Part 4 and the last part on how to cure heat-induced urticaria.

PART FOUR AND THE LAST PART: HOW TO CURE HEAT-INDUCED URTICARIA?


This is the final part on my writing about heat-induced urticaria. I cured my sickness using Islamic method. As a Muslim, I strongly believed in the power of Islamic healing. So,  I would like to continue writing about it in Bahasa Malaysia.

Setelah hampir setahun setengah mengalami masalah urticaria, saya hampir berputus asa untuk terus berubat. Semua doktor yang ditemui termasuk beberapa doktor pakar hanya dapat mengenalpasti penyakit saya, tapi tidak dapat mengubati penyakit saya.

 Pelbagai jenis suntikan yang diberi dan bermacam jenis pil yang di telan, tapi masih tidak dapat menghilangkan penyakit saya.
 Pil-pil yang ditelan dapat mengurangkan rasa gatal dan ada yang mengurangkan kesan-kesan tompok merah di badan, tetapi tidak dapat mengubati sepenuhnya.

Hari ini mungkin tompok merah terdapat di tangan saya, tetapi besok ia hilang dan timbul pula di bahagian kaki.
Yang paling menyusahkan apabila tombok merah itu muncul di bahagian tumit kaki. Memang tidak boleh berjalan dan terpaksa merangkak. Kalau cuba juga untuk berjalan, akan rasa sakit yang teramat sangat.

Saya akan melumur bahagian bertombok merah dengan losyen calamine, dan tunggu sehingga kering. Selepas 1 atau 2 jam baru boleh berjalan seperti biasa.
Penyakit urticaria sememangnya menyakitkan. Jadi sesiapa yang membaca nukilan ini dan tidak pernah mengalaminya, bersyukurlah banyak-banyak kepada Allah Taala.

Setelah berputus asa dengan perubatan moden, saya pun membelek internet mencari maklumat untuk perubatan Islam. Pengetahuan yang sedikit telah bertambah dan saya semakin yakin untuk mencari penawar kepada penyakit saya.
Manusia sakit dan berpenyakit kerana sememangnya Allah mahu menguji tahap keimanan hamba-hambaNya dengan ujian penyakit.

Ujian dalam bentuk penyakit bertujuan untuk menilai tahap keimanan  dan keyakinan seseorang terhadap Penciptanya. Selain itu, penyakit juga dapat membersihkan seseorang daripada dosa-dosanya dengan menaikkan darjatnya  disisi Allah.
Bagi yang tinggi tahap keimannya, dia akan menerimanya dengan hati yang lapang sehinggakan boleh nampak perkara-perkara yang tersirat yang baik di sebalik penyakit yang mendatang.

Saya kembali membaca buku-buku lama tentang solat dan memperbaiki perbuatan solat dan bacaan solat. Kita sememangnya didedahkan dengan solat sebagai orang Islam, tetapi belajar untuk menghayati rukun solat adalah berbeza sama sekali. Penghayatan belajar solat semasa umur 10 tahun adalah berbeza ketika berumur 40 tahun.
Amatilah setiap doa ketika duduk diantara dua sujud ketika solat. Bacaannya pendek tetapi amat mendalam maksudnya. Salah satunya adalah doa untuk kesembuhan. Jadi tunduk dan tawaduklah pada kebesaran Allah Taala.

Saya juga mencari surah-surah yang perlu diamalkan untuk penyakit kulit. Surah tersebut termasuklah Fussilat ayat 42 - 54, Maidah 82 - 91 dan Ahzab ayat 18 -20.

Salah satu amalan selepas solat yang mujarab untuk dilakukan ialah membaca doa Nabi Ayub sepertimana yang terdapat dalam Surah Al-Anbiya ayat 83 yang bermaksud," Wahai tuhanku, sesungguhnya aku telah ditimpa penyakit dan Engkau yang Maha Penyayang di antara semua penyayang."
Seelok-eloknya bacalah ayat ini sebanyak 83 kali setiap kali selepas Isyak. Allah Taala telah menyembuhkan penyakit kulit Nabi Ayub dan kita perlu juga memohon kepadaNya untuk kesembuhan.

 Amalkanlah juga satu ayat dari Surah Sod ayat ke 42, setiap kali ketika hendak mandi, yang bermaksud," Hentaklah (bumi) dengan kaki kamu. Inilah air sejuk untuk mandi dan untuk minum, bagi menyembuhkan penyakitmu zahir dan batin."

Doa berikut ini juga elok untuk diamalkan, sebuah hadis riwayat Imam al-Termizi yang bermaksud, "Dengan nama Allah yang Maha Besar. Aku berlindung daripada kejahatan setiap peluh yang meruap-ruap dan daripada kejahatan setiap kepanasan api."
Amalan doa ini banyak berkesan kepada saya kerana salah satu punca urticaria saya adalah badan saya sentiasa kepanasan, seolah-olah kepanasan itu terperap di dalam badan dan tidak keluar. Jadi saya mandi sekurang-kurangnya 5 kali sehari, barulah kepanasan badan itu hilang.
Tetapi kini alhamdulilah, 2 atau 3 kali mandi sehari sudah memadai.

Apabila air dibaca dengan doa dan ayat-ayat AlQuran, hablur air akan berubah menjadi cantik seperti hablur kristal yang sangat halus, dan seterusnya menerapkan tenaga positif untuk minda sihat. Air  dapat mempengaruhi tahap motivasi kita dan air juga cepat memberi respon pada niat kita  di dalam hati.

Sesungguhnya, air ada rohnya tersendiri.
Ketika berenang tak kiralah dimana, kolam renang ke ataupun di sungai, saya suka membaca," Air, mudahkanlah pergerakan ku dan tenangkanlah aku," dan terus berenang. Jangan lupa untuk membaca surah-surah lazim. Surah al-Fatihah, an-Nas, al-Ikhlas dan beberapa lagi surah-surah pendek amat berkesan dalam perubatan Islam.
Namun, kita kenalah mengkaji dan mendalami maksud-maksud surah-surah tersebut, barulah Allah Taala mengurniakan kesembuhan untuk kita.
Kita harus mengetahui kenapa, bila, bagaimana surah-surah tersebut diturunkan oleh Allah Taala.

Walaupun kita tidak berpenyakit dan sihat walafiat, eloklah jadi amalan untuk berdoa sebelum mandi terutama mandi ketika pagi dan senja. Semoga segala kekotoran di jasad dan di roh kita akan keluar dari badan kita, dan minda kita akan sihat.

Berzikir banyak membantu saya untuk mengubati penyakit saya. Syaitan dan iblis serta kuncu-kuncunya adalah juga dikategorikan sebagai bakteria jahat, kuman-kuman yang mengotori saluran darah kita.

Syaitan dan jin tidak mempunyai unsur jasad, jadi mereka ini tidak dapat dilihat dengan mata kasar. Namun, kewujudan mereka boleh dibuktikan melalui sains fizik kuantum. Makhluk jahat ini boleh dikesan menggunakan teknologi gelombang.

Zikir adalah gelombang tetap yang dikurnikan oleh Allah Taala untuk kita dan apabila diamalkan berterusan, gelombang zikir akan menguasai ruang kosong dalam tubuh badan manusia dan menjadikannya pejal.

Ia menyebabkan tiada lagi ruang untuk dimasuki gelombang asing seperti jin atau syaitan.
Apabila syaitan memasuki tubuh badan manusia, ia mampu menganggu kestabilan saraf dan keseimbangan hormon.

Bahkan ia mampu melakukan pelbagai lagi yang tidak dianggap sebagai kerasukan, seperti mematikan saraf (paralyse), menyumbat saluran darah (blood clot) dan merangsang sel-sel tertentu untuk berkembang dengan pantas secara tidak terkawal (tumor dan kanser).

Jadi, berzikirlah.  Allah Taala mempunyai 99 nama-nama yang indah untuk dizikirkan dan jadikan amalan.
Saya telah mencuba amalan-amalan tersebut di atas dan sememangnya berkesan dalam mengubati penyakit saya.
Inilah rahsia-rahsia saya. Walaupun tidak lagi menghadapi penyakit urticaria, saya teramat bersyukur ke hadrat Ilahi kerana diberikan petunjuk dan hidayah untuk mengubati penyakit saya ini.

Semoga para pembaca yang sedang mengalami penyakit, berusahalah untuk berubat secara Islam kerana sesungguhnya Allah Maha Berkuasa and Maha Penyembuh.

LUBUK TENOR: TREKKING AND CAMPING IN TAMAN NEGARA:

TREKKING AND CAMPING IN TAMAN NEGARA: LUBUK TENOR.

A picture is worth a thousand words. There is no need for me to write everything about Lubuk Tenor as these pictures tell all about this magnificent place.
You can reach this place on foot through a 3hr trek along the gazetted trail from the Park and Wildlife Department information centre in Kuala Tahan, or you can take a 30-minute boatride along the Tahan River. Lubuk Tenor campsite  is sited next to the beautiful Tahan River.
Please again and again...respect the forest and the rain forest will respect you! Do enjoy your adventure as my family did a  few years ago.

On the other side of Tahan River at Lubuk Tenor, you can follow another trail leading to  Kemtor Hill, Lata Berkoh and Tenor Hide. You can view a gigantic beautiful tualang tree from the tree-top Tenor Hide. You have to be here to believe it!

We choose to take the 30-minute boat ride to Lubuk Tenor. Just us in the boat...my children just love the boatride. They are more used to using boat as transportation rather than cars. Yes..during our early years in staying in Kuala Tahan, the family spend more time travelling on the river of Taman Negara than on the Malaysian roads.

The Lubuk Tenor campsite is enough for 20 tents, but only our family occupied the whole campsite for two nights. We set up two tents with a large  outdoor living hall with no TV! My youngest daughter was just 5 month-old and still crawling, but she enjoyed every minute crawling around.

You don't see them but they are many. Lubuk Tenor is a fish sanctuary for kelah fishs. My family played with the friendly kelah fishs. The water is just cool...supercool indeed. Strong swimmers can swim crossing the Tahan River to the other side of Lubuk Tenor. My family just relaxed on the river bank playing with the fishes. 

Taking  boatride along Tahan River for hundredth of times, but I never feel bored. The freshness atmosphere plus the soft windy environment is just too awesome to miss. The view is so breathtaking that I always enjoy each boatride. My youngest daughter is smiling and enjoying each moment with me on the boat. Just 5-month old, this is her first overnight camping trip deep in the forest of Taman Negara.  

My family after setting up our two-night luxury 5-star accommodation at Lubuk Tenor campsite. My youngest daughter is sleeping inside  the swing, fully covered with mosquito net.      

Lubuk Tenor is a fish sanctuary for kelah fish. They are thousand of them but hard to see them as their skin colour is the same as the river. You have to be here to really seeing them and play with them as my children did. This is also a fantastic swimming spot, minus the strong current. 

The showering water at the campsite doesn't come from the tree! The shower head is attached to a tree trunk with pipe inside it...we love it ...the shower water comes from the nearby  river and very clean and cooling plus refreshing...wanna try it yourself. 

The family in front of the big signboard. You will notice it during your boatride to Lata Berkoh. It is on your right side.

The campsite at Lubuk Tenor.

My 5-month baby is sleeping comfortably at Lubuk Tenor.

 

Look carefully! Kelah fishes are swimming gracefully at Lubuk Tenor. You can play with them but you are not allowed to catch them. They are protected specie of Taman Negara.

The blogger with her baby on the second-day camping at Lubuk Tenor. There was heavy flood a few months after the trip, so don't expect to see this wooden structure. It is not there anymore....gone with the flood..

SOMETHING ABOUT THE BLOGGER

The blogger NORHASIYATI BINTI TAHARIN is formerly a registered city tourist guide and later become a registered nature tourist guide based in Kuala Tahan, the hub of Taman Negara. She was also an award-winning travel writer having won the Tourism Malaysia Award in 1996/1997, based on her write-up on Taman Negara Pahang. After leaving journalism for a family life, she continue writing under various byline, but prefer to stick to yatietaharin for her blog. She will continue writing more about her adventure on Taman Negara, namely reaching Tahan Mountain, Perkai adventure, Gua Luas exploration and more...

LUBUK SIMPON: TREKKING AND SWIMMING IN TAMAN NEGARA

monday 25 march 2013

TREKKING AND SWIMMING IN TAMAN NEGARA: LUBUK SIMPON.

LUBUK SIMPON provides swimming opportunity to those crazy with water. This is one of the best swimming area apart from Lata Berkoh in the National Park.

The water can be a little muddy on rainy days, but once it cleared, it is a very refreshing atmosphere. But, be careful, the current can be very strong on certain areas.

Just follow the rules of jungles and you will be safe. The simple rules are respect to the forest, no screaming and no cursing and others. Touch the water with respect and hopefully all be safe.

Lubuk Simpon can be reached after about 20 to 30 minutes easy walk from the Wildlife Information Centre. It is located along the Tahan River. The 50km long Tahan river originates from the Tahan Mountain and reaches Kuala Tahan, just after passing through Lubuk Simpon.

You can pack your food and have  a picnic at Lubuk Simpon. It is worth it. While eating your lunch, you may have the opportunity to see kingfishers, bulbul birds, monitor lizards and monkeys roaming the forest canopy.

Or just simply wave your hand to those on boatride to Lata Berkoh. Enjoy your swim!




A mother and daughter moment at Tahan River.

The upper reaches of Lubuk Simpon is suitable for children. The  water is shallow and the current is  not strong.

A family enjoying their trip to Lubuk Simpon,.

You can admire the beautiful green vegetation  on both sides of Tahan River at  Lubuk  Simpon, while submerging yourself  in the river.

The blogger was  formerly a  city guide and nature tourist guide, based at Kuala Tahan, the basecamp for National park.

CANOPY WALKWAY: TREKKING IN TAMAN NEGARA

monday 25 March 2013

TREKKING IN TAMAN NEGARA:  CANOPY WALKWAY

Taman Negara Pahang's canopy walkway is the longest in the world. Thus, missing a trip to this 450-metre long while holidaying in this rain forest is definitely a no-no situation.

Believe me, you will enjoy it minus those with phobia for height! Or maybe, this is the place for you to fight your phobia.

The canopy walkway high up in the tree tops and the giant buttressed tualang tree as they tower 200 feet above you in the dense dipterocap forest.

The walkway is a swaying bridge made from aluminium ladders bound by rope and set 40metre above the ground 

The trek begin from the information centre of the wildlife department alongside the Tembeling river.

Take a slow trek and observe all the vegetation on both sides. They comprised of all species of rain forest trees from the small shrubs to giant tualang trees.

If you go to the canopy with a guide, make sure you ask the guides as many questions possible. If not, you will miss all secret about the 150-million year old National Park.

However, you can trek to the canopy independently and do a goggle search on canopy walkway and thousand of info will come up! 

After about 30 to 40 minutes trek, you will reach the canopy area. You can get ticket at the counter. The trip up to the canopy start from a sturdy wooden tower, and it takes about thirty minutes to finish the whole canopy walk.

Sometimes it sway, but as soon as you feel comfortable, it will be a pleasurable experience.You can view the Tembeling River and pay special attention to all the types of plants and insects plus the birds available on the canopy level.

Species of animals usually sighted are grey-banded leaf monkey and the white-eyed dusky leaf monkey.





A Malaysian girl is enjoying a walk on the canopy.

Resting under the huge tualang tree on  the way to the canopy walkway.

The blogger is formerly a city guide and  nature tourist guide once based at Kuala Tahan, the basecamp for Taman Negara. She had guided hundred of tourists to the canopy walkway. Now, she is just prefer blogging while taking care of her 3 daughters and a hubby.  

TAMAN NEGARA PAHANG: THE PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE

TAMAN NEGARA PAHANG:  THE PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE




Taman Negara National Park is undoubtly one of the world's famous oldest rainforest. The 150 million-year old park is part of the  Titiwangsa Range which in turn become the back bone of Peninsular Malaysia,
The park was gazetted as a national park in 1938. Before that year, nobody really lived in the Kampung Kuala Tahan. All the Malay were actually staying in Kampung Simpon, which is inside the park area.
The current site of Mutiara Taman Negara resort is the Malay settlement before the park was gazetted.
They were given land in Kuala Tahan by the government when they have to move  from the Kampung Simpon, to make way for the huge park development.
Not many families though, and most of them become employees of the Wildlife Department.
The Malays during that period had a very clever way of moving their belongings on the other side of the Tembeling riverbank.
They waited for the year-end rainy season, as the river will be flooded up to the top, so it will easier to move their stuff. During normal season, the river will be very shallow.
However, the aborigines namely the Bateq maintained their villagers in the park.
Foreigners start coming into Taman Negara Pahang since its open its doors for tourism in 1938.
Before that, the foreigners were already entering the park but to hunt animals as it was known as a game reserve.
Many lions, tigers, elephant were hunt down and killed by them.
However, the decision by the three sultanate of Kelantan, Pahang and Terengganu changed that situation and Taman Negara was born in 1938.
And animal hunting had become the thing of the past.
Nowdays, all the flora and fauna of Taman Negara were protected by the law.
Now, the foreigners can no longer hunt and harm the animals, they can only sighted them and photographed them. Picture of foreigners with their trophies (dead animals) can be seen in the archive.

Throughout 1940s to 1950s, Kampung Kuala Tahan is still a small village with only a few wooden houses.
Only a walking trail join each houses which were built not far from each other. The kampung is still thick with primary forest, same as the next door Taman Negara.
Kampung Kuala Tahan is sited at the intersection where the two mighty rivers the Tembeling and the Tahan meet.
Previously, the kampung is not accessible by land, thus river is still the main mode of transportation until early 1990s. Logging track were built to carry logs from the upper river of Tembeling (the Pahang state land) to Jerantut. Eventually, the 85km logging track were completely tarred in 1998 from Kuala Tahan to Jerantut town. This saw more villagers buying cars for transportation, rather than spending 3 hours on the boatride from Kuala Tahan to Kuala Tembeling.

The completed tarred road also opened more opportunities for more investment in tourism development.
Before 1990s, there were only Taman Negara Resort and a few chalet operators in Kuala Tahan.
However, with the accessibility of transportation and the cost is cheaper, more chalets opened up.
Among the firsts were Tahan Guest House, Durian Chalets, Teresek River View, Tembeling River View and Ecoton Chalet.
If those days, the number of hostel and chalet operated can be counted by hands, but not anymore.
It has mushrooming tremendously and you need counting gadget to count them.
Now, there were hostels, guesthouses, chalets, homestays and resorts.
More detail in the next post.

NEVER ASSUME

NEVER...EVER.....ASSUME.





What  do you think when you see one ustaz walking to a nearby mosque? What do you think when you see a doctor running towards a patient's bed in a hospital? What you think when someone talks nicely about you to you but talk badly about someone you know?

The ustaz is going to mosque.... of course... to pray as Maghrib is nearing its time. The doctor is attending a patient because he is just stop breathing. And that someone is definately menanam tebu di tepi mulut.

However, never assume anything. Never assume that the ustaz is on its way to the mosque and never assume that the doctor is going to do some treatment to the patient.

Do not be surprise that the ustaz is actually on his way to a local snooker centre. He has to wear something that look like ustaz so that he can lie to his wife. His wife will be thinking that her husband is a holy man by going for Maghrib prayer at a mosque.

And the doctor? He just standing there and look at his watch. He put the time of death in the patient's  file  and ask the nurse to do the rest....end of another job in a hospital. The doctor don't even try to resuscitate the patient. He just look blank.

Never assume....never try to assume something without checking. People lie and people do make some lie in certain time in their life. They succeed because people believe blindly. Most of the time, we never check our facts, we just trust those people we love and care.

Many time, we trust those in uniforms to perform their work. We trust the policeman will help us in combating crime in our neighbourhood. We trust teachers of our children to teach our children all the good knowledgeable stuff. We also trust our workers and managers to work honestly. We also trust our wives and husbands to be loyal partners. We also trust our children caretakers to really take care our children.

However, should we assume something else and start digging. Professionally can but cannot blindly. We cannot question the integrity of our policeman, teachers, managers, children caretakers and of course our ustaz!

A successful corporate woman once told me that never trust a person 100 per cent, just give it only 90 per cent. The small 10 per cent can change overtime and over some incident or situation.

That is why small business operators should have a complete financial booking account on their  businesses that record all daily cash flow transaction, with the store records of goods coming in and out.

Even, the burger operators need some form of book-keeping. If not, you will never know the health situation of our businesses.

Another successful motivator and a ustaz.....(not that snooker ustaz)...once told me trust Allah only as He is the only Almighty who knows Everything.

It is definitely true....believing in Allah that He knows better than us, will make us feel secure and blissful.

People may smile at us but it is not predictable what is stored deep inside his or her hearts. Maybe she or he painted a cheerful smiling face but his/her hearts have become dark because of hatred. And only Allah knows better.

Let it be...let Allah do the rest... and of course, we have to build our trust towards Him.

Lastly, we do hope that the ustaz really go to mosque to perform Magrib prayer and the doctor will try his best to save the patient and the tanam tebu di tepi mulut lady will taubat.

PART THREE: MORE DETAIL ABOUT HEAT-INDUCED URTICARIA

 PART THREE:  More detail about heat-induced urticaria.



My findings about urticaria has become more technical. As a non-medical-educated person, it took me thrice to fully understand the term and the logic behind each situation.
Going through medical dictionary was an uphill task for me, but slowly I began to understand the whole scenario....just because I experienced it.
I began to experiment with myself....try to skip some food to see its allergy reaction. A doctor told me that rashes would appear just less than one hour eating food that produce allergy to a person.
It was also hard....so I just skip eating all those common allergy-infested food.
I understand that almost all urticaria are caused by an elevated histamine release by the body's mast cells.
With cholinergic urticaria, the exact triggering mechanism for this response is unknown, but it is assumed to be related to the body's thermoregulated response.
The name cholinergic urticaria comes from studies where the disorder produce a rash when injected with the neurochemcial acetylecholine.
However, it is not clear how acetycholine is involved in the reaction. Some patients with cholinergic urticaria have IgE mediated allergy to their own sweat.
Acetylcholine is a chemical used in the parasympathetic nervous system. It acts as neurotransmitter.
When acetycholine is released at the nerve endings in the skin, this can initiate a hives response.
Oh my god! So complicated and so science ...that was I thought...but I try to go deeper into the subject.
I also found out that when histamine is released, it produces a very prickly and itchy feeling in the skin.
Allergy involves an exaggerated response of the immune system. Th immune system is the body's organised defence mechanism against foreign invaders, particularly infections.
Allergens are substance that are foreign to the body and can cause an allergic reaction. IgE is the allergy antibody.
If there is a foreign substance coming into our body such as seafood or pollen, these substances will be seen as harmful to allergic person.
Allergic people's bodies recognise this as foreign substance and one part of the immune system is turned on.
In non-allergic individual, immune cells responding to an attack would be IgM, IgG, IgA and IgD.
However, IgE immune cell would be overproduced in response to food and other harmful allergens to allergic individual.
IgE is an antibody that we have in small amounts. But allergic person produces IgE in large quantities. It produces histamine which causes fluid to leak from the local blood vessels, leading to the swelling in the skin.
The skin is scratched or where belts or others tight clothing rub against the skin, causing mast cells to leak histamine.... and you get urticaria.
This is where calamine lotion works wonderfully for me. Just pour a little bit on the affected and wait for it to dry.
It really calms me down as the itchiness just gone in just a few minutes!
See you in the next post on urticaria....

PART TWO: WHAT IS HEAT-INDUCED URTICARIA?

PART TWO: WHAT IS HEAT-INDUCED URTICARIA?


Firstly, I am not a doctor  and not someone working in the healthcare industry.
 But, I once suffered from urticaria. A word that never cross my mind before. A word that is  so alien to me but not to skin specialist.
 One expect told me that at least 15 per cent of the world population have at least suffered from this sickness once in their lifetime.
Some suffered for as long as 20 to 30 years.
 Oh no! Not me! I won't allow that to happen to me. So, I started doing my research. In the morning, I would goggle my way through the internet searching for clues.
I realised that I don't sweat although the weather is tremendously hot. So, where they have gone to?
I also realised that they were hidden under my skin. The sweat just don't want to come out. 
Heat-induced urticaria is caused by a collection of pathogenic wind in the superficial layer of the muscles or  accumulation of heat in the stomach and instentines that is not removed from inside and outside, and settles in the pores of the skin.
I also realised that some part of my body has very high temperature: My hand, leg and abdomen.
I stopped execising as I don't want to sweat myself and increase my body temperature.
 The worst is at noon. The heat is bad and skin becomes very itchy. The worst is the feeling to scratch my skin.
 The more I scratched my skin, more rashes will come out and it doesn't not stop.
 It is said if our body is out of balance, body temperature will increase. Stress is also related as it can alter our immune system.
 Two showers a day are not enough. I showered as many times I want to. I will shower before going to bed at night.
I make sure my body temperature will drop after shower. And I will apply calamine lotion on the affected area.
By doing this, I have confortable sleep. Heat-induced urticaria or cholinergic urticaria is an auto-immune condition of one's own sweat or sweat serum.
It is a condition where breakdown of the mast cells in the skin prior to sweat release.
Blocked sweat pores or miliria rubra can reduce sweating ability, and this is situation that I was facing!
The prolonged hot condition does make my body feel itchy almost all part of the body. Shower and having a long bath really help.
I include a lot of fruits in my diet. I eat mango, banana, watermelon and apples. I also eat a lot of cucumber, spinach, cabbage and lettuce. I fall in love with fruit salad.
They become my main menu. I stop eating all heat-induced food such as red onion, garlic, turmeric and black pepper, and of course red hot chillies.
 By eating the right food, I can cold down my body temperature tremendously. And it does help me a lot. Skin rashes do come but at lesser amount.
See you in the next post.

HOW TO CURE HEAT-INDUCED URTICARIA?

HAVING SKIN RASHES AND CONFUSED WHAT IS GOING ON? PART ONE

Let me tell you my story? Suddenly, I got rashes on my skin all over my body. There were rashes on my thigh, upper hand, abdomen, back, foot and the areas go on....this happen a few years ago. Sometimes, I  can't barely walk!

I was surprised as I never experienced this problem   throughout my life. I was brought up in village areas, so playing and running into bushes, catching butterflies and ulat gonggok was common....but I never had alergic reaction during my childhood days!

Now in my fourties  and I  got skin rashes  and I'm no longer catch any insects! As the rash got very itchy and I can't no longer stand it, I went to a private clinic. After 10 minute of consultancy, I was given injection, medication and calamine lotion.

The doctor told me that I must have eaten something alien or done something that allegic to my skin. So, I start listing my suspects. The list  include swimming pool, shrimp, cuttlefish, peanuts, dusts, shampoo, shower gel and the list goes on.

 I changed my clothes. No more wire bras or tight underware. All my clothes are loose and made from soft material like cotton and silk. I realised red spot will appear when the skin is pressed. I also wash my clothes softer detergent. I realised that I easily feel the heat and feeling hot although the temperature is only 29 degree celcius!

 I changed my lifestyle completely....no more swimming, no more exercise as it induce more red spot and no more nuts!

Although skipping all these allergic inducers and eating the pills, my rash is getting worst. The itchiness is unbereable and it disturbed my sleep. I was having sleepless night for many months. I would apply calamine lotion all over my body until I looked more ghost than human!

I need more stocks of calamine lotion, so I went searching at  many pharmacies looking for calamine that offer the lowest price and higher volume. I found one in Menglembu Farmaceutical near the Post Office. A bottle of 150ml calamine lotion produced by Prime Pharmaceutical Sdn Bhd is sold for only RM4. Other brands were either more expensive or the volume is too small.

 My presciption pills had finished but my rash is still there. After three more trips to Klinik 1 Malaysia, the hospital attendant and a doctor at a private clinic told me to see skin specialist. I went to the Hospital Ipoh's specialist, but there were so many patients waiting and the doctor will only see new patient the next day.

 My husband and I rushed to the nearby Fairpark where there were a few skin specialist clinic available. I went to one of them but I only got to see the doctor after four hours of waiting. The doctor is also attached to another private hospital nearby. The doctor's room is full of book about skin rash and I was diognosed with urticaria. I paid about RM250 for the medication, injection and consultation. My skin rash is very expensive indeed.

 But, sadly, my skin problem is not recovering. With a recommendation from a friend, I went to see another doctor. I went three three times in three months....got my injection and medication. I was told to read through the internet about my skin condition. He also diagnosed it as urticaria. He showed me pictures of urticaria spot from a book.

 He told me that  the symtoms of skin disease is very different for every people and each case should be treated differently. Well,  the doctor got so many patients and he can only spent about 7 minute for me! I got so many questions to ask but the doctor keep on insisting me to read through internet. Well, there were more than 50 patients waiting to see him on that evening!

As expected, my urticaria problem is still haunting me. Although no longer all over my body, it concentrate in certain body parts, at the back, on my thigh, both upper hand and abdomen.

I continue having sleepless night. The smell of calamine lotion is all over  the bedroom. Thank good, my husband is very supportive and don't complained.

 Each time after shower, I have to apply calamine lotion onto my skin....sometimes throughout the body. And I have to wait five minutes for the lotion to dry up, then only I can wear my cloth.  I do look like pocong or ghost more than a mother or housewife!

I have to keep  a bottle of calamine in my handbag in case I need it. Calamine lotion was my life support during that period. I continued taking the prescriped pills.... but it is expensive at the clinic. So, I bought  the same pills at a pharmacy for lesser price.

I changed my diet completely. No more belacan shrimp paste, nuts, cuttlefish or whatever I think is the culprit in my menu...and my whole family also had to sacrifice. I would like to thank you my family for the understanding although my daughters loved cuttlefish.

Just by looking at  shrimp or cuttlefish at the supermarket had already make my skin itchy! I cooked at home so I can't even touch these things. However, my family do have lunch and dinner outside once in a while. They will munched on their favourite food.

 While sometime scratching my urticaria-infested skin, I started to browse through the internet looking for answers for my skin condition. I check on what induce urticaria, the symptoms, Chinese accupunture treatment, Islamic way of treating skin disease and the modern hospital treament and the biology of urticaria.

Oh yes.... I read a lot as I love reading and my journalistic thinking thought me how to dig for more information.

 Now, after a full two years of urticaria problem, it had dimished completely. I no longer suffered from urticaria or any skin rash or any red spot in my body.

 I'M NOW FULLY RECOVERED.  And now, I will share my story for my cure with you.

I will write more details about urticaria in my next post.

SOLAT SEBAGAI PELINDUNG UMAT ISLAM

SOLAT ADALAH PELINDUNG DAN PENDINDING KEPADA UMAT ISLAM.


Solat di wajibkan kepada umat Islam. Ini tanda sayangnya Allah Taala kepada hamba-hambaNya. Tanpa solat, hidup umat Islam akan terumbang-ambing tanpa pedoman, tanpa pegangan dan tanpa tujuan.

Keikhlasan dalam menunaikan solat amatlah penting kerana sesungguhnya Allah maha Mengetahui. Dia lebih mengetahui hati dan niat kita bersolat. Adakah kita bersolat kerana segan kepada mak dan bapa mentua, segan kepada ipar-duai, segan kerana anak-anak yang semakin membesar? Atau kita bersolat semata-mata kerana Allah Taala?

Adakah kita bersolat dalam keadaan bermalas ataupun bersolat laju macam keretapi express? Adakah sujud kita mematuk macam ayam ataupun khusyuk tawaduk mengharap keredhaan Ilahi?

Tiada siapa boleh menjawab soalan-soalan di atas kecuali diri sendiri. Hanya diri sendiri dan Allah swt yang Maha Mengetahui yang mengetahui akan persoalan solat masing-masing.

Solat yang khusyuk dimulai dengan niat yang menfokus kepada kewujudan dan keesaan Allah dan tumpuan yang sepenuhnya kepada diriNya.

Bacaan Doa Iftitah mengakui kebesaran Allah Taala dan pujian sebanyak-banyaknya untuk Dia yang menjadikan siang dan malam silih berganti. Kita juga berdoa agar kita tidak digolongkan orang-orang yang menyekutukan Allah.

"Sesungguhnya, sembahyangku, ibadahku, hidupku dan matiku, kuserahkan hanya kepada Allah tuhan seru sekelian alam. Sesekali tidaklah aku menyekutukannya. Dan yang demikian aku ditugaskan dan aku adalah dari golongan-golongan orang Muslim,'' sebahagian akhir Doa Iftitah.

Jadi, janganlah kita bersolat kerana malu atau segan kepada masyarakat. Tanamkan semangat dan iltizam untuk bersolat semata-mata kerana Allah. Jika kita membaca Doa Iftitah, tetapi dalam masa yang sama, hati kita bersolat kerana takut kena marah oleh ibubapa kita ataupun malu dengan anak, sudah tentu bacaan doa tersebut tidak selari dengan niat di dalam hati kita.

Inilah yang amat disukai oleh syaitan dan iblis. Melakukan perbuatan zahiriah seperti umat Islam, namun menuruti kehendak syaitan.

Bacaan-bacaan doa ketika duduk di antara dua sujud adalah pendek dan jelas, namun ia mempunyai pengertian dan maksud yang cukup mendalam.

"Ya tuhan, ampunilah aku, rahmatilah aku, perbaikilah aku, angkatlah darjatku, berilah aku rezeki, pimpinlah aku, afiatkanlah aku dan maafkanlah aku,'' ini adalah doa ketika duduk di antara dua sujud.
Bacaan tersebut jika dilafaz dengan penuh tawaduk dan khusyuk, akan dapat meresap kedalam jiwa kita dan seterusnya memperbaiki keadaan kehidupan kita seharian.
Tak kiralah siapa kita, pekerjaan kita, gaji kita ataupun keadaan keluarga kita; solat yang penuh keikhlasan akan dapat merubah diri kita menjadi seorang individu yang lebih berjaya di dunia dan di akhirat.
Percayalah, kita hanyalah hamba kerdil di dunia yang amat luas ini dan pengantungan kepada Allah Taala amatlah penting.

Itulah sebabnya solat disyariatkan lima kali sehari, dari permulaan hari hinggalah kepenghujungnya. Diwajibkan solat kerana kita sememangnya memerlukan Allah sentiasa. Membelakangkannya sudah pasti membuat kita mudah putus asa, putus harapan dan bertindak membuta-tuli tanpa memikirkan kesannya.

Jiwa kita akan lebih tenang jika bersolat Subuh dan permulaan hari akan berlalu dengan penuh keindahan. Mungkin kita akan tersangkut dalam traffic jam mahupun bersesak-sesak dalam LRT untuk ketempat kerja, namun kita akan lebih beretika ketika memandu dan tidak terlalu beremosi jika ada yang terlanggar kita di dalam LRT.

Jika tidak percaya, cubalah sendiri. Ia suatu ketenangan yang tidak dapat dilihat dan sukar untuk digambarkan. Ia adalah suatu ketenangan yang dihadiahkan kepada kita yang bersolat Subuh.

Jika kita mengamati warna langit ketika subuh, ia adalah warna biru muda dan ia bersamaan dengan frekuensi tiroid, sejenis hormon yang mengawal kita. Solat subuh juga memperbaiki metabolisme badan, penawar rezeki; dan perkara-perkara ini hanya berlaku jika roh dan jasad kita bersatu. Maknanya kita mestilah dalam keadaan sedar dan tidak tidur!

Solat-solat yang seterusnya Zuhur, Asar, Maghrib dan Isyak mempunyai warna-warnanya yang tersendiri yang mempengaruhi setiap keadaan jasad dan roh seseorang.

Zuhor adalah warna hijau kekuningan dan sama dengan frekuensi perut, dan mempengaruhi sistem penghadaman dan keceriaan kita. Itu ke sebabnya kita selalu berlari ke kedai mamak waktu lunch break!

Asar warna oren dan spektrum warna sama dengan sistem reproduktif kita dan ia juga mempengaruhi kreativiti kita. Mahu lebih kreatif dalam pekerjaan kita, rajin-rajinlah solat Asar semata-mata kerana Allah. Insyallah, kita akan dikurniakan kreativiti, dan dapat naik pangkat kut!

Maghrib adalah kritikal kerana ia warna merah-infra, sejenis warna yang amat selesa kepada syaitan dan iblis. Golongan syaitan ini amat aktif pada waktu ini. Sewajarnya, kita harus berada di dalam rumah dan menutup kesemua pintu dan tingkap rumah kita. Jika tidak, syaitan dan iblis akan masuk dan keluar dari rumah kita dengan sesuka hati.Kita sudah biasa membaca berita, berlakunya kejadian abang bunuh adik ketika waktu maghrib. Ada sekeluarga yang hampir terbunuh ketika kereta yang dipandu mak mereka hampir melanggar kelibat haiwan di jalanraya. Ia berlaku waktu maghrib.

Sewajarnya kita berhenti dahulu dan bersolat Maghrib, kerana solat ini adalah kurniaan Allah yang boleh menguatkan otot, saraf dan tulang kita.

Solat Isyak berwarna indigo dan gelap yang mempunyai frekuensi sama dengan kawalan otak. Kehadiran kegelapan malam ternyata memberi isyarat otak untuk beristirehat seterusnya kita akan berada dalam tidur delta. Tidur yang nyenyak penting kerana di masa inilah, sel-sel tubuh badan kita berevolusi dan memperbaiki sistem pertahanan badan ataupun antibodi.

Jika kita tidur terlalu lewat dek menonton TV atau melayari internet, kita akan rasa terlalu kepenatan pada keesokan hari. Ternyata kita sukar untuk merasa hikmah solat Subuh esok pagi!

Solat yang paling susah dan sukar untuk ditunaikan, tapi diwajibkan kepada Rasulullah swt Nabi Muhamad ialah Qiamullail.

Waktu Qiamullail adalah bermula pada pukul 3 pagi dan mempunyai warna putih ke merah jambu keungu. Warna-warna ini adalah frekuensi yang elok untuk hormon dan otak. Bumi ini mempunyai oksigen paling bersih pada pukul 3 pagi dan sesiapa yang berjaga pada waktu ini berpeluang menghirup udara yang paling segar.

Oksigen bersih yang bercampur dengan darah kita selepas melalui jantung kita akan diedarkan keseluruh badan kita.
Kelenjar pineal, talamus dan hippotatamus di dalam otak kita ternyata dapat menikmati sel darah yang mempunyai kandungan oksigen yang tinggi dan bersih.

Yang menikmati nikmat ini hanyalah mereka yang rajin menunaikan ibadat Qiuamullail. Ternyata, Nabi Muhammad saw yang suci bersih yang tidak pernah meninggalkan solat Qiamulail, mempunyai hati yang luhur dan sentiasa bersemangat memperjuangkan Islam.

Bagaimana dengan kita?

Kini, ramai pesakit kita yang menderita pelbagai jenis penyakit. Jika dulu, penyakit kanser adalah sesuatu yang asing tapi kini ia seperti biasa di alami oleh orang yang rapat dengan kita.

Penyakit jantung yang biasa dialami oleh hanya golongan tua, kini menjadi perkara biasa kepada golongan muda.

Dek kerana kemodenan dan gaya hidup, kita telah menjerumuskan kita kepada pelbagai jenis penyakit.


Hanya dengan izin Allah kita akan sembuh, walaupun kita berbelanja beribu ringgit sekalipun.

Justeru itu, gunakanlah solat sebagai medium untuk mengubati diri kita. Allah telah mengurniakan akal kepada kita dan AlQuran sebagai pedoman. Setiap isi AlQuran adalah kalamNya dan mempunyai unsur-unsur syifa atau penyembuh.

Tiada siapa yang boleh menolong  dalam soal ini. Kita yang berpenyakit seharusnya mengkaji diri kita, amalan hidup kita dan arah tujuan hidup kita. Penyakit adalah detour atau persimpangan dalam penghidupan. Ia ternyata memberhentikan setiap amalan seharian kita. Tiba-tiba kita tidak boleh bekerja. Tiba-tiba kita tidak boleh lagi ke Tesco. Tiba-tiba kita sukar untuk memandu, apatah lagi menaiki kapalterbang.

Inilah masanya untuk kita berfikir sejenak. Apakah penyakit kita? Bagaimana ia datang? Kenapa ia hadir? Bagaimanakah untuk mengubatinya?

Jadikanlah amalan solat sebagai pelindung daripada segala bentuk kejahatan dan penyakit. Sentiasa memohon keredhaan Allah Taala untuk kesembuhan.

"Selalu solat tapi penyakit tak hilangpun," selalu kita dengar daripada orang yang rapat dengan kita.

Solat kena berterusan dan doa kena berterusan dan keredhaan sentiasa perlu menguasai diri. Insyaallah, penyakit akan hilang dengan sendirinya.

Perubatan moden bukan sahaja amat mahal, malah ubatan-ubatannya mempunyai kesan sampingan yang negatif pada masa panjang.

Cuba bayangkan jika kita selalu makan ubat batuk yang biasa kita beli dari farmasi. Hari ini batuk itu mungkin hilang tapi ia memberikan kesan mengantuk yang berpanjangan dan sukar untuk kita menumpukan kepada pekerjaan kita.

Cubalah ambil air kolah di masjid dan bacalah Surah alFatihah, surah al-Iqlas dan surah An-Nas, salawat untuk Nabi Muhammad dan minumlah....solat jangan lupa....dan sentiasa perbaiki solat.

Sesiapa yang mempunyai masalah prostat, ovari, testikal ataupun uterus yang melibatkan sistem reproduktif badan, perlu memperbaiki solat Asar. Sentiasa perbaiki setiap solat kita kerana proses pembelajaran tidak terhenti dek kerana tamat sekolah.

Syaitan dan iblis amat suka jika kita sakit kerana kita akan menghadapi kesukaran untuk menunaikan solat. Kita juga akan lebih mudah berputus asa jika kita ditimpa penyakit.

Inilah alam. Kita sesungguhnya sentiasa memerlukan Allah Taala dalam keadaan sakit mahupun sihat. Pensyariatan solat adalah medium untuk kita berhubung dengan Allah secara langsung. Jadi....solatlah untuk Allah Taala semata-mata.

PENYAKIT WAS-WAS DAN PENGUBATANNYA CARA ISLAM

APAKAH PENYAKIT WAS-WAS?

Pernah diserang penyakit was-was? Apa tu? Bagaimana ia menyerang? Kenapa ia menyerang? Macamana nak mengubatinya?

Marilah terus membaca artikel ini. Di harap pengetahuan saya yang sedikit ini dapat memberi pertolongan kepada sesiapa yang menghadapi masalah ini.

Penyakit was-was adalah sejenis penyakit psikologi yang tidak dapat dilihat dengan mata zahir.

Ia adalah penyakit yang melanda hati manusia melalui saluran darah, menimbulkan rasa was-was dan ketakutan kepada manusia.

Perasan tak, ada segelintir umat Islam yang menghadapi kesukaran untuk memulakan solat terutamanya ketika takbiratul ikram. Berkali-kali menyebut Allahuakbar sambil mengangkat tangan dan terasa seperti tidak sempurna.

Ada juga yang berkali-kali mengambil wuduk kerana dirasakan air itu tidak mencukupi dan merasakan cara wuduk yang tidak betul.

Pernah tak terlupa rakaat ketika menunaikan solat? Ya...kadang-kadang kita malu nak bercerita dengan orang lain....tapi Allah maha Mengetahui.

Jadi, berikhtiarlah untuk mengubatinya agar ibadat kita akan lebih sempurna dan diterima Allah Taala.

Di dalam Islam, penyakit was-was adalah gangguan makhluk halus yang dipanggil al-Khannas. Ia menyusup masuk ke dalam saluran darah manusia, dan beredar ke dalam keseluruhan tubuh badan manusia terutamanya sekali otak.

Otak mengawal akal kita dan disitulah syaitan Khannas cuba untuk menguasai kita.

Sebagai seorang Islam, rajin-rajinlah membaca Surah An-Nas ayat 1-6, kerana inilah ubat yang sebenarnya.

Maksud ayat:

"Katakanlah wahai Muhammad.
Aku berlindung kepada Allah pemelihara sekalian manusia.
Yang menguasai sekalian manusia.
Tuhan yang berhak disembah oleh sekalian manusia.
Dari kejahatan pembisik penghasut yang timbul tenggelam.
Yang melemparkan bisikan dan hasutannya ke dalam hati manusia. (iaitu pembisik dan penghasut) dari kalangan jin dan manusia."

Allah swt telah mengurniakan ayat ini sebagai pendinding daripada serangan syaitan Khannas, agar kita tidak terpesong daripada pegangan Islam.

Was-was dalam bahasa Arab juga dikenali sebagai waswasah, sejenis bisikan yang tidak diundang dalam jiwa dan pemikiran yang dilakukan oleh syaitan.

Di dalam perubaran moden, penyakit was-was lebih dikenali sebagai penyakit psikologi obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). Ada juga mengaitkan OCD dengan phobia atau penyakit ketakutan yang keterlaluan.

OCD ialah penyakit mental akibat kerisauan. Ia mempunyai gaya pemikiran dan tingkah-laku yang bersifat memaksa.

Kerap kita didendangkan dengan program mengenai OCD di saluran television masyarakat di Barat Discovery Channel dan National Geograhic.

Cerita bagaimana ada mat salih yang terpaksa kerap mencuci tangan kerana dirasakan tangan tak cukup bersih. Ada juga yang  langsung tak mahu keluar rumah kerana terlalu takutkan penjenayah!

Penyakit was-was ini menyerang semua jenis manusia tanpa mengira agama, bangsa, umur dan jantina.

Namun, sebagai umat Islam, sewajarnya kita berubat cara Islam. Allah telah mengurniakannya kepada kita melalui Al-Quran.

Jadi kerap-keraplah membaca surah An-Nas secara kognitif iaitu berulang-ulang.

Eloklah dibacakan bersama dengan Surah al-Falaq dan Surah al-Ikhlas setiap kali selepas solat.

Ada dikatakan apa-apapun yang diulang sebanyak 40 kali akan menjadi kenyataan. Diharap maklumat ini akan dapat mengubati penyakit was-was kita dan sentiasa memohon daripada Allah Taala untuk kesembuhan.

Melalui pembacaan saya, pengambilan makanan tambahan seperti Omega 3 adalah elok untuk penyakit OCD.

Dikatakan OCD berpunca dari ketidaknormalan paras serotonin dalam otak. Serotonin berperanan mengawal perasaan kurang senang dan perkara-perkara yang menimbulkan gangguan.

Pesakit-pesakit OCD menghadapi masalah dimana reseptor serotonin kurang dirangsang.

Ubat-ubatan moden adalah ubat anti-obsesif di mana ia dikatakan menghapus fikiran obsesif dan taksub. Namun, ubatan moden banyak kesan sampingan yang negatif.

OCD juga dikaitkan dengan kebimbangan melampau atau anxiety neurosis yang boleh menyebabkan suasana kecelaruan panik atau panic disorder.

Pemakanan zat Omega 3 dikatakan dapat menstabilkan paras serotonin di otak, dan mengurangkan kerisauan obsesif. Wallahualam.

Ini sahajalah yang dapat dikongsi buat masa ini. Akan update jika ada maklumat baru.

TAMAN ALAM KINTA JUST FOR BIRDER IS NOT S...IT IS ALSO FOR ANGLERS

KINTA NATURE PARK  at Kampung Pisang, Batu Gajah, Perak offers a breathtaking view of  birds  overlooking the majestic lakes.
Birds such as herons, kingfishers and egrets fly freely on the lakes, sometimes submerging itself into the water to catch fish.
Yesterday evening on windy Saturday, my family travelled to the lake, for fishing while birding.
Its been a long time the whole family had not gone fishing. We used to do fishing along the Tembeling River during our stay near Taman Negara Pahang many years back.
My children were very excited. We drive through Batu Gajah looking for the best spot, but we ended up at the vicinity of Kinta Nature Park.
Parking our car, next to a lake overlooking a small island occupied by thousands of birds, the children are thrill to start fishing.
We managed to get a fantastic location, not only the birds were many, the view of the lakes is worth the pictures.
The children got more excited when they managed  to catch fish in just one minute of throwing the bites!
And it did not stopped!  After only 30 minutes of fishing, my children already got 25 tilapia fishs. Although small size, my children were satistied and so happy with their catch.
After more than one hour, we head off to Batu Gajah Swimming Pool near the Arena Square.
Yes... splashing time after a fishing trip. We children does enjoy swimming although not aiming for any Olympic medal!
See you in the next post.

My catch for the day....tilapia...