Living in Bali with my family would rate as one of the most amazing experiences of my life. Surfing, drinking fresh coconuts, drinking Jamu and exploring the island were among some of the experiences we had.
Upon returning home, the love of Indonesia was still firmly implanted in my bones and realised I wasn't keen to let it go. So I started developing something that was introduced to me to a plant based medicine called Jamu.
I started regularly having Jamu through the locals in Bali because of my inflammatory health issues with lower back pain and menstrual cramps. One day while lying in bed I woke with severe menstrual cramps and clutching onto Panadol. One of the female staff that occasionally helped us at our villa came in and asked in Bahasa what was wrong with me. Once I told her she clasped her hands and said she would return with a bottle of JAMU.
She returned from the local market with natural produce to brew some Jamu and believe me this was by no means glamorous or tasty. It tasted like grounded dirt with a bit of sugar! However, the pain had gone and I immediately felt much better. I was told to drink a shot of Jamu every day as a wellbeing tonic and I diligently followed her instructions The following month my menstrual pain did not return.
Jamu formulas are generally handed down from generation to generation and I feel honoured to have been accepted by certain Balinese Jamu makers in my future travels and learn from some of their experience. I have since worked with the jamu Doctors crafting many formulations of plant based tonics to bring to the commercial market.
On my return home to Sydney, I started falling back into my normal Sydney routine and no JAMU! It wasn't instantaneous but after a while, the pain slowly crept in again and my menstrual cramps were off the charts again.
I started making Jamu for myself and some friends with other inflammatory issues like arthritis, Chrones and graves disease, liver and thyroid problems. My "friends" were happy to help me refine the taste of my Jamu whilst getting phenomenal results and the rest is history. Mrs Toddy's Tonic was born.
I hope you enjoy my plant based tonics as much as my friends and family have, the ones who have helped me cultivate a palatable tonic to share.
Mrs Toddy.