A few months ago when my Mum came to visit, she complained about a nasty cold that kept revisiting her. My roommate, upon overhearing the complaint, procured a small bottle and asked my Mum if she had tried “these bitters.” The bottle was from my roommate’s home in Guadeloupe, an Island in the Caribbean. My Mum took some of the bitters and within twenty minutes felt significantly better. “It’s like a miracle!” my Mother exclaimed. My roommate smiled and told us how commonly the bitters were used in Guadeloupe.
The bottle, written in French, was quite difficult to decipher. After scouring the bottle and trying endless Google searches we finally found a label for this incredible healer: Jackass Bitters.
Jack-Who? What Exactly Is It?
Jackass Bitters (Neurolaena Lobata), also known as Zebapique, is a herbaceous plant that grows in the Caribbean, Southern Mexico, Central America, and in the northwest of South America.
Around the world it’s used to prevent infection, treat intestinal parasites, malaria, fungus, ringworm and help regulate blood sugar levels. In the Caribbean, it’s commonly used to cure colds and cases of flu; it’s also used as an all-over pain reliever.
How Do I Take It?
I take it as a tincture.
Fair Warning: The taste is known to be bad. The name actually comes from the poor taste as you’d have to be a “jackass” to consume it!
My Findings
Cold/ Flu
I spend a lot of time around children who spend a lot of their time getting sick. I’m constantly getting coughed or sneezed on. Typically, the winter season is especially hard as sickness seems to travel round and round. This winter season, I’ve felt at least 5 colds coming on, and I’ve been able to ward them off simply by taking Jackass Bitters. I try to consume the tincture as soon as I feel any cold/flu-like symptoms or if anyone around me is exhibiting symptoms.
Headaches
I rarely get headaches. However, the other day I got a nasty headache. I try to avoid pain medication when I can, so I thought, why don’t I give the Jackass Bitters a try?
Within 20 minutes, my headache was gone! I took another dose before I went to bed and woke up the next day with no lingering headache.
Where To Find Jackass Bitters?
I live in California. Here, Jackass Bitters are hard to come by, and not many people have heard of the plant.
Thank goodness for the internet!
Here is the tincture I’ve used for the past few months. It’s wonderful, works well, but has a STRONG flavor. The ingredients are simply Jackass bitters and vodka.
I’ve found two methods for taking it:
-One dropper full of the tincture immediately followed by a teaspoon of maple syrup
-One dropper full of the tincture immediately followed by a shot of orange juice
I’ve recently purchased this product. I have only tried it once so I can’t attest to its continued effectiveness. I can speak to the taste though. This product has a much milder flavor than the original product I bought. This milder flavor comes from the ingredients. Instead of being made with Vodka this product is made with vegetable glycerine and purified water.
What kinds of natural remedies do you like to use for winter flu/ cold season?
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Photo: Naomi August on Unsplash, Etsy
