Dengue Fever Remedy.

A friend, Chuah Peizhi, emailed the information below to me, asking me to spread the news. Well, what better way to do it than to put it here where my friends and others coming into this blog may benefit from it. So, here goes:

I would like to share this interesting discovery from a classmate's son who has just recovered from dengue fever. Apparently, his son was in the critical stage at the ICU when his blood platelet count dropped to 15 after 15 liters of blood transfusion.

His father was so worried that he seeked another friend's recommendation and his son was saved. He confessed to me that he gave his son the raw juice of the papaya leaves. From a platelet count of 45 after 20 liters of blood transfusion, and after drinking the raw papaya leaf juice, his platelet count jumped instantly to 135. Even the doctors and nurses were surprised. After the second day he was discharged. So he asked me to pass this good news around.

Accordingly, it is raw papaya leaves, 2 pieces just cleaned, pounded and squeezed with a filtering cloth. You will only get one tablespoon per leaf. So two tablespoons per serving once a day. Do not boil or cook or rinse with hot water as it will loose its strength. Only the leafy part, and no stem or sap. It is very bitter and you have to swallow it like "Won Low Kat". (The name of a Chinese herbal drink.) But it works.

*Papaya Juice - Cure for Dengue*

You may have heard this elsewhere but if not I am glad to inform you that papaya juice is a natural cure for dengue fever. As dengue fever is rampant now, I think it's good to share this with all.

A friend of mine had dengue last year. It was a very serious situation for her as her platelet count had dropped to 28,000 after 3 days in hospital and water had started to fill up her lungs. She had difficulty in breathing. She was only 32 years old. The doctor said that there was no cure for dengue. We just have to wait for her body immune system to build up resistance against dengue and fight its own battle. She already had 2 blood transfusion and all of us were praying very hard as her platelet continued to drop since the first day she was admitted.

Fortunately her mother-in-law heard that papaya juice would help to reduce the fever and got some papaya leaves, pounded them and squeeze the juice out for her. The next day, her platelet count started to increase, her fever subsided. We continued to feed her with papaya juice and she recovered after 3 days!!!

Amazing but it is true. It is believed one's body would be overheated when one is down with dengue and that would also cause the patient to have fever. Papaya juice has a cooling effect. Thus, it helps to reduce the level of heat in one's body, and the fever will go away. I found that it is also good when one is having sore throat or suffering from heat.

Please spread the news about this as lately there are many dengue cases. It's great if such natural cure could help to ease the suffering of dengue patients.

Furthermore it's so easily available.
Blend them and squeeze the juice! It's simple and miraculously effective!!

He does not listen to me anymore.

The adolescent child has found independence. Still, there are many things in life he is naïve about. He still needs guidance. Yet, some adolescence no longer wants to inform the parents where he or she wishes to go. Such children are closer to their friends than their parents.

These children are possibly the result of insufficient bonding with the parents. They could be those who did not receive sufficient attention. Perhaps, they perceive their parents do not love them anymore.

Now, their friends are closer to them and provide them with enough attention to have them prefer their company.

Let us forget about those lost opportunities to have a close relationship with them. That is over. Let us think of how we can remedy the situation.

The parenting part is almost over. The bird has grown feathers and is able to fly. We should be glad. So, there should be no scolding or parental instructions or teaching. We should act as concerned adults and friends to our adolescent children.

First,we ought to indicate we want them to be happy. “Enjoy yourself!” and “Is there enough petrol in the car? Here, you may need some money to fill the tank.” Of course, do not just push money to them, only when necessary. We are not buying love!Money cannot buy love.

And should he return earlier, ask him what happened. Show our happiness to see him back. “Oh! It’s good to have you back so early. Have you taken your supper? No, do you want me to prepare something for you. No? Come, I prepare all of us a cup of milo.” Show our love, but do not push it. It takes time to get back the acceptance of our concern.

Make him feel he is a member of the family. Discuss things like trips and decisions to change the furniture or anything else.

Joke with him. Talk about his interests. Encourage him by taking an interest in whatever he purchases.

All such actions lead to a closer relationship, a better understanding and an acceptance that the adolescence is an individual with thoughts, attitudes, behavior, interests and life of his or her own.

However, we must always have patience with children we feel they have been left out; who feels that we have not been looking into their welfare; who think we have not listened or paid attention to his/her needs.

In time, the adolescent; upon being allowed to grow his/her own way, no longer feels his or her freedom and independence threatened; can once again become closer again and confide in the parents; think of and perhaps accept ideas and opinions of the parents.

Your big child merely needs room to grow as an individual.

Independence Day.

I remember a time when this neighbour came rushing to tell his wife that their son just phoned to inform that their daughter-in-law was on the point of conceiving. Their son was asking for help, requesting them to go to him, to tell him what to do next.

Although I said not a word, I was suppressing my laughter, finding it ridiculous that a grown married man would need the parents’ help in a matter which is so simple.

How many parents can say that their children truly feel competent and secure enough to venture out on their own? Have the parents given their children the opportunity to learn and understand their family, social and environmental world? Have the children been given the chance to function as individuals in their world?

As parents, we ought to ensure our children learn and understand sufficiently to perform on their own, without us to lend a helping hand.

When a child helps in the kitchen, he/she may be just enjoying the experience of knowing how food is prepared and cooked. Then, he/she may be given the chance to try his/her hand at cooking. Imagine the feeling of achievement we can give a child when he/she is able to produce a meal all on his/her own! This sense of accomplishment is important; this feeling of usefulness as a person brings self-esteem; this experience gives your child the knowledge that he or she can be independent.

However, parents are sometimes too protective. We are afraid our child will be hurt or that it is too early to let go.

Of course, it is good and responsible for parents to be protective. Nevertheless, we have to teach, allow practices and then give opportunities to achieve independence.

Certainly, allowing a child to venture out on his/her own can cause the parents lots of anxiety. And it is rightly so! Thus, the first step would be to accompany our child to places outside the home. As we do so, tell our child about the surroundings, what possible things can happen, tell about vehicles, dangers while crossing the roads, looking left and right and how accidents can happen. Teach our child about the various types of people he/she may encounter, how to react to such people and how to avoid possible problems. Then, as our child becomes streetwise, we allow our child to venture forth with siblings or some known friends; we observe discreetly from a distance, and when incidents occur in and around the area, teach our child what can possibly happen through talking about such happenings.

Use the incidents for illustration. As I had said before, the whole world is our classroom filled with audio visual aids to help our child know and understand everything well. In this way, we cultivate a sense of capability and competency in our child.

With such knowledge, training and practice, competency gradually develops. The security derived from understanding of the environment and the courage to function independently will be the end result.

Thus, in years to come, we can proudly see our success as parents in our children’s ability to perform well which can only be possible when they are confident enough to be independent.

Then, rejoice for we have achieved the ultimate goal of all parents.

We all need it!

You can only talk when there is some listening, right? Otherwise, you must be wrong somewhere in the head. You would not be striving hard for good grades in a certificate unless you know someone is going to look at it someday. We would not be choosing suitable, beautiful clothes if we do not want others to see us in them. We comb our hair in a certain fashion; we colour our lips strikingly red; we wear all kinds of jewellery and ornaments just to make ourselves attractive so that others will pay attention to us.

You have got it! We need attention! So does our children. Many of the tantrums children throw are messages to parents to heed them and their needs.

I know a child who would throw a tantrum each time his younger brother took his toys to play. Since this elder son has a lot of toys to play with, why does he exhibit such a behavior? Actually, it is a message to the parents. He feels he has been neglected since the arrival of the younger child. Almost all attention has been given to the younger one. So, the only way to attract the parents to himself is to make some noise. The fact is each time he throws a tantrum, he does get attention although it is a negative type. This attention reinforces the action of throwing tantrums. Soon, such behavior becomes his habit. So, the parents claim it is his nature to be so bad temper. This judgement on the part of the parents fixes the behavior and the child himself believes he is that type of person. Even his parents say so, so how can he change?

Sometimes pupils misbehave in the classroom and teachers think of a thousand and one reasons but seldom get the right answer to the problem.

Pupils are usually problematic because they are bored with the teaching or the work in the classroom. There are at least two reasons they could be bored.

One of them is that they are unable to follow the lesson due to their low proficiency level in the language medium. They cannot understand what the teacher is explaining. Even if it is in their mother tongue, the level is too high. Without being able to understand, how interested can the child be?

Imagine yourself being put into a Sanskrit class when your proficiency of that language is either low or zero! You would be merely hearing sounds that carry no meaning. Can you sit and listen quietly for forty minutes, an hour, a day, five days a week, about forty weeks a year without giving up? I can tell you this; it is torture! So, how can we blame the child for not paying attention?

In fact, when I taught English and my class consisted of students who had very low proficiency, I always told the senior English Language Officer and the Principal that I would not be following the syllabus. They were usually worried about what the Federal Inspectorates would say. I told them I would be responsible if there were any complains. I did not wish to follow a syllabus which would not help my students. I would go down to their level and from there help them to reach whatever level they were capable of. We must always teach from the known to the unknown.

Unless the above is done, the students in a weak class have no way out of the boredom. As frustration at not learning anything sets in and nobody paying attention to their plight, mischief or some kind of distraction created by them would be the only other way out. They have to create the mischief or die of boredom. The mischief is a kind of attention drawn to their problem. And it works for them, in a negative manner, as the teacher gives them some attention in the process of scolding them.

Unfortunately, this kind of attention can never bring students and teachers together. It only leads to greater misunderstanding of the children’s needs and result in more antagonism between the two parties.

Understand the cause of the mischief and have the courage to fulfill their needs. That is the duty of every parent or leader.

Negativity drives parents and children apart.

"No! You must not do that!"

"No! I can never allow such things!"

"No! No! and No!"

Sometimes, our children get too many of such responses to requests.

We ought to examine our feelings we had concerning such matters when we were young. If we are always told whatever we wish can never be allowed, how did we feel? Of course, we were unhappy. This part should not deter us from refusing something that will be detrimental to our children. What we should look into is 'Did we feel the answer was unjustified; that our request was made properly and our need was right and proper."

What ought to be done is to find out the reason for wanting something. Is the want beneficial? Can there be harm. Let our children know we care. Let them understand our concern. Let them realise we are not being unreasonable. They will appreciate it, even though not at the moment of refusal. Although they may show a frustrated face, they will come to understand what we are doing for them.

Wanting to know and understand our children's wishes, discussing with them, telling them why and what we think thus; helping our children share our feelings; revealing to them the actual reason for not wishing them to do something, will get them to understand us better.

Through talking with them about their wishes, they will understand we are not merely going against their wishes; that our "No!' is a clear indication that we love and care.

Unfortunately,many parents do not have the time to explain to their children. They demand to be obeyed. When this happens, the frustrated child moves away from requesting permission. They do whatever they wish without consulting the parents. The parents no longer have the opportunity to guide their children; as they would no longer be confided to by their children in their activities; and that is dangerous.

Such children have distanced themselves from their parents; going into activities without the benefit of the wisdom of their parents. Sometimes, such children end up well while there are those less fortunate who find the wrong company and fall into problems they are unable to get out of, especially when they no longer consult their parents anymore for advice or means to overcome them.

So, negativity can drive a wedge between our most precious children and us, leaving us no chance of assisting them in steering their ship to success and safety.

We reap whatever we have sown.

Once upon a time, my wife and I used to travel from Sungai Petani, Kedah to sungai Dua, Penang in search of orchid plants for their exotic blooms. The flowers are sometimes used by me in floristry.

While passing a small town known as Kepala Batas, we noticed some orchid plants in the garden of a house. We stopped to admire the beautiful flowers. As we reached the gate, we were shocked by an frightening cry from within the house. It was like the anguished cry of a trapped animal. Then, the owner of the house appeared and i requested permission to have a closer look at her orchids.

As we were appreciating the beauty of some of her flowers, the bizarre cry was heard again. curious, i asked the lady what cry that was. At that, she looked so sad and did not seem to want to respond to my enquiry.

It was only when we got to know her better with more frequent stops to admire the flowers that she became friendlier with us. Then, one day, just after we heard the same cry again, she began to tell us it was the sound of her son. Puzzled and surprised, i asked what her child's problem was.

She quietly led us into her house. She took us to a room at the back portion within which was seen a very thin naked figure lying on the floor. The smell from that room was nauseating and it was only with great effort that my wife and I managed not to vomit. The door to the room had been cemented permanently shut with two openings in the door; at the bottom was a slit approximately four inches high, certainly not big enough for any human to squeeze through; and higher up was a barred window through which we could see the figure in the room.

What she told us was a tragic story of how a family suffered; had to imprison their eldest child to prevent the themselves from being threatened with harm and death.

Many years ago, the family was very rich with a thriving business in the town. The child was pampered with everything he demanded. With lots of money at that time, his demands was not a problem. Unfortunately, too much money for a boy of fourteen meant he could avail himself of anything, be it good or bad.

With his money, he tried everything, form girls to drugs. He discovered the easy availability of drugs. As expected,he soon got addicted. Addiction lead to the need for more daily dosage of expensive drugs. Even for the rich, he found that the money given him was not enough.

Before long, the parents realised that a lot of money was being used to support his addiction. They began to oppose his wasteful spending of their money. Without money to feed his addition, he became angry with his parents. when anger did not get him what he demanded, he threatened them with a knife. At first, fear for their lives made them submit to his demands.

However, the demand for more and more money each passing day was a strain on them. One day, to overcome their miserable dilemma, they locked him up in his room.

His savage behaviour shocked them when he broke down the door, grabbed a long knife and demanded more money. From then on, they never could have a good night's sleep, unsure what calamity the next minute might bring.

The stress eventually became too great for the family to bear and so they decided to imprison him in the room we saw.

At first, when they witnessed his withdrawal symptoms, they almost sympathised with him. But realising the difficult situation they faced, they had to harden their hearts and bear the pain of knowing that there was just no way out. They did want people to know the shame they have brought upon themselves.

They would throw him clothes but those clothes were never worn. Each day they pushed in plates of food and bowls of water through the four-inch slit below the door. A long stick was used to retrieve the metal plate and bowl. A hose was used to direct sprays of water to bathe their son and clean the room. When i saw him, he had been in that room a good number of years.

I have known of at least two drug addicts who were pampered children. Miserable were their lives. Thus, as parents, we must never pamper our children. No matter how difficult it is, love them enough to say 'No!' to things or behaviour that is harmful to them.

As a parent, I know it pains us or bring anxiety or guilt sometimes, when we have to discipline our children. We have to remind ourselves that our children need discipline to grow into strong, useful people.

To end, perhaps this particular story i heard sometime ago is appropraite.

A prisoner was being lead to the gallows. The mother rushed forward to hug him for the last time. The prisoner put his mouth to his mother's ear. He bit off her ear! Then, he turned tearfully to his mother and said,"If you had loved me enough to teach me the difference between good and bad; punish me when I am bad, I would not have to die this way."

Sleep your way to healthy growth.

In today's world, there is so much for the child to enjoy indoors. There is the television with its many channels of films, entertainment and numerous interesting advertisements. There is the computer and the numerous games our children can play. These games which enterprising people have created so ingeniously as to lead our children's interest on and on, day after day, forever and ever.Before long, our children are addicted. Sleep is no longer important. Addiction overcomes sleep.

When this happens, parents find difficulty getting their children away from the television or the computer. We get tired zombies early in the morning going through the process of preparing for school. Their minds too tired to concentrate, these children doze on their desks, forced every now and then to peer at the teacher and put on some pretense of studying, the body waiting for the time to go home for a much needed nap.After the nap, the cycle repeats itself and the growth and health of these children deteriorate. Of course, their studies deteriorates too!

Growth especially depends upon sleep. Sleep gives the body the opportunity to mend itself, to develop and strengthen. Without enough sleep, the body not only does not develop well; it weakens!

With a weakened immune system, sickness charges in. One of the first indication of a weakened immune system is an attack of cold.

The powerful effect of sleep on our immune system and health can be observed through the quick recovery from cold merely through having sufficient sleep.

It is noted that the importance of sleep does not easily come to our senses. Knowledge and parents' role as models are the only way to get children to understand.

When my children were young, i put aside everything else to be with them at about 8.00pm. to read stories from the Ladybird Reading Programme and, later, other short stories. Usually by a little past 8.30, the lights would be out. I would lie down with them, communicate softly with them and then pat them to sleep. This part of the day is structured so as to assist the body to fall asleep at a certain time. They fall asleep easier because they do not nap in the afternoon or evening.

This worked for my children and they awaken to each new day fresh with sufficient replenished energy for another day of learning.