News - Healing with Leaves

by Life Positive

Meet Dr Raj Merchant, a Mumbai-based naturopath, and he will tell you that most of the so-called ornamental plants are actually quite useful, some even having medicinal properties. In the suburb of Malad, he has a garden spread over 1.4 acres, where more than 500 plants are grown using organic manure. Having acquired a degree from the Indian College of Naturopathy, Dr Merchant has an experience of close to three decades in healing various ailments through the use of leaves – either in their original form, or as extracts or concoctions.

Though he is primarily a ‘leaf therapist’, he also uses barks, seeds, stems, roots and flowers at times. He talks about a 13-year-old girl whose fingers got twisted in an accident. “I helped her with Poi shaak, a kind of leafy vegetable. Within one month, she could eat her food properly.” According to him, one of the key benefits of leaf therapy is that it can be integrated with other forms of medicine. Dr Merchant offers free treatment for cancer, thyroid and migraine at Merchant Wadi, Malad. He also treats patients at clinics in Lokhandwala, Marine Drive and Mulund. His daughter, Dr Kavita Kapadia, has been assisting him since a few years. They are planning to put together something like a book of memoirs, containing not just Dr Merchant’s experiences, but also first-hand accounts of people who have been cured by leaf therapy.
Ph: (022) 28892734/ 28887530/ 9821564168
Email: raj_merchant1@yahoo.com
Website: www.drrajmerchant.com