Traditional Thai medical "superstitions"?

[partington]

Flu is a virus, no cold things is also told in Europe and has no base at all. Obviously you shouldn't stress the body with drinking 1 liter ice cold water in 30 seconds.....

From no sweets: never heard that....my Thai wife even recommends sweet things when sick....In Europe I never heard positive or negative things on sweet things when having the flu.

A virus likes sugar. When a person has cancer most MDs in the USA advise the patient not to eat sugar. Ice water is a shock to the system and health nuts all over the world say not to drink anything too hot or too cold. I take it all with a grain of salt (ha ha) and do what the heck I want that makes me feel better at the moment.

Cancer isn't caused by a virus, it's abnormal cell division. When I had cancer I saw a dozen doctors, none of whom ever said anything about sugar.

The other common misconception is that cancer cells can't live in an alkaline body, so avoid eating acidic food. Complete nonsense.

Just to point out, you are only partially right here. Cancer is caused by abnormal cell division, but in some cancers the abnormal cell division is caused by viral infection.

This is why there is now a vaccine against cervical cancer, which is caused by a papilloma virus.

You are right about sugar and cancer , and alkali and cancer- the statement that doctors advise people with cancer to avoid sugar is just one of those crazed fabrications that all health discussions on the internet are subject to.

[bangon04]

Traditional Thai medicine is based on element theory, which is found in traditional medicine the world over. It's found in ancient Mayan medicine, ancient Greek medicine, ancient Indian medicine, ancient Chinese medicine, Tibetan, and Thai. Each system is somewhat differernt, but they are all based on the same concepts. When used by someone who has put serious study into learning the medicine, all of these systems can work quite well. They are complicated and detailed medical systems, just as western biomedicine is. Trying to understand western biomedicine in a forum post, if it was completely new to you, would be impossilbe. Same goes for the traditional medical systems, although I appreciate that you asked.

If you want to understand the specific area of Thai medicine that your question relates to, I suggest you get the book Thai Herbal Medicine, coming out in April http://www.amazon.com/Thai-Herbal-Medicine-Traditional-Recipes/dp/1844096270/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1392256132&sr=8-1&keywords=thai+herbal+medicine

There isn't a lot written about Thai medicine in English, and of that that has been written much is inaccruate, however there is a huge volumne of English language books about Ayurvedic medicine, which employs many of the same concepts. So if you want further reading you might look in that direction.

I'm here in Thailand researching traditional medicine, and can say that like ALL medcal systems, it has areas that it shines in, and areas where it doesn't. That perscrpition for what to avoid when you have the flu isn't a cure - those saying that there is no cure for the flu once it has lodged itself in the body, are correct - but it is sound advice for helping your body to stay strong while dealing with the flu. However, the advice about cold and sweet are blanket statements, which isn't how traditional Thai medicine really works. It's the kind of thing that people who are not doctors (traditional or otherwise) say. A true traditional medicine practitioner works with the individual. So how the flu is manifesting in YOUR body, will change the perscription. If you are suffering from fever for example, you will be given different advice than if you are suffering from upper respiratory mucous. Layman's medicine is quite different than working with a true traditional medicine doctor.

How much of "Thai" traditional medicine is really Chinese traditional medicine ?

[glegolo]

wym

Posted Yesterday, 22:18

I've always scoffed at Thais telling me that people with the flu shouldn't consume cold things or sweets.

I presume there hasn't been any research to back such beliefs up, but with the increasing credibility of traditional eastern systems of medicine, and my growing realization of the intellectual bankruptcy of the "modern medicine" research system, I'm now having second thoughts.

First, are there other such beliefs posters here are aware of? That in itself would be interesting.

But more importantly, does anyone from western culture have any awareness of the truth of such "superstitions"? With or without sources is fine, but that would be icing on the cake. . .

And I realize most foreigners here think such beliefs are rubbish, the Thai are silly etc so no need to express those sorts of thoughts, taken as given 8-)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yes have noticed that thai´s more or less refuse to i.e. eat icecream to get the fever down or ease the pain in the trouth.. I remember that when I was young in Sweden,,

my mothger always took a stocking around my neck to keep me warm..... The fever went up of course... But that was the way to deal with it.

Later on during the late 60:ies they discovered that it is more or less idiotic to keep it warm and let the bacterias grow like maniacs in our body... Thai people have not yet come that far

and stick to the old medicine so far...... I will continue with my icecream and if my thaifamily refuse they can do...... up to them... but stupid of course...

Glegolo

[Sheryl]

Please stay on topic and refrain from debates about the benefits of western medicine vs. "alternative" medicine etc etc.

The topic is Thai superstitions regarding health/medicine. Most of which to me don't seem all that different from common folk beliefs in western countries. (Note that there is a difference between Thai Traditional medicine and simple folk beliefs).

[kriswillems]

I think it all comes down to autosuggestion. If you believe it works, you'll feel better. We have it in Europe too.

Not very harmful if you ask me, as long as you take your medicines.

[transam]

Please stay on topic and refrain from debates about the benefits of western medicine vs. "alternative" medicine etc etc.

The topic is Thai superstitions regarding health/medicine. Most of which to me don't seem all that different from common folk beliefs in western countries. (Note that there is a difference between Thai Traditional medicine and simple folk beliefs).

My wife's son's school doctor told the boy he would have a heart attack and cancer, how did the doc know, he looked at his finger nails............

[h90]

Flu is a virus, no cold things is also told in Europe and has no base at all. Obviously you shouldn't stress the body with drinking 1 liter ice cold water in 30 seconds.....

From no sweets: never heard that....my Thai wife even recommends sweet things when sick....In Europe I never heard positive or negative things on sweet things when having the flu.

A virus likes sugar. When a person has cancer most MDs in the USA advise the patient not to eat sugar. Ice water is a shock to the system and health nuts all over the world say not to drink anything too hot or too cold. I take it all with a grain of salt (ha ha) and do what the heck I want that makes me feel better at the moment.

A virus is a dead object....it has no metabolism.....but possible that fluctuating blood sugar levels have some negative impact. But I guess it depends on the amount you eat....like everything.

Some docs even recommend ice cream when have throat problems. As the cold reduces the pain. I actually love to eat ice or hot red wine when sick....but most probably it is just for distraction. I doubt it has any effect...positive or negative.

[h90]

Please stay on topic and refrain from debates about the benefits of western medicine vs. "alternative" medicine etc etc.

The topic is Thai superstitions regarding health/medicine. Most of which to me don't seem all that different from common folk beliefs in western countries. (Note that there is a difference between Thai Traditional medicine and simple folk beliefs).

My wife's son's school doctor told the boy he would have a heart attack and cancer, how did the doc know, he looked at his finger nails............

Well school docs.....Everywhere these are the docs who can't make money with customer who have a choice....

[smileydude]

Some common thai medical superstitions:

eating too much longan will give you apthous sores

drinking coconut juice when pregnant is unhealthy

herpes zoster can be relieved by incense smoke blown on it

holy water can of cure most ailments

Edited February 13, 2014 by smileydude

[Sheryl]

Flu is a virus, no cold things is also told in Europe and has no base at all. Obviously you shouldn't stress the body with drinking 1 liter ice cold water in 30 seconds.....

From no sweets: never heard that....my Thai wife even recommends sweet things when sick....In Europe I never heard positive or negative things on sweet things when having the flu.

A virus likes sugar. When a person has cancer most MDs in the USA advise the patient not to eat sugar. Ice water is a shock to the system and health nuts all over the world say not to drink anything too hot or too cold. I take it all with a grain of salt (ha ha) and do what the heck I want that makes me feel better at the moment.

A virus is a dead object....it has no metabolism.....but possible that fluctuating blood sugar levels have some negative impact. But I guess it depends on the amount you eat....like everything.

Some docs even recommend ice cream when have throat problems. As the cold reduces the pain. I actually love to eat ice or hot red wine when sick....but most probably it is just for distraction. I doubt it has any effect...positive or negative.

Viruses are very much alive and certainly have metabolism.

But there is indeed no evidence that eating cold things has any effect on them one way or the other.

[edwinchester]

Couple of years ago I tore some elbow ligaments which was a pain to say the least. The pain lessened but I had no strength and very restricted movement.

After a couple of months wifey took me to a local doctor. Turned out she was a local faith healer of some sort who took a long swig of some oily concoction laced with some foul smelling herbs and literally gobbed it all over my elbow before massaging it in.

It didn't work.

After another month and failed visits to doctors I tried accupuncture on the recomendation of a friend. Near instant recovery. I was gobsmacked to be honest.

[mrowe1973]

The reason you get a fever from the flue is because your body is trying to kill the virus with high temperatures. I don't think staying away from cold things will effect the virus, but it would drop your temperature a bit. Maybe that's the reason for the belief. Anyways, some Thais think their illness is directly related to a sprit and if you make merit the sprit will go awAy. I'd rather be on the receiving end of this system then the giving end.

Yeah, and they like to go to the fortune tellers if they feel their lives have hit rock bottom. They also like to go to the witch doctor to ask for love spells/portions to attract their mate. Some of you might be under your wife/GF love spells, 555. Why do some bar girls have many sponsors?

If you look at the quality of the sponsor you'll know why some girls have so many.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app