Meet Mang Gustin

       As a child, when asked to draw a house in school, I would draw a one-storey house with a flat roof, an arched porch, and a tree at the front.  I can still recall how I often had erasures trying to reposition the tree so it won’t block the entire porch. It didn’t make the house look pretty but it was in the level of a crime against humanity for me not to put a tree when illustrating our house. We have had that tree for as long as I can remember and I’m sure it has been around since way before I was born. Until today, our trusty Mangosteen tree, although leaning a little further down like a hunched old man, has not failed to bring us gifts come the months of August and September.   

            

         Although not very popular here in the PI as a staple fruit as mangoes, bananas or pineapples, the mangosteen is more popular these days as a component of dietary supplements or health capsules and tea. Here's a list of some of its therapeutic claims compiled from research:

1. Anti-fatigue (energy booster)
2. Powerful anti-inflammatory (prevents inflammation)
3. Analgesic (prevents pain)
4. Anti-ulcer (stomach,
mouth and bowel ulcers)
5. Anti-depressant (low to moderate)
6. Anxyolytic (anti-anxiety effect)
7. Anti-Alzheimerian (helps prevent dementia)
8. Anti-tumor and cancer prevention (multiple categories cited)... shown to be capable of killing cancer cells
9. Immunomodulator (multiple categories cited) - helps the immune system
10. Anti-aging
11. Anti-oxidant
12. Anti-viral
13. Anti-biotic (modulates bacterial infections)
14. Anti-fungal (prevents fungal infections)
15. Anti-seborrheaic (prevents skin disorders)
16. Anti-lipidemic (blood fat lowering, LDL)
17. Anti-atherosclerotic (prevents hardening
of arteries)
18. Cardioprotective (protects the heart)
19. Hypotensive (blood pressure lowering)
20. Hypoglycemic (anti-diabetic effect, helps lower blood sugar)
21. Anti-obesity (helps with weight loss)
22. Anti-arthritic (prevention of arthritis)
23. Anti-osteoporosis (helps prevent the loss of bone mass)
24. Anti-periodontic (prevents gum disease)
25. Anti-allergenic (prevents allergic reaction)
26. Anti-calculitic (prevents kidney stones)
27. Anti-pyretic (fever lowering)
28. Anti-Parkinson
29. Anti-diarrheal
30. Anti-neuralgic (reduces nerve pain)
31. Anti-vertigo (prevents dizziness)
32. Anti-glaucomic (prevents glaucoma)
33. Anti-cataract (prevents cataracts)
34. Pansystemic - has a synergistic effect on thewhole body

       I got lost at Anxyolytic...tsk tsk tsk...feel free to google :)

                  Mang Gustin--Mangosteen---get it? lol