"YOU can find cures for almost all illnesses in nature, in fruits and in vegetables." Reverend Father Jacob Gnalian says. For Filipinos who have been relying on costly medical treatments and modern methodology, this statement might baffle them. Normally, people go to the nearest drugstore to buy medicines, painkillers and vitamins, or rush to the most sophisticated hospital when they get sick. But Father Jacob–donning a priest’s alb and not a white coat–is an authority in a medical practice that has proven to be effective for more than 5,000 years: Ayurveda. From Sanskrit, Ayurveda translates to "the science of life." Founded in India, Ayurveda became known in the South Asian region, and outlasts the evolution of medical practice for 50 centuries now. As a non-invasive, holistic approach that enables people to live a full, healthy and well-balanced life, Ayurveda might just be the perfect discipline that people should try to live by. More importantly, Ayurveda goes hand-in-hand with a clean lifestyle, which is something that the people should learn to practice."Aside from the healing process, I also teach patients how to eat and what to eat," Father Jacob said. "That is why we also offer cooking lessons here in our Sandhi Ayurveda Clinic/ Panchakarma Center, and we use all-natural flavoring too." As the sole practitioner of Ayurveda in the Philippines, Father Jacob believes that the method can serve as an inexpensive "healthcare program" for the Filipinos. "People generally want everything in an instant," Father Jacob o b s e r v e d . "From instant food to instant cof f e e–eve rything must be "instant", and that is not healthy. People should think of the right thing to do, the right things to eat–and they will live a long and healthy life. Here in Ayurveda we will teach them all about that kind of healthcare."A native of the state Kerala in southwest India, Father Jacob was assigned to the Philippines for his parish work back in 1984. It was also then that he perfected his knowledge on Ayurveda by furthering his studies in theology and philosophy. He also fulfilled a master’s degree in oriental religions and cultures from the only pontifical and catholic university in the Philippines, the University of Santo Tomas. "In Ayurveda we treat the root cause and not just the symptom," Father Jacob explained. "For example, you are experiencing a headache. A headache is not a sickness, but a symptom. So instead of suggesting pain killers for you to take, we look at the root cause of this symptom, and that is what we cure." The patients who visit Father Jacob’s wellness center in Mandaluyong have to go through an extensive consultation. The priest-doctor asks a series of questions that will take an hour or more in order for him to give a "personalized" treatment process.
Source:Malaya, PHILIPPINES
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