Health Blog April Archive

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Activity-Sports-Fitness.com

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Rika Susan

Your Location (city, etc)

Caledon

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I aim to provide fun, entertaining articles about all kinds of fitness equipment, from home gyms to elliptical trainers and urban rebounders. The idea is to put the fun back into fitness. I also strive to add some

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The Exotic Way Of Healing

About 2 years ago, when I was still in college, I had this project to be conducted on the slum areas of cities outside the national capital region. My first stop was in Naga City in the province of Camarines Sur in the Philippines. I am supposed to stay there for a week and witness and make a documentary of my stay. The school looked for a family where I would stay and I have to live with them the way they live their lives, so I was the one to do the adjustments.

Once, I woke up in the middle of the night, around 2am, because of the shrieking sound and loud noise. Its like there are people, in choir. I went outside to check what's happening.

I saw a big bonfire where the village people gathered around it. There are about 5-7 people standing on the background of the bonfire while singing. They are composed of male residents, and they are old. Out of curiousness, I asked my brother [i called the boy I am living with as a brother] whats going on. He said its a ritual done once every month.

This ritual event is also the gathering of the members of the village who are suffering form diseases. This is their healing session. They dance and sing the diseases out. They asked the people who are sick to line in front of the bonfire, undressed them and keep them lying on the earth.

The oldest member of the village then will have to examine each of the patient, and put the chewed guava leaves in the forehead of every patient. They believed this practice will kill the bad spirits that is giving the person a diseases. By the way, they believed that every kind of disease in this world is caused by an outside force, a bad force, and therefore the best kind of healing according to them is praying intensively to the mighty creator, who ever they believed the mighty creator is.

I find this very interesting as it showcased the exotic way of healing from the ancient beliefs of the early settlers of the country. And to think that this kind of practices still exist in Naga City, which is considered as the cradle of faith in the Philippines, is just classic. And to have documented this event is just priceless.

Traditional Medicine For Cancer and AIDS

In the ancient civilizations, diseases are treated as if they were brought about by bad forces of the nature. It may also be a punishment sent by their high goddesses. Hundreds of years passed and men invented technology.

This technology that much of us now are enjoying is actually the reason for illness that humans have acquired. In turn, using technology again, men tried to fight and discover healing products, procedures that will heal those brought about by the modern changes. Unfortunately, even the highest nowadays can't still find solution for certain cases.

AIDS and cancer are only a few of the diseases that until now needs cure. We have combated these diseases for years but none has yet to find the solution. However, there are beliefs that claims they have found the solution to these problems, they are the users of the old ways from our ancient ancestors.

Some uses chants, rituals and some uses plants. It is an undeniable fact that some plants are proven sources of medicinal value, though many are not supported by our modern scientific medicine.

The periwinkle plant, for example, is the source of what we call vinca alkaloids that are proven effective against malignant lymphomas. The taxanes that are used for prostate and breast cancer treatment actually came from yew trees. Even the modern anti-cancer drugs Topotecan and Irinotecan are are derived from the Chinese Happy tree. Research on certain grasses on the African deserts are also being conducted because one anti-gen molecules for AIDS is found on that particular grass, and I pray that all those researches will result to something good.

Nowadays, the chances we have to come up with the cure for these disease must not be spoiled. Every second counts, because every second, we lose lives all around the world because of these deadly diseases.

Let us give hope to those person and let them feel that life was given for us to enjoy, not to suffer from it.

The Herbal World Of Scientific Medicine

In the past few years, the used of herbal plants as a medicine has been gaining great popularity. Even science itself prove that herbs are source of natural chemicals that really help patients cope with whatever disease they have.

While India is famous for its spiritual healing such as Ayurveda and their use of Chakra, the Chinese on the other hand is famous for its use of plants as an alternative for healing. Their ancient doctors have been using it for ages.

But in Asia, one of the most famous users of herbal medicine that is based on scientific studies is the Philippines. Known for having great technical backgrounds in the medical profession, they are also known for their use of herbal alternatives.

The most famous herbs that are in use and in practice at the moment are liver function enhancing supplements. There are also healthy heart advocates and some food supplement and general vitamins.

The most common herbs that are in mass production for use as a medicine are in their site's list.

The use of these herbs dates back since the beginning of time where healing for unexpected accidents is necessary. The necessity for cure, and the instinct of man for survival lead them for the discovery of these herbal medicines. Until now, these medicinal plants are of great help specially for those living in remote areas where hospitals are far from them and medical services are barely reachable. They apply these medicinal plants as first aid and then proper medical procedures are done in the hospitals as soon as they arrived.

Even in the modern times, the effect of the ancient studies and ancient knowledge are still in use and undeniably one of the most useful.