Cultural Aspect in Medicine 2 : do you eat petai?

The Republic of Indonesia, with 300 ethnic groups speaking 350 languages which spread over the 17,000 islands, is located between Asia and Australia. There are five major islands: Sumatra, Java, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, and Irian Jaya or Papua bordering with Papua New Guinea. Two remaining groups of islands are Maluku and Nusa Tenggara, running from Sulawesi to Papua in the north and from Bali to Timor in the south. Other islands are small and mostly uninhabited. More than 80 percent of Indonesia’s territory is covered with water world,

The large number of islands and their dispersion over a wide area has given rise to a diverse culture and hundreds of ethnic groups, each with its own language, though the national language, Bahasa Indonesia, is a unifying factor.

Cultural background influences patients’ interpretation of illness, health, health care, and the manner in which they relate to medical care providers, and the own cultural background influences the way for interpreting the patients disease and treatment. In order to incorporate the patients’ perspective into the care provide, doctors need to appreciate the patient’s view of and approach t medical care.


Why we do care about patient perspective in illness? because it may have an influence on the choice of coping strategies and decision making. Usually, elderly hate to go to hospital, because what in their mind is they will be injected with huge syringe. Some will concern more about side effects and more believe in natural remedies. 

There is some research by Dr.Aminuddin AHK Dept.of Physiology from Medical faculty of UKM Kuala Lumpur about Petai. From the research, petai really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrates, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around. So maybe its time to change that well-known phrase so that we say , 'A Petai a day keeps the doctor away'. It has been proven by a research. How about your perspective in it, dare to eat petai??

shrimp, petai and nyum nyum...

Alternative medicine
Alternative medicine is a term given to approaches that differ from more mainstream and conventional medical practices. Most often you will hear conventional medical practices referred to as Western Medicine. Alternative medicine, on the other hand, is a fairly broad umbrella term which covers many different methods of treatment such as acupuncture, homeopathy, Chinese herbal medicine, and Ayurvedic.

The main difference between so-called alternative medicine and conventional medicine is that the latter is too concerned with treating the symptoms of disease by scientific techniques and technology instead of treating the whole person and the cause of disease. On the other hand, alternative medicine puts much emphasis upon the prevention of disease , and seeks to treat the whole person so as to strengthen the immune system to bring about a sustained healing.

Yet, many ancient practices as Chinese, water treatment, herbal remedies, massage and Ayurveda (Indian medicine believed to be the oldest and most complete medical system) are still being practised with great results; and, in recent times, other systems also based upon the ancient forms of natural healing have emerged. These include such therapies as homeopathy, osteopathy, chiropractic, aromatherapy, nutritional medicine, naturopathic, and many other natural therapies that have proved to support the natural healing function of the body with excellent results.


Medicine in my perspective

For me, I wanna know what cause me to have a disease. Sometimes if you feel something goes wrong with your body, and then go to see a doctor, and they just prescribe you a symptomatic medicine. After waiting for couple of hours, and only see patients for only not more than 5 minutes, and some not even actively listening what  patients said, for me, its better to just buy medicine in pharmacy. Sometimes doctor will prescribe many drugs and when I checked it with MIMS or www.drugs.com, it actually to be prescribed in severe disease. 

Its better for a doctor to have a good communication with patients, because when patient trust in us, believe in what we prescribe, feel comfortable to talk with us, it can relief or cure a disease. One story that I heard from my friends, she told that an old woman having a diarrhea then she consumed drugs but it doesn't work, but then when she consumed herbs and leaves, she feel better. For us who studying medicine and knows the pathophysiology, the onset of drugs, how it interact with our body, so it is ok. But how with people who doesn't learn about this. They will think otherwise...

The essence in medical practice is relationship between doctor-patient


Medical practice is performed based on patient’s-doctor’s mutual belief and agreement.

Which one to choose?? It is all about your believe ~

Refferences:
1. http://www.alternativemedicinefirst.com/
2. utcc2.­utcc.­ac.­th/­amsar/­PDF/­Documents49/­Thai_Doctor_and_­Foreign_Patients­_Communication_d­uring_the_Medica­l_Care.­pdf