Alejandro Llano, one of our wonderful volunteers wrote a paper in which he described the process he used in order to grow mushrooms at Jiwa Damai. He offers valuable information about early cultivation and the role of mushroom in the nature. He also provided details about the nutritional benefits of mushrooms for both for humans and for the environment. We invite you to read more!
At Jiwa Damai, we love to explore and experiment and we are very open to new ideas. We encourage learning by doing in our permaculture garden.
Cedric was volunteering for a 6 month period. While completing his other volunteer responsibilities, he had an opportunity to research cacao beans and cacao fungus. He also experimented with different mixtures of chocolate and sugar: 90% , 80% and 65%. We all loved the 80% best! Read Cedric's full research paper --> Cacao production at Jiwa Damai
At Jiwa Damai we produce useful research and we share it with the community. The following article is meant as a support for those who wish to learn about cacao, the black pod disease and methods how to deal with it. This article contains a short overview to thehistory and the ecology of the cacao, a summary of the cacao plantation in Jiwa Damai and a description of the black pod disease.
The article was the work of our volunteer, Cedric Ricci, under the supervision of Dr. Margret Rueffler.
Jiwa Damai is located in a tropical forest with many cacao trees. However the cacao production has decreased in the past years due to a black pod infection.
Dowload the article and feel free to share it with your friends. --> Cacao production at Jiwa Damai
Grapes are a natural source of beneficial antioxidants and other polyphenols. Current research suggests that grapes may help maintain a healthy heart, and may also help to defend your cells against a number of age-related illnesses. Scientists are also working to uncover more links between grapes and eye health, brain health, joint health, and more. At just 90 calories per 3/4 cup serving, grapes are a sensible, delicious snack with no fat or cholesterol
According to research from the University of Connecticut, funded by the California Table Grape Commission, eating grapes may help protect heart health in men with metabolic syndrome. In the study, men with metabolic syndrome who consumed grapes lowered their key risk factors for heart disease.
Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of conditions that occur together - high blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess abdominal fat and increased blood triglycerides - significantly increasing the risk for heart disease, stroke and diabetes.
Eating a variety of grapes may contribute to heart health by:
Jiwa Damai is a hands-on, socially responsible organic garden and retreat center.
We are located amidst lush tropical vegetation in the heart of Bali (20 mins from Ubud).
