Aju Mbaise: The Folklore With A difference

Hello Fellow steemians it been a while since I wrote on my blog so its good to be back again writing.
Last month I was speaking to my wife and she said that my mother in-law who came for Omugwo had recommended a herb for people who just gave birth called Aju Mbaise. Omugwo by the way is a traditional thing in Igboland Nigeria where the mother of one’s wife visits and takes care of her daughter immediately after delivery to help the new mom stabilize. During this period the mother massages her daughter who just gave birth with hot water to help remove coagulated blood in the stomach after delivery.

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On hearing that from my wife I had to find out what exactly this Aju Mbaise was. I started asking questions from elderly ones and google was of great help too. Apparently, it was one of the oldest traditional herbs used by the Mbaise People of Imo state Nigeria to return a pregnant woman’s flat tommy after delivery.

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Aju Mbaise is one of the major items of Omugwo Pepper soup. Other ingredients include Uda (Negro Pepper), Uziza (piper guineense) and Ehuru (African Nutmeg).
According to studies by Chika et al of the federal university of technology Owerri Imo state Aju Mbaise decoction contains alkaline, saponins, tannins, flavonoids, potassium, calcium, magnesium, Sodium, Copper, Zink, Iron, phosphorus, manganese and chromium. That is why it could enhance lactation in lactating mothers. This studies also showed that Aju Mbaise Possess antimicrobial properties as it inhibited the growth of gram negative bacteria E. Coli that was used in the experiment. source

USES OF AJU MBAISE

Though a lot of benefits can be gotten from Aju Mbaise there are just a few that I have established and would talk about in this write up.

• It helps for milk production in lacting mothers; as earlier stated the nutrients in Aju Mbaise help in breast milk production
• They are used to flush any residual lochia after delivery and bad blood. This is essential as this may cause face puffiness
• This is also used to stop colic in new born from their intake of it from breast milk.

Finally, if you have been wondering how African women especially the Igbo Women from Mbaise still maintain their flat tommy even after giving birth to children then you have found it in the herb Aju Mbaise Because fast forward from last month till date my wife’s stomach has reduced drastically in size.

I am still your Man Godwin Ugorji

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