Hi there Aunt Bean. I have a question about Papaya for Parkinson’s.

How long do you leave the papaya to ferment for? How do you tell when it is a good time to eat it?

Many thanks

John
Perth Australia

The papaya usually ferments in my kitchen for 5 to 7 days. It varies a lot according to how ripe the papaya is and the temperature in the kitchen. In the winter on cool days …I have let it sit there even 8 days once. You will notice tiny bubbles and the plastic wrap will even puff up because of the gas it releases while wonderful chemical changes are occurring. If you notice mold starting  or the mixture starting to become discolored. Stop the process then  or when you see the plastic is puffed up and you can even detect the quiet sound of fermenting going on…stop.

Carefully  remove the layers of plastic and then carefully spoon off any mold or discoloration and discard.  I wipe the sides of the container with a clean paper towel and then taste the beautiful orange fruit. It should be pleasingly slightly sour. I then add as much agave syrup as I want to slightly sweeten it (you could probably add natural honey) and usually end up adding more cinnamon.

Then spoon the mix into a covered container and refrigerate. I use a Tablespoon a day of plain refrigerated papaya on my cereal. Some people may need one in the evening also.  Or, you can drop the ferment (with some ground flax seed or guar gum or xanthan gum added to make less watery) on parchment paper in a dehydrator and dry it like “fruit leather cookies.” Bag these in ziplocks and refrigerate.

Or, you can go further and put broken up “fruit leather” into a coffee grinder and powder them. So, you can use all 3 ways and start with a small amount and use a little more each day until you find your perfect amount. Everybody is different.

Reminder: Do NOT use papaya if you have a latex allergy or are pregnant.
If you are taking MAOI drug go very slowly with this. One person I know who is on an MAOI tried the papaya and did not have any ill effect of blood pressure going up…the fermentation process may be too short (unlike cheeses/ kraut which can “upset your apple cart” with those meds. If yogurts don’t bother you the papaya may not either, but go slow and start with a very small amount to make sure your body reacts favorably to it.

Everybody is different and special. Every case of Parkinson’s disease is different and special. Listen to your body. It will tell you if it is something good for you and if you need more or less of something.

Read Dr. Laurie Mischleys Book “Natural Therapies for Parkinson’s Disease.” It will give you great insights into how you can help yourself feel better and ways to lessen symptoms.

Have a blessed day!!

Aunt Bean