A pursuit of wellness with the mindset of joy.
Jamu is the herbal medicine and wellness tradition that Indonesians have used for centuries to keep body, mind, and spirit healthy and flourishing. It includes herbal-infused cuisine, a tonic also referred to as “jamu,” and nutritional supplements. Best of all, in the jamu tradition joy, community engagement, and beauty are considered essential to wellness. That means beauty rituals, community gatherings, and sensory engagement are all part of self-care and should be practiced regularly—not doled out occasionally as earned luxuries.
In JAMU LIFESTYLE: INDONESIAN HERBAL WELLNESS TRADITION Metta Murdaya, who calls both Indonesia and the U.S. home and co-founded JUARA, a jamu-based skincare line, shares the secrets of this centuries-old tradition with a world that needs it more than ever.
Living a Jamu Lifestyle
Revealing the secrets of an ancient Indonesian wellness tradition
Indonesia is a nation of 17,000 islands, the historic hub of the spice trade and the cradle of the jamu tradition of herbal health and wellness. For over a millennia, the secrets of jamu were passed down through healer families. In the 20th century they become more widely available.
Today, JAMU LIFESTYLE: INDONESIAN HERBAL WELLNESS TRADITION shares them with the world. With recipes, tips, stunning photographs, and primer on the jamu philosophy, this book is your complete guide to living the jamu lifestyle.
Jamu as Medicine
When drinking and preparing jamu, Indonesians take their time and savor the sights, smells, and tastes of this healing drink. There is no chugging or mindlessly downing jamu the drink because in jamu the philosophy pleasure and mindfulness are integral to wellness. JAMU LIFESTYLE includes recipes for classic jamu and techniques for making your own version customized to your needs.
Eating the Jamu Way
Food isn’t just fuel in the jamu tradition. It is an important means of connecting the community, having fun, and embracing our senses. The herbs and spices of jamu are at the heart of Indonesia’s delicious cuisine. JAMU LIFESTYLE is packed with yummy recipes and tips for maintaining a jamu pantry.
Beauty is Wellness
Beauty rituals do not shy away from intense, multi-sensory experiences. Some are based on treatments that were once used to pamper royalty; others are intense healing rituals developed by energy and bodywork healers. In JAMU LIFESTYLE you’ll learn how to use herbs, spices, and other natural ingredients to make everything from a soothing footbath to an invigorating body scrub to a nourishing face mask.
"Having a positive, life-embracing mindset in addition to good physical health increases our resilience and ability to thrive in challenging situations by allowing us to experience joy and connection at any moment, good or bad.
This point is central to living a jamu lifestyle."
About the Author
Metta Murdaya
Metta Murdaya is the founder of JUARA, an award-winning skincare and wellness line inspired by the Indonesian jamu tradition. Her products have earned the Eco Beauty award from Byrdie magazine and Best Product awards from Shape magazine, Women’s Health, Cleo, and more. Metta was featured in GlobeAsia magazine as one of the “99 Most Powerful Women."
Born in Indonesia, Metta grew up in San Francisco, going back and forth each year from the age of 6. Raised with the natural lifestyle and herbal remedies of Southeast Asia as well as the modern, cosmopolitan living of the West, Metta is a native in both worlds, able to blend elements of each culture to craft a life of health and purpose.
Inquiries?
For Media & Press
USA: Contact Marie-Laure at Fournier Communications here.
INDONESIA & ASIA: Contact Fani Kunarinta here.
Photographs by Martin Westlake
Published by Afterhours Books