Local natural remedies involving herbs? Yes please! As the owner of Pure Thai Naturals I consider that professional research, and mandatory.
After the long mountainous overland-overnight schlep through Northern Thailand to the Laos border, some crazy days which included moving house-business and then spending half a day in crammed queues at the Thai Embassy in Vientiane, I hit the wall. A distinct lack of sleep over many days, not enough food, some pressing deadlines, too many of the wrong people in my personal space and a mind which struggled to let go of anything suddenly hit me hard. And so I opted for the industrial local Lao herbal remedy.
Vietnamese mint, banana buds, fresh coriander, local peppers, lime and chili. Lots of chili. When I ordered my "medicine" and the waitress commented on my great Thai-Lao language skills, she asked if I wanted it "local". Haha... Yes, I can and like to eat local. Basically it means so wickedly spicy that you can't THINK about all the stresses and pressures in your head. You are IN THE MOMENT. Totally present. Your senses grasp for the complex herbal-citrus tastes to try and sidestep the intensity of the burn. Your sinuses clear instantly. Your eyes water and it's more effective than the most expensive eyedrops. The soft, uber cheap, government brewed Beer Lao is then applied to soften the burn, and it also softens the travel stiffness in your back and legs. The whole body sweats and relaxes. And the last step of the remedy is the local rice dish which induces the need for sleep, whilst being fragrantly inspired by yet more burned chili, green onion, coriander and garlic.
The herbal remedy works quickly, especially when administered in the lazy afternoon heat. One reclines and suddenly 2 hours have passed and one awakes hungry, revived and ready to tackle the next travel challenge.
My particular version of the Lao herbal remedy involved:
Lao-style cucumber-long bean salad
Lao-style somtum (green papaya salad)
Lao style fried herbal rice
A dish of fresh local greens and herbs
And a bottle of Bia Lao
Total cost was the equivalent of US $10. As yet not specifically ratified by "scientific research" but historically and culturally endorsed nationwide here in the beautiful People's Democratic Republic of Laos. The communist government here is doing wonderfully well keeping western junk food OUT and sustaining local culinary traditions.
Come visit & try the herbal medicine sometime.