Staying healthy

The growing cases of cough and colds and even pneumonia has caused a certain degree of concern among some of my colleagues. Especially because we have already embarked on the privileged yet vulnerable age of seniority.  My recent bout with cough and colds myself has left me wishing I was younger because recuperation was faster. But then such is life.

The many supplements that are now in the market opens more hope for those who want to stay healthy ‘til reporting time in heaven for no one, will ever stay on earth forever.  And even those who are in the green mile, would someday want to go home.

But let me not be bleak, as this is my first article for the year I want to open up some inspiration. And possibly gain attention to a particular need and that is the acceptance and proper regulation of traditional medicine. For now, traditional medicine and supplements are considered just that – Supplements.  And there is always that tag line that indicates that there is no therapeutic claim even if there are many testimonies that are aired and published.

In fact, many people subscribe to the different available food supplements that, in spite of their no therapeutic claim runner, continue to profess to be good for the body. If there is no truth to this, why are they allowed to advertise?

So why do we not then acknowledge and review? Why do we not in fact look into the research and therapeutic claims?

In an article from the Philippine Institute of Traditional and Alternative Healthcare, it is obvious that traditional medicine is considered one of our immediate interventions in health management especially in areas where no medical practitioner is urgently available. The institute is encouraged to do further studies and regulate the administration of traditional or complementary medications.

The traditional health care act or  Republic Act 8423 (RA 8423) that “ mandates the Philippine Institute of Traditional and Alternative Health Care (PITAHC) to improve the quality and delivery of health care services to the Filipino people through the development of traditional and alternative health care and its integration into the national health care delivery system“. Through this act, the said institute is also tasked to do further research, look into regulatory measures, policies and standards that will protect the users of alternative remedies.

Our country has a rich source of folk practices on medicinal remedies. In other countries, naturopathy and homeopathy are accepted and allowed. In the Philippines, we have a few brave and well-trained doctors who take on homeopathic remedies and natural medicine as part of their interventions but because there are only a few, and the medications are mostly imported, the cost of treatment becomes exorbitant to no fault really of the doctor since he or she has no option but to get their medicines from abroad.

Should we have more recognized and endorsed local remedies, perhaps this practice can help more people. Especially those who have ailments that for ages we have been trying to address but to no avail like diabetes, hypertension and cancer.

I have watched some of the cancer patients of a couple of doctors who practice homeopathy and I have seen great improvements. But the conflicting theories on these approaches always brings to fore the fear of not being able to address the disease immediately, and out of desperation and economics, some patients opt for the familiar and the affordable.

Well, who wouldn’t?  But I guess, the point of my discussion here is to open our minds to read more about what is sustainable for our bodies. Why have people of the old lasted for longer years?

Is it lifestyle? The environment? Faith? Perhaps a view into our wholeness as human beings can give us the answers. But again, we need more information. Maybe it’s about time to find out and dig deeper.

Stay healthy everyone!