Is Dr Farrah A Farmer Or A Doctor? Both!

"Let thy Food be thy Medicine and thy Medicine be thy Food" – Hippocrates said, and he was the founding Father of Modern Medicine. 

Now, Dr Farrah Arsenia Agustin-Bunch's 108-page book has in Chapter 1, "Dr Farrah's Top 17 Amazing Herbs" – and these are:

(1)  Siling Labuyo – chilli. "Rich in cayenne, which makes it perfect for people with circulatory problems and heart disease."

(2)  Oregano – "One of the most powerful antibiotics in nature."

(3)  Honey (not an herb, sorry) – "It knocks out cough, colds and allergies quickly."

(4)  Garlic – "it contains sulfur, which makes it anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-cancer."

(5)  Onion – "it is also proven to enhance the immune system, heal sore throat and stops cough and colds in their tracks."

(6)  Ginger – "It has anti-inflammatory properties, which make it very useful in patients who have chronic diseases like psoriasis, diabetes, arthritis, cancer and hypertension."

(7)  Turmeric – "It is celebrated as an anti-cancer plant of which almost 90% of my patients use."

(8)  Eucalyptus – "Great for coughs and allergies."

(9)  Sambong – "A blessing to those who suffer painful urination, prostate inflammation and urinary stones."

(10) Damong Maria – "Helps control blood sugar of diabetics, helps contract a woman's uterus after childbirth."

(11) Aloe Vera – "Has been used for thousands of years to lessen wrinkles and combat acne."

(12) Guava – "When boiled, it can be used as a disinfectant for wounds and vaginal infection."

(13) Pansit-Pansitan – "Has a remarkable effect in breaking up fever and miraculously increasing one's blood platelet count."

(14) Tawa-Tawa – "Strongly effective in asthmatic attacks."

(15) Malunggay – "Due to its high vitamin and minerals content, malunggay is a very potent antioxidant and a very good arrestor of unstable free radicals that can react with and damage molecules that cause aging."

(16) Alugbati – "Mainly used for insect bites, inflammation, acne, boils and cellulitis."

(17) Ampalaya  - "The leaves can halt a cough and improve glucose intolerance. It can also improve the temperature of feverish patients."

Those are selected lines from Dr Farrah's book, which has more natural home remedies.

Now, why am I discussing an obviously medicinal book and including it in my blog on PH Agriculture (with the image of Secretary of Agriculture William Dar/Manong Willie inset?).

The answer is that, actually, agriculture includes not only agronomic crops like rice and corn but also horticultural crops (like medicinals), vegetables (garlic), ornamentals (aloe vera), and fruit trees (guava). And yes, Manong Willie has a PhD in Horticulture from UP Los Baños, graduating in 1980.

Here is a lovely quotation I found on page 25:

A sick soil makes a sick plant. Practicing sustainable farming, by putting back the minerals in the soil, helps prevent his problem.

Grow your own food, she says (page 73):

I encourage people to plant and grow their own food. In this regard, an individual can truly appreciate the world we live in and nature's bounty which we have easy access to. This develops respect for the farmers and those that grow food for our daily meals.

Yes, Farrah Agustin-Bunch is both doctor and farmer!@517