Thai herbs: Nature’s secret weapon against deadly PM2.5 dust

[PETERTHEEATER]

I tried outside activities with an Indian Gooseberry stuffed in each nostril but it interfered with my respiratory function.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

5 hours ago, mrfill said:

Presumably with this miracle cure, the government don't have to bother to deal with the PM2.5 problem. Perhaps just suggest that all the fans in Bangkok get turned to face south. Yes, that'll fix it...

 

You'll remember that past governments had the bright ideas of installing big water spraying hoses on the ground in areas of Bangkok to spray water in the air...

 

AND

 

installing some supposed big air purifier device I wanna say around CentralWorld to supposedly suck up local air pollution....

 

AND

 

I think some of them even did talk about installing big fans on the tops of tall buildings at one point....

 

AND

 

flying a dozen or so drones carrying sprayer tanks of some liquid stuff that supposedly would take pollutants out of the air.....

 

Words fail....

 

[CygnusX1]

4 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

Studies also suggest that long-term exposure to fine particulate matter may be associated with increased rates of chronic bronchitis, reduced lung function and increased mortality from lung cancer and heart disease."

 

https://thethaiger.com/news/national/report-attributes-32000-premature-deaths-in-thailand-to-air-pollution

Lots of “cans” and “‘maybes” in that article. I’m just wondering if there have been any studies comparing different countries, regions or cities. Something like a comparison of lung cancer deaths among lifelong non smokers between, say, Sydney and Bangkok? Not easy, with so many confounding variables. Presumably the deleterious effect of breathing in atmospheric PM2.5 is way less than smoking cigarettes.

[thecyclist]

23 hours ago, Will B Good said:

Unadulterated dross....this is on a par with magic potions and spells......how stupid can humans be?

Not so sure Maybe not as a protection against air pollution, but there have been a number of medical studies showing the health benefits of Turmeric. 

[Will B Good]

1 minute ago, thecyclist said:

number of medical studies

Agree.....and that is the crucial part......clinically run trials by professionals with no skin in the game.

[Sig]

11 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

I'd like to see some credible scientific research that confirms the notion that drinking tea or capsules of any of the above referenced herbals does anything significant to combat the health related symptoms of PM2.5 air pollution exposure.

 

IMHO, there's a reason that these kinds of local "treatments" never make their way out into the developed world of science and medicine....

 

And it's probably for the same reasons that flood control agencies around the world aren't using boats and their propellers in rivers to prevent local flooding, and doctors aren't advising their patients to wear amulets to ward off evil spirits.

 

It's hardly even worth responding, but I'll just say that since it is VERY apparent that you've made zero effort to research anything, how is one to take seriously your statement that you'd "like to see some credible scientific research...." If you'd like to see it, there's this interesting tool that perhaps you're not aware of still. It's called "Google". It's really amazing. It can show you wonders that you've never imagined. And it can quickly show you amazing scientific research on many things that you may like to see.

"IMHO...." I know that wasn't intended to be humorous, but it made me laugh. It's not so humble to make such audacious statements in the face of thousands of medical publications on turmeric alone! Whether in vitro, animal studies, or human studies, there are scientific studies galore for you to peruse and edify your scientific prowess.

There is MUCH MUCH more on thousands of plants used for medicine than apparently you have the slightest hint of a clue about. I can't blame you too much though, I know the pharmaceutical political lobby is very active and works hard to keep people in ignorance, at the same time that they utilize these plant's amazing properties in attempts to improve on the natural order and their patented medicines, at the same time as they improve the size of their pocketbooks and political power.

The folly of ignoring or worse, discounting, thousands of years of knowledge and wisdom only to solely embrace modern medicine and the limited numbers of what compromised and corrupted individuals and organizations will deem as qualified studies, barely around for a hundred years or so, is truly stunning.

[CygnusX1]

13 minutes ago, Sig said:

The folly of ignoring or worse, discounting, thousands of years of knowledge and wisdom only to solely embrace modern medicine and the limited numbers of what compromised and corrupted individuals and organizations will deem as qualified studies, barely around for a hundred years or so, is truly stunning.

Modern medical science joyfully embraces effective drugs used or inspired by  traditional medicine (google discovery of artemisinin for an example). Just like any other new drug, however, they have to be proved effective according to the rigorous standards of the scientific method, which goes well beyond anecdotal evidence.

[Seppius]

You can buy turmeric caps from 7/11. B17 for ten, been taking them for a while now, for their general heath properties

 

[Captor]

On 1/18/2024 at 6:42 AM, webfact said:

Whilst Bangkokians battle with the silent killer, the potent PM2.5 air pollution, the Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine unveils a game-changing solution to combat the notorious dust particles threatening the health of residents in the capital city.

 

Amidst rising concerns over the long-term health impacts of PM2.5 exposure, Dr Taweesilp Visanuyothin, the face of the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, reveals the secrets of four Thai herbs that promise to shield your lungs and heart from the invisible menace.

 

“Thai herbs have been scientifically proven to be effective in treating respiratory symptoms, as well as inflammation in internal organs caused by the fine dust slipping through the body’s screening mechanism.”

 

Highlighted as the frontline defender against fine dust pollution, the quartet includes little ironweed, laurel clockvine, Indian gooseberry, and turmeric. Dr Taweesilp prescribes little ironweed tea, also known as Ya Dok Khao, as a potent remedy for respiratory irritation, cautioning those with heart and liver conditions to consult physicians due to its high potassium content.

 

by Puntid Tantivangphaisal 

Photo courtesy of The Nation

 

Full story: The Thaiger 2024-01-18

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

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Jesus Christ!

[MrJ2U]

On 1/18/2024 at 12:42 PM, webfact said:

Thai herbs that promise to shield your lungs and heart from the invisible menace.

 

Are these the same "Doctors" who have been working on Thailand's COVID Vaccines?  That never panned out.

 

You won't be hearing anything about these "snakeoil" solutions to pollution in 6 months. 

 

Total malarchy. 

[TigerGuardian]

Wouldn't it be wiser (and perhaps cheaper) if people invested in a good quality mask? I must add, however, a multipronged and aggressive approach by government officials and agencies is absolutely necessary. Toxic pollution is only getting worse and if nothing is done, Thailand and her citizens, will pay a very heavy price. 

[kwilco]

On 1/18/2024 at 5:42 AM, webfact said:

Thai herbs have been scientifically proven to be effective in treating respiratory symptoms, as well as inflammation in internal organs caused by the fine dust slipping through the body’s screening mechanism.”

No they jolly-well haven't!!!!

...and is that supposed to address the causes - they are pretending iyt masks the symptoms!

 

 

I suspect in many countries he would be a charlatan.

 

Edited January 19 by kwilco

[Presnock]

3 hours ago, kidneyw said:

The problem is it is very hard to go jogging while wearing a mask.

Negative on that.  SPorts teams even buy masks that restrict air intake prior to having a game with another team at high altitude.  I jogged for years wearing a mask with no problems noticed.  

[Presnock]

3 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

You'll remember that past governments had the bright ideas of installing big water spraying hoses on the ground in areas of Bangkok to spray water in the air...

 

AND

 

installing some supposed big air purifier device I wanna say around CentralWorld to supposedly suck up local air pollution....

 

AND

 

I think some of them even did talk about installing big fans on the tops of tall buildings at one point....

 

AND

 

flying a dozen or so drones carrying sprayer tanks of some liquid stuff that supposedly would take pollutants out of the air.....

 

Words fail....

 

Yeah a friend of mine bought his own monitor for 2.5 micron pollutants in he Chiang Mai area.  He read the daily reports of the pollution and they were

always way below his monitor so he learned where the district was monitoring the pollution and then reporting.  He went to that location, prior to the district team taking a reading, the fire department had a water truck come to that area and spray the monitoring spot for over a half hour and did this whenever there was going to be an official report.  After this, I bought my own monitor and still use it daily many times.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Just bought a new one for home, after my old one of 4-5 years finally gave up the ghost... These are the two models I've used and endorse (just endorsing the models, not where to buy them):

 

Sndway SW-825

 

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/2251832640444351.html?gatewayAdapt=glo2usa4itemAdapt

 

AND

 

Dienmern DM103

 

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/pm25-dienmern-3-in-1-i4545601219-s18494901078.html

[cardinalblue]

If you can prevent illness, you do….nonsense to buy into treatment from AP….

 

deal with AP prevention not marketing treatments for it…

 

this thread smells of accepting air pollution 

[kidneyw]

1 hour ago, Presnock said:

Negative on that.  SPorts teams even buy masks that restrict air intake prior to having a game with another team at high altitude.  I jogged for years wearing a mask with no problems noticed.  

Tried it mate, not possible for me. I walk 2km then run 10km every second morning. Usually gasping without a mask.

[Presnock]

15 hours ago, kidneyw said:

Tried it mate, not possible for me. I walk 2km then run 10km every second morning. Usually gasping without a mask.

 

well this mornng I took the dogs outside - monitor says 125 and flashing RED!  If you even walk in this crappy air right now you probably won't make it to the gasping stage.  I do think that after exercising in polluted air one should have their lungs checked.  Good luck anyway

[arick]

18 hours ago, brianthainess said:

Maybe you should make tea from the horse poo, like coffee beans in Elephant dung, you could be on an earner there mate.

I use to make and Christmas ornaments made out of rabbit s*** could varnish the horse <deleted> and sell it as jewelry 

[Sig]

17 hours ago, CygnusX1 said:

Modern medical science joyfully embraces effective drugs used or inspired by  traditional medicine (google discovery of artemisinin for an example). Just like any other new drug, however, they have to be proved effective according to the rigorous standards of the scientific method, which goes well beyond anecdotal evidence.

My statement was not regarding modern medical science. I know the medical sciences use data gained from plants for medicine, whether gained by traditional medicine or not. It was regarding people who discount traditional medicine and usage of plants as medicine/healing or for support of health out of absolute ignorance. If you haven't noticed already... the scientific method has been severely co-opted by other financial interests and many studies are nowhere near as reliable as the average person thinks. Of course, going solely by anecdotal evidence in order to make absolute claims is not a good thing, just as even in science, absolute claims are generally not made from simply one study. That said, it is utter foolishness to cast aside millennia of anecdotal data, observational data, and statistics solely because there is no study or very limited studies done by the touted scientific method of the day. Said method is also evolving, as to what is acceptable and what is not, over time and will continue to do so. And regarding studies with the modern day scientific method, there are thousands upon thousands of such studies done on a vast number of medicinal plants. They are not widely broadcast and known to Joe Public, largely because they are not the ones that are money-makers, but there is a plethora of them and sadly ignored by most people, who largely trust and depend on established markets or medical establishments to take care of them. To some degree that is understandable. Everyone is busy and not everyone has the time, the ability, or the access to make heads or tails of scientific studies. But to disregard what is widely known, that is, the effectiveness of plants for support of health and healing, just because multi-billion dollar corporations aren't promoting them or says something negative against what isn't bringing them profit, is abstruse in the highest degree.

[johng]

17 hours ago, CygnusX1 said:

they have to be proved effective according to the rigorous standards of the scientific method

Using 8 mice  and at "the speed of science" ??

[CygnusX1]

2 hours ago, johng said:

Using 8 mice  and at "the speed of science" ??

The beauty of science is that it’s self-correcting. Nothing is ever considered as proven beyond all doubt, and in your example - I think you mean something like a new drug that was trialled on just 8 mice? - there would be heaps of young researchers eager to advance their careers by pointing out deficiencies in the trial.

 

Not sure what you mean by “the speed of science”. It’s true that establishing the efficacy and safety of new drugs takes a long while, which is why some cancer patients are given special dispensation to be given a promising new drug that hasn’t yet passed all clinical trials.

[johng]

23 minutes ago, CygnusX1 said:

Not sure what you mean by “the speed of science”

 

Here's a clue.

 

Janine Small, Pfizer’s president of international developed markets, was testifying before the European Union Parliament.

 

27 minutes ago, CygnusX1 said:

It’s true that establishing the efficacy and safety of new drugs takes a long while

Apparently not  if you move at the speed of science !

 

29 minutes ago, CygnusX1 said:

which is why some cancer patients are given special dispensation to be given a promising new drug that hasn’t yet passed all clinical trials.

All well and good, those patients have given their  (informed) consent acknowledging the drug may have no positive effect or in fact be harmful.

[CygnusX1]

2 hours ago, johng said:

Here's a clue.

 

Janine Small, Pfizer’s president of international developed markets, was testifying before the European Union Parliament.

And…?

[Presnock]

On 1/19/2024 at 2:18 PM, PETERTHEEATER said:

I tried outside activities with an Indian Gooseberry stuffed in each nostril but it interfered with my respiratory function.

yeah I was always taught for chapped lips, try horse crap, rub some on your lips and you will stop licking them which causes the chapped lips. I never tried it but just thinking about it taught me a "valuable" lesson.  One never really knows when such a recommendation could or could not be valuable.

[johng]

44 minutes ago, CygnusX1 said:

And…?

when she was asked the question by Dutch MEP Rob Roos.

“Was the Pfizer Covid vaccine tested on stopping the transmission of the virus before it entered the market?”

 

“Regarding the question around, um, did we know about stopping the immunisation [sic] before it entered the market? No, heh,” she said.

“Uh, these, um, you know, we had to really move at the speed of science to really understand what is taking place in the market, and from that point of view we had to do everything at risk.

[Artisi]

On 1/19/2024 at 11:58 AM, spidermike007 said:

Herbal therapies can be very effective. I'm a big believer in them and I've used them on multiple occasions and they've been very effective remedies. However when you're talking about particulate matter and pollution getting into the lungs let us not forget the origins of the problem. While herbal therapy might be of some benefit, closing down the sugar refineries would be a greater benefit, or having the Air Force do practice runs by bombing the sugar refineries would be an even greater benefit. Just make sure none of the employers are there when they drop the bombs. Fining the sugar growers for burning would also be a benefit. In other words, enforce the laws that are already on the books and stop obfuscating and deflecting and avoiding a solution, while protecting your super rich patrons, who are the culprits and criminals. 

I agree, herbal remedies can be and are very effective in many areas, but to even consider herbal medicine as something to combat the ingestion of minute partials being breathed in and finding their way into blood stream is such a stupid claim it is beyond words to describe. 

Now maybe the information has been completely screwed by the "journalist / translator" and what has been reported is way off what was actually said - wouldn't be the first time and certainly won't be the last, but the article as it stands is complete rubbish. 

[CygnusX1]

2 hours ago, johng said:

when she was asked the question by Dutch MEP Rob Roos.

“Was the Pfizer Covid vaccine tested on stopping the transmission of the virus before it entered the market?”

 

“Regarding the question around, um, did we know about stopping the immunisation [sic] before it entered the market? No, heh,” she said.

“Uh, these, um, you know, we had to really move at the speed of science to really understand what is taking place in the market, and from that point of view we had to do everything at risk.

OK, all clear now! For the record, although I’ve had 5 shots of vaccine so far (4 being mRNA), I agree that it should be totally voluntary, meaning no unvaccinated person should lose his or her job. I think the speed of approval for Covid vaccines was justified in the circumstances, provided their use was strictly voluntary. However, I think some vaccines should be mandatory for children, such as for measles, which is in the news right now. By the same logic, I agree with mandatory child seats and restraints for children in cars, although I’m totally against mandatory seat belts for adults (despite the fact that even if they weren’t mandatory, I’d always fasten mine, even for a short trip).

[djayz]

AFFS! 

Now I've heard it all! 

[spidermike007]

5 hours ago, Artisi said:

I agree, herbal remedies can be and are very effective in many areas, but to even consider herbal medicine as something to combat the ingestion of minute partials being breathed in and finding their way into blood stream is such a stupid claim it is beyond words to describe. 

Now maybe the information has been completely screwed by the "journalist / translator" and what has been reported is way off what was actually said - wouldn't be the first time and certainly won't be the last, but the article as it stands is complete rubbish. 

Absolutely correct, and it could be PR on the part of this desperate administration, as they are accomplishing absolutely nothing, and they probably realize that they're failing to a dramatic extent, with virtually everything that they touch.

 

The air is a very serious issue and it needs to be addressed, but it needs to be addressed with seriousness and competence, and there's not a nanogram of any of that to be found in this current failed administration.