the snake was a Mica and is not poisonous, it stings as its name denotes and although in its correct dose it helps with digestive problems, infections and inflammations
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Piper Auritum
The Anisillo or Hoja santa is also one of the great presents in my house, it grows wild and is very grateful to the birds, many birds come to feed on it, as well as bats, when you clean the guano it smells of anisillo, a plant used a lot in the middle area of ​​the territory of Abya yala, demonized by the colonialist system because it is used to produce a binding gelatin, Safrol, which was used for the illegal production of ecstasy or MDMA in tablets, so they put it on a "list" and you cannot travel with it or transport it, and they accused it of being toxic, although it has been used in traditional cooking forever, its aniseed flavor is a sweet for slow cooking and helps from digestive problems to welding bones and protecting us from mosquitoes, abundant, tasty, medicinal and attracts flying life which is no small thing, very welcome to the home.
Psidium Guajaba
Guayaba is The camouflaged "warrior", an endless compendium of properties and benefits between the leaves, fruits and bark, strategically placed in the territory, almost holding the space with their suggestive shapes of strength, welcoming host plants, knows that they are not going to knock them down and they kindly offer to support the weight of the grandmothers to contribute to the balance of the forest, it is worth mentioning the high content of vitamin C in its fruit that is not highly appreciated for hosting worm larvae inside healthy fruits, that is why they are used, for their quantity, to make jams, for pastries and cakes it is highly appreciated in these lands, and for any type of flu or cold in the family it is a super ally, it is said to cure pediatric hernias by drawing the hernia on the bark and then extracting it to dry it until it dissolves ... they give the landscape a magical, surreal air due to their muscular shapes that highlight their liveliness.
Pachira Aquática
The White Sapote or Water Ceibo, has grown like this in the almost 5 years that I have been inhabiting this space, its fruits and flowers fall on my roof, with quite a noise by the way, a wonder that I did not recognize until relatively recently, when its "zapotes" fall full of seeds that all sprout, like the chestnut, it is very abundant in these edible "nuts", its cotyledons are very attractive , even its bark contains a large amount of protein, in a dream I was told that you could feed only on its bark and the squirrels love its branches and foliage, a close companion that helps with its fruits and tender leaves, as well as with its properties for stomach or headaches, for hepatitis, as a blood tonic, general weakness and many other gifts that I greatly appreciate.
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Phyllanthus Niruri
Chancapiedra, a small plant, a weed we could say, every time you mow the "grass" you make genocide with them, known for its properties to dissolve kidney stones, or to regenerate them after going through renal processes, it appears and disappears depending on the time of year and although I have not yet felt like taking it, in this community it is common to do "diets" of 15 days with decoction of all plant with root included. A Renal ally that makes itself seen in season.
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Mimosa Púdica
The Dormilona, ​​similar to the chancapiedra, lives at the same level but is smaller, creeping and with thorns on the stem, although we know her, especially children, because when you touch it the leaves close very quickly, it is a classic of the area, a tourist attraction, we already know that all plants move, but none as fast as her, also like all mimosas it has many properties, the best known is as a sedative, it is good to take it before going to bed, a grandmothers' remedy to put children to bed who remember her when they walk barefoot through the garden.
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Kalanchoe Pinnata
The Air Leaf, one of the first I knew in the Caribean, one of my "favorites", and since then I take her with me to all the spaces I inhabit, family of succulents, grows by growing roots from the leaves that fall, an unusual mechanism around here, it is used for headaches, vision, hearing, lung, skin, and cancer processes, a wonder that is easy to find, at least time ago, near the Caribbean beaches on the second line along the promenade that walks them, easy to spread and very useful to have nearby, I love her and she knows it!
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Kalanchoe Digreimontiana
The Donkey's Ear or bad mother is another succulent widely used in oncological processes, a "natural chemotherapy", she reproduces by growing the babies in the leaf itself, and as iher cousin Pinnata is easy to consume, I add it to my frozen banana ice creams, powerful and grateful with any type of soil, another that for years I have been consciously reproducing.
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Justicia spicigera
The Muicle or Madreselva here in Costa Rica is a "queen of color", its leaf tea is fuchsia, sister of the "azul de mata", used ancestrally as a dye and for its endless list of properties, I use it for fever, for example, which lowers it immediately, magic for children who see pink emerge from the green, and from abundant and grateful bushes.
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Cnidoscolus Aconitifolius
White Chaya is a gift from nature, on a nutritional level she is a wonder as it also contributes to countless beneficial processes for health, with more iron than spinach and more vitamin C than an orange, to name just two, it is the perfect leaf to add to any stew, rich in fiber, protein, carbohydrates, calcium, phosphorus, iron, vitamins A, B1, B2, C, and Niacin, anti-inflammatory, vermifuge, with antioxidants, it has been used for diabetes, cholesterol, triglycerides, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, anemia, cough, arthritis, constipation, hemorrhoids, vision problems, strengthens bones, muscles, the immune system, the circulatory system, memory loss ... a gift that grows in abundance!
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Citrus reticulata
Mandarin lemon, more gifts from Pachamama, thanks to this wonder I have lemons all year round, the one in the photo is still young, the leaves are very aromatic and the lemons with the mandarin-coloured pulp are extra acidic, perfect for that plantain stem ceviche that I like to prepare, it's a pleasure to see them so full of fruit almost all year round, I even make dish soap and laundry soap with them, they can also be used for skin and hair, to alkalize yourself in the morning, for cooking and for dressing, this plant gives us pure health (also...)
Carica Papaya
A well-known plant, especially for the super nutritious and delicious fruit it offers us, but also for its seeds, which hide a lot of power, and its leaves contain a lot of medicine and beauty. Anyone who has suffered from dengue fever here in the Caribbean knows how important this medicine is... ancestral birth control with seeds for men, isn't nature wise...?
Aloe Vera
I owe special gratitude to this one, I think it was the first one I began to know deeply, in the Canary Islands, more than 30 years ago, there it grew with aerial roots, we hung it upside down in the kitchen to always have it on hand for burns, cuts, to refresh the skin, hair ... everything !! you can eat it, drink it, spread it all over your body, whatever you want and it will only help you, the properties of Aloin are excellent, only if you are going to eat it, let it rest in water for a night, the Aloin will have drained into the water, at least in large part, because only in excess is it purgative, so prepare that water to release constipation ...
Jatropha Curcas
The White Piñón arrived to the community from Peru through a work project and were the only seeds that survived 6 months, 2 transoceanic flights, and adaptation to the Caribbean climate. I have a lot of affection for it, although it is best known for the production of biodiesel from the seeds, it has other interesting properties, such as strengthening the gums, antibacterial, or its purgative capacity, like its cousin the Red Piñón, known here as Frailecillo, the White one uses the seeds (only 3) and the Red one the leaves, abundant and generous with its fruits, I like to take care of it because one day I damaged it with lead unconsciously and its bark flaked and I had to prune it to recover it, I owe it
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Hamelia Patens
The Coralillo is part of everyone's life here because it is one of those that you can find in all the gardens, it also attracts many birds with its small and sweet fruits, the orange-red color of its flowers is very welcome to the landscape, and the hummingbirds that visit it too, used ancestrally throughout Abya Yala, it is known for its properties for skin issues, and for the wine that can be prepared with its berries...
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Cymbopogon Citratus
Lemongrass is another beloved herb in the area, a king of infusions, delicious with ginger for example, it is usually kept near houses or around orchards to protect from insects, easy to propagate and very adapted to the Caribbean climate, it has interesting properties such as improving lymphatic circulation, not to be confused with citronella!!!, Cymbopogon Nardus, which is toxic to the body
Cúrcuma Longa
Well... what can I say about Turmeric... better open the link in the image, my most appreciated anti-inflammatory, super abundant and generous, the plant is beautiful with long leaves that can be used for steam baths for example, only if you have gallbladder problems you should be careful with high doses, and sprinkled with black pepper multiplies its beneficial effects.
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Annona Muricata
The soursop tree is beautiful, powerful and very receptive, aware of its capacity, its green leaves and the pulp of the fruit are powerful medicines, I believe there is an entry for it in the blog, the fruit of an addictive flavor is enormous, from the family of the yellow custard apple, the Biribá or the cherimoya, it contains anticancer properties, there is a day to eat it at its peak, no more and no less, even if you keep it cold, that is why it is not so easy to see in markets.
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Cecropia Peltata (el blanco)
Cecropia obtusifolia (el rojo)
The Guarumo is typical of this area, known for being the tree where sloths are most often found and for being full of ants, its hollow floating wood is used for different purposes and is a powerful diuretic, used for high blood pressure, inflammation and fluid retention, as well as for asthma and to remove warts, its sprout contains some alkaloid and howler monkeys love to climb to the top and eat the sprout to relax right there, the dried leaf has been used as a tobacco leaf to smoke it dry as well although the dose must be monitored.
Barleria Cristata
She was one of the last to arrive, accompanied by a kid who brought a stem full of flowers as a gift and we took the opportunity to plant it next to my house for its beauty. Then, when I recognized it, it turned out to have many properties: anti-inflammatory, epatoprotective and antifungal. It is already blooming again and feels good in the half-shade of the chestnut tree on the way to the kitchen. Welcome to the "team."
Artemisa Annua
Artemisia is the only one in the "team" that arrives already dried and processed, for a while it grew behind my house but it is very sensitive to rain and it went away soon, I bring it dried from Barcelona when I go and I treat myself to a batch of infusions, it contains Artemisinin, a compound that has been proven against malaria and is a very important plant in oriental medicine, antiviral and antibacterial it is a very appreciated complement in these climates.​
MyMat (PEMF)
I have been working with this low/medium frequency pulse emitter for about 12 years now, although for a while I only used it in my therapies, a few years ago I integrated it into my daily life and now it is a present ally.
Bees (Meliponas)
They couldn't be missing from the team. The box in the picture isn't for collecting honey, it's just to give them a "nest" near your home so they can work their pollinating magic in the garden. Their honey has also always been used medicinally, to relieve eye problems, for example...
Tarot
This is a special tool, which I have been cultivating frequently for about 2 years. It is not for taking in infusions 3 times a day... but when it calls me, it helps me focus on the present, telling me where I am in the here and now, and suggesting some tips to move towards my purpose from my center. A tool to channel information from your higher SELF.
Barefoot
We are energetic beings and we need to ground ourselves to avoid accumulating energy. Walking barefoot is vital for this purpose. If we put synthetic rubber soles between our bodies and the ground, the energy will not flow properly.