How to Make Riz au Lait | Haitian Rice Pudding ft. Medicinal Healing Herbs from Haiti

Yesterday, we celebrated my grandma’s 91st birthday via a (slightly hilarious) family zoom call. Then my mom and I made my grandma’s rice pudding recipe, the way she was originally taught it as a little girl in Haiti in the 1930’s. Super cozy and delicious. Filling and satisfying. Feel-good and nostalgic. This used to be my favorite treat on snow days or stay-at-home days, so very fitting.

Ingredients

• 6 cups of water
• 1.5 cup of white jasmine rice
• 3 cinnamon sticks
• 3 star anise
• Slice of ginger
• 8 pimpernel leaves (optional)
• Rind of 1 small lime
• ½ teaspoon of salt
• 2 cups of whole milk
• 1 can of evaporated milk
• 1 can of condensed milk
• 1 tablespoon of butter
• 2 teaspoon of grated nutmeg
• 2 tablespoon of vanilla essence
• 2 tablespoon of almond essence
• ½ cup of sugar (optional)
• Makes 8-10 servings

Directions: 

1.In a medium saucepan, add salt lime rind, slice of ginger, 3 sticks of cinnamon, 3 star anise, and 8 pimpernel leaves to water and bring it to a boil (approximately 10 minutes).

2.Next, rinse the rice and add it to the boiling water.

3.Cook over medium-high heat, until water is absorbed.

4.Reduce heat to medium and add 2 cups of milk.

5.After 10 minutes has passed, add 1 can of evaporated milk.

6.After 10 minutes, add 1 can of condensed milk.

7.Add 2 tablespoons of butter.

8.Add grated nutmeg.

9.Add 2 tablespoons of vanilla extract.

10.Add 2 tablespoons of almond extract.

11.Mix everything well and Bring heat down to a simmer for 10 minutes.

Add additional sugar to taste *if needed*.

Serve cold or warm.

•Lime (sitwon) for vitamin C and cleansing the system
•Ginger (jenjanm) for immune health and decreasing inflammation
•Nutmeg (miskad) to soothe digestive pains and to support oral health
•Pimpernel (pimpernel) for cleansing the liver
•Star anise (anis) for respiratory health and to alleviate GI cramps
•Cinnamon (kannèl) to manage blood sugar

In health,

Dr. Naika

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Dr. Naika, the writer of this blog, has a Doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine and a Masters of Science in Acupuncture as of June 2017. Please do not take the information presented on this blog, as medical advice, without consulting your certified health care practitioner. Knowledge is power and your health is your wealth!

Five Health Benefits of Matcha

Green tea matcha is an incredibly healthy and nourishing drink, that not only boosts energy systemically, but also provides a boost of antioxidants and other important nutrients. Popularized in Japan centuries ago in tea ceremonies, matcha is now enjoyed all around the world, most commonly as a tea or a latte drink

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DIY Aloe Harvesting!

Freshly chopped aloe, harvested from our massive 15 year old aloe plant. 🌿💚

I decided to use aloe for its healing properties, in a little homemade concoction for skincare. 🌿

 wanted to share how I harvest aloe in this short and sweet blog post.

DIY Rose and Chamomile Toner

Just made an awesome DIY toner with rose and chamomile. 🌹🌼

As a holistic practitioner, I recognize that good skin care actually comes from within (nutrition, hydration,balance), but we can definitely use external practices to assist internal processes. I recently wrote about chamomile's anti-inflammatory and tissue healing properties, which make it an important ingredient for this toner. Rose is lovely all around and is great for toning, tightening, and moistening the skin.

How to Make:

Golden Milk: A Delicious Anti-Inflammatory Drink

Have you heard of golden milk? Well, if you haven’t, it is this wonderfully delicious and healing beverage, filled with tasty ingredients that are antioxidant, tonifying, anti-inflammatory, and immune boosting. Golden milk features several superfoods, but the main star is turmeric, which is what gives this drink its beautiful, rich, and vibrant yellow color.

Photo by Me

Haitian Herbalist: Heart-Centered Tea

❤️Lovers, please don't underestimate the importance of replenishing your cup. ❤️

I love making customized tea brews, particularly during this time of year, when we need some extra nurturing and love. I've been working on chakra balancing lately via yoga, and came up with this tea that really supports the 3rd and 4th chakra.

Third chakra: Who am I in the world? Self-care. Healing

Fourth chakra: Self-love, Ego, Loving others.

Even though this tea supports the heart, digestion, and immune system, it is very heart-centered. And I think we all need some heart-centered vibes in these times.

🌿Chamomile (one of my most favorite herbs)~great for digestion and relaxation.

🌹Rose hips and hibiscus ~ for heart health and the heart chakra.

🍃Lemon balm ~ for immune support and some sweetness.

Let me know if you try this tea!

stay engaged,

N

Order a custom herbal tea blend from me by clicking here.

Schedule an appointment with me at my Brooklyn office.

Connect with me!

The "Haitian Treasures" series explores the magnificent benefits and uses of Haiti's natural resources, which I call "Haitian Treasures" because they are truly national gems.  Naïka in Balance is the premiere source for information on healing herbs used by Haitians. In this series, I explore the tie between Haiti's natural resources and natural, traditional, and holistic healing.

Learn about other Haitian Treasures explored on this blog here!

The two most popular Haitian Treasures on this blog are:
Castor oil/l'huile palma christi
Wonder of the world plant/fey lougawou

Naika, the writer of this blog, has a doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine and a Masters of Science in Acupuncture as of June 2017. Please do not take the information presented on this blog, as medical advice, without consulting your certified health care practitioner. Knowledge is power and your health is your wealth!

A Haitian Treasure: Relaxing "Tensyon" Rub

Reminder: My work is copyrighted. Please do not copy or repost my work without citing this as a source. 

My oh my, how I love writing about Haitian treasures. A while ago, I wrote about "Tensyon tea", a tea formulated to help reduce the effects of hyperthyroidism and associated symptoms, like anxiety, heart palpitations, insomnia, irritability, etc. Bet you weren't expecting a follow up to that one! 

I created a rub (an oil based topical application) that could also help reduce anxiety, mainly due to the amazingly calming scents. This rub also has herbs hand-picked from Haiti!

It contains soothing citronelle (lemon balm), a little bit of kowosol (soursop), a lovely mixture of nourishing carrier oils, and the ever-relaxing lavender and chamomile essential oils.

I have been using this rub I created for a while now, and it just smells so amazing. It also really helps promote a restful sleep

Here we go!

"Tensyon" rub

1/2 Tsp lemon balm herb (citronelle)

1/2 Tsp of soursop herb (kowosol)

1/3 cup jojoba oil

1/3 cup olive oil

1/3 cup coconut oil

15g beeswax

50 drops Lavender EO, 30 drops chamomile EO

Rationale

Lemon balm herb

-       Since this was the “lead herb” in the tea for addressing anxiety, I thought it made sense energetically to include it in the rub

-       smells lovely

-       also has relaxing and soothing effects, making it appropriate for reducing anxiety

Soursop herb

- Traditionally, Haitians have put crushed kowosol leaves on children's pillows to help induce relaxation and sleep

Lavender essential oil

- the most important element

- calming and relaxing affects, especially effective at treating anxiety and insomnia

- improves mental alertness upon waking

Homemade Chamomile essential Oil

-       a sweet herb, physically and energetically

-       soothing, relaxing, tonic

How to make it?

1.              Place herbs in 9 oz jar and pour oils over herb mixture, make sure the volume of oil covers all the herbs

2.              Place dried herbs and oil in a double boiler and bring to a low simmer

3.              Digest the mixture for about an hour (ideally 1-2 hrs) while making sure it is not overheating

4.              Press out as much oil from the herb as possible

5.              Store in a dark, glass bottle and label.

6.              Pour infused herbal oil into measuring cup and fill it to the 1 cup mark, if it does not reach the 1 cup mark, top it off with enough of the oil previously used for the infusion

7.              Place measuring cup into a water bath and heat the infused oil

8.              Add ~ 15 g of beeswax to the infused oil

9.              Let it melt and stir

10.          Check for consistency with a frozen spoon

a.              Add more beeswax to adjust consistency if needed

11.          Once achieved desired consistency, remove the infused oil from the water bath

12.          Add enough essential oil to the infused oil, as needed

13.          Add the vitamin E oil when the infused oil is cooled, as a preservative

14.          Pour mixture into opaque containers, put on the lid and label them

15.          Store in a cool dry place

Directions:

Use as needed. Rub appropriate amount on your body to relieve anxiety and to have a calming experience- particularly useful right before bed.

If you try to make this yourself, please let me know how you like it! 

And as usual, if you enjoyed this post or have any comments, feel free to leave them below!

<3

Stay engaged,

N

Order a custom herbal tea blend from me by clicking here.

Schedule an appointment with me at my Brooklyn office.

Connect with me!

The "Haitian Treasures" series explores the magnificent benefits and uses of Haiti's natural resources, which I call "Haitian Treasures" because they are truly national gems.  Naïka in Balance is the premiere source for information on healing herbs used by Haitians. In this series, I explore the tie between Haiti's natural resources and natural, traditional, and holistic healing.

Learn about other Haitian Treasures explored on this blog here!

The two most popular Haitian Treasures on this blog are:
Castor oil/l'huile palma christi
Wonder of the world plant/fey lougawou

Naika, the writer of this blog, has a doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine and a Masters of Science in Acupuncture as of June 2017. Please do not take the information presented on this blog, as medical advice, without consulting your certified health care practitioner. Knowledge is power and your health is your wealth!

Recipe: Carrot Ginger Juice

Here's another juice recipe for you! It's filled with vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidants, immune-boosting awesomeness and did I mention...yumminess? Check below for the recipe!

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Energizing Smoothie Recipe!

Last week, I came across this amazing blog post with 20 summer smoothie recipes.  Naturally, I got super excited since I just love smoothies.  The one that sounded the least appetizing to me was actually the one I wanted to try the most. Weird right?  Well, it's because it contains almond butter! Eager to try what most heath-buffs claim to be the "better version of peanut butter", I bought some almond butter from Trader Joe's about one month ago. Alas, just like I dislike peanut butter, I dislike almond butter! I hate wasting things, so I have been trying to use the almond butter up, but to no avail.  When I found this recipe, I tried it right after an intense kickboxing session, and I LOVE IT. It has just the right hint of almond butter, yet it's not overpowering.  More importantly, it is very healthy and very energizing! Full of protein, light carbs and healthy fats, this is a great smoothie for after a workout! Recipe below.

Photo Credit

Energizing Almond Butter Smoothie Recipe:

• 1 cup of unsweetened vanilla almond milk- milk alternative
• 1 banana- protein
• 1 tablespoon of chia seeds- protein
• 1 tablespoon of almond butter- protein, healthy fats
• a few sprinkles of ground cinnamon- great healthy spice
• a few almonds for garnish
• 1 teaspoon of honey (optional)- natural sweetener, good for immunity
• 3 cubes of ice

Let me know if you try this yummy recipe!

Stay Engaged,

N

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5 DIY Natural Facial Exfoliators

So, summer time is here! Sure, this means lots of festivals and concerts, barbeques and swimming, travel and fun. But, for some us, like me, it also means more humidity, sweat, and overall yuckiness.  Even though I adore summer, I actually detest the heat because I sweat so much.  Consequently, my skin usually goes crazy on me!  (Is this TMI?....*shrugs*). I find that I have to give my skin some extra TLC during these challenging months, so I resort to a wonderful mixture of natural DIY (Do it Yourself) exfoliation masks! All of the ingredients are natural, yummy, and multi-purpose, and could be found in grocery stores or health stores in your area. Below, I share 5 simple natural facial exfoliation treatments you can incorporate into your skin regimen to keep your skin clean, smooth, and radiant.

Image source: Pinterest

The procedure is pretty standard for all of my DIY natural facial exfoliators.  I usually pour equal small amounts of each ingredient in a small plastic or wooden bowl then mix with a plastic or wooden spoon (please avoid metal utensils). Then, I rinse my face with warm water to open my pores, then I apply the mixture to my face using my hands, then I scrub lightly with a facial brush (I use this one from Sally's) OR with a facial towel.  I then rinse off the mixture with cool water to close my pores. An optional additional step is to spritz my face with my all natural home-made toner mixture (will do a post on that soon). That's it! I don't use facial lotion in the summer because all of my exfoliation masks contain natural moisturizers and because the natural humidity in the air provides enough moisture for me.

Image source: Natural Home Remedies

5 DIY Natural Facial Exfoliators:

1. Honey + Tea Tree Oil- gently cleanses skin and provides moisture (can be used daily and is really good for oily skin)

2. Baking Soda + Water- gently clarifies skin and removes excess dirt (can be a little drying)

3. Brown Sugar + Oil-makes skin soft and moisturized (good for dry skin)

4. Egg Yolk + Lemon Juice-removes redness and irritants

5. Oatmeal + Greek yogurt- provides moisture and gives your skin some extra brightness

I hope you enjoy these simple recipes! If you try them, make sure to let me know.

Stay Engaged,

N

Connect with me!

Medical Disclaimer: Naika, the writer of this blog, is Naturopathic Doctor and Acupuncturist. Please do not take this as medical advice, without consulting your health care practitioner. Also remember, knowledge is power and your health is your wealth!

Juicing Recipe #1

I've really enjoyed juicing for the past few months.  At first, I started off by only drinking these fruit and vegetable juices all day as a fast because I really needed it.  But now I've successfully incorporated these deliciously healthy juices into a regular diet and they fill me with lots of nutrients and energy! I am now currently trying to actively lose weight (for the first time since starting this blog), so I drink this as a small meal every single day. #Winning.  As a first reminder, even though juicing removes the fiber from the fruits and vegetables, it allows you to consume them in large quantities and allows your body to absorb an abundance of vitamins and minerals into the bloodstream very VERY quickly. As a second reminder, try to buy produce in season to save some money!

Here is one of my favorite recipes!

Image source: Google search

Ingredients:

2 carrots

1 cucumber

1 beet root

1 stalk of celery

1 bunch of spinach

1/2 pear

small piece of ginger root or a few drops of lemon for a boost

This mixture is packed with anti-oxidants, immune boosters, blood cleansers.  The ingredients are anti-carginogenic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-hypertensive. This drink will improve your blood circulation and digestion, decrease cholesterol, cleanse your intestines, strengthen your bones, encourage cell reproduction, and prevent heart disease.

If you like this post, make sure to check out my popular green smoothie post!

Stay Engaged,

N

Connect with me!

Medical Disclaimer: Naika, the writer of this blog, is Naturopathic Doctor and Acupuncturist. Please do not take this as medical advice, without consulting your health care practitioner. Also remember, knowledge is power and your health is your wealth!

Bentonite Clay: Natural Cleansing Mask for Hair & Skin

It's that time of the month. It's time for.....my Bentonite clay treatment!

Bentonite clay can be found all over the world but the largest deposits lie in North America and the Italian mountains. The clay is comprised of deposits of volcanic ash and has been used by different communities, most notably the Aztec people....when they were around....for centuries. It contains important minerals including magnesium, calcium, potassium, etc, which are important for hair growth and skin rejuvenation.  Bentonite clay regulates the amount of sebum secreted from the scalp and skin, which is what makes it such a great cleanser and detoxifier. When applied to the hair and skin, the clay swells up like a sponge and attracts toxins into it.  Drawn by the electric charge of the clay, the toxins stick to it and wash off when the clay is washed off!

Bentonite clay is really popular in the natural hair community. When I first went natural and read about women buying "ancient healing clay" to clarify their hair, I was like "This is too much! I'll just buy some clarifying shampoo instead and call it a day." Then....I changed my mind actually after reading about the efficacy of this mask on skin. I hopped over to the Vitamin Shoppe and purchased some Bentonite clay. I've been hooked ever since! I do this treatment on my hair every 4-6 weeks, depending on how dirty my hair is.  And I do this treatment on my skin twice a month.

Some Benefits of Bentonite Clay:

• increased curl definition for hair
• increased shine for hair
• anti-fungal, anti-microbial and anti-bacterial
• clearer skin

How to make the Bentoinite Clay Mask:

What You'll need: 
Water/Water Bottle/Hair clips/Towel/Plastic cap
Bowl + non-metal spoon
Apple Cider Vinegar
Bentonite Clay
(Optional additional ingredients include: aloe vera juice for added softness and conditioner for added moisture)

1. Pour 1 cup of Benonite Clay into a bowl
2. Add 1/2 cup of warm water to mixture
3. Add 1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar
4. Mix, Mix, Mix until the mixture forms a pasty consistency
Hair Application:
1. Separate hair into 4 sections with clips
2. Spritz each section of hair with water
(Optional step: gently finger detangle with conditioner)
3. Apply Bentonite Clay paste from root to tip
*Avoid getting the paste on your scalp since it is difficult to get out.  Also avoid detangling with the clay since it is drying.
4. Put on a plastic cap and leave mixture on for 15-25 minutes
5. Rinse out and proceed to washing- I follow a bentonite hair mask with a deep conditioning mask to restore the moisture, then I proceed to shampooing and conditioning.

Bentonite clay makes my hair soft, curly, and shiny.  Consistent with the experience of other naturals, my hair usually shrinks up ALLOT. My almost shoulder-length curls shrink up to about chin length, but it's all good! Bentonite clay gives your hair a clean slate and a fresh start!

Facial Application:

1. Dampen face with warm water

2. Apply mixture evenly to face

3. Leave on for 5-10 minutes

4. Run hot water on a towel

5. Wipe mixture off
6. Rinse face with cool water to close your pores

Bentonite clay makes my skin nice and smoothe. It could be a little irritating and drying for me because I have really sensitive skin, but overall the pros definitely outweigh the cons! Once I rinse the mixture off, my skin looks a little pale (see picture below) but after I add some shea butter to my skin, I'm good to go!

Before:

See how I don't really apply it close to my scalp?

 I like to create a smoother liquidy paste for when I apply Bentonite clay to my face because it makes it easier to wash off!

After:

Curl definition!

Curl Definition/shine/shrinkage! 

If you enjoyed this post, make sure to check out my popular henna post and my henna update post with PICTURES.

Stay Engaged,

N

Connect with me!

Medical Disclaimer: Naika, the writer of this blog, is Naturopathic Doctor and Acupuncturist. Please do not take this as medical advice, without consulting your health care practitioner. Also remember, knowledge is power and your health is your wealth!

West African Shea Butter: My Beauty Secret!

Shea butter is an important staple product in my hair regimen and is my beauty secret!

I think every (West) African girl grew up with shea butter in their household! We all use it! Shea butter wasn't necessarily a staple in my household as a kid because my mother didn't really grow up with it, BUT my aunties would use shea butter on my hair whenever I would go visit my family in Ghana (where it is called nkuto by my tribe-the Akan). Over the past few years, after researching the benefits of this amazing butter, I've used shea butter essentially every single day! I am currently having a shea butter moment, where the only thing I want to put on my hair, face, and body is shea butter. This happens every summer.  During the warmer months, shea butter melts a little more so it gets softer, oilier, and more pliable, which means that it has a nice smooth finish when applied. I love how that feels, especially on my hair. I always purchase ALLOT of shea butter when I go to Ghana, which is pretty much every other year, so I'm always heavily stocked with some, thank goodness! Even if you don't regularly travel to West Africa, you can absolutely find it online and at most beauty supply stores. Try to buy the most raw and unrefined shea butter as possible to reap the most benefits.

What it is:
Shea butter is a fat extracted from the nut of the African shea tree (itellaria paradoxa) and its color can range from white to dark yellow, depending on the level of refinement, but mostly on the type of shea nuts used.  It is found in West African countries such as Ghana, Nigeria, Togo, and Mali. It  has a high level of fatty acid, which makes it so rejuvenating and moisturizing. It remains solid at room temperature and melts into the skin when it comes in contact with body heat.
How it is made:
Shea butter extracting and refining has deep socio-cultural roots in West African countries and takes allot of work!  It is a highly social activity usually done by women (which is why so many "fair-trade" shea butter companies have such an emphasis on providing social and financial support to women and children only).  In sum, it involves separating the pulp from the seed, crushing the nut into a butter for HOURS, roasting the nut in large pots over open fires, grinding the roasted nuts into a smoothe paste, separating the oil, then collecting and shaping the butter into balls to cool then eventually sell at the market. 

Some Benefits:

• anti-inflammatory
• high amounts of vitamins A, E, & F
• high amount of oleic acid
• natural humectant
• can help manage sinusitis and relieve nasal congestion
• stimulates cellular activity to fight the effects of aging and repair damaged skin
• It never expires!

Some Uses:

• Food preparation
• Cosemtics; ranging from lip gloss moisturizers, to hair conditioners, to soap
• used by traditional African percussion makers to increase the durability of wood
• can treat a myraid of skin issues including: dry skin, eczema, stretch marks, blemishes, skin allergies to poison ivy, wrinkles, bumps associated with shaving and minor burns
• As shave cream AND after-shave cream
• *Face mask/cream: For best results (this is what I do), first wash your face with African black soap, then apply the shea butter to your face. I like to mix shea butter with another organic lotion to give it a smoother consistency and for actual moisture. I'd like to note that the only thing that can really be moisturizing is water, so anything that is truly moisturizing must contain water. Shea butter doesn't contain water. Applying shea butter to an un-moisturized face is like applying oil to dry skin. It can be done but it can leave your face oily....
• *Deep conditioner for hair: Apply unrefined shea butter to your hair (some people apply to their scalp too), wrap with a warm towel, rinse out and wash as usual
• *Sealant: After moisturizing my natural hair with water or a water-based moisturizer, I often seal and/or style with shea butter.  Because it is a butter, it has a nice firm hold, making it ideal for defined twist-outs and braid-outs. I've been trying to come up with a perfect recipe for months, but I can't seem to get it! I usually mix shea butter with a variety of oils and aloe vera gel, and hope for the best
• *Natural sun-screen: I don't use commercial sunscreen. Every time I head to the beach or spend an extended period of time outside in the sun, I apply shea butter all over my face and body, and always return home with the same skin (color, health, texture) that I left with!

Please dish on your experiences with shea butter!

Stay Engaged,

N

Connect with me!

Medical Disclaimer: Naika, the writer of this blog, is Naturopathic Doctor and Acupuncturist. Please do not take this as medical advice, without consulting your health care practitioner. Also remember, knowledge is power and your health is your wealth!