Kerala Traditional Ayurvedic Practices in Children for Enhancing Immunity - A Systematic Review

Kerala is rich in its culture for the traditional Ayurveda practices in children from the time of birth onwards. These traditional practices are mainly immune boosters and also enhance overall nourishment and development in children. Commonly used traditional Ayurveda practices are Uramarunnu Prayoga, Prakara Yoga, Abhyanga, Rasanadi churna lepana, Snana etc. for enhancing immunity and providing overall development to children. Uramarunnu is a baby care practice comprising of a group of drugs administered to the child in the form of paste in breast milk, after 28 days till 2 years of age. Prakara Yogas are immunomodulatory recipes and procedures to be adopted right from the day after delivery. Abhyanga provides nourishment, health, protection, emotional well-being and improves skin tone. All these can be used for enhancing immunity and preventing recurrent infections thereby helps in the maintenance of health and prevention of diseases. This mentions the importance of Kerala traditional Ayurvedic practices in the field of primary child health care. So, the present study aims to compile Kerala’s traditional Ayurvedic practices in children, by reviewing regional textbooks like Arogyakalpadruma, Vaidya Tarakam, Parambarya Balachikitsa etc., and also interviewing Ayurveda pediatrician through telephone.

A mudança de compreensão de um formando em Educação Física acerca do sentido do componente curricular na escola: uma autoetnografia / The change in the understanding of a trainee in Physical Education about the meaning of the curricular component at school: an autoetnography / El cambio en la comprensión de un becario de Educación Física sobre el significado del componente curricular en la escuela: una autoetnografía

Esta pesquisa teve como objetivo identificar quais fatores induziram uma mudança conceitual de um formando em Educação Física, em relação à compreensão do sentido desse componente curricular na escola. Por meio de uma autoetnografia, durante 11 meses o autor analisou os trabalhos realizados em tarefas acadêmicas, as anotações em cadernos de disciplinas cursadas, as intervenções efetuadas como trabalho de campo e os questionários respondidos pelos seus alunos. Os resultados indicam que não foi um acontecimento único que induziu a mudança de compreensão, mas vários fatores. O principal deles foi a discussão, em um componente curricular, sobre o direito de aprendizagem dos discentes. Em menor medida, as intervenções nos trabalhos de campo realizadas em virtude de disciplinas acadêmicas, a constatação do interesse dos alunos ao experimentarem temas de ensino distintos dos que estavam acostumados e a testagem de conhecimentos estudados na universidade com seus próprios filhos, tiveram influência na mudança conceitual.

This research aimed to identify which factors induced a conceptual change of a graduating in Physical Education, in relation to the understanding of the meaning of this curricular component at school. Through self-ethnography, for 11 months the author analyzed the work done in academic tasks, the notes in notebooks of subjects taken, the interventions made as fieldwork and the questionnaires answered by his students. The results indicate that it was not a single event that led to a change in understanding, but several factors. The main one was the discussion, in a curricular component, about the students' right to learn. To a lesser extent, the interventions in fieldwork carried out by virtue of academic disciplines, the verification of the students' interest in experiencing teaching themes different from those they were used to and the testing of knowledge studied at the university with their own children, had an influence on the change conceptual.

Esta investigación tuvo como objetivo identificar qué factores indujeron un cambio conceptual de un becario en Educación Física, en relación con la comprensión del significado de este componente curricular en la escuela. A través de la autoetnografía, durante 11 meses el autor analizó el trabajo realizado en las tareas académicas, los apuntes en cuadernos de materias cursadas, las intervenciones realizadas como trabajo de campo y los cuestionarios respondidos por sus alumnos. Los resultados indican que no fue un solo evento el que provocó un cambio en la comprensión, sino varios factores. El principal fue la discusión, en un componente curricular, sobre el derecho de los estudiantes a aprender. En menor medida, las intervenciones en el trabajo de campo realizadas en virtud de disciplinas académicas, la constatación del interés de los estudiantes por experimentar temas de enseñanza diferentes a los que estaban acostumbrados y la prueba de conocimientos estudiados en la universidad con sus propios hijos, habían una influencia en el cambio conceptual.

Ibaloy traditional pregnancy and child care practices in Bokod, Benguet

@#The Cordillera is home to indigenous pregnancy and childcare practices. This study describes the Ibaloy traditional health practices of which little are known. It seeks to contribute to the literature about indigenous pregnancy and childcare practices. This two-year ethnographic study was conducted in Mangagew, Poblacion, Bokod, Benguet. Data was gathered through field observations and interviews with mothers, elders, and traditional birth attendants. The findings showed that Ibaloys are strongly connected to their traditional beliefs and possess strong family and community support for pregnant women and their children. Most of the traditional beliefs and practices of caring are still observed, alongside modern healthcare principles and practices. There are myriad of factors that influence Ibaloy health care decisions apart from their traditional beliefs and practices. Achieving health for these vulnerable groups requires multi-sectoral linkages and active community participation. The result of this research serves as a basis for culturally appropriate evidence-based care for both the Ibaloys and similar groups, and as reference for the Ibaloys’ slowly fading traditional beliefs and practices

Dermatoses due to Arabic cultural and traditional practices

A number of social and cultural practices are prevalent in the Middle-East celebrating various occasions or to treat health conditions. These often result in dermatoses that are unfamiliar and confusing to dermatologists outside this region. This paper reviews skin manifestations emanating from traditional and ritual practices in Arab countries, particularly those from Saudi Arabia.

An ethnobotanical survey of spice, aromatic and medicinal plants used in La Molana, Atrato-Choco, Colombia: Basis for biodiversity conservation

A characterization and analysis of the production systems of aromatic, medicinal and spice plants (AMSP) was carried out in La Molana, Atrato-Chocó, Colombia throughout the identification of their biophysical, socioeconomic and financial characteristics, in order to propose agroecological alternatives that solve the problems and identified needs in said systems; applying methodologies and evaluation indicators of agricultural systems addressed to sustainable rural development, design, implementation and evaluation of agroforestry arrangements, agroforestry systems accompanied by WOST analysis, and agroforestry planning of productive units (APPU), this information was collected through the application of a focal workshop and semi-structured questionnaires to 40 smallholders. Therefore, eight productive units (UP) with four plots and four rooftop, which was characterized throughout a simple random sampling without replacement. The results indicate that these smallholders destine 15.6 ha to AMSP production, from which 11 ha are crops structured in plots within native forests and 4.6 ha are destined to crops in rooftops around the houses. The units produce on average, 110 units (bunches) per week, which are offered to informal vendors in the market place of Quibdo-Choco, Colombia with prices which ranged from COP $ 1000 to COP $ 3000 according to plant size and species. Likewise, was determined that the economic incomes of the AMSP units depend mainly on the following planted species: Cilantro cimarrón (Eryngium foetidum L.), cimarron (Eryngium foetidum L.), Albahaca (Ocimum basilicum L.) and Oregano (Origanum vulgare L.), which are the most economically important species in the study area.

Trace elements content in the selected medicinal plants traditionally used for curing skin diseases by the natives of Mizoram, India

OBJECTIVE@#To determine the trace elements content in the selected medicinal plants, namely, Eryngium foetidum L., Mimosa pudica L., Polygonum plebeium, and Prunus cerasoides D. Don traditionally used by the natives of the Mizoram, one of the north eastern states in India as their folklore medicines for curing skin diseases like eczema, leg and fingers infection, swelling and wound.@*METHODS@#A 3 MeV proton beam of proton induced X-ray emission technique, one of the most powerful techniques for its quick multi elemental trace analysis capability and high sensitivity was used to detect and characterized for trace elements.@*RESULTS@#The studies revealed that six trace elements, namely, Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn, V, and Co detected in mg/L unit were present in varying concentrations in the selected medicinal plants with high and notable concentration of Fe, Zn, Mn and appreciable amount of the Cu, Co and V in all the plants.@*CONCLUSIONS@#The results of the present study support the therapeutic usage of these medicinal plants in the traditional practices for curing skin diseases since they are found to contain appreciable amount of the Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn, V and Co.

Trace elements content in the selected medicinal plants traditionally used for curing skin diseases by the natives of Mizoram, India

Objective: To determine the trace elements content in the selected medicinal plants, namely, Eryngium foetidum L., Mimosa pudica L., Polygonum plebeium, and Prunus cerasoides D. Don traditionally used by the natives of the Mizoram, one of the north eastern states in India as their folklore medicines for curing skin diseases like eczema, leg and fingers infection, swelling and wound. Methods: A 3 MeV proton beam of proton induced X-ray emission technique, one of the most powerful techniques for its quick multi elemental trace analysis capability and high sensitivity was used to detect and characterized for trace elements. Results: The studies revealed that six trace elements, namely, Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn, V, and Co detected in mg/L unit were present in varying concentrations in the selected medicinal plants with high and notable concentration of Fe, Zn, Mn and appreciable amount of the Cu, Co and V in all the plants. Conclusions: The results of the present study support the therapeutic usage of these medicinal plants in the traditional practices for curing skin diseases since they are found to contain appreciable amount of the Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn, V and Co.

Lidar com a doença mental - a pluralidade de sistemas de cuidados e de itinerários terapêuticos: análise comparativa de dois estudos efectuados junto de duas populações residentes em Portugal / Dealing with mental illness - the plurality of care systems and of therapeutic itineraries: a comparative analysis of two studies carried out in Portugal

Vários estudos apontam para a pluralidade dos sistemas de cuidados para lidar com a doença e neles integram o sistema profissional, popular e alternativo (inclui o complementar e o tradicional). Qual a sua configuração particular em cada sistema cultural é a questão norteadora das duas pesquisas efectuadas. O objectivo deste artigo é o de perceber como se lida com a doença mental, analisando os itinerários terapêuticos que se constroem entre sistemas de cuidados plurais, caracterizando em particular o recurso à medicina tradicional. A análise dos dois estudos (um efectuado na região Norte, outro em Lisboa) permitiu-nos interpretar essas práticas e problematizar os factores socioculturais que determinam e explicam as configurações encontradas. Ambas as pesquisas se enquadram numa metodologia qualitativa. Centrámos a pesquisa na análise dos discursos que obtivemos através de entrevistas semidiretivas, descrevendo-os, interpretando-os e comparando-os. Os resultados apontam para uma pluralidade de itinerários terapêuticos, que se tecem em torno de discursos públicos e privados, onde os sistemas explicativos do recurso à medicina ou às práticas tradicionais encontram sentidos, também eles plurais. As pessoas podem recorrer a estes sistemas de formas diversas, usando um só ou combinando mais do que um, de modo simultâneo ou sequencial, conforme o contexto e as necessidades sentidas face à doença ou ao sofrimento mental. É no espaço de impotência e "incompetência" da medicina "sábia" que se desenvolvem outros sistemas terapêuticos, que é necessário conhecer, pelos resultados que alcançam e pelo seu poder heurístico de explicação da sociedade e da cultura.