Butet Kartaredjasa, Yogyakarta

One day at a meeting with the  PT  Astra Graphia solidarity night committee, I happened to meet Mas Harmanto, Mbak Ning Harmanto’s beloved husband.  From  idle talk about  the clowning at Astra, Mas Harmanto then talked about the matter of the mahkota dewa concoction made by his wife.  I happen to have diabetes, a legacy from my father Bagong Kusudiarjo.  Mas Harmanto told me about the recovery of diabetes patients by  consuming Mbak Ning’s concoction.  At the next meeting, I was presented with the book Mahkota Dewa, the Medicine of the Gods and a VCD of Mbak Ning’s lecture and that of the mahkota dewa investigators.

All that I wish for is now fulfilled, I thought.  Just think,  I no longer have to keep a strict and punishing diet, not allowed to eat this or that, and I  do not need to engage in sports anymore.  I very much resented that kind of life.  So I told Mas Harmanto that I wish to try the efficacy of his wife’s concoction.  I was then given a concoction of mahkota dewa cangkang tea, pegagan tea and daun salam ( a laurellike leaf).  I was also told not to consume it haphazardly.

I just said yes to all his various instructions, but I was determined to test the efficacy of the mahkota dewa concoction.  Before consuming it, I had my blood  level of glucose

tested.  It was 280.  I consumed the concoction according to directives.  Within one week, my blood level  of glucose dropped to 230.  Convinced now that the concoction can really drop the blood level of glucose, I broke all the doctor’s prohibitions.  I ate just as I like.  I did not diet.  I did not take any modern medicine at all.  I also did  not feel like engaging in physical exercises.

When Mbak Ning visited me in Yogya, she asked me how I was doing. “ Has your blood level of glucose dropped?” she asked.

“Oh, it clearly has, he,he,he.  That’s why I  do not follow a dietary regimen  anymore.  I want to test whether mahkota dewa can fight my insistence on being naughty”.

Mbak Ning was startled to hear me saying this.

“ Don’t do it that way, dummy. That attitude is wrong and aimless.  Even though you consume  mahkota dewa, you must follow a dietary regimen until your blood leve of glucosel has dropped to normal.  Only then may you eat normally.  But still gradually.”

“I don’t care.  I am now feeling fit and  healthy.  Prior to consuming mahkota dewa,  when taking a blood test, the blood drawn from my fingertip was thick and black.

Now, it is red and normal.  My wife thought so too”.

Mbak Ning kept insisting that I watch my diet, but I kept breaking her rules.

One day I had to go to Jakarta.  I did not consume the concoction for three days.  I happened to meet Mbak Ning in Jakarta.  She was very disappointed  with her super obstinate patient.   Then and there, in her presence, I wanted to test my blood level of glucose with the assistance of my beloved wife, Rully.

Mbak  Ning kept making a fuss about it and was convinced that my  blood level of glucose has elevated again.  She was right, my obstinacy has caused my blood level of glucose to elevate to 275.  I realized then that I should have followed her recommendations.  My wife too have been trying to persuade me to diet and  engage in physical exercise.

According to Mbak Ning, if  one were disciplinable,  within one month the blood level of glucose can drop 100 points.

Because I do wish to be healthy so I can keep talking nonsense to make a living, I promised to follow Mbak Ning’s  rules and my dear wife’s recommendations.  But I first went to check my blood level of glucose, cholesterol, arthritis, etc. at the laboratory.

When I got the result, I became really scared.  My blood level of glucose was 226, normally it should be 70-110; two hours later, the blood level of glucose elevated to 332, normally less than 140.  Even more sensational, my triglyceride went up to 456, whereas normally it should be less than 200.  Nothing was normal.  Supported by my wife, I tried to follow a dietary regimen,  engaged in physical exercise, and consumed the mahkota dewa concoction.

I fixed the dosis myself by taking a handful of mahkota dewa tea.

One week later, I again visited the laboratory.  A miracle, the blood level of glucose was 195, and 2 hours later it became 303, triglyceride  240, arthritis from 7.5. became 6.7.  I was grateful that it only took one week for my blood level of glucose and triglycerida to drop.  Thanks to God and my discipline in regulating my eating pattern, physical exercises, and regular consumption of the mahkota dewa concoction.

These days, wherever I go, I always take with me a small electrical oven to facilitate the brewing of mahkota dewa.