Priest heals with mud, water, air and herbs
Aug 01, 2006
It started in 1998 when Fr. Mathew Mundackal was called to administer the last sacrament (anointing of the sick) to a woman with wounds all over her body.
By Harriet Birungi
It started in 1998 when Fr. Mathew Mundackal was called to administer the last sacrament (anointing of the sick) to a woman with wounds all over her body. “I found out that she had been bitten by a poisonous insect and treated her at the parish for two months using elements of nature; the sun, water, soil, air and herbs, eating soft foods like fruits and lots of water. She got better.â€
From then, the priest in Kiyunga Parish in Iganga district developed an idea of a health centre. He is now the director of the St. Claret’s Holistic Healing Centre in Kiyunga, Iganga District. The centre uses natural and alternative therapy to treat sicknesses. Mundackal studied therapies and natural healing from India.
He treats patients suffering from diabetes, hypertension, arthritis, syphilis, asthma and cancers.
Water
Mundackal says, “Drinking water in the morning immediately after waking up and prior to eating removes toxins through urination and sweating.â€
He adds that lying in cold water treats skin diseases, relieves pains, dissolves blood clots, works on stomach pains, syphilis, constipation and lowers high temperatures. “Depending on where and what the problem is, one either sits or lies in the cold water,†he says. “Sitting in water relaxes stomach muscles, relieves pain and cures constipation.â€
For patients with syphilis, herbs are added into the water which is bathed and absorbed to treat the reproductive organs.
Mundackal says a bath is important before administering herbal medicine for fever or spinal problem. “When one lies in cold water, the heat from the spine goes to the head. Then we apply a cold cloth to the head and the entire body temperature is lowered.â€
Mud
Mundackal says soil has great healing abilities. “You need pure soil, got from five feet under the ground and if there are anthills use the middle soil,†he says. Mundackal mixes the soil with water till it becomes sticky and applies it to the affected area
“The patient should sit in an area where natural light can reach and mud packs are applied starting with the sick area spreading to other parts. It should be left on the body for 30 minutes before washing it off with cold water,†he said.
The mud relieves pains, swellings, wounds, constipation, headaches, chest infections and absorbs poison. For fast relief, Mundackal says, it should be applied twice a day. Most preferably on an empty stomach if the soil to be applied in the morning is from an anthill.
Walking
For people joint pains, Mundackal says the therapy is to walk bare feet. “Letting the feet relax and touch the ground relieves stress and increases blood circulation. It can be compared to accu-pressure therapy, which activates points along the network of energy lines through out the body,†he said.
Curortology
Curortology combines the effects of climate, water and mud treatments. In India, it is under naturopathy treatment which uses diet management, steam bath, cold bath and mud treatment.
According to Wikipedia encyclopaedia, mud treatment is one of the oldest forms of treatment practiced by ancient Egyptians for thousands of years. In Estonia, where most European research has been carried out, it has spanned nearly 200 years. The first mud treatment facilities in Estonia were opened in the 1820’s.
According to the South African Journal of Natural Medicine, November 2005, mud has been used to cure chronic inflammation, alleviate pain and enhance metabolism and cell regeneration. The treatment also removes excessive fluids and toxins from the body in addition to giving a pleasant feeling of relaxation.
Mud brings about changes in the neurological, cardiac and circulatory systems, skin, blood composition and metabolic processes. Mud procedures increase the pulse rate of patients and in the beginning, their breathing, which improves blood circulation.
Priest’s garden
Mundackal has a garden from which he picks his prescriptions. These include the moonseed (tinospora cordifolia) which cures diabetes, arthritis and skin diseases. Chaste tree (vitex negundo) for malaria and Holy Basil (ocamum sanctum).
Next week, we shall look at his herbs and their treatment.
Ends
It started in 1998 when Fr. Mathew Mundackal was called to administer the last sacrament (anointing of the sick) to a woman with wounds all over her body. “I found out that she had been bitten by a poisonous insect and treated her at the parish for two months using elements of nature; the sun, water, soil, air and herbs, eating soft foods like fruits and lots of water. She got better.â€
From then, the priest in Kiyunga Parish in Iganga district developed an idea of a health centre. He is now the director of the St. Claret’s Holistic Healing Centre in Kiyunga, Iganga District. The centre uses natural and alternative therapy to treat sicknesses. Mundackal studied therapies and natural healing from India.
He treats patients suffering from diabetes, hypertension, arthritis, syphilis, asthma and cancers.
Water
Mundackal says, “Drinking water in the morning immediately after waking up and prior to eating removes toxins through urination and sweating.â€
He adds that lying in cold water treats skin diseases, relieves pains, dissolves blood clots, works on stomach pains, syphilis, constipation and lowers high temperatures. “Depending on where and what the problem is, one either sits or lies in the cold water,†he says. “Sitting in water relaxes stomach muscles, relieves pain and cures constipation.â€
For patients with syphilis, herbs are added into the water which is bathed and absorbed to treat the reproductive organs.
Mundackal says a bath is important before administering herbal medicine for fever or spinal problem. “When one lies in cold water, the heat from the spine goes to the head. Then we apply a cold cloth to the head and the entire body temperature is lowered.â€
Mud
Mundackal says soil has great healing abilities. “You need pure soil, got from five feet under the ground and if there are anthills use the middle soil,†he says. Mundackal mixes the soil with water till it becomes sticky and applies it to the affected area
“The patient should sit in an area where natural light can reach and mud packs are applied starting with the sick area spreading to other parts. It should be left on the body for 30 minutes before washing it off with cold water,†he said.
The mud relieves pains, swellings, wounds, constipation, headaches, chest infections and absorbs poison. For fast relief, Mundackal says, it should be applied twice a day. Most preferably on an empty stomach if the soil to be applied in the morning is from an anthill.
Walking
For people joint pains, Mundackal says the therapy is to walk bare feet. “Letting the feet relax and touch the ground relieves stress and increases blood circulation. It can be compared to accu-pressure therapy, which activates points along the network of energy lines through out the body,†he said.
Curortology
Curortology combines the effects of climate, water and mud treatments. In India, it is under naturopathy treatment which uses diet management, steam bath, cold bath and mud treatment.
According to Wikipedia encyclopaedia, mud treatment is one of the oldest forms of treatment practiced by ancient Egyptians for thousands of years. In Estonia, where most European research has been carried out, it has spanned nearly 200 years. The first mud treatment facilities in Estonia were opened in the 1820’s.
According to the South African Journal of Natural Medicine, November 2005, mud has been used to cure chronic inflammation, alleviate pain and enhance metabolism and cell regeneration. The treatment also removes excessive fluids and toxins from the body in addition to giving a pleasant feeling of relaxation.
Mud brings about changes in the neurological, cardiac and circulatory systems, skin, blood composition and metabolic processes. Mud procedures increase the pulse rate of patients and in the beginning, their breathing, which improves blood circulation.
Priest’s garden
Mundackal has a garden from which he picks his prescriptions. These include the moonseed (tinospora cordifolia) which cures diabetes, arthritis and skin diseases. Chaste tree (vitex negundo) for malaria and Holy Basil (ocamum sanctum).
Next week, we shall look at his herbs and their treatment.
Ends