Your wellbeing

LATEST HEALTH SOLUTIONS FOR YOUR MIND AND BODY

- By Tanya Pearey

Viv Grant is a wellbeing advocate.

My go-to remedy

I can immediately hear my late mum's voice saying one word: 'Comfrey'. It's a common herb in Jamaica, where my family is from, and for her, it was the cure for everything. She grew it in her garden and genuinely believed it could heal almost anything. For me, though, if I'm feeling in need of a lift, I turn to a cup of hot water with lemon and honey. There's something soothing about it; it's restorative, gentle and grounding, like a small act of care for myself.

My favourite meal

Rice and peas, fried plantain, coleslaw and salad. That's my heritage. That's home. And when I ate meat, I'd have added jerk chicken. Growing up, this was our Sunday roast. As a child, it was the plantain I loved most - warm, sticky and sweet. As I've grown older, my relationship with the meal has deepened. I've learnt to cook the rice and peas myself, soaking the kidney beans overnight, then simmering them with rice, onions, garlic and herbs until everything takes on that earthy red colour. Now, for me, it's more than food. It's tradition, memory and love, all on one plate.

How I stay fit and healthy