Research into Hmong herbal medicine

What are the reasons behind researching into the most common Hmong herbal medicine?

Credit: Tshuaj rau qaib (SBS Hmong)

Zongxee Lee is a Hmong woman who reside in Minnesota, the United States of Amerca, and one of many who study Hmong herbal medicine from her mother as well as working as a nurse for the last decade.

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22/08/202418:27

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She said that after I learned ''I do research on Hmong traditional herbal medicines' name so that we know exactly Hmong names are and English names (herbs' scientific name) are.''

Ms Lee said that her research into 'Hmong cultural diet' (Postpartum diet) is half way through and hopefully it will be ready next year (2025), as we still need to do research on a couple more of herbs.

''There was one research about Hmong herbal medicine but did so in a limited scope as that research just focused only on a couple of herbs. And it also focused on one particular illness. That's is one tenth of what we are currently doing our research on over 10 herbs,'' says Lee.

Credit: Zooxis Lis/Zooxis Conservatory and Botanical Garden LLC

Lee adds ''I currently carrying out some research into the most common type of herbal medicine that Hmong community use, and Hmong people know these types of herbs as 'tshuaj rau qaib - postpartum diet or Hmong cultural diet'. So it can be use any time by everyone no matter they are young or old. And after a child was born (that Hmong lady) will take this postpartum diet for thirty days.''

Reasons behind researching into Hmong traditional herbal medicine

Ms Lee says ''Mos of our younger Hmong generation, one of the most inspiring and aspring me is that our younger generation don't know the names of Hmong herbal medicine. After giving birth to a baby they tend to forget these names, and keep repeating asking Hmong elders about the names of these herbal medicines, what are they for and what are the benefits of using these herbs. These three questions are repeatedly asked because the young don't know about them. Therefore, it leads to this research into those we commonly used to keep us learn by heart.''

She said that she have a PhD research on the side that she wants to pursue, but she also personally commission a researcher (University of Minnesota) to do this research through her Zooxis Conservotory and Botanical Garden LLC.

Credit: Zooxis Lis/Zooxis Conservatory and Botanical Garden LLC

''The red malabar spinach (Hmab ntsha liab) for example, Zongxee says, the result from our research found that it contains iron. Iron is important component that help carries blood to other parts of our body and it also help a women who gave birth to a baby due to losing a lot of blood and became pale (anemic), therefore this herb is being mixed with other type of herbs using as a postpartum diet, and she has to take it for 1 month. This diet will keep her healthy and strong,'' says Ms Lee.

Even our elders maybe illiterate but they have loads knowledge about Hmong herbal medicine, and they may be clever than our younger generation two-fold. Due to our younger generation nowadays lacking this knowledge, we tend to say these are just weeds. But when we actually do research into these herbal medicines, they are containing some chemical components that could save our lives. But today we may not know how to harness them.

Zongxee Lee via Zooxis Conservatory and Botanical Garden LLC

'Thaum xub mas yog Kuv tus niam hluas Hmoov Paj Lis thiab kuv niam Maiv Yias yog ob tug qhiab Hmoob Paj Garden yog thawj tug Hmoob los qhib lub Hmoob organic garden hauv teb chaws Meskas. Thiab nkawv yog ob tug pib qhov research no thiab tshuas tshawb fawb tau lub npe Hmoob thiab npe Meskas ntawm 12 tug tshuaj ces nkawv kuj tau tso tseg kawm ces kuv thiaj los khaws ua txuas ntxiv ces thiaj los txog li no thiab,'' raws li Lis hais.

Credit: Zooxis Lis/Zooxis Conservatory and Botanical Garden LLC

Hmong pospartum diet (Hmong cultural diet) is available at hospitals

Ms Lee mentions that there are three hospitals that have Hmong cultural diet available as an option for anyone.

It is something that we have been using since the dawn of time, and there is nothing wrong with it. Other nations may not try before, however according to our research into the most common type of Hmong herbal medicine, now some of them are also use it.

Zongxee Lee via Zooxis Conservatory and Botanical Garden LLC

Hmong traditional herbal class

Zongxee Lees says ''My organisation also provides small Hmong herbal medicine class at a library, but most of the students are Amercans. I would like to encourage any Hmong who want to learn to come and join us. Because this observatory is not being created only for me but for our children and for all my Hmong people to know exactly what these herbal medicines are. Our ancestors always used them, therefore we as the descendants should know what they are because we are Hmong.''

NOTE:

This article is being presented as general education only. Licensed herbalists or traditional herbalist should be consulted as see appropriate.

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