Tropical magic

I really miss tropical vibe from time to time. Being quite far away from warm ocean and doorstep access of colourful fruits falling down from the trees makes me really appreciate moments when I get to taste fresh tropical goodness here in Europe!

This time Queen Papaya is on my table & it brought memories of wonderful Sri Lanka back to me! Exactly there I experienced & learned that all that nature has to offer can surprise you not only with a great variety of taste, but more importantly – with health & healing benefits.

I clearly remember myself running to a nearest kiosk in narrow Sri Lankan street busy with tuk-tuks, dogs, people, crazy fast buses looking for any remedy for my spf-free burnt European skin. English was bit of a problem to communicate, however visual of my red face was enough for an old lady with sparkly eyes to understand the pain I am in.

To my surprise, after a lot of efforts to explain that I need after-sun-burnt treatment, she picked a bag of papayas for me. First I thought it was a joke or a good sales strategy, however my curiosity to test the local wisdom of the elderly won and I signed up for trying papaya not only as gourmet fruit, but as a remedy.

And to my big surprise, papaya immediately worked as a a great cooling remedy to bring my sun-burnt skin to life again! This was magical, even though I was feeling guilty for “wasting” so much of gourmet fruit! 🙂

And only later I discovered that papaya is an incredibly healthy tropical fruit. It is high in vitamins C and A, as well as fiber and healthy plant compounds. Moreover, it has powerful antioxidant effects, which according to an early research may even reduce cancer risk and perhaps even slow cancer progression. Papayas are also very high in carotenoids that may reduce inflammation and risks of inflammatory diseases that are usually a result or unhealthy eats & lifestyle.

This type of nature tricks bring me to trust natural medicine even more instead of running for the chemical treatment straightaway!

Coming back to today, no sun-burns detected, so I can happily enjoy the full flavour of this beautiful fruit and be thankful for a good reminder that being open & willing to explore the alternatives usually works for your own good & can bring a surprising perspective!

Have an inspiring evening!

Agne 🪄