Belize Herbs: Where To Buy

Belize's rainforests are a treasure trove of medicinal plants, herbs, vines, roots, and fruits that have been used for centuries by locals and even the world over. With a rich history of traditional healing, it's no surprise that many Belizeans favour bush medicine over hospital care. While some herbs are sourced directly from the wild, there are also physical shops that sell these natural remedies, such as the shop OrganicBelize on Twitter. Additionally, books like Rainforest Remedies: 100 Healing Herbs of Belize by Rosita Arvigo, Michael Balick, and Laura Evans, provide valuable insights into the herbal lore of Central American healers.

Common medicinal plants in Belize

Belize's rainforests have been nature's pharmacy for locals and the world for thousands of years. Even today, over 25% of the world's pharmaceutical drugs are derived from plants found in the jungles of Belize and other tropical regions. Locally referred to as "bush medicine", the use of various plant roots, flowers, barks, seeds, and leaves to cure common ailments and prevent major illnesses is a common practice in Belize.

• Sorosi or Condiamor: This vine is used to treat and prevent parasites, dysentery, and delayed or painful menses. It is also believed to have potential activity against diabetes.
• Jackass Bitters (Neurolaena lobata): This plant has yellow flowers and bitter-tasting leaves that contain a potent anti-parasitic agent. It is used to treat amoebas, candida, giardia, and intestinal parasites. It can be consumed as a tea or wine or used topically to bathe wounds and infections or as a hair wash to get rid of lice.
• China Root (Dioscorea villosa): This wild yam has anti-spasmodic and anti-inflammatory properties, making it useful for treating muscle spasms, cramps, labour pains, arthritis, colic, irritable bowel syndrome, menopause symptoms, and menstruation pains. The roots are typically boiled to prepare infusions or included in ointments, creams, and capsules.
• Piss A Bed (Senna alata, Caesalpiniaceae): This flowering shrub produces racemes of yellow flowers and is used to treat urinary tract conditions, kidney ailments, and liver congestion. The fresh juice from the leaves can be applied to skin diseases such as scabies and ringworm.
• Contribo (Aristolochia grandiflora): This plant has a unique feature—its flower smells like rotting meat and is fertilised by flies. Contribo is used as a remedy for colds, flu, stomach aches, and indigestion. It is commonly consumed as a tea or soaked in rum as "bittas".
• St. John's Wort: This shrub, commonly found on Belize's savannas, is an effective antidepressant for those with mild to moderate symptoms. It is available in various forms, including capsules, tablets, tinctures, and teas.
• Aloe: Aloe grows wild throughout Belize and is an ideal remedy for burns and wounds, helping to reduce infection risk and treat constipation. It also possesses antiviral properties and is excellent for soothing sunburn.
• Ginger Root: With deep roots in both China and Belize, ginger is used by herbalists to remedy digestive problems, nausea, gastrointestinal ailments, toothaches, headaches, fever, and body aches.
• Lemongrass: Traditionally served as a tea, lemongrass soothes the stomach and intestines, relieves cramping and flatulence, and reduces fever. It can also be applied topically to ease arthritis pain.
• Soursop: The leaves of the soursop plant are used to make tea or skin remedies. When ingested, it can help with liver ailments and urethritis, while topical application can alleviate symptoms of eczema and rheumatism. It is also effective in getting rid of bedbugs and head lice.
• Calabash Tree Fruit: This fruit is used for inducing labour, mediating menstrual cramps, and treating headaches, dysentery, colds, and reproductive issues after childbirth. However, it should be avoided by pregnant women.
• Wild Yam: Wild yam is used to alleviate menstrual cramps and the pain associated with gallstones. It may also act as a natural birth control method due to its biological makeup, which contains steroids.
• Snake Plant: Used for treating rashes and skin sores in humans, the juice from snake plant leaves is also fed to chickens by farmers to help keep them disease-free.
• Gumbo Limbo Tree: The shaggy bark of this tree is peeled, boiled in water, and used to relieve skin sores, sunburn, insect bites, and rashes. As a tea, it helps with backaches, urinary tract infections, colds, flu, and fevers.

Where to find them

Belize's rainforests are a treasure trove of medicinal plants, offering remedies for a wide range of ailments. The country's rich flora has been utilised for centuries by the local people, including the ancient Maya, and continues to play a significant role in traditional healing practices.

Many of these medicinal herbs can be found growing wild in nature. For instance, lemongrass, known for its ability to fight cold and flu symptoms, can be found growing wild in backyards. Similarly, "sorosi" or "condiamor", a vine used to treat parasites, dysentery, and painful menses, is commonly found in backyards, along roadsides, and in empty lots.

For those seeking a more immersive experience, a visit to the Elijio Panti National Park in western Belize is a must. This park, named after a famous Maya healer, offers guided "shaman" tours that provide insight into traditional healing practices. The park is also home to a diverse range of medicinal plants, including allspice, Billy Webb bark, and bullhorn acacia.

Another way to source these herbs is through local markets and vendors. In Belize, it is not uncommon to find people selling herbal medicines, and books such as "Rainforest Remedies: 100 Healing Herbs of Belize" by Rosita Arvigo, Michael Balick, and Laura Evans, can provide valuable information on sourcing these plants.

Additionally, some medicinal plants in Belize are cultivated in dedicated gardens and trails. The Maya Medicinal Plant Trail, for example, offers a unique opportunity to learn about traditional healing practices and identify various medicinal plants.

It is worth noting that while these herbal remedies are widely used and trusted by the local population, it is always advisable to exercise caution and consult a medical professional before consuming any unfamiliar plants or substances.

How to prepare them

Many of Belize's traditional medicines are prepared by boiling the relevant part of the plant in water, then drinking the resulting liquid as a tea.

For example, to prepare sorosi, a handful of leaves are boiled in 3 cups of water for 10 minutes, with the patient then drinking 1 cup of this mixture three times per day for ten days. To prepare jackass bitters, the leaves are boiled in water and drunk as a tea, or boiled in wine to be drunk as a tonic.

Some medicines are prepared by drying the plant before use. For instance, to prepare China Root, the roots are first dehydrated and then boiled to make an infusion. To prepare contribo, the vine is dried, then soaked in water or alcohol to be drunk as tea or a shot.

Some medicines are applied topically. For example, to use thick leaf oregano to treat earaches, the leaf is roasted over an open flame, then the warm sap is squeezed directly into the ear canal. To use allspice to treat toothaches, a leaf is placed near the affected area.

Their uses

The rainforests of Belize have been used as a natural pharmacy by locals for thousands of years, with over 25% of the world's pharmaceutical drugs being derived from plants found in the country's jungles. Locally referred to as "bush medicine", the use of plant roots, flowers, barks, seeds, and leaves to cure common ailments and prevent major illnesses is a common practice in Belize. Here are some of the most commonly used herbs and their uses:

Sorosi or Condiamor

Sorosi, also called condiamor, is a vine that is used to treat and prevent parasites and dysentery. It is also used for the treatment of delayed or painful menstruation. To prepare this remedy, a handful of leaves is boiled in 3 cups of water for 10 minutes, and the patient then drinks 1 cup of this concoction three times a day for ten days. Bathing in a tea made from sorosi is also said to treat ticks or lice. Additionally, this plant may have some activity against diabetes.

Jackass Bitters

Jackass Bitters (Neurolaena lobata) is a well-respected plant in traditional Central American medicine. It has yellow flowers and bitter-tasting leaves that contain a potent anti-parasitic agent called sesquiterpene dialdehyde. This compound is effective against amoebas, candida, giardia, and intestinal parasites. Jackass Bitters can be consumed internally as a tea or wine, or used topically to bathe wounds and infections, or as a hair wash to eliminate lice.

China Root or Wild Yam

China Root, also known as Wild Yam (Dioscorea villosa), has anti-spasmodic and anti-inflammatory properties. It aids in soothing various ailments such as muscular spasms, cramping, labour pains, arthritis, irritable bowel syndrome, menopause symptoms, and menstruation pains. China Root is typically prepared by boiling the dehydrated roots harvested in autumn or by including the root extract in ointments, creams, and capsules.

Piss A Bed or Candle Bush

Piss A Bed, also known as Candle Bush (Senna alata), is a flowering shrub with racemes of yellow flowers. It gets its name from its traditional use in treating urinary tract conditions. It is prepared by boiling and steeping the flowers, and the resulting tea is sipped throughout the day. Drinking a tea made from the leaves can help with kidney ailments and liver congestion. The fresh juice from the leaves can also be applied to skin diseases such as scabies and ringworm.

Contribo or Birthwort

Contribo, also known as Birthwort (Aristolochia grandiflora), is a fascinating plant that produces flowers that smell like rotting meat. It is a popular remedy in Belize for colds, flu, stomach aches, and indigestion. Contribo can be consumed as a tea or soaked in rum as a "bitters" or "bittas".

Lemongrass

Lemongrass, which grows wild in many backyards, is often brewed into tea with honey to fight cold and flu symptoms. It is considered beneficial for overall health and is believed to have medicinal properties that extend beyond just treating the common cold.

Thick Leaf Oregano or Mexican Mint

Thick leaf oregano, also known as Mexican mint or Cuban oregano, is a semi-succulent leaf that is used to treat earaches. The leaf is roasted over an open flame or on a comal until warm or slightly charred. The warm sap is then squeezed directly into the ear canal, providing long-lasting relief.

Allspice or Pimenta

Allspice, also called Pimenta or Jamaica Pimenta, comes from a tree with broad leaves and a pleasant aroma. The leaves of this tree are effective in repelling mosquitoes and alleviating toothaches.

Gumbo Limbo or Kamalamee

The Gumbo Limbo tree, also known as Kamalamee, has red, shaggy bark that peels off in paper-thin strips. The bark is a common topical remedy for skin sores, measles, sunburn, insect bites, and rashes. It can also be drunk as a tea to treat backaches, urinary tract infections, colds, flu, and fevers. Young leaves, when rubbed on skin exposed to poison wood, can prevent reactions and soothe itching while speeding up recovery.

These are just a few examples of the many medicinal plants and their uses in Belize. The country has a rich history of traditional healing practices that utilise the natural remedies found in its diverse ecosystems.

The history of their use

The history of the use of Belize herbs dates back thousands of years, with the rainforests of Belize serving as a natural pharmacy for the local people and the world. Even today, over 25% of pharmaceutical drugs worldwide are derived from exotic plants found in the jungles of Belize. Locally referred to as "bush medicine", the use of plant roots, flowers, barks, seeds, and leaves to cure common ailments and prevent major illnesses is a common practice in Belize. Many Belizeans prefer to try herbal medicines before going to the hospital, as these remedies are easily accessible and often grow along the roadside, in people's yards, and in empty lots.

The ancient Maya of Central America are known for their effective use of jungle plants as traditional healing methods, which continue to be a part of Belizean culture today. Don Elijio Panti, a traditional healer who specialised in using Mayan herbal remedies, lived from 1893 to 1996 and began officially practising traditional healing in the 1930s. He was respected for his contributions to the world of healing and medicine and earned several honours, including the "Distinguished Citizen Award" from the University College of Belize and the "Distinguished Contribution to Science" award from The New York Botanical Garden.

Some of the most commonly used backyard medicines in Belize include "sorosi" or "condiamor", a vine used to treat and prevent parasites and dysentery, as well as delayed or painful menses. Jackass Bitters (Neurolaena lobata), with its bitter-tasting leaves, is another well-respected plant in traditional Central American medicine, known for its anti-parasitic properties. China Root (Dioscorea villosa), a Wild Yam with anti-spasmodic and anti-inflammatory properties, is used to aid with muscular spasms, cramping, arthritis, menstrual pains, and various gastric ailments.

Other notable plants in Belizean traditional medicine include Piss A Bed (Senna alata), a flowering shrub used to treat urinary tract conditions and skin diseases; Contribo (Aristolochia grandiflora), a plant with flowers that smell like rotting meat, used to treat colds, flu, stomach aches, and indigestion; and Allspice, a seed from a tree that helps alleviate toothaches and repel mosquitoes.

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