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Hi Reader,
When Aleya Fraser was a child, bug bites left her with painful boils.
Her grandmother — who is still alive at nearly 97 years old — didn’t reach for medicine from the pharmacy. Instead, she sent Aleya into the yard: “Cut a piece of aloe and rub it on.”
The pain eased. The swelling went down. That simple lesson — healing directly from the land — stayed with her.
Years later, Aleya left behind a promising neuroscience career track in the U.S. to return to her family’s roots in Trinidad. Today she stewards 20 acres of rainforest, blending science with the ancestral wisdom passed down from generations of women before her.
But Aleya does more than write and teach.
On her estate you’ll find:
🍫 Cacao trees over 100 years old — which her husband crafts into exquisite bean-to-bar chocolate.
☕ Coffee and citrus trees — part of the diverse agroforestry ecosystem they’re reviving.
🌿 Herbal hikes through the rainforest — where she points out dozens of medicinal and edible plants.
✨ Curated cacao and herbal experiences — from picking pods to sipping the finished brew.
And now, she’s captured this wisdom in her new book:
Caribbean Herbalism: Traditional Wisdom and Modern Herbal Healing (Ulysses Press, June 2025).
Inside, Aleya blends storytelling, ethnobotany, and her own experiences to show how plants and people heal each other.
In this week’s Green Living Now Podcast, Aleya shares:
🌿 The surprising cactus her great-grandmother used as shampoo, food, and medicine.
🌿 Why Caribbean elders always prescribe herbs in threes, fives, or sevens.
🌿 The one plant that helped her grandmother regain her sense of smell after COVID.
🌿 How plants “speak” to us — and what it means to build a relationship with them.
🌿 Why you shouldn't pick medicinal plants at night, and much more...
Listening to Aleya, I was reminded that true wellness isn’t just about the latest health trend. It’s about reconnecting with what’s been here all along.
To listen on your favorite podcast platform, go here.
And I’d love to hear from you:
What’s one piece of ancestral or family wisdom that’s shaped your health or healing journey?
Just hit reply and share — I read every message.
Be well,
Amy
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