Listening to the San Bushmen
Although hoodia was "discovered" relatively recently, the San Bushmen of the Kalahari desert have been eating it for a very long time. The Bushmen, who live off the land, would cut off part of the hoodia stem and eat it to ward off hunger and thirst during nomadic hunting trips.They also used hoodia for severe abdominal cramps, tuberculosis, indigestion, haemorrhoids, hypertension and diabetes.
Hoodia gordonii was found by bushmen to be particularly valuable for use during arduous hunting expeditions in the Kalahari desert . The Kalahari desert is a principle home for the San bushmen and it is a prime location for the growth of the succulent plant, Hoodia gordonii. The power of this succulent plant, known to the San as !khoba (Hoodia) is going to be a continuing focus of international attention in the fight against the global pandemic of obesity. The world has finally listened to the “San” people.