00:00This is the first time I've ever seen this kind of grass in my life.
00:09Dear viewers, this kind of grass that you can see on the side of the road
00:19is believed to be the source of some diseases.
00:24Doc, is it true?
00:27This kind of grass is called Paragis or Wiregrass in English.
00:33Paragis is a kind of weed that you can see on the side of the road,
00:39on the side of the river, and it grows everywhere.
00:43It grows from 10 cm to 1 m long.
00:50This is usually found in tropical countries.
00:57If Paragis is just passed on by others,
01:01Ella, who is 50 years old,
01:03cuts and collects Paragis to drink.
01:07Paragis helped me with my UTI.
01:11Until now, I haven't stopped drinking Paragis.
01:16Ella was diagnosed with Urinary Tract Infection
01:21where the bacteria entered the urethra
01:24and spread to the bladder of a person.
01:27At first, I felt pain in my urethra.
01:32Then, I got a fever.
01:34When I urinated, it felt like something was blocking my urethra.
01:39UTI or Urinary Tract Infection is an infection in the urethra.
01:45Usually, it comes from the outside.
01:48It starts in the bladder,
01:50goes to the urethra, which is the kidney,
01:54and ends up in the kidneys.
01:58So when Ella heard that Paragis is good for the UTI,
02:02she immediately tried it.
02:04Once Paragis is extracted,
02:06Ella washes it first
02:10and boils it for 10 minutes.
02:14Then, she pours the extracted Paragis into a glass.
02:22It tastes like boiled corn.
02:26After a month,
02:29Ella believes that Paragis is no longer harmful to her.
02:37I got better.
02:38The pain in my urethra is gone.
02:41I don't feel anything anymore.
02:43I feel better.
02:45When I urinate, I feel pain in my body.
02:48I get itchy. I can't sleep.
02:51It's gone.
02:54But the question is,
02:55is Paragis good for people with urinary problems?
03:01Urologist Dr. Harris Lim answered,
03:04Paragis is used in traditional medicine
03:08for different feelings.
03:10For example, for urinary infections or UTI.
03:13It is said that Paragis has diuretic
03:16and anti-inflammatory properties
03:19that can help flush out bacteria in the urinary tract.
03:23But according to the expert,
03:25scientific evidence is not enough
03:27to prove that Paragis is effective
03:29as a primary solution for UTI.
03:34The Philippine Institute of Traditional and Alternative Health Care
03:38or PTAHC of the Department of Health,
03:40although there are studies that have
03:42anti-oxidant, anti-diabetic, anti-hypertensive,
03:46and anti-bacterial properties,
03:48it is not yet recommended as a solution for UTI.
03:53We still don't have clinical trials or researches
03:57for humans regarding Paragis.
04:01We at the Philippine Institute of Traditional and Alternative Health Care
04:05do not recommend Paragis
04:08because we do not know its dosage,
04:13its real benefits and uses,
04:18and the toxicity effect of Paragis.
04:22There are some products like Paragis capsule and tea
04:26registered in the Food and Drug Administration or FDA.
04:30But there is no approved therapeutic claim
04:32or scientific evidence
04:34that can prove Paragis effective.
04:38According to PTAHC,
04:40there are 10 drugs recommended by the DOH
04:44and Paragis is not one of them.
04:47We recommend 10 approved drugs by the DOH.
04:53These are
04:54Lagundi,
04:55Ulasimang Bato,
04:57Bayabas,
04:58Bawang,
04:59Yerba Buena,
05:01Sambong,
05:02Ampalaya,
05:03Niug-Niugan,
05:05Chaanggubat,
05:06and Akapulco.
05:09If she will use any medicine,
05:12PTAHC will remind her.
05:13We always consult with our doctor
05:16before using any medicine.
05:22Meanwhile,
05:23Ella was not able to have a check-up
05:25after being infected with Paragis.
05:27I did not go back to the doctor
05:30and I felt better.
05:32All my pain was gone.
05:34I felt better.
05:39For UTI,
05:40consult with your doctor
05:42for proper diagnosis and treatment.
05:44Usually, we recommend antibiotics.
05:46These are the scientific evidence
05:49that can help to cure the infection.
05:53If the treatment is not effective,
05:55it can lead to a worse condition.
05:59The most important thing to avoid in UTI
06:02is to drink your water.
06:04Drinking a lot of water
06:07is important to avoid and ease the UTI.
06:14Dear viewers,
06:15the traditional way of taking medicine
06:17can change your life.
06:20The important thing is
06:21that it is proven by experts
06:23and recommended by specialists.
06:28Thank you very much for tuning in to Pinoy MD.
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06:34subscribe to the GMA Public Affairs YouTube channel.
06:37And of course,
06:38don't forget to hit the bell button
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