Top Four of the Best Herbal Plants

Top Four of the Best Herbal  Plants

How powerful is mother nature when it comes to healing ? Certainly we have much to learn don't we..... A friend was telling me about the amazing healing powers of such plants and decided to research it and find out more details about them. Wow was I super impressed and had to put the findings together for all our subscribers.

ginkgo biloba

1 - Ginkgo Biloba


For thousands of years, leaves from the Ginkgo biloba tree have been a common treatment in Chinese medicine. In the U.S., many take ginkgo supplements in the belief that they will improve memory and sharpen thinking.

Why do people take ginkgo?

Ginkgo improves blood flow to the brain and acts as an antioxidant. These effects may translate into some benefits for certain medical problems, but the results have been mixed.

Some studies have found that in healthy people, ginkgo might modestly boost memory and cognitive speed. Other studies have not found a benefit.

Several ginkgo studies have shown that it can help with memory problems caused by dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. It seems to help prevent the progression of dementia symptoms, especially if the dementia is thought to be the result of atherosclerotic vascular disease. It does not seem to prevent dementia or Alzheimer’s, however.

There's good evidence that ginkgo might ease leg pain caused by clogged arteries. It might also help with some other circulation problems. In addition, ginkgo may relieve PMS symptoms, like breast tenderness and mood changes.

Researchers have studied ginkgo for many other conditions, including ADHD, depression and other psychological conditions, multiple sclerosis, and tinnitus from a vascular origin. Some people are also using ginkgo to prevent high altitude sickness, though studies have not yet established that it’s effective for that. Many uses of ginkgo show promise, but more research needs to be done.

http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-and-supplements/lifestyle-guide-11/supplement-guide-ginkgo-biloba

peppermint

Peppermint is a plant. The leaf and oil are used as medicine.

Peppermint is used for the common cold, cough, inflammation of the mouth and throat, sinus infections, and respiratory infections. It is also used for digestive problems including heartburn, nausea, vomiting, morning sickness, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), cramps of the upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract and bile ducts, upset stomach, diarrhea, bacterial overgrowth of the small intestine, and gas.

Some people also use peppermint for menstrual problems, liver and gallbladder complaints, preventing spasms during endoscopy procedures, and as a stimulant.

Peppermint oil is applied to the skin for headache, muscle pain, nerve pain, toothache, inflammation of the mouth, joint conditions, itchiness, allergic rash, bacterial and viral infections, relaxing the colon during barium enemas, and for repelling mosquitoes.

Some people inhale peppermint oil for treating symptoms of cough and colds, and as a painkiller.

In foods and beverages, peppermint is a common flavoring agent.

In manufacturing, peppermint oil is used as a fragrance in soaps and cosmetics, and as a flavoring agent in pharmaceuticals.

In 1990, the FDA banned the sale of peppermint oil as an over-the-counter drug for use as a digestive aid because its effectiveness had not been proven. Today, peppermint is sold as a dietary supplement. Unlike over-the-counter medications, dietary supplements do not have to be proven effective to the satisfaction of the FDA in order to be marketed. Also, unlike over-the-counter medications, dietary supplements are not allowed to claim that they prevent or treat illness.

http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-705-peppermint.aspx?activeingredientid=705&activeingredientname=peppermint

aloe vera

40 Ways To Use Aloe Vera

Topical Aloe Uses

1. Pamper yourself to a soothing body rub. Slice aloe leaves lengthwise and use the inner sides as a biodegradable body scrub in the shower.

2. Treat burns from minor mishaps in the kitchen—from grease splatters or hot utensils.

3. For more major kitchen mishaps like a scald, mix some aloe gel and vitamin E oil into a little jar for a homemade burn healer.

4. Banish black and blue bruises by swapping on the good goo.

5. Soothe and heal sunburns the feel-good way. Aloe contains cooling properties similar to menthol.

6. Take the sting or itch out of insect bites.

7. Reduce tissue damage from frostbite.

8. Alleviate mysterious rashes.

9. Make feet baby soft with an exfoliating foot mask by mixing together a half cup of oatmeal, a half cup of corn meal, four tbsp. of aloe vera gel and a half cup of unscented body lotion.

10. Help heal herpes outbreaks.

11. Fight Athlete's Foot.

12. Swab over blisters for quick relief.

13. Use as an antidote to allergic skin reactions.

14. Replace creams and lotions as a general moisturizer for dry skin. Aloe is fast absorbing!

15. Prevent pesky pimples and treat acne.

16. Soothe Psoriasis.

17. Prevent scarring and stretch marks.

18. Help rid of Rosacea.

19. Shrink warts.

20. Reverse signs of aging skin and wrinkles. Cleopatra did!

21. Help eliminate Eczema.

22. Brighten skin. Aloe can decrease pigmentation and dark spots.

23. Make skin new again with an exfoliating, organic sugar scrub by mixing together two tbsp. of aloe vera, 2 tbsp. of organic brown sugar and 1 tsp. of organic lemon juice.

24. For rougher patches mix together an organic salt skin scrub using two cups of sea salt, one cup of aloe vera, one cup of organic coconut oil and two tbsp. of local, organic honey.

25. Speed up hair growth by massaging aloe into the scalp, letting it sit for 30 minutes, and rinsing.

26. Reduce hair dandruff by mixing aloe vera juice with coconut milk and wheat germ oil. Massage into scalp and rinse.

27. Replace aloe with conditioner for silkier, smoother hair.

28. Remove eye makeup.

29. Treat minor vaginal irritations.

29. Treat minor vaginal irritations.

30. Drink aloe vera juice to relieve gastrointestinal disorders like indigestion.

31. Sip it to aid in elimination. Many times, it's recommended for its laxative effects.

32. Take a swig to reduce symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome including bloating and discomfort.

33. Take aloe orally to relieve heartburn, arthritis and rheumatism pain.

34. Boil leaves in a pan of water and breathe in the vapor to alleviate asthma.

35. Drink to lower blood sugar levels—especially for diabetics.

36. Strengthen gums and promote strong, healthy teeth by taking orally or use toothpaste with aloe vera ingredients.

37. Drink to help ease congestion, stomach ulcers, colitis, hemorrhoids, urinary tract infections and prostate problems.

38. Take orally to reduce cholesterol and triglycerides for a healthy heart.

39. Sip to minimize inflammation and infection of the eye and ear.

40. Toast to its general detoxifier and health boosting qualities!

http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/natural-medicine/herbal-remedies/amazing-aloe-vera.htm

chamomile

Chamomile Benefits

Contents
•Benefits◦History
◦Habitat
◦Active Ingredients
◦Health Benefits
◦Chamomile Essential Oil
◦Other Uses
◦References
◦Cautions

•Related Herbs
•Notes / Side Effects◦Latin Names
◦Common Names
◦Suggested Properties
◦Indicated for

•Reviews

Chamomile


The term Chamomile actually refers to a range of different daisy-like plants, which are a member of the Asteraceae family. There are many different species of chamomile, the two most commonly being German chamomile (Marticaria recutita) and Roman chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile). They have been used since Ancient times for their calming and anti-inflammatory properties, and each offer their own additional health benefits.

History

Chamomile is an age-old medicinal herb known in ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome. Chamomile's popularity grew throughout the Middle Ages when people turned to it as a remedy for numerous medical complaints including asthma, colic, fevers, inflammations, nausea, nervous complaints, children's ailments, skin diseases and cancer. As a popular remedy, it may be thought of as the European counterpart of the Chinese tonic Ginseng.

Habitat

Chamomile are native in many countries throughout Europe, and are cultivated in such countries as Germany, Egypt, France, Spain, Italy, Morocco, and parts of Eastern Europe. The various different Chamomile plants are very distinct and require their own set of conditions to grow. For example, Roman chamomile is a perennial plant (meaning it will live more than two years). It grows close to the ground and has smallish blossoming flowers. It tends to be bitter when used in teas. German chamomile, on the other hand, is a sweeter variety. It is an annual plant and can grow large blossoms up to three feet in height.

Active Ingredients

The plant's healing properties come from its daisy-like flowers, which contain volatile oils (including bisabolol, bisabolol oxides A and B, and matricin) as well as flavonoids (particularly a compound called apinegin) and other therapeutic substances.

Health Benefits

Chamomile has been used for centuries in teas as a mild, relaxing sleep aid, treatment for fevers, colds, stomach ailments, and as an anti-inflammatory, to name only a few therapeutic uses. Chamomile may be used internally or externally. Extensive scientific research over the past 20 years has confirmed many of the traditional uses for the plant and established pharmacological mechanisms for the plant's therapeutic activity, including antipeptic, antispasmodic, antipyretic, antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-allergenic activity.

Recent and on-going research has identified chamomile's specific anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, muscle relaxant, antispasmodic, anti-allergenic and sedative properties, validating its long-held reputation. This attention appears to have increased the popularity of the herb and nowadays Chamomile is included as a drug in the pharmacopoeia of 26 countries.

Specifically, chamomile may:
•As a tea, be used for lumbago, rheumatic problems and rashes.
•As a salve, be used for hemorrhoids and wounds.
•As a vapor, be used to alleviate cold symptoms or asthma.
•Relieve restlessness, teething problems, and colic in children.
•Relieve allergies, much as an antihistamine would.
•Aid in digestion when taken as a tea after meals.
•Relieve morning sickness during pregnancy.
•Speed healing of skin ulcers, wounds, or burns.
•Treat gastritis and ulcerative colitis.
•Reduce inflammation and facilitate bowel movement without acting directly as a purgative.
•Be used as a wash or compress for skin problems and inflammations, including inflammations of mucous tissue.
•Promote general relaxation and relieve stress. Animal studies show that chamomile contains substances that act on the same parts of the brain and nervous system as anti-anxiety drugs. Never stop taking prescription medications, however, without consulting your doctor.
•Control insomnia. Chamomile's mildly sedating and muscle-relaxing effects may help those who suffer from insomnia to fall asleep more easily.
•Treat diverticular disease, irritable bowel problems and various gastrointestinal complaints. Chamomile's reported anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic actions relax the smooth muscles lining the stomach and intestine. The herb may therefore help to relieve nausea, heartburn, and stress-related flatulence. It may also be useful in the treatment of diverticular disorders and inflammatory bowel conditions such as Crohn's disease.
•Soothe skin rashes (including eczema), minor burns and sunburn. Used as a lotion or added in oil form to a cool bath, chamomile may ease the itching of eczema and other rashes and reduces skin inflammation. It may also speed healing and prevent bacterial infection.
•Treat eye inflammation and infection. Cooled chamomile tea can be used in a compress to help soothe tired, irritated eyes and it may even help treat conjunctivitis.
•Heal mouth sores and prevent gum disease. A chamomile mouthwash may help soothe mouth inflammations and keep gums healthy.
•Reduce menstrual cramps. Chamomile's believed ability to relax the smooth muscles of the uterus helps ease the discomfort of menstrual cramping.

http://www.herbwisdom.com/herb-chamomile.html

As you can see the extreme benefits of these four amazing plants. Imagine what else we have yet to learn about the rest of the world around us. I just pray that people wake up from the endless politics and wars. Place people and nature as a priority again and if people believe in God, i'm certain God wants us to live in peace and to seek knowledge for betterment everyday.

I really hope you get lots of benefits from this research and info.. Knowledge is key to better health, better mind and better soul.

Comment below and Share with your friends

Naturopathy is an Alternate to pharmacutical Medicine

It seems regardless of how much advancements they have in scientific breakthroughs and various discoveries about medicine and life that can really change peoples lives. Yet for many of the average people in the world it is showing that they constantly try to keep a natural diet and seek alternate medicine then the pharmaceuticals medicines.

This is where Naturopathy comes in to play and this practice dates as far back as we can date mankind. For certain human beings always find useful plants and others instruments of nature to maintain it's life force.  Even when they discovered people outside civilization, they discovered that the people had some knowledge of survival and used nature for all their daily needs.

More information about Naturopathy you can check this great article I found and I'm sharing a few excerpts of the article

Naturopathy, or naturopathic medicine, is medical system which believes in healing power of nature. An expert in naturopathy is called naturopathic doctor or ND. Naturopathic doctors base their practice on six timeless principles founded on medical tradition and scientific evidence. The development of naturopathy can be traced to 18th and 19th century. Today, naturopathy is one of the most popular alternative healing methods. In the Philippines, it has become an important component of medical tourism; foreigners are gradually being attracted to naturopathy’s holistic approach.

Naturopathy not only offers nutritional therapy. Depending on the case, a patient may undergo diuretic treatment, steam bath, or herbal supplementation. As part of the requirements, Tam Mateo encourages his patients to do the following while undergoing his treatment: • Indulge in physical activities. Exercise is not just about burning calories. It’s a must for our daily living to prevent us from illnesses. It also promotes a healthy state of mind and helps us with our social capabilities.

• Sleep at 9:00 pm. Experts always remind us that a person needs to sleep before 11:00 at night because those are the times when most of our hormones are released and when the body does its recharging and repair of damaged cells.

• Live in an appropriate environment. We must live in areas where there is fresh air coming inside your house. Poor air ventilation is one of the causes of some health conditions. High elevated areas are recommended especially for those who are in the recuperating stage. 

• Drink water properly. Having 8 to 10 glasses of water a day is not enough. Water should be taken very slowly for proper assimilation especially those are sick. • Release negative emotions. Others wonder why they get sick or do not heal from sickness in spite of trying all resources. We must have forgiving spirits as it hinders our healthy living. “If you are full of hate, it will kill you,” says Tam Mateo Read the full article here http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/current-affairs-programs/02/14/11/salamat-dok-naturopathy-healing-power-nature.

Nature has the ailments and the cures to life. It's all part of how things work around us. If we focus on ourselves and our central energy to be one in self and mental connections. Meditation helps even if it's for a short few minutes.

Having a balanced diet helps in keeping your body in great shape. little exercise helps in staying fit.
There are so many that can be applied simply to our daily activities that will improve our health naturally.

Hope you found this article to be helpful subscribe and comment your thoughts below

10 very common Plants that are poisonous

Even though this blog is about therapy specifically herbal natural medicine, I came across this video and wanted to share with all my subscribers and visitors.

The wild life can be indeed very wild and what can look very edible, indeed can be very poisonous to us but not to other life forms, which is another amazing thing in itself.

You see there are poisonous plants out there as well as medicinal so this video covers 10 of the most poisonous plants around

10.Jimson Weed Datura stramonium, known by the common names Jimson weed, Devil's snare or datura, is a plant in the Solanaceae family. It is believed to have originated in the Americas, but is now found around the world

9.Rhododendron Some species of rhododendron are poisonous to grazing animals because of a toxin called grayanotoxin in their pollen and nectar. People have been known to become ill from eating honey made by bees feeding on rhododendron and azalea flowers.

8.Ageratina altissima Ageratina altissima, also known as white snakeroot is a poisonous perennial herb in the family Asteraceae, native to eastern North America. White Snakeroot contains the toxin tremetol; when the plants are consumed by cattle, the meat and milk become contaminated with the toxin. When milk or meat containing the toxin is consumed, the poison is passed on to humans. If consumed in large enough quantities, it can cause tremetol poisoning in humans. The poisoning is also called milk sickness, as humans often ingested the toxin by drinking the milk of cows that had eaten snakeroot.

7.Hydrangea Hydrangeas are moderately toxic if eaten, with all parts of the plant containing cyanogenic glycosides. Hydrangea paniculata is reportedly sometimes smoked as an intoxicant, despite the danger of illness and/or death due to the cyanide.

6.Taxus baccata Most parts of the tree are toxic, except the bright red aril surrounding the seed. The foliage remains toxic even when wilted, and toxicity increases in potency when dried. Ingestion and subsequent excretion by birds whose beaks and digestive systems do not break down the seed's coating are the primary means of yew dispersal.

5.Water hemlock Cicuta, commonly known as water hemlock, is a small genus of four species of highly poisonous plants in the family Apiaceae.Water hemlock is considered one of North America's most toxic plants, being highly poisonous to humans. Three members of the genus contain a toxin named cicutoxin which causes central nervous system stimulatory effects including seizures following ingestion.

4.Castor oil plant The castor oil plant (Ricinus communis) is a species of flowering plant in the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae. It belongs to a monotypic genus, Ricinus, and subtribe, Ricininae. The evolution of castor and its relation to other species are currently being studied using modern genetic tools An alcoholic extract of the leaf was shown, in lab rats, to protect the liver from damage from certain poisons

3.Rosary Pea Abrus precatorius, known commonly as jequirity, Crab's eye, rosary pea, precatory pea or bean,The toxin abrin is a dimer consisting of two protein subunits, termed A and B. The B chain facilitates abrin's entry into a cell by bonding to certain transport proteins on cell membranes, which then transport the toxin into the cell. Once inside the cell, the A chain prevents protein synthesis by inactivating the 26S subunit of the ribosome. One molecule of abrin will inactivate up to 1,500 ribosomes per second.

2.Atropa belladonna Atropa bella-donna, commonly known as Belladonna or Deadly Nightshade, Belladonna is one of the most toxic plants found in the Eastern Hemisphere. All parts of the plant contain tropane alkaloids. The berries pose the greatest danger to children because they look attractive and have a somewhat sweet taste. The consumption of two to five berries by a human adult is probably lethal. The root of the plant is generally the most toxic part, though this can vary from one specimen to another. Ingestion of a single leaf of the plant can be fatal to an adult

1.Nerium Oleander Nerium oleander is an evergreen shrub or small tree in the dogbane family Apocynaceae, toxic in all its parts. Oleander poisoning occurs when someone sucks nectar from the flowers or chews leaves from the oleander or yellow oleander plant. Poisoning can also happen if you eat honey made by bees that used the oleander plant for nectar.

Important to be very careful when you are checking new plants, flowers, fruits that are not common. It's important to stay informed as much as you can about what can be delicious, and what will harm you.  This is why I wanted to share this info with our subscribers.

If you enjoyed this info plz share it and comment below ... thank you

Therapeutic Approaches to Natural Healing

Being online and always seeking sites and info to share with my readers. I came across a site intensive with info on the subject specifically related to Philippines medicine..

Natural medicine makes more sense in my opinion. It's not expensive and it literally grows around you, with out need for doctors, perscribtions and other issues that can come in your way to living a more healthier lifestyle.

Why do some people frown upon natural medicine, when they themselves are products of nature.

I cam across a vast site, loaded with info about all types and various herbs and wanted to share this excerpt below about  Therapeutic approaches to natural healing

In some rural areas, mythological creatures - the duwende, nuno, kapre, tikbalang - reign supreme, too often contributing to the conundrums of disease etiologies and pathologies. Lamang-lupa or earth dwellers are believed to inhabit the mounds of earth and the underground, and accidentally disturbing these places, not obtaining leave or failing to apologize may cause a gamut of complaints ranging from abdominal distress, headaches, body pains, even insanity. Other earth creatures believed to cause illness are the dwarfs and elves (duwendeng itim) - na-nuno, na-duwende.

Illnesses are also often attributed to sorcery (kulam, pang-kukulam), in its many forms, varying from region to region. Many of these creatures' boundaries of habitation are so geographically and ethnically defined, so that the Southern Luzon's kapre, tikbalang, nuno-sa-punso, and duwendeng itim are looked upon by the Northerners with amused incredulity as creatures of the Tagalog imagination, while the Southerners are as amused listening to the Northerners ways in driving away their evil spirits and other unwelcome supernatural beings with their bloodletting "kanyaw" ritual—the sacrificial chicken spurting and dripping blood from its gashed neck as it circles the grounds of the haunting habitues, and later to be shared as a poultry dish. In some areas, the initial approach to therapy is directed towards the creature-induced maladies.

Many believe that many of these illnesses are in the purview of the albularyo or the alternative specialists. Some believe that certain diseases, especially those caused by sorcery (kulam), can only be treated by an albularyo with an expertise in countering such illnesses, often compounded by a belief that also seeking traditional therapeutic interventions from a physician will make the alternative therapy fail, make the condition worsen or cause death. Therapeutic approaches draw from a very varied bag of Philippine alternative treatment modalities: herbal-infused, prayer-based, from way-out fringe to near-mainstream, colored by rural mythologies and a profusion of indigenous rituals. Some are in sole purview of the village healers, the albularyos and the specialists. There is a sundry of day-to-day complaints that rarely warrants a consultation with the village healers.

There is an accumulation of folkloric therapeutics, hand-me-down remedies and rituals, and a basic herbology that is utilized by parents or a knowledgeable kin. Many have "libretos" - a collection of prayers for use with bulongs and orasyons - for use in countering the common maladies caused by bad winds, spirits and earth-dwellers. Some treatments, dispensed or advised, are so absurd, way-out total-fringe, that it might even merit a bemused and amused frown, but at the end, there is tthe sheepish confession that "i tried it anyway." Suob, ministered by the hilot-midwife, is a ritual of rural post-partum care that incorporates modalities of herbs, prayer, smoke, heat and massage. Although traditionally rural, it has been occasionally used by the urban-burgis in a modified new-age form. The treatments for rabies and asthma, although quite fringe, are still utilized in some rural areas. Kudlit continues to be a mainstay in the rural management of of rabies and other 'poisonous' bites. Pasma, is a common rural malady attributed to the exposure to cold water, manifesting in a sundry of ways: tremors, numbness, and various rheumatic manifestations.

Despite new science for this sleep disorder associated with sudden nocturnal deaths, bangungot continues to be thickly wrapped in folklore. Both urban and rural belief systems still attribute these nighttime sleep deaths to excesses of alcohol and eating, and pancreatitis is still held on to as the familiar medical diagnosis. In the Ilocandia, the fat and vengeful batibat continues to threaten to sleep on the victims' faces. There are, too often, tragic stories; too late, realizing that the healers' treatment is not working, and too late, the harried effort to borrow money for the cost of the trip to the provincial hospital. And alas, in countless impoverished rural communities, there is no choice. For much of the marginalized poor, health care is not a right; it is lottery, healthcare-pachamba. Yet, bereft of health prevention, eking existences in the fringes of malnutrition, they survive. Perhaps, in the end, the bad-winds, the black elves, the earth-dwellers serve a purpose. They allow for the therapeutic mechanisms of placebo, tincture of time, and prayers. And when all else fails, the loss may be accepted as the doings of a spirit, more powerful than the healers' therapeutic modalities, beyond the ministrations of prayers, orasyons and rituals, and the last minute efforts of traditional medicine. And all else having failed, in the search for a final consolation, drawing on a matyrdom of faith, invariably: It was God's will.

Check out this amazing site and it's vast resources and info http://www.stuartxchange.com/Conditions.html

After going through a lot of the info I came across, I wish to point out it's important to keep this knowledge for the generations to come because natural medicine just makes more sense. If we can heal ourselves with vegetation around us, rather then a medicine cabinet. It can be very cost efficient as well.

Hope you enjoyed this info as much as I did

Hope all is well

Traditional Faith healers Philippines - Various Methods, Medicine and Faith

Philippines has today a vast various methods of faith healers, some stemming from ancient traditional methods via herbs, spiritual, masseuses, natural vegetation ( such as banana leaves ) and a great variety of mixed methods of modern medicine mixed with traditional ones. Some are pretty much whatever to find cures and you got to also be aware of the scammers out there..

Real authentic practitioners do provide results via psychological and physical. There are great reasons who when you get a messauge, your body feels refreshed and lifted. It's helps clearing blood streams from congestions and overall revive the body, and this is backed by studies on matter. It's important to point out. Medicine and doctors can cost money and the traditional method is simply much more cost efficient when a majority of the people cannot afford the modern prices, then it makes more sense to revert to methods that helped people before modern medicine.

This was a good find that I want to share with you that discusses "how does faith healing work"

In Asia there are few health services of the Western variety available for the majority of the people, but the services of a "doctor" versed in native medical lore and trained in the traditional Asian manner can be obtained without too much trouble. The average Asian doesn't visit a doctor's office. He must be very sick before he goes to the expense of calling a doctor - either Western or Asian. Doctors and medicine cost money and the ordinary Asian doesn't have money on hand for such an expense. Medical treatment may mean that someone goes hungry and that a whole family may have to eat less for a year for the sake of one ailing person. A doctor is often considered as a last resort. The tolerance level for pain is very high. I recall an elderly Filipina who came to our home seeking medical care. She was very ill, yet she didn't complain. She appeared stoic. We brought her to the hospital, where she died only a few days after admittance. We have seen many people with ugly sores walking down the street. The deformed, maimed and blind people are seen wherever one travels. Large cities in the Philippines like Manila and Cebu have up-to-date medical services, but the vast rural areas in the provinces suffer from an acute lack of modern medical services. Because the medical needs are so enormous and treatment so expensive, the ancient medical practices, whether in the Philippines or elsewhere, are still popular.

In Sri Lanka, for example, magical medical men are doing brisk business. These people call themselves "occult practitioners". The ministry of Cultural Affairs gives financial assistance to the legitimate practitioners of the magical arts. "Any such person," explains ministry secretary Nalin Ratnayake, "must have his application authenticated by the MP for his area." This is all it takes to be in business. These occult practitioners use a wide variety of methods. The most spectacular is the Yak Netum, or devil dancing, to appease the evil spirits, believed to bring various forms of illness. The proponents of the magical method maintain that their art is an arm of Ayurveda, the ancient South Asia medical discipline related to yoga and which relies heavily on herbal cures. D. G. Gabo Singho, president of the Sri Lanka Occult Practitioners Association, takes his work seriously. He comments: "Of course there are the charlatans who practice it for money. But any true Kattadiya (occult practitioner) is generally carrying, on an important family tradition. Money is not important. Many have gained a wealth of knowledge from ola (palm leaf) books preserved through the generations."
In the Philippines, there are basically three types of traditional healers: the Albularyo (herb doctors), the Baylan (mediums) and the Espiritista (spiritualists).

Albularyo

A herb doctor lives in a village and has an occupation. He may be a farmer, a plow maker or a carpenter. He is well sought after. He will not perform surgery, He will accompany his patient all the way to the hospital. But even there his task is not always finished. When the relatives of the patient feel that the hospital treatment is not adequate, they may still resort to the herb doctor. One such "doctor" said: "At times the parents or relatives still call me in. I remember several instances where I would be smuggled into the hospital posing as a visitor. When the doctors and nurses are out of the room I treat the patient, using herbs and oraciones (prayers)." The matter of treatment seems strange to the Westerner. If the herb doctor attributes a relatively mild case of fever in a child to the spirits, he may try to drive them away through the offering of prayers and food. Dr. Juan M. Flavier, president of the International Institute of Rural Reconstruction in the Philippines, interviewed some herb doctors. He asked one, "What types of illness do you feel doctors don’t know about?” The herb doctor replied, "Those of the spirit and those that are unseen, as for example, the sickness of the soil." The "sickness of the soil" refers to being struck down with illness brought on by spirits living in the ground. The disease may take various forms. The herb doctor commented to Dr. Flavier, "No one can deny the existence of such spirits but doctors continue to deny them as causes of some diseases.

The Baylan

So called mediumistic healing, in one form or another, is found in many countries. In the Philippines, mediums are believed to possess extraordinary powers to cure sickness, to exorcise evil spirits from the rice fields, or out of the human body, and to intercede with good spirits for the petitions of the people. The mediums claim to have special knowledge of the environmental spirits. They perform all important rituals, chant prayers for the community when the barrio faces a crisis. How do mediums function? F. Landa Jocano, a Filipino scholar, witnessed numerous mediumistic experiences in a small, rural community in central Panay.

Espiritists

Plane loads of ailing Western tourists have made their way to Baguio City to seek healing from a "faith healer". Baguio City, a beautiful resort center, north of Manila, is frequented by rich Filipinos and Westerners during the hot dry season. It is well-known for its faith-healers. At least four faith-healers practice there. Some ten others operate in nearby Pangasinan province. These healers are called spiritualist, psychic or astral surgeons who claim to cut incisions with their fingers and perform other miracles of para-science.

Read The Full Post http://www.reformedreflections.ca/studies/faith-h-in-philippines.html

The power within us is something astounishing and just amazing. More people should connect spiritually rather the materialistically. Love and emotions can only be felt and not bought. Do you agree ??  Comment below

Hope your gotten value out of this post.

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