Healing the Traditional Way

Healing the Traditional Way by Sandra Olivier

Around 80% of the population in Africa uses traditional medicines according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). There is one traditional healer for every 500 people in Sub-Saharan Africa, but there is only one medical doctor for every 40,000 people. It has been estimated that the whole industry is worth well over R250 million with 70% of the South African population consulting traditional healers.

Traditional Healers' Council: As a result of new legislation, the Traditional Health Practitioners Bill, an interim National Traditional Healers' Council was established. The registration and regulation of all types of traditional healers (including inyangas, sangomas, traditional birth attendants and traditional surgeons) will be oversee by this Council.

It is estimated that 200 000 traditional healers will be eligible for registration. Once the new law comes into full effect only registered healers will be allowed to practise medicine. The new law does not allow for traditional healers to diagnose or treat terminal diseases, including HIV and AIDS, and cancer. Traditional healers who are registered will be able to claim fees from the medical aid schemes of their patients. The register is still in the process of being set up and there have been some legal challenges to the new legislation, which has delayed its full enactment.

The Bill states that traditional healers who are not registered and attempt to practise medicine, or claim to be able to treat or cure a terminal disease, will be fined or imprisoned. Traditional Healers' Organisation: The Traditional Healers Organisation (THO) is the biggest umbrella organisation of traditional healers in South Africa and was established in 1970. It has nearly 70 000 members, 25 000 of whom live and work in South Africa. Membership includes a compulsory one-day workshop on THO activities and a five-day workshop on traditional primary health care. Members also need to produce a good character reference. The provincial offices of the THO are located in Mpumalanga, Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal and North West. The national offices is in Johannesburg.

Role of traditional healers in HIV and AIDS: Due to the importance of traditional healers in South African society the government needs to actively involve them in its HIV and AIDS Care, Management and Treatment Plan. This means providing training for traditional healers on the science, prevention, treatment and care of HIV and AIDS. This will be on the understanding that traditional healers are not allowed to diagnose or treat HIV and AIDS using their own methods. They can only support the care and treatment plan endorsed by the government.

Traditional medicines and HIV and AIDS: With many people using traditional medicines to treat the symptoms of HIV and AIDS, lots of claims have been made that some of these traditional medicines can even cure HIV disease. These claims are totally incorrect, as no treatments, including Antiretroviral medicines (ARVs), have been shown to cure HIV and AIDS. There is also evidence that several common traditional medicines do more harm than good.

Once a person has been infected the virus that causes HIV disease stays in a person's body forever. ARVs work by attacking the virus and stopping it from making lots of copies of itself. A person starts to feel better as the number of viruses in the body is reduced. ARVs do not remove the virus totally from the body; as soon as a person stops taking the medicines the number of the viruses starts to increase again.

Some herbal treatments may help by attacking the virus directly or by stimulating a person's immune system, which then attacks the infected cells. However there is very little proper scientific research about the safety and effectiveness of these herbal treatments. It is therefore vital to ensure that these medicines are properly researched first to ensure that the safe and effectives ones can be identified and used, and the ones that can harm people are withdrawn.












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Understanding The Vocabulary Of Energy Healing

Understanding The Vocabulary Of Energy Healing by Albert Alexander

You have probably come across exotic-sounding terms such as "chakra", "prana", "aura", and "tantra" in your course of reading books on spirituality, sex, and healing in the New Age literature section of the bookstore. But what's the real scoop behind these exotic vocabularies?

Are All Energy Healings the Same?

Chakra or energy center is a term used in Pranic healing, an ancient Hindu system of energy healing. "Prana" means life energy. "Aura" is another terminology traced to Pranic healing. Aura is a non-physical body that consists of energy, which exists along with our physical body. The aura that covers our body is said to have seven layers pertaining to the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual aspects of an individual as manifested by energy. Studying the color and thickness of auras give ideas on the state of health of individuals. Six colors are associated with aura and interpreted into six personalities. These colors are all present in an individual but one or two are more pronounced.

Green - ambitious achiever
Blue - spiritual peacemaker
White - unconventional chameleon
Red - activist
Orange - creative communicator
Violet - psychic

Although Tantra is popularly associated with the peculiar practice of sex and spirituality, it is another method of energy healing. It comes from the word "tan" which means to spread or expand. The concept of connectedness is a recurring theme in Tantric writings on sex and spirituality. As a method of healing, spirituality and sex figure prominently. It is presupposed that the union of man and woman can reach spiritual levels during orgasm, which removes the body and mind off collected impurities. These impurities being negative energies can in turn manifest as physical illnesses.

Unlike Pranic and Tantric healings, which have Hindu origins, Reiki originated from Japan. It is relatively younger than Pranic and Tantric healings having been rediscovered in the early 1900's. Reiki stands for universal energy, an energy brought forth by higher intelligence. Students of Reiki are taught how to tap this energy to heal physical, emotional, and mental illnesses.

Although Pranic, Tantra, and Reiki are all systems of energy healing, they differ in the type of energy tapped for healing: life energy, sexual energy, and universal energy respectively.

The concepts of the connectedness of mind, body, and spirit; the connection of individuals to all living and nonliving things around them and to the universe; and how energy impacts physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being are some of the salient similarities of these three healing methods.

Why Do People Turn to Energy Healing?

Pranic, Tantric, and Reiki are considered alternative methods of healing. In spite of the availability and relative accessibility of modern medicine, how come more and more people are being drawned to them? Here are some possible reasons:

Energy healing worked where modern medicine failed.

For several reasons both explainable and unexplainable, modern medical treatment failed to heal ailments and conditions in several if not many persons. Research or data may not be able to support this statement. But for the families of the dying as well as for the dying patient, they would take the risk of using alternative methods ranging from herbals and organics, faith healers, witch doctors, and New Age healing techniques just to be get well.

People perceive modern medicine to be isolating.

Medical treatments are oftentimes focused on the disease and its causative agent, which can make a patient feel isolated and treated like a mere host of the disease. Although recent developments in hospital practice are gradually promoting the holistic treatment of a patient, the perception still persists. Unlike in energy healing, since energy and spirituality are intimately linked, the patient feels that all aspects of his health are being attended to.

Energy healing is non-obtrusive and natural thus it is safer.

Repeated surgical procedures are physically and emotionally traumatic for most patients. It is but a logical and attractive option to both patient and families to look for less stressful health interventions. Moreover, with the rising popularity of New Age religions, going natural is the way to go.

Energy healing is a good way of relieving stress.

Meditation is part and parcel of energy healing methods and this is an added come-on for highly stressed people. Moreover, sophisticated equipment is not required thus it becomes all the more convenient for students and future students of energy healing.

The battle between alternative healing and mainstream medicine continues as both present the benefits of their approach. But in the final analysis, what matters is the restoration of good health.



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Bio-Mechanics a Cure for Back Problems?

Bio-Mechanics a Cure for Back Problems? by Terry OBrien

When our body is in the standing position it is in a state of unsteady equilibrium because the base is small and the centre of gravity is a long way above it. That is why it has to be balanced by keeping the centre of gravity over the base, otherwise the body would fall over.

Equilibrium: The steadiness of the body depends on the size of its base and the distance of the centre of gravity from that base. An object having a large base and a low centre of gravity is not easily upset.

The first thing necessary in order to accomplish good posture is to straighten the neck, keep the chin down and back. The second important thing is correct deep breathing.

The line of gravity in the fundamental standing position falls in front of the ears, and in front of the cervical and dorsal vertebrae, through the lumbar vertebrae, through the hip joint, and slightly in front of the ankle joint. But this probably varies in individuals according to their build and height.

"Biomechanics is that branch of science concerned with the understanding of the interrelationships of structure and function of living beings with respect to the kinematics and kinetics of motion"

Poor Posture associated by the following:

Genetic disorders, Familial association, Irregular/no exercise, Bad habits when sitting or standing, Carrying excess loads, (School/shopping) Underweight/Overweight (Inadequate diet)
Mental Attitude towards oneself.

Biomechanics is our way of describing how each bit of your body moves in relation to another bit.

Our bodies are fantastic at compensating when things are not quite perfect but unfortunately when we run out of compensations we usually end up with pain and stiffness.

Let's have a look at some of the more common biomechanical problems:

Problem 1.

It's the fashion not to tie trainers and shoes up but this prevents the shoe from supporting the inside of the foot and allows the foot to roll or 'pronate' too much in standing and walking.

This means the knee and the hip rolls inwards too much which makes the inside calf and inside thigh muscle shorter. The iliotibial band can then rub against the outside knee giving pain.

Further up, the bottom muscles become too long and stop working as they should do which puts added stress on the pelvis and low back joints. Before you know it you have back pain, knee pain and ankle pain! And all because of fashion!

Problem 2.

Whether you drive 5 miles or 500 miles a day your car seat is really important. In many cars the base of the seat slopes backwards. In fact some of the more expensive cars are the worst because they want you to feel 'snug' and safe in the seat. However, this position forces your pelvis to sit too far backwards.

Once this happens your low back and upper back flex forward too much but then your neck muscles have to work really hard to stop your head from flexing too much and allow you to see where you are going. This position then forces your shoulder blades to stretch too far forwards and a large stress is placed on both the front and the back of the shoulder.

The result is neck pain and /or upper or low back pain. This position can exacerbate sciatica as it is a big stretch for the nerves.
The solution is to raise the back of the seat so it becomes more horizontal. Some cars allow you to alter this angle but if yours does not then sit on a small cushion or buy a special wedge shape cushion that fits into the seat.


Terry O'Brien
Back Trouble UK.



Terry has worked in General Medicine for over 30 years.

Links:
http://www.backtrouble.co.uk
http://www.backdoctor.org.uk

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The Gifts And Benefits Of Myrrh

The Gifts And Benefits Of Myrrh by Steve Smith

The role of myrrh in the traditional Christmas story is well known, but the many benefits of this powerful herbal compound perhaps less so. Yet myrrh is far from being just an expensive gift of Kings in a long ago time. It has been used for several thousand years as a potent weapon in the battle against various types of infection, including bacteria, viruses and fungi. Myrrh is also an anti-inflammatory and appears to act as a general stimulant for the immune system.

The name myrrh is believed to be derived from the Arabic "Mur", meaning bitter, and is sourced from the branches of a number of different small trees or shrubs native to parts of East Africa, the Middle East and the Indian sub-continent. The branches release a richly aromatic resin-like substance which has been highly prized in these Eastern regions since ancient times and was used as a perfume, herbal medicine and embalming agent amongst many other functions.

Most important of these, however, was its use as an antiseptic agent, particularly in the treatment of infected wounds. The antiseptic action of myrrh is believed to be partly due to its stimulating the immune system to produce infection fighting white blood cells, but myrrh may also act directly as an anti-bacterial agent.

Myrrh also combats infections of the chest and respiratory system, including common coughs and colds, by helping to clear the congestive mucus which is responsible for much of the misery caused by these illnesses. Sufferers from more serious problems such as sinusitis, asthma and even TB have also found some relief through the use of myrrh because of this powerful internal cleansing action of the herb; an action which advocates of the benefits of myrrh also claim to be effective in the intestines and digestive system; cleansing the colon in particular.

Myrrh is also believed to stimulate the blood flow and muscular action necessary for effective digestion, and there is developing evidence that it may help with general cardiovascular health, as a protection against atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) and in the prevention of clots in circulating blood.

But the benefits of myrrh are not confined to the internal organism. Applied directly to infected areas it has been shown to be particularly effective in combatting oral problems such as mouth ulcers, gingivitis and other gum diseases, toothache and sore throat, and is used as an anti-bacterial agent in some proprietary mouthwashes and toothpastes. As an anti-fungal, myrrh is also used by herbal practitioners to alleviate the symptoms of such infections as thrush, herpes, candida and other yeast infections.

And as if all of the above were not enough, ancient Indian medicine claimed that the benefits of myrrh included enhanced intellectual powers and even aphrodisiac qualities. But it is not necessary to accept all of the more extravagant claims made for the herb; it's enough merely to be mindful that the many potential benefits of myrrh make it well worth considering as a supplement when tackling the ailments mentioned above, or when a general tonic and stimulant is required.

For mouth problems it can be added as a tincture to water, to make a powerful antiseptic mouthwash, or applied directly to the affected areas. For more general problems, or as a pick up, myrrh may be taken as capsules, the recommended dose normally being around 300mg.

Myrrh is a potent substance, comprised of numerous active compounds, and this recommended dose should not therefore be exceeded except under the direction of a suitably qualified and experienced herbalist. Myrrh is contraindicated, moreover, for pregnant women, those suffering from kidney problems and diabetics.

With these caveats, however, myrrh may be regarded not only as one of the wonders of the ancient world, but as a modern boon which is well worth a place in your home.



Steve Smith is a freelance copywriter specialising in direct marketing and with a particular interest in health products. Find out more at
http://www.sisyphuspublicationsonline.com/LiquidNutrition/Information.htm


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