Rediscovering Indigenous Beliefs and Practices – Key to Good Life (Part 3) ^

Part 3 - Rediscovering Indigenous Beliefs and Practices – Key to Good Life .

What is “The Good Life” Really?

6. More medicinal plants used by old folks are being discovered.

· Mutha – Cyperus rotundus (barsanga Ilk)– a grass-like annual plants belonging to Family Cyperaceae, whose rhizomes survive the dry months to resume growth the following season. According to Salamat Dok (ABS TV program) the rhizome is dried and made into tea, a cure for stomach disorder, fresh rhizome is crushed and applied on wound.

· Sampa-sampalokan (Phyllantus niruri), a tamarind-like bush, is an effective cure of kidney trouble and in keeping HIV virus dormant. (Salamat Dok, March 19, 2006)

· Makahiya (PHOTO) is remedy for colds, cough, fever and flu. Who would believe this extremely shy plant to be a potent cure? Gather some ten fresh mature leaves of makahiya (Mimosa pudica), boil for five minute in two cups of water in clay or stainless pot. Allow the decoction to cool before drinking it. Take it twice or thrice a day.

· Bark of narra controls diabetes. Now it is being commercialized – a tablet for diabetic patients prepared from the bark of narra (Pterocarpus indicus). Actually this is an old remedy in the tropics where narra abounds. Narra belongs to Dipterocarpaceae (two winged seed), the family which constitutes the dominant trees in a tropical rainforest. Old folks simply strip off a part of the bark, boil it and drink the decoction. According to laboratory analysis narra is rich in tannin which is the active principle that controls diabetes.

· Oregano (Coleus amboinicus) is effective for sore throat and as expectorant. Simply crush the leaves, fresh or blanched, mix with fruit juice or sugar and warm water.

· Pansit-pansitan or Piperomia pellucida relieves arthritis. This annual herb appears waxy and translucent for which it got its name, pellucidus. It is shallow rooted, its stem succulent and bears alternate heart-shaped turgid leaves that are transparent and smooth as candle wax. It grows 20 to 40 cm high, often in groups, and favoring damp and shady places in some nooks in the garden and around the house. It bears tiny dot-like flowers scattered along a stalk which develop into naked and dark seeds loosely attached to it. The whole plant is prepared either as fresh or blanched salad, complete with fresh tomato, onion and a dash of salt. The more common preparation is as decoction, with appreciable amount of the plant’s stem and leaves brought to boiling. A glassful of this preparation taken daily proves effective to people who are suffering of arthritis.

· Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globules labillardiere) or bagras yields oil that smells like Vicks. To prepare a tooth drop, get some 30 fresh leaves that are mature, air dry and grind. Add ethyl alcohol one-fourth the level of the ground leaves in a glass container. The extract is now ready for use as tooth drop and can be kept for months. When someone in the family complains of toothache all you do is to apply a drop on the aching tooth or dip it in cotton and apply on the affected area.
1. for the treatment of skin diseases
2. it relieves stomachache, applied externally (tapal)
3. leaf extract essence in soap
4. fruit made into candy

7. Don’t eat too much kamias, old folks warn us.
It is because oxalic acid in kamias weakens the bones. Sinigang with kamias (Averrhoa balimbi) is a favorite dish no Filipino kitchen is without. But too much intake of kamias is not good for the health because of the oxalic acid it contains which doctors and nutritionists found to be a cause of osteoporosis. The principle is that, acids react with calcium compounds forming a neutral product – salt. In the process, the bone gets thinner and thinner predisposing it to break especially in old age. Thus, we should caution ourselves from taking too much acidic food, and in particular, kamias and balimbing (A. carambola) which belong to Family Oxalidaceae.

8. Garlic is remedy for heart burn and gas pain.

This is an old remedy I learned from my auntie when I was a kid. Anyone is predisposed to suffer of colic pain and heart burn which are usually associated with tension, indigestion, and sudden change of weather. And sufferers are of all ages. Try this folk remedy.

Roast four cloves of garlic under low heat. While still warm place them in a pair of bandage made of gauze or strip of cloth, and wrap each around the large toes with the garlic placed well below the toe nail. Allow the garlic for a couple of hours or overnight to draw out the trapped gas in the chest cavity that causes heart burn, and colic gas in the stomach and intestine. It is effective. Try it.

9. Old folks warn us of poisonous plants.
There are hundreds – probably thousands of plants that are injurious to health of humans and animals. The most classical is hemlock, the poison that killed the great Greek philosopher, Socrates. We do not have hemlock in the Philippines but there are species that are as poisonous. Here is a list of the most common poisonous plants found in gardens, parks, fields, and even wastelands.

· Tubang bakod (Jatropha curcas) – the seeds look and taste like peanut. They are extremely poisonous. It causes drastic diarrhea.

· Castor bean or tangan-tangan (Ricinus communis) – Seeds contain one of the most poisonous substances in nature – ricinin. This is the reason castor oil purgative is no longer recommended. Purified ricinin is reportedly used in the manufacture of lethal weapons.

· Priwinkle or chichirica (Catharanthus roseus) – While it is refuted for its curative power for cancer and diabetes, it causes abortion, and reportedly the cause of death of grazing cattle.

· Oleander or Adelfa (Nerium oleander) PHOTO – The bark and leaves are poisonous. The poison consists of glucosides allied to digitalin sometimes referred to as oleandrin, rosaginin, neriin, oleander-digitalein, which act on the heart and even in quite small amounts may cause death. There are cases children choke after putting into their mouth the stem or any part of the plant. The poison causes muscle paralysis.

· Kamagsa-tagalis (Rourea erecta), also known as palo santo (Spanish) or gikos-gikos – The wood of the root is pounded, boiled, and mixed with the food of dogs in order to kill them. The fruit contain an active poison, a glucoside. It cannot be explained why the poison does not affect herbivores like guinea pig, but is effective on carnivores.

· Derris (Derris eliptica) – The roots contain an active principle known as rotenone, with a formula C23H22O6, a potent insecticide, which also kills fish and animals, including grazing cattle. According to Dr. W.H. Brown, Derris roots have been long associated with suicidal and murder cases.

· Cassava (Manihot esculenta) – Hydrocyanic acid resides in the bark of the tuber or enlarged root, so that it is important to remove the bark before cooking. And when cooking, remove the pot cover to allow the poison to escape as cyanogas.

· Patani (Phaseolus lunatus) – When I was a farmhand I witnessed a case of goat poisoning after the stray animal had ingested leaves of this legume whose seed is rich in carbohydrate and protein. The belly was greatly distended, and while the animal was agonizing, the owner had it slaughtered. In my research I did not encounter any poisonous substance in Phaseolus. Could it be a case of overeating or allergic reaction?

Can you recall the ending of the movie, Blue Lagoon, after the couple and their son had eaten a kind of poisonous berries? Here is the then rule when you are not sure of the plant - or anything that appeals to you as food. Do not eat it. This is especially true with mushrooms. There is no antidote of poisonous Amanita.

10. Malunggay is the most popular backyard vegetable in the tropics.
In the province no home is without this small tree at the backyard or in a vacant lot. The leaves, flowers, juvenile pods and young fruits of Moringa oleifera (Family Moringaceae) go well with fish, meat, shrimp, mushroom, and the like. It is one plant that does not need agronomic attention, not even weeding and fertilization, much less chemical spraying. You simply plant an arms length cutting or two, in some corner or along the fence and there it grows into a tree that can give you a ready supply of vegetables year round. What nutrients do we get from malunggay?

Here is a comparison of the food value of the fresh leaves and young fruits, respectively, in percent. (Marañon and Hermano, Useful Plants of the Philippines)

· Proteins 7.30 7.29
· Carbohydrates 11.04 2.61
· Fats 1.10 0.16
· Crude Fiber 1.75 0.76
· Phosphorus (P2 O 5) 0.24 0.19
· Calcium (CaO) 0.72 0.01
· Iron (Fe2O3) 0.108 0.0005

Owing to these properties and other uses, rural folks regard malunggay a “miracle tree.” Take for example the following uses.

· The root has a taste somewhat like that of horse-radish, and in India it is eaten as a substitute to it.
· Ben oil extracted from the seed is used for salad and culinary purposes, and also as illuminant. Mature seeds have antibacterial and flocculants properties that render drinking water safe and clear.

From these data, it is no wonder malunggay is highly recommended by doctors and nutritionists for both children and adults, particularly to nursing mothers and the convalescents.

11. This is how old folks make patis and bagoong at home.

Before these indigenous products became commercialized, rural households had been making their own supply following this simple procedure.

·         Wash fish or alamang in clean water.

·         For every three  cups of fish (e.g. anchovies or munamon), add one cup of salt and mix well.

·         Place fish and salt mixture in earthenware (banga or burnay) or glass container.

·         Cover container tightly with muslin cloth and banana leaves to keep away flies and other insects.

·         Let the setup stand for at least a month; better still after a year to develop its aroma and flavor.

Seasoned bagoong yields a clear golden layer of patis on top. If the patis layer is at the middle or bottom it means the bagoong is not yet mature, or it must have been diluted with water.

12. Homemade salted eggs, anyone?
Making salted eggs is a very old technology, and most likely originated in China.
Here is an easy-to-follow procedure, the old folks’ way.

· Mix 12 cups of clay and 4 cups of salt, adding water gradually until they are well blended.
· Apply a layer of this mixture at the bottom of a palayok or banga.
· Coat each egg with the mixture.
· Arrange the coated eggs in layers, giving a space of 3 to 5 cm in between them.
· Add the extra mixture of clay and salt on top, cover the container with banana leaves, and keep the setup in a safe and cool place.
· Try one egg after 15 days by cooking below boiling point for 15 minutes. If not salty enough, extend storing period.
· Color eggs if desired.

Salted eggs plus fresh ripe tomato and onions makes a wholesome viand. It goes well with any meal.

13. Some old folks prefer red chicken meat.
Chicken meat is always known as white meat. But some people like it red. This is what old folks do it. Hold the head of the chicken with one hand, and the other hand at the base of the neck. With one quick twist detach the skull from the first vertebral bone (atlas). The chicken is instantly killed without struggle. The blood is not drained - unlike in conventional dressing – which explains the red meat of the chicken.

14. Mango jam for home and business, too.
When it is peak season for mango, a lot of this farm resource goes to waste. Don’t allow this to happen. Mango makes a perfect jam for snacks and dessert. Try this easy-to-follow procedure.

· Wash mangoes thoroughly in running water.
· Cut into halves, scoop out pulp and pass through a coarse sieve.
· Measure pulp and add sugar.
· For every two cups of mango pulp, add one cup of sugar.
· Cook in a heavy aluminum pan. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon 

   until thick enough to be spooned out.
· Pack in warm sterilized jars while hot and seal immediately.

It is a practice to make the inferior fruits into jam. Well, as long as they are well ripe, fresh and clean. A word of caution though - just a single overripe fruit mixed inadvertently is enough to spoil the wholesome taste of the jam. Also, use stainless knife and pan to prevent discoloration of the product.

This formula is applicable for other fruits like pineapple, papaya, chico, tiesa and the like

15. To clean hito, dalag (PHOTO) and the like, use vinegar and salt to immobilize them.

It is indeed a problem on how to kill dalag (mudfish or snakehead) and hito (catfish) when preparing them for our favorite recipe. It is a common practice to strike them on the head with a blunt object. But they don’t easily die this way, and quite often, especially for the catfish, the dying creature puts up a fight with its dangerous sharp lateral fins. The mudfish simply gathers its last strength for a final leap and may hit us on the face.

But not when vinegar with salt is poured on them. They simply writhe and soon succumb, making it easier to clean and cut them. But first, rub them with stove ash to remove the slimy substance secreted by their skin.

16. How do we know an egg is fresh?
Immerse egg in water. If it lies on its side (horizontal) it is fresh. An old egg has larger air space at its rear end so that its tendency is to tilt vertically. An egg that floats is spoiled. Another method is candling, that is to “look through the egg” against bright light – or a lighted candle in the dark, for which the term was derived. A trained eye can tell the stage of incubation of an egg – or if the egg is unfertile (bugok).

By the way, old folk prefer brown eggs over white eggs. Brown eggs come from native fowls that subsist mainly on farm products. They are very resistant to the elements and diseases that they simply grow on the range. White eggs on the other hand, come from commercial poultry farms and are highly dependent on antibiotics and formulated feeds. Another advantage of brown eggs is that they have thicker shells. Besides, their yolk is brighter yellow as compared to that of white eggs.

Since the introduction of genetically modified organisms (GMO), among them genetically engineered chicken, many people are now avoiding the consumption of white eggs, more so the GE fowls themselves. Preference to natural and organically grown food is gaining popularity worldwide. It is because many ailments, from allergy to cancer, are traced to the kinds of food we eat. Many kinds of allergies have evolved from genetically engineered food, for which they have gained the reputation of Frankenfood, after the novel, Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, published in 1818.

17. Try this ancestral menu - stone soup. (PHOTO)

Sometimes this is called “poor man’s delicacy.” Along the pristine shallow shores of the sea, lakes and rivers, you will find stones coated with living algae. Along coral reefs the algae growing on these stones are mainly Enteromorpha, and a host of juvenile seaweeds, while those in freshwater the dominant algae are Chlorella and Nostoc, all commonly called lumot. These are edible species listed in books in phycology, the study of algae.

Now there are two ways old folks prepare the soup from these algae-rich stones. The stones are roasted under low fire to bring out the aroma, and then dropped simmering in a waiting bowl of water complete with tomato, onion and a dash of salt. The other method follows the traditional way of cooking of broth, with the addition of vegetables - and even fish or meat. The recipe is rich in calcium because of the calcareous nature of the stones, especially those gathered in coral reefs.

18. Bignay (Antidesma bunius), a wild food plant is now endangered.
It used to be that bignay or bugnay (Ilk) grew extensively in forests, thickets, wastelands, field borders and in backyards. You seldom find it anymore, and this means it is an endangered species. It joins today the rank of dozens of plants that are now rare, and are likely to vanish forever - if we don’t act to conserve them.

A member of Family Euphorbiaceae, bignay – unlike its relatives, cassava, soro-soro, and castor bean - is a small tree whose fruits are in tight clusters along a common peduncle, red to purple when ripe. In the province the fruits are directly eaten, made into jam or marmalade, or fermented into wine. They are rich in carbohydrates (2%), protein (0.75%), calcium (CaO 0.12%), phosphorus (P2O3 0.04%), with a fair amount of iron (Fe203 0.0001%). The ripe fruits are boiled and made into decoction for diabetic patients, while the young leaves are eaten with rice, which is now a rare practice even in remote areas. Caution should be exercised not to use the bark for medicine because it contains alkaloid, a poisonous substance.

Bignay is a typical case of an uncultivated plant whose importance appears to be no longer appreciated. Plants of this category are gradually eliminated in favor of those that are deemed more useful, this being the reason of their endangered status. Such plants include sapote, anahao, kamagong, and batocanag, which were once good sources of food and medicine for our ancestors, especially in difficult times. That is why they are also called famine food plants. Is it not time to give importance to these plants given the present tight economic situation we are experiencing?

19. Never handle a bolo or any metallic thing when there is a storm; lightning might strike you. Metals are good conductors of electricity, and may serve as lightning rod.

20. Lightning doesn’t strike twice on the same place.
Yes, unless of course, if it is a lightning rod intended to protect high rise buildings and towers. Otherwise, lightning occurs but once on the same spot, but not necessarily the same area though. Lightning has no standard pattern, but we know when it occurs and strikes most, and the subjects and materials that attract it. Follow this guide during thunderstorm.

1. Don’t seek shelter under isolated trees.
2. Stop playing golf; the club may serve as lightning rod.
3. Keep away from transmission lines and electric posts.
4. Pull off the main switch to protect appliances.
5. Don’t walk in the rain or wade in water.
6. Keep away from large animals, especially the carabao.
7. Stay at home. Or stay inside the car if you are traveling.

Take precaution but don’t be alarmed. The chance of being harmed is very slight; if you compare the tiny number of people killed in a year with the fact that round the earth nearly two thousand thunderstorms are going on at every moment.

21. When walking through a forest, wear a reverse mask, to ward off tiger or lion attack.
This may not apply in the Philippines because we have don’t have tigers and lions. But in some parts of Asia and Africa, there are cases of people attacked from behind by these ferocious animals. Reversed mask makes the fellow appear always on the watch. But recently, these animals could no longer be deceived. Either they have become bolder, or it is simply a case of poor art.

22. The distance one has walked is determined by his pace factor.

The idea is to count the number of steps you make and multiply it with your pace factor, which is determined by this simple method.

On a concrete pavement, take ten steps at normal stride, marking the starting point and last step.  Measure and record the distance you made with a meter stick or tape. This is Trial 1.  Now repeat the same procedure for Trials 2, 3 and 4.   This formula will give you your pace factor.

                                    Trials 1+ 2 + 3 +4

       Pace Factor (m) =    --------------------- divided by 10  

                                           4              

By knowing your pace factor, all you need to do is to jot down the total steps you made for a certain distance and multiply it with your pace factor (distance in kilometers). One thing though to remember is that, the topography, kind of road surface, and kind of shoes you wear are likely to affect your pace factor.  It is then necessary to re-compute it as the condition requires.

23. Rice is the best substitute for wheat flour.

Of all alternative flour products that are potential substitutes for wheat flour, it is rice flour that is acclaimed to be the best for the following reasons:
· Rice has many indigenous uses from suman to bihon (local noodle), aside from its being a staple food of Filipinos and most Asians.
· In making leavened products, rice can be compared with wheat, with today’s leavening agents and techniques.
· Rice is more digestible than wheat. Gluten in wheat is hard to digest and can cause a degenerative disease which is common to Americans and Europeans.
· Rice is affordable and available everywhere, principally on the farm and in households.

Other alternative flour substitutes are those from native crops which are made into various preparations - corn starch (maja), ube (halaya), gabi (binagol), and tugui’ (ginatan), cassava (cassava cake and sago).

Lastly, the local rice industry is the mainstay of our agriculture. Patronizing it is the greatest incentive to production and it saves the country of precious dollar that would otherwise be spent on imported wheat.

24. What to do when an ant has entered into the ear?

When an insect, say an ant, has entered your ear, immediately plug the other ear. Tilt your head until it is on a perpendicular level with the affected ear upward. Keep still. The insect, sensing the pressure built up by plugging the other ear, crawls out to the open.
Do not pour oil or use cotton bud. If the technique fails, seek medical help immediately.

25. Folk wisdom may be used by someone to outwit another.

Wa-is, coming from the word wise, is the local parlance to describe a person who puts one over his fellowmen. It is taking advantage of others of their situation, ignorance or weaknesses (lamangan). Here are common cases.

· It is the culled piglets (bansot) that are made into lechon. The robust ones are grown for meat.
· Broken and inferior peanut is ground into peanut butter. It is high in aflatoxin. Healthy nuts are sold whole peanut.
· Coffee is adulterated with ipil-ipil (Leucaena glauca) seeds. The seeds contain mimosin that retards growth and causes baldness.
· Papaya seeds are mixed with black pepper. They look similar.
· Inferior quality fruits such as strawberry, orange and mango are made into jam and puree.
· Ordinary milkfish (bangos) is passed on as prized Bonoan bangus from Dagupan. The lower tail of Bonoan bangos is shorter than the other tail.
· Unscrupulous traders add water and salt to bagoong and patis to increase their volume.
· Premium grade fruits are arranged on top of kaing (basket); inside are of inferior grade.
· Ordinary rice is mixed with premium rice, and passed on as premium grade.
· Cabbage grown on the lowlands of Ilocos is brought up to Baguio and passed on as Baguio cabbage which commands a higher price.
· Before a large animal like cow is sold to the auction market it is first bathed with patis to make its body to swell and appear fat. This is a malpractice observed in Padre Garcia, Batangas, the biggest animal auction market in the Philippines.
· Tomatoes are forced to ripe when price is high, This is done by uprooting the whole plant laden with fruits and hang it upside down until all the fruits, including the immature ones, are ripe.

These and many more bad practices attest to the negative traits of some Filipinos - and other nationalities for that matter. It is by knowing these bad practices that folk wisdom should be able to expose in order to warn the people to avoid them.

References

1. Ad Veritatem (Multi-Disciplinary Research Journal of the University of Santo Tomas

    Graduate School) Vol 5 No 2 and 3
2. Flora and Fauna of the Philippines, 20 volumes, DENR,1985
3. The Living with Nature Handbook, A.V. Rotor, 2003
4. Light from the Old Arch, AV Rotor, UST Publishing, 2001
5. Time-Life Illustrated World of Science Series, 13 volumes, 1995
6. Useful Plants of the Philippines (3 volumes), William H. Brown Bu of Printing 1937
7. The Mother Earth Handbook, Edith Scherff, 1991
8. Marvels and Mysteries of Our Animal World, Reader’s Digest, 1964
9. Salamat Dok (ABS-CBN TV program, 6-7 am Sat and Sun) 2006
10. Living Asia (TV program) 2006