A Glimpse of Activities

In ancient India, there's this awesome thing called yoga. It's all about bringing together physical strength, clear thinking, and spiritual reflection. Yoga has been around since about 400 C.E., and this person named Patanjali wrote down the formal rules for it in his Yoga Sutras. But even before that, people were passing down yoga from one teacher to another through the years.

As the Western world got into yoga in the 1900s, it changed from one-on-one teaching to big group classes. The word "yoga" comes from the Sanskrit word "yuj," meaning to "yoke" or "unite." So, the main idea of yoga is bringing together your body, mind, and spirit into one harmonious mix. It's like becoming part of a bigger picture of universal consciousness. As you do yoga, your self-centred thoughts and actions start to connect with something larger, leading to a deep spiritual awakening.

In the rich tradition of Chinese medicine, there's a special kind of healing called acupuncture. It's an ancient practice deeply woven into the history of wellness, going back thousands of years. The core idea behind this approach is that there's a vital life force, known as qi (pronounced "chee"), flowing through specific energy pathways, similar to meridians, within our bodies. Each of these meridians is intricately connected to an organ or group of organs, overseeing specific bodily functions. The smooth flow of qi is seen as the key to overall well-being and vitality.

"Senaman Melayu" translates to "Malay exercises" or "Malay physical activities." The term itself doesn't refer to a specific set of exercises but rather embodies the traditional physical activities and exercises practiced within the Malay culture. These activities often have roots in cultural practices, influenced by movements during prayers, movements of animals and plants, martial arts, and other community activities. Here are some potential benefits associated with traditional Malay exercises:

Malay massage typically refers to traditional massage techniques that have their roots in Malay culture, which is the culture of the ethnic Malays, the predominant ethnic group in Malaysia and Indonesia. Malay massage is often associated with traditional healing practices and is designed to promote blood circulation, relieve muscle tension, and improve overall well-being.

The specific techniques used in Malay massage can vary, but they often involve a combination of pressure points, stretching, and manipulation of the body's muscles and joints. Herbal oils and traditional remedies may also be incorporated to enhance the therapeutic effects of the massage.

It's worth noting that the term "Malay massage" might be used to describe various massage styles practiced in different regions, and the techniques can vary. Additionally, with the globalization of wellness practices, modern spas and wellness centers may offer "Malay-inspired" or "Malay-style" massages that combine traditional elements with contemporary approaches.

This unit began as an integrative medical clinic at AMDI USM, commencing operations in 2013. Initially, it provided health counseling services to patients with diabetes and other chronic diseases requiring the use of herbs and nutritional advice. At that time, the clinic was led by two medical doctors, each with a PhD in herbal medicine and epigenetics, respectively.

Then, in early 2014, traditional Malay medicine was introduced into the integrative medical services. The goal at that time was to integrate traditional treatment into modern medicine to assist stroke patients and those with chronic musculoskeletal conditions. The approach aimed to help patients reduce the use of pain relievers and their side effects while improving the mobility of stroke patients.

In January 2022, the clinic underwent an upgrade to become a unit, and there were three medical doctors and five trained practitioners, including medical assistants, rehabilitation nurses, and medical technologists. They provided services at the clinic every week on designated days from 8:10 am to 5:00 pm.

With the increasing number of patients each year, conducting scientific research on Malay traditional treatments presents a significant opportunity. Two lecturers from USM have successfully obtained grants from the Ministry of Higher Education in the field of Malay medicine. Currently, only Malay cupping therapy, traditional Malay massage (therapeutic type), and traditional Malay exercises are applied in patient management. In the near future, it is expected that other treatments such as acupuncture and traditional Malay postpartum massage can be added to these services.

In addition to clinical services, the clinic has also received training placements from final-year clinical pharmacy students from USM for the module on traditional and complementary medicine.

Herbagus has set up an agrotech division in northwest of Malaysia to grow and process geographically ideal natural herbs. We provide the highest quality herbs and herbal products at a reasonable price.

Herbagus have their own specialized farm to produce commonly-used raw herbs and niche demand for research. Herbagus naturally-grown herbs are oven dried which is suitable to cater for herbal tea products, cosmetic and healthy drink and functional food supplement.

Herbagus are vertically integrated herbal supplier and producer. They offer product ranges In raw and fresh herb form, dried, grinded, fine powder, sachets, juice, puree, cordial upto extracted form.