KINGSTON KICKS – Escapade No 1- Rockfort Mineral Baths

Rockfort Mineral Spa, Jamaica

 

 

HIT YOUR SIX ON ROUTE KINGSTON KICKS!!!

I took myself to Rockfort Mineral Spa in the am hours and was not disappointed – quiet, simple and best of all, pristine.  Too bad they use chlorine to wash out pool Mondays because that water goes into our harbour and there are now serious, though slightly more costly, natural antimicrobials/fungicides.  Anyway, by Wednesday all trace of chlorine gone and they don’t chlorinate water obviously…they’re sure heading in the right direction down there…some staff very responsive, service oriented and helpful others the usual Jamaican ‘worksworths’.  And now to the pool, facilities and experience.

Pool: Crystal clear and clean

Ladies and gents, we’re missing a trick –  among highest, safe level mineral and conductivity ratings on earth.   This means take all your immune dermatological ailments there, take your joint ailments there, take your bottles to collect the BEST kind of alkaline water there for your internal ailments drinking a glass a day (no more, too much of anything good for nothing!).  Our rocks are estimated 6 x more conductive (magnetic activity) than most places on earth (In the early days of Jamaican radio, Radio Jamaica & Rediffusion engineers had to set up 6 x more relay equipment than elsewhere on earth to counter it and Portland (thank heavens) has still not been fully conquered by wireless)

The conductivity rating is 915 ms/m (permeation of your body)

The Sulphur rating is 400 mg/L  (skin magic)

The Magnesium is 124 mg/L (provided conductivity drives it in, asthma, pregnancy, autism and Lord- he- knows- what -else this-newly ‘re-discovered’ -miracle- mineral- that- is- now- acknowledged-sadly- lacking-in-diets-worldwide might help with)

Bicarbonate 227 CaCo3/L (your internal alkaline water magic, here properly buffered and not just so-so alkalinity, even so the heap of minerals can become a circulatory plaque base if you overdo it.  Best alkaline water available)

Silicon Dioxide 28.5 mg/L (1.5 mg below the magical point at which mineral water taken internally chelates harmful absorbed aluminium dramatically-pots and pans, deodorant, vaccines, baking powder, cocoa, etc etc., so I think regular temperate intake must still be helpful at these levels.)

Try it some time….

Facilities:  JA$350 and can be booked out.  Shallow throughout pool with 3 headwater spouts

Public side lovely and clean but private baths still unusable (they look too ‘medicinal’ today as well, need a more organic ‘spa’ oriented facelift).  Wed mornings best, ‘schoolers’ not yet there (even so they are separated off from adults when they do converge).  Take your bottles and collect your medicinal alkaline water 100% made in Jamaica at the head spring spouts.

Experience:  low key, folksy and very comfortable old time Jamaican and 100% best in the world primary product (again!)  The European Bads all have their fabulous brass and crystal bars for ‘taking their waters’, which ain’t up to ours, I saw one in Germany…   Could we ‘fancy up’ ours just a little…not too much…along the lines somebody like Chris Blackwell would do it…:)

TEL 1 876 938 5055

Stay tuned for Escapade No. 2 this month….

 

 

 

Dengue ….from the Caribbean to Europe

Dengue can be quite mild to really vicious…i.e., kill you or leave you weak for months.  I had it  for a week once and mercifully, at the the time, was drinking guinea hen weed tea (anamu) which really cuts things short but, Lord, the bone pain, man….ouch.   It affects hundreds of people everywhere and I now hear it’s plaguing even some parts of France in summer so I thought this might be informative for summer travellers.  From the horse’s mouth, not websites of people who don’t deal with it ‘on the ground’:

MINISTRY OF HEALTH

2 – 4 KING STREET, KINGSTON, JAMAICA.

 EMERGENCY, DISASTER MANAGEMENT AND SPECIAL SERVICES BRANCH

Telephone Nos. 876-967-1100 / 1110 ext. 2236 / 2240   Telefax No. 876-967-0997  e-mail: mohemergency@yahoo.com

 

DENGUE FEVER CLINICAL MANAGEMENT PROTOCOL

     December 2010 – Revision 1

Introduction

Dengue is the most prevalent mosquito-borne viral disease, with an estimated 50 million infections occurring annually throughout the world. Dengue affects all age groups with a spectrum of clinical presentations from an asymptomatic, mild viral syndrome to severe disease characterized by haemorrhage and shock. Case fatality rates vary from 1% to 5%, but can be less than 1% if appropriate treatment is instituted. There are four (4) different dengue viruses, DENV-1, DENV-2, DENV-3, and DENV-4, of the genus Flavivirus. There is only transient and weak cross-protection among the four serotypes, so an exposed individual may acquire dengue virus infection up to four (4) times during their lifetime. The risk of severe disease increases with subsequent infection from a different dengue serotype rather than primary dengue infection.

 

Clinical Presentation

Classical Dengue Fever

Symptoms typically develop between 4 to 10 days after being bitten by an infected mosquito; the incubation period may range between 3 to 14 days. Classical dengue fever is a febrile illness accompanied by headache, retro-orbital pain, myalgia (sometimes severe) and athralgia. Fever typically lasts for 5 to 7 days. Affected individuals may display a biphasic/saddleback fever curve, with the second febrile phase lasting 1 to 2 days. Other symptoms include skin rash, gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea or vomiting and diarrhea, respiratory tract symptoms including cough, sore throat and nasal congestion. Hemorrhagic manifestations due occur and may be life-threatening.

The physical examination is generally nonspecific. Conjunctival injection, pharyngeal erythema, lymphadenopathy, hepatomegaly and a macular or maculopapular skin rash may be seen.

 

Laboratory findings typical of dengue fever include the following:

  • Leukopenia
  • Thrombocytopenia
  • Elevated serum aspartate transaminase (AST) levels

Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever

Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever (DHF) is a serious manifestation of dengue virus infection and can be associated with circulatory failure, shock and multi-organ dysfunction. The four (4) features of DHF, as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO), include:

  • Increased vascular permeability as evidenced by hemoconcentration, ≥ 20% rise in hematocrit above baseline value, pleural effusion and/ or ascites. Typically described as plasma leakage syndrome.
    • Marked thrombocytopenia (<100,000 cells/mm3).
    • Fever lasting 2 to 7 days.
    • A hemorrhagic tendency as demonstrated by a positive tourniquet test or spontaneous        bleeding.

Dengue Shock Syndrome (DSS) occurs when shock is present along with these four criteria.

Hemorrhagic manifestations — Spontaneous petechiae or ecchymoses are typically seen. Other manifestations include haematemesis, metrorrhagia, melena and epistaxis.

Microvascular fragility may be demonstrated by a positive tourniquet test. The test is performed by inflating a blood pressure cuff on the arm, midway between systolic and diastolic blood pressures for 5 minutes. The skin below the cuff is examined for petechiae, and a finding of ≥20 petechiae in a one square inch area is considered positive.

Other uncommon syndromes may occur and include:

  • Liver failure
  • Encephalopathy, encephalitis, seizures, acute motor weakness, Reye syndrome, mononeuropathies, polyneuropathies, Guillain-Barré syndrome, and transverse myelitis
  • Myocarditis

 

MINISTRY OF HEALTH, JAMAICA – CASE DEFINITIONS

A.     DENGUE FEVER is defined as an acute febrile illness with two (2) or more of the following symptoms:

 

v     Headache

v     Myalgia

v     Arthralgia

v     Retro-orbital pain

v     Maculopapular  rash

v     Gastro-intestinal disturbances

v     Skin haemorrhages ( with a positive tourniquet test and /or petechiae )

 

B.     DENGUE HAEMORRHAGIC FEVER is defined when all of the following four criteria are present:

 

v     Fever or recent history of acute fever

v     Haemorrhagic tendencies, as evidenced by at least one of the following:-

§     Positive tourniquet test

§     Petechiae

§     Ecchymoses or purpura

§     Bleeding from mucosae, gastro-intestinal tract, injection sites etc.

(Gastro-intestinal bleeding may present with epigastric or right hypochondrial tenderness)

v     Thrombocytopenia (≤ 100,000/mm3).

v     Plasma leakage due to increased capillary permeability as manifested by at least one of the following:-

§     A haematocrit  ≥20% above the norm on presentation

§     A drop of  ≥20% in the haematocrit following treatment

§     Pleural effusion, ascites or hypoproteinemia

 

C.     DENGUE SHOCK SYNDROME is defined similarly to Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever,  but with evidence of circulatory failure manifested by all of the following :

 

§     rapid and weak pulse

§     narrow pulse pressure ( < 20 mm Hg ) or hypertension

§     cold, clammy skin and altered mental status

 

CLASSIFICATION

The World Health Organization (WHO) previously classified symptomatic dengue virus infections into three categories: undifferentiated fever, classic dengue fever, and dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF). These categories have caused controversy in the past, so the WHO has adopted a revised classification of Dengue and Severe Dengue, where Severe Dengue is designated to those who demonstrate severe plasma leakage, severe haemorrhage or severe organ impairment (defined as AST or ALT ≥1000, impaired consciousness, or severe involvement of the heart or other organs).

The revised classification also further divides Non-severe dengue into Dengue with or without warning signs (abdominal pain or tenderness, persistent vomiting, clinical fluid accumulation, mucosal bleeding, lethargy or restlessness, liver enlargement >2 cm, or increase in haematocrit concurrent with rapid decrease in platelet count).

 

Suggested Dengue Case Classification and Levels of Severity

 

Adpated from WHO, 2009

 

 

 

 

TREATMENT

Supportive treatment is available for the specific disease manifestations of dengue virus infection. Decreasing dengue morbidity and mortality requires an organized process of early recognition, management and referral. The majority of patients will recover without hospital admission.  It is however important to identify those with risk factors for severe disease and institute treatment measures promptly.

 

 

Stepwise Approach to The Management of Dengue

Step 1

History

This should include:

  • Date of onset of fever
  • Quantity of oral intake
  • Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea
  • Assessment for warning signs
  • Change in mental status/seizures
  • Urine output (frequency, volume, time of last voiding)
  • Family or community dengue, travel to dengue endemic areas
  • Co-existing conditions – pregnancy, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease

Physical Examination

This should include:

  • Assessment of mental status
  • Assessment of hydration status
  • Haemodynamic status
  • Assessing for pleural effusion
  • Assessing for abdominal pain, ascites, hepatomegaly
  • Assessing for rash, bleeding manifestations
  • Tourniquet test

Investigations

  • Complete blood count (CBC)
  • Serum electrolytes, urea and creatinine
  • Glucose
  • Liver function test
  • Dengue serology
  • Other tests that may be considered include cardiac enzymes, ECG

 

 

Step 2

Diagnosis, assessment of disease phase and severity

The history, physical examination and CBC with haematocrit should assist the clinician in determining the phase of dengue (febrile, critical or recovery), whether there are warning signs and the need for hospital admission.

The Course of Dengue Illness

 

 

 

 

Adapted from WHO, 2009

 

Depending on the clinical manifestations, patients may be sent home, referred for hospital management or referred for emergency management.  All cases of suspected, probable and confirmed cases should be notified promptly to the Public Health Department.

Ambulatory patients

Patients who are sent home should be able to tolerate oral fluids, urinate at least once every six hours, and not have warning signs. Ambulatory patients should be reviewed daily for disease progression (CBC, warning signs and defervescence). Health care providers should document temperature pattern, volume of oral fluid intake, urine output, signs of plasma leakage and bleeding, the haematocrit, WBC and platelet counts.

 

Those with stable signs and CBC may continue to be managed as out-patients.  Paracetamol may be used for fever and myalgias. Aspirin, ibuprofen and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents (NSAIDS) should not be used due to the risk of bleeding complications and aspirin in children has been associated with Reye’s syndrome. Care givers should be instructed to take patient to hospital immediately, if there is deterioration around the time of defervescence, such as persistent vomiting, severe abdominal pain, cold and clammy extremities, lethargy or restlessness, bleeding and oliguria.

 

In-Patient Management

  • Patients with warning signs, those in at risk age-groups such as infants and the elderly and those with co-existing conditions that may make the management of dengue complicated such as diabetes mellitus, haemolytic diseases and cardiovascular disease should be admitted to hospital.
  • It is important to determine the haematocrit prior to commencing fluid therapy. Give isotonic fluids such as 0.9% Normal Saline or Ringer’s Lactate.
  • Start with 5-7 mls / kg / hour for 1-2 hours, then reduce to 3-5 mls / kg / hour for 2-4 hours and then reduce to 2-3mls / kg / hour.
  • Reassess the clinical status and repeat the hematocrit.
  • If the haematocrit remains the same or is minimally increased, continue with the infusion rate at 2-3 mls / kg / hour for 2-4 hours.
  • If vital signs worsen and the haematocrit rises, increase the rate to 5-10 mls / kg / hr for 1-2 hours.
  • Reassess the clinical status along with the haematocrit and review intravenous fluid rate accordingly.
  • Maintain a urine output ≥ 0.5 mls / kg / hour.
  • Intravenous fluids may be required for 24-48 hours.

Emergency treatment

Patients require emergency treatment and referral to a critical care centre when they are in the critical phase of disease, that is:

  • Severe plasma leakage leading to shock and/or fluid accumulation with respiratory distress.
  • Severe haemorrhage.
  • Severe organ impairment (liver failure, renal failure, cardiomyopathy, encephalopathy or encephalitis.

 

Treatment of Shock

 

 

 

 

Treatment of Haemorrhagic Complications

Blood transfusion should be given to patients with significant bleeding (gastrointestinal bleeding, metrorrhagia or menorrhagia).  Haematocrit measurements should be interpreted cautiously, since it also assesses the adequacy of fluid repletion. Platelet transfusions should be given to patients with severe thrombocytopenia (<10,000/mm3) and active bleeding.

 

Other Potential Diagnoses

It is important to exclude other treatable diseases mimicking Dengue virus infection such as Malaria, Typhoid fever, Influenza and Leptospirosis.

 

References

1.     WHO. Dengue: Guidelines for Diagnosis, Treatment, Prevention and Control- New Edition. World Health Organization, Geneva 2009.

2.     Kroeger, A, Nathan, M, Hombach, J. Dengue. Nat Rev Microbiol 2004; 2:360.

3.     Teixeira, MG, Barreto, ML. Diagnosis and Management of Dengue. BMJ 2009; 339:b4338.

 

–     MOH, Jamaica – December 2010 – Rev 1.

 

 

十字形は日本とジャマイカを肥沃にしています

私たちの日本の友達のために、あなたが私たちのコーヒーを育てて、飲む 私たちのレゲエダンス競技会に加入する ( そして 勝ってください! ) そして あなた ドラマー 私が次のドラム祭で作動するKodoにドラマーを持って来て、のでちょうどあなたのためにポストを書くと思ったならいいのにと思う 連れて来てください  私はどのように日本語、スペイン語だけを話すか、読むかあるいは書くかという理解を持っていません!

ジャマイカ人&日本の人が多数でつながれて、珍しい方法〔道〕、いくらかの善、いくらかの悪いこと、及び私たちはお互いからのより更に多くを学ぶことができます。  それは土と生物学〔生態〕で始まって、そこから広がります… 私たちの国々はどこででも土のカドミウムの最も高いレベルを登録して、私たちのどちらの人口もHTLV病気に直面して、日本は私たちがそれを研究するのを手伝っています。

そして今良い物…  70年代にさかのぼると、アーニー・スミスがレゲエ歌競技会に出席して、勝って、それ以来レゲエが日本の若者に伝染しました!  私たちのブルーマウンテン・コーヒーに恋した時、あなたがクライトンにお屋敷と遺産を買ってあげて、自分たちのためにそれを育てて、…私たちのブルーマウンテンの最も良い輸出の80%を飲みます!

しかし私は2つの事〔物〕が欲しいです。  1つがその日本人〔日本語〕及び青年時代〔若さ〕が横切ることができたジャマイカ人でそれらの生命〔生活〕の2つの局面を受精させてください。  同じほど高度に鍛えて、日本がそうのように、そして私たちがかなり『構造なしで』いるのであなたの若者の何人かがジャマイカを愛していて組み立てた ジャマイカの私たちの若いジャマイカ人としての事実が悲しくて、同等に同じほど重要である 刑事犯罪の評点以下の生徒 構造と規律がないので。   生命〔生活〕は全ての締まりの無さと構造なしのはずがありません、しかし、多くの構造が気が滅入りすぎています。  日本とジャマイカには良い関係がいて、多分これは方法〔道〕で私たちがお互いを助けることができました。  ジャマイカ人が構造と健康的な自己修養にさらされて、日本人が来て、『そうの』方法を取り戻すことができる そして 『『ジャマイカ…で迷う』ことによってそれらの親たち及び祖父母たちをおかしくすることなしで気楽に』?

他の願いは、私たちが芸者の原理のいくつかを学ぶことができたことです。  それは、インドでカーマスートラが今HIVと戦うことに使われている同じ方法〔道〕でHIVと戦うのを手伝います。  考えは、私たちが男性と女性が性〔セックス〕の強調のない安全でエレガントで刺激的な方法〔道〕で相互に作用できる生命〔生活〕の他のエリアを開発できることです。

結局、日本のジャマイカの人は勇敢な精神です。 ジャマイカ人が単に集中することを学んで、日本人が彼らのものの代わりをする方法〔道〕で目標をそれらの国にセットする必要がある。  もしジャマイカ人が戦いを入れれば彼が終わりまで戦って、最善を尽くすがたいてい、もしジャマイカに住んでいれば戦うものを見ません。  私たちの運動選手たちはちょうど今新しい方法〔道〕をジャマイカ人に教えています。  規律と生命目標をたくさんの楽しみとお金と混ぜてください!

日本にハローと呼び掛けてそして特に溶融危機を工場〔植物〕に用意するのを手伝うために1つになったボランティアの核のエンジニア退職者の素晴らしいチーム。  素晴らしいです…  さらに、私は「こんにちは」と以前はジャマイカの製造に手を貸すのが常だった新日本製鐵に言いたいと思います。  ジャマイカが訪問した時、彼らは素晴らしい日本を私たちの重役たちに示しました。

Jamaican Natural Spas & Baths

Now, you need to know something about Jamaica.  We are ‘extra’.  This Jamaican term means ‘over-the-top’ re anything to do with this country.  I mean it’s a postage stamp size merrily becoming the world’s sprint factory and long ago became a musical giant.  But there’s more,  including the fact that when my pops was a flyer, he flew the engineers around to put in the rediffusion towers for Jamaica’s first radio station.  Well, these Brits. told him they had to put in 6 times more equipment to get the signals out because of our geography and mineral content.  This latter also affects our natural spas.  I wouldn’t suggest you overuse or tarry overly long in them, they are powerful and if you do, you might come out feeling unwell.  A little goes a long way with Jamaican spas – 15 to 30 mins. and even within these limits you must titrate yourselves.   Small durations at regular intervals is always best.

They range from really basic to ‘mildly elegant’ and have history.  They are:

Rockfort Mineral Bath:  in the ruins of the old British fort of the same name, below Wareka Hill, easy access from Kingston.  Do not go weekends or public holidays.  You can get away with Saturday afternoons.  If you come only for the Spa, stay out in Port Royal at Morgan’s Harbour Hotel with sea food street cafe down the road and the Royal Jamaica Yacht Club up the road.  Bare in mind this spa is firmly sandwiched along the strip with our flour mills and cement factory …don’t ask…

Milk River Bath: utterly basic to rundown in the very deep southcoast of the island…stay at Jake’s or Marblu about an hour and 45 away for a little rustic luxury or for something spectacular and basic, looking like the Canaries – try Ocean Breezes.  One of the last virtually crime free zones in Jamaica; agricultural produce can sit in roadside stalls overnight; sadly, the melon seeds are from GMOed stock!  Other than Jakes and Marblu, the attendants are charmingly parochial and innocent of high end tourism.   Have patience.

Bath, St. Thomas: ‘mildly elegant’ and was the favourite of one of our governors’ wives, Lady Nugent (read her diaries).  Nice little hotel and should you choose to do it more naturally and bravely, many locals will form contracts with you to take you way into the bush to experience the head waters.  You’re on your own in these dealings…quite popular and not as inexpensive as you might think, bargaining required.

Susan’s (Unofficial) List of Good to Excellent Caribbean Medical Specialists & Allied Professionals

This UNOFFICIAL list, which is not exhaustive, is meant as an effort in transparency and as a ‘users’ guide’.  As they say in Jamaica, ‘no money pass’ encouraging me to include/exclude anyone.  The Caribbean, for locals and visitors alike, has no official reference system for public opinion of its practitioners.  You may call our Medical Councils to ascertain registration and hear from them if a practitioner has been reported for malpractice.  Excellence is not documented.  Furthermore, the independent  English Caribbean does not have an official registry for alternative practitioners and these people register as Allied Health Professionals if they choose to.  There are a few overtly integrative practitioners like me in Jamaica but ‘the official party line’ is that the ‘alternatives’ are on one side and ‘regulars’ the other.  Never mind that under the radar, the ‘regulars’ often make use of and refer to the ‘alternatives’ when they can’t get regular medicine to work.   Should anyone find this post to contravene any ethical, moral or legal boundary, I will happily address the matter.  Being included in or left off of this list is not meant to offend anyone as friends and ‘strangers’ like are submitted to 3 criteria which I have personally observed as a colleague/patient and I welcome their review of me:
Skill
Attitude (1 exception with explanation)
Teaching/Instruction/Knowledge sharing (ditto exception)

Even if a friend; if I have had no personal experience of him/her at work; I haven’t added the practitioner.

These people’s skill is 1st world or they are a world authority in a given area but in some cases they are hindered by 3rd world resources.  In the latter cases they do not hesitate to make connections abroad.  All have links with/were trained by/at/within 1st world associations, intstitutions, accreditation systems including Caribbean schools, etc. If only the country is listed, it represents nationality (not citizenship) and place of practice.</strong>

In no specific order:

Dr.  Diane Robertson, Integrative Pharmacist/Herbalist  & mother of Jamaican integrative practice (Jamaica)
Dr. Kim Hosein, Ophthalmologist (Trinidad)
Dr. Geoff Williams, Plastic Surgeon (Jamaica)
Dr.  S. Cawich, General Surgeon, (Belizian in Jamaica)
Dr. Mark Newnam, General Surgeon (Jamaica)
Ms. Marcia Mullings, Masseuse, Gravity Colonics, Instructor, (Belizian in Jamaica)
Dr. Ladi Doonquah, Faciomaxillary Surgeon, (Jamaica, my favourite exception. Wear your thick skin, he regards you passionately as a…say…superb Le Mans machine …that must & can be returned to and maintained in top condition…any complaints about the work will be addressed and rectified as promptly as his superhuman work schedule allows, but all communication will go through his staff, except if you are with him and conscious.  Service can be abrupt and scheduled at very odd hours. Work with it, I think.)
Dr. Lena Malinova, Neurologist (Bulgarian Jamaican)
Dr. Althea Aquart, Pulmonologist (Jamaica)
Dr. Michael Fitz-Henley, Dermatologist (Jamaica, you’ll have a wait)
Dr. Sharmaine Mitchell, Obs & Gynoe (Jamaica)
Dr. Suzanne McLennon Miguel (Jamaica, Public Servant of the Year)
Dr. K. Brown, Vet (Hungarian Jamaican)
Dr. John Gordon, Dental Surgeon (Jamaica, can do no fuss braces too)
Mr. Francis Pierre, Lab Tech., (Trinidad)
Dr. Peter Weller, Clinical Psych. (Jamaican in Trinidad)
Dr. Winston de la Haye, Psychiatrist (Jamaica, specialty in detox)
Dr. Gillian Lowe, Paedie Psych (Jamaica)
Dr. Michael Boyne, Endocrinologist (Jamaica)
Dr. Dingle Spence, Oncologist & Pain Specialist (Jamaica, wide open to integrative/alternative practice)
Messrs. Jason Kennedy & Kevin Samuels, EMTs (Jamaica)
Mr. Graeme Isaacs, Pharmacist (Jamaica, Pharmacist of the Year)
Dr. Delroy Fray, General Surgeon (Jamaica)
Dr. Michelle Monteil, Immunologist (Trinidad)

Doctors’ Surgiclinic, best little specialist hospital (Jamaica)
Cornwall Regional Paediactrics (Will not strike you as 1st world because it isn’t, but I would take my child to this Jamaican public paediatric facility.)
RK Laboratories for blood tests, etc. (Jamaica)

These people are also excellent references for other excellent people and facilities; make full use of them.

Keep some things in mind about the English Caribbean; we’re old fashioned and clients still can’t handle/see their own files (I ‘adjust’ this rule legally by sitting with clients while they or I read) and you can’t stay overnight with clients in our facilities.  Your child will also ‘turn into an adult on the dot of 13’ with no recourse to paedie services!

Jamaican Herbs & Alternative Medicine

Jamaican herbs include indigenous species found nowhere else in the world and countless species brought to us by all the national groups who migrated or were brought here so we’ve got the lot. The examples I’m going to tell you about are demonstrative of this. Jamaica has woken up to the fact, if slowly, that it must safeguard and use this patrimony before the pharmaceutical conglomerates do it for us.

Are you visiting Jamaica? Well, once a place in the tropics is not your homeland, you are bound to come across 2 discomforts at least once and certainly we locals are afflicted from time to time as well.

1) Sunburn – slather on raw aloe vera (indigenous) gel. Any garden can grow it and any hotel employee can source you a bit. It keeps well even unrefrigerated so you can keep it in the hotel bathroom. Be careful of the stain. This plant has myriad other uses.

2) Diarrhoea – one teaspoon powdered bissy (ground, dried, kola nut brought from Africa) to one cup hot water up to 3 times per day for up to 3 days. See the doctor if no resolution after this time. This nut is known as Student Bisquit in Nigeria because it is a mild stimulant with caffeine but it is a detoxifer par excellence for any toxin from bacterial to other drug compounds.

3) Ganja (marijuana) brought to Jamaica from India or at least first regularly used by immigrant Indians. Jamaica has formulated 2 excellent prescription medicaments from this plant to treat glaucoma and coughs. It can be taken abroad in personal use quantities.

If you’d like more Jamaican and natural remedy tips and/or contacts, get in touch.

Along for the Ride…or Crossing the Cultural Divide…

Our archdeacon of crossing the cultural divide is Chris Blackwell, a hero of mine.  However, not all  have such natural facility…

You may be an individual or company that could eventually pass the honeymoon period of doing business in/reconnoitring Jamaica or other parts of the Caribbean, so since I’ve lived in/travelled extensively throughout the English and Spanish Caribbean and middle America; you might need me as a guide, patois interpreter or certified translator.  As a populace we will make you prove your mettle and worthiness of earning our patronage…  Let me know.  True, Jamaica will invariably require stiffer sails than elsewhere in the region.

…Or perhaps being stationed in the Caribbean is just rough on you personally and you want to talk, I’m available.

Maybe you want the flavour of the place before you come here.  I can meet you in your current location abroad for advice, counselling, problem solving and networking.

If you are Jamaican abroad you may also prefer t‘import’ a consultant counsellor/coach.

All services online, face-to-face or concierge basis and very low tech.   See Book Online and Contact Pages for arranging Custom Services and travel.

If you’re having trouble understanding Jamaicans and their speech, a light way to break yourself in might be to read ‘Shub Down & Small-up Yuself’ by me.  See our Face Page or click this link to see books at Amazon:   SHUB DOWN & SMALL-UP YUSELF!  DIARIES OF JAMAICA BY BUS.

Jamaica Therapy: Feelgood Getaways

Getting away from it all and ‘out of yourself’ can be a huge step in cleaning up your brain circuitry…

Rain Forest Therapy in Our Beautiful Jamaica: 

One place near the sea, one near a river…one you can stay at, one is a day trip/trip everyday…one in the northeast of Jamaica, one in the northwest of Jamaica; both are owned by vegitarians.

Pet Therapy in Our Beautiful Jamaica:

Want to get away from it all with animals and people who revere them?  Well try these places/people:

A lovely old world stable where you don’t have to be a king to enjoy the Sport of Kings, from polo lessons to just being led around by an expert.  The kids are taught the dignity and grace of the sport without snobbery and for kids with challenges such as autism, being led around on, or learning to care for, a kind and friendly animal on a regular basis seems to work wonders and is scientifically proven to do so.  In the northwest of Jamaica.

OR

A funky, loving way to rehabilitate our stray dogs.  Voila!… Working dogs  take you for a ride  in the middle of the tropics…it’s outside the box fun on Jamaica’s north coast.

OR

A lady and her team so dedicated to helping Jamaica manage its strays that she’s connected with a full-fledged visiting team of spayers and they can use your volunteer help in northwest Jamaica.

Alternative Spirituality in Our Beautiful Jamaica:

Whether you are Jewish or not…would you like to experience the Judaic way by the sea?  Jewish feasts are celebrated, but so is Jamaica’s Afro-Caribbean culture.  Nice mix.  I was reminded that Judaism and Africa crossed paths centuries ago in Ethiopia.  In northeast Jamaica.  Maybe you can even volunteer to help the owner with his street/drug people charity.

Natural Spa Therapy in Our Beautiful Jamaica:

There are at least 4 I know of, 3 on the south coast and one on the north.  Our claim to fame, compared to the rest of the world, is supposed to be the extraordinary variety of minerals in our ground water and its penetrative ability.  Our spas range from REALLY rustic to near elegantly informal and most have very interesting very histories.

By the way…

Are you having trouble understanding Jamaicans and their speech?  Well, a light way to break yourself in might be to read ‘Shub Down & Small-up Yuself’ by me.  See our Face Page.