Health Tips from Afghanistan
«کاهش وزن در ورزشگاه با یک دمبل آغاز نمی شود; آن را در سر خود را با یک تصمیم شروع می شود»
«Weight loss doesn’t begin in the gym with a dumbbell; it starts in your head with a decision.»
1
Hammam - A Santuary for Holistic Health
The hammam offers a moment of relief with its warm spaces and unabated supply of hot water. The public bathhouse is a place of ritual purification but is also frequented for medical reasons to cure a great variety of ailments, like improving respiratory function and lowering the risk of fatal cardiovascular disease incidences. The hammam is also used as a weekly place for socializing; whether for exchanging news and information, or simply as a pleasant escape from daily challenges.
2
Sumalak – A Dish for Hope and Friendship
A sweet and simple pudding, traditionally made as a symbol of friendship, community, and good luck. It is a joyous event that involves dancing, singing, laughing, and telling stories. Sumalak brings hope and happiness for the year to come. It’s a symbol of fertility, too, and new brides hoping for children can often be found tucking into a bowl.
3
Kahwa Tea – A Daily Ritual filled with Health Benefits
Kahwa tea has an amazing combination of delicious taste, aroma and a bundle of health benefits. Due to the presence of saffron, it serves as a warming drink and helps to withstand the cold winters. Kahwa tea helps to cleanse the digestive system and improves metabolism. It is also known to ease digestive problems such as constipation. It is also rich in antioxidants and helps to make you feel relaxed and reduces anxiety levels. In many Afghan households, it is served after meals since it not only aids in digestion but also helps to wash away fat, thus making it an ideal addition to a weight watcher’s diet. It also helps to prevent the deposition of cholesterol in blood vessels and thus reduces the risk of heart diseases.
4
Pomegranate - A Sweet Combo of Juciness and Health Benefits
Afghan people love to round off their dinner with a pomgranate, due to its sweet juiciness and multitude of health benefits. They’re high in antioxidants that help protect cells from environmental toxins such as pollution and cigarette smoke. There is also a belief that pomegranate protects, and / or slows the growth of prostate cancer, breatcancer, colon cancer, and even lung cancer. There is also a bleif that pomegranate juice can have significant benefits for improving a number of heart conditions like hight blodd pressure, coronary artery disease and atherosclerosis.
5
Sharbat - A Refreshing Beverage with Basil Seeds
Sharbat-E-Rayhan is a recipe used to make it daily in summer to avoid dehydration. The visual aspect of the drink is unusual and not very appealing and it is like gummy-textured sugar water but it tastes great to drink. It purifies the air, clears the lungs, and lowers blood sugar levels. Basil seeds are very healthy as it has lot of fiber, pottasium, magnesium, etc., which helps in weight loss, diabetic, blood control.
6
Rosewater - For Beauty, Health and Culinary effect
Rose water is a liquid made from water and rose petals. It is used as a perfume due to its sweet scent, but it has medicinal and culinary values, as well. There is a long tradition of rose water being used in medicine as far back as the 7th century. The antioxidants in rose water protect the cells in the skin against damage. as well as it has anti-inflammatory properties. Due to its soothing and anti-inflammatory effect, rose water can also be taken to treat a soar throat.
7
Kite Flying - A risky run for excitement and community
Kite flying is one of Afghanistan’s national outdoor sports. Flying kite is a common hobby of many Afghan people throughout the country. Kite flying in Afghanistan is an outdoor sport that many consider to be an art form. Yes, it brings people together for a fun filled and sporty adventure, but it also comes with a risk when you only look up. The Afghan kites are seen in many countries and in different parts of the world. Due to its unique design, people love to have them in their homes and decorate their houses with these beautiful pieces of art.
Afghanistan's kite runners paint the skies (Al Jazeera 2007)
8
Knowing the roots to improve mental health
Folk lore and legends told through song and storytelling are a centuries-old tradition in Afghanistan and continue to thrive today. One of the most important works of this period was the Dari epic poem Shah Nameh (The Book of Kings), completed in 1010 by the Persian poet Firdowsi, and comprising of 50,000 rhyming couplets (two-line verses). By this, hope arises from a sense of moral and social order embodied in the expression of key cultural values: faith, family unity, service, effort, morals, and honour. Knowledge of your cultural background and history promotes a positive sense of self, and increases social support, solidarity and resilience.
9
Food and Pregancy
No food is specifically avoided or encouraged during pregnancy. However, after giving birth, women prefer to eat foods they perceive as ‘hot’ and avoid ‘cold’ foods. They eat traditional food as Letee (walnut / almond soup) in the belif that this will increases breastmilk production and prevents constipation. Most Afghan women breastfeed for up to two years, so being able to produce enough, is vital.
10
Medical Plants as part of life
Medicinal plants are traditionally used in different parts of Afghanistan since long back. Numerous plants are traditionally used in treatment of a wide range of routine diseases such as; gastrointestinal disorders, urinary tract infections, respiratory problems, skin diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and so on. Below we will have a look at a few of the medical plants used in Afghanistan.
· Anise Seed - The Oil is used to flavor bad tasting medicines
· Asafoetida - An antispasmodic: used as a poultice on wounds; to prevent cold; to aid digestion
· Caraway - This is used to improve digestion, blood circulation.
· Common Jujube - This is used for dysentery; to calm fevers; as a stimulant
· Common Olive - The oil is used for constipation
· Common Wormwood - The powder is used to treat malaria
· Coriander - This is used to improve digestion
· Cilician Tulip - The bulbs are eaten to obtain strength
· Cumin - To improve digestion
· Fleawort - This is used as a laxative
· Garlic - This is used for malaria, scorpion stings, and skin infections
· Great Burdock - The roots are used for venereal diseases
· Henbane - The leaves are used as a poultice for syphilitic ulcers
· Holarrhena - The oil is taken to combat dysentery and diarrhea.
· Leopard bane - This is a depressant; used for snakebites and scorpion stings
· Licorice Root - This is used as a laxative and a masking agent
· Madwort - This is used for asthma and nervous disorders
· Morning Glory - This is used for lumbago and as a purgative
· Red Pepper - This is used to aid digestion
· Rice - Rice water is used for diarrhea and certain chest problems
· Ripple seed Plantain - This is used for diarrhea and dysentery
· Safflower - The oil of safflower is used to treat rheumatism
· Saffron - This is used to cool a fever, and as an antispasmodic and aphrodisiac
· Sage - This plant is used to stop excessive menstrual bleeding
· Santolin Yarrow - Good for headaches and toothaches
· Yellow bark Cinchona - The powder is used to treat malaria
Nugget: Afghanistan is one of the most important countries in the world in terms of the production of quality medical and botanical plants, which are also a major part of Afghanistan's export items.
