The Common Fig Tree as Remedy
Most people only think about the sweet, ripe, edible fruit when they think at all of the fig tree, but it is so much more than just a sweet snack!
The common fig Ficus carica has been used for centuries as both food and medicine. It is even spoken of as a useful and even lifesaving medicine in the Bible! As a matter of fact, it is one of the most named trees you’ll find there, as it appears from Genesis all the way through Revelation. Hmmm, sounds like a tree we might should pay closer attention to, doesn’t it?
It appears in some of the most ancient of medical texts in Chinese, Ayurvedic, Roman, Egyptian, Sumerian, Greek, English, Spanish, and Hebrew medicine.
In the Egyptian Papyrus you will find many prescriptions using figs:
For internal issues like constipation and other digestive maladies and abdominal pain, you would crush either fresh or dried figs thoroughly. Then you would soak this mass in a liquid, usually beer, milk, or wine. You would vigorously beat and grind this mixture until it was thoroughly combined, then strain out the solids and drink it. Dosage depended on the person and the ailment being treated, but was usually around a wine glassful.
Sometimes, when they needed the concoction to work faster, or just a much stronger dose, they would mix the figs with a little river water, bring it to a boil, and then simmer it until it began to thicken and turn syrupy-sweet. This was then squeezed through some sort of cloth to remove the seed, skin, and any remaining pulp. The dosage for this would usually be a spoonful at a time.
They would also collect sap from fig tree limbs and blend it with a carrier for use on skin conditions. This latex can be really caustic, so they would mix it with animal fat, olive oil, honey, frankincense, juniper berries, beeswax, sodium bicarbonate, iron oxide, etc. The purpose of these mixtures was to 1. make the latex stick to the skin and 2. temper the blistering, irritating property of the sap.
If you recall, there was a specific story in the Bible where God ordered a king to apply a fig cake to his sores and boils, and he would recover, even though his illness should have led to death. What was a fig cake? It wasn’t a cake like we think of when we think of a dessert. But rather a cross between a nutrition-packed survival food that lasted on a long journey and gave a quick boost of energy, reviving worn-out, starving armies and travelers, and an external medicine. It was called a Debelah. They would take dried figs and sometimes add raisins or dates, lightly steam them to soften them just a bit, then pound the heck out of them, creating a thick, sticky, paste-like consistency before pressing the mass into a small vessel to shape. They would then stack heavy weights or stones on top of the mass in the mold and allow it to ‘cure. It would make a heavy, dense, very sweet mass that would be preserved for weeks or even months on end because of the sugars pressed out of the fruits.
Fig leaf tea is often drunk to help stabilize blood sugar. It can also be used as a wash to treat eczema and similar skin conditions.
An extract made from the buds of this tree is often included in formulas to help with heartburn and as an aid in fighting gastritis.
The sap of this tree is latex-based, so if you are sensitive to other latex products or ingredients, use with caution.
C. Shaw
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The information provided in this article is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider or licensed physician before using any herbal remedies, supplements, or alternative treatments, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, have a pre-existing medical condition, or are taking any medications.
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