A Study on the Guidelines for Elderly Healthcare Using the Wisdom of Medicinal Food Plants Based on the Knowledge of Thai Traditional Medicine.

Abstract

     The objectives of this research were to: 1) study the medicinal properties of herbs used as ingredients and side dishes in local cuisine that can be used to supplement the care and treatment of elderly patients in Thai traditional medicine textbooks; and 2) develop guidelines for elderly health care using plant-based food wisdom with medicinal properties under the framework of Thai traditional medicine knowledge. This was survey research focused on searching and collecting information from relevant textbooks and documents to obtain research data. Data analysis was performed using content analysis techniques.

     The results showed that 20 Thai traditional medicine textbooks listed 577 types of plants used as ingredients and side dishes in local cuisine. After removing duplicates, 167 types remained. When categorized by agricultural product to promote cultivation, consumption, and sale, they were divided into 6 groups: 1) fruits, 2) vegetables, 3) grasses, 4) nuts, seeds, and sap, 5) herbs and spices, and 6) vegetables with medicinal properties, with 18, 42, 3, 9, 55, and 39 types, respectively. When analyzing the medicinal properties of Thai traditional medicine and grouping medicinal plants according to diseases or symptoms commonly found in the elderly, as follows: 1) Loss of appetite, 2) Insomnia, 3) Constipation, 4) Indigestion, 5) Hemorrhoids, 6) Chronic gastritis, 7) Cough, 8) Allergic rhinitis, 9) Hypertension, and 10) Diabetes, with 12, 6, 17, 49, 9, 9, 26, 7, 9, and 1 species respectively, and nutritional value information was found for 46 medicinal plants.