The Pharaoh’s Seed.

This year ramping up the medicine garden is a main priority and one of the plant allies I’m most excited about bringing in is Nigella Sativa also known as Black Seed or Black Cumin. Per my lady crush, Mary Shenouda aka @thepaleochef, I have been taking a teaspoon daily of the concentrated oil as it is packed with a plethora of fatty acids, vitamins, minerals AND benefits including supporting gut health, healthy glucose regulation, post performance recovery and delivery of many cancer fighting phytochemicals. Recent research studies have also shown it’s promising effect on reducing viral loads.

So why Pharoah’s Seed? Well, records of this seed date back over 3,000 years of being in the tomb of Tutankhamen. Cleopatra and Nefertiti were both said to use black seed as part of their beauty regiments. Cleopatra would add the oil to her baths and Nefertiti used it in her skincare. And hey, if those queens had black seed in the rotation then please add some to my fountain of youth.

Per MedGreenInfo, black seed is known as Habbatul barakah or the “seed of blessing” in Arabic culture. The Prophet Mohammed said of the seed “it is a remedy for all diseases except death.”

There are countless records of black seed applications in Assyrian to Greek to Ayurvedic medicine systems. The seed is mentioned in the Bible as “ketzah” in the Book of Isaiah.

Needless to say, Nigella Sativa is an MVP of plant medicines and I’m feeling really lucky to have the opportunity to grow with it. The plant is native to sub-equatorial climates and usually our temperate zone proves challenging for all my warmth loving plant devas (this island baby can completely empathize) so we will see how it goes.

I invite you to do your own research on this amazing little seed and as with most oils, organic cold-pressed is usually the best delivery. In great health. Sat Nam, Aloha Ma.