St Lucian herbal physician tackles reproductive health and wellness

The inaugural Reclaiming Wellness and Reproductive Health Tour was launched on Monday. Aimed at promoting holistic well-being and educating Jamaicans on maintaining their immune system function and restorative male and female health, the public lecture, which is spearheaded by St Lucian herbal physician Kailash K. Leonce, also respected as a priest of the Ethiopia Black African International Congress, or Bobo Shanti Order, educated guests on the benefits of traditional medicine and the need to address their lifestyle habits.

According to Leonce, known prominently as Priest Kailash, in order to decrease the rate of occurrence of certain diseases in Jamaica, including prostate cancer in men and polycystic ovarian syndrome, ovarian and cervical cancers in women, there must be constant education on lifestyle habits that are toxic and affect the body as well as the immune system.

“The purpose of my time in Jamaica will definitely be to educate the people about our original livity and relationship with the food and herbs that exist to help us thrive. I believe in incorporating what I learnt in medical school and the traditional knowledge taken from our ancestral history,” explained Priest Kailash, who set out to get medical training in Cuba, before graduating from the American University of Antigua’s College of Medicine in 2005.

HERBAL SUPPLEMENTS

Since then, he has been sharing his knowledge of indigenous herbal medicine, their benefits, preparations and products for restorative male and female health, including those under his Great Physician International brand, such as the Important ‘male tonic’ and his Mount Kailash brand, like the bestseller, an immune booster called The Answer. He also touts the benefits of lifestyle changes. “For our women, we want to look at their stress levels and the need for meditation and changing lifestyle practices, because many of them do not realise how stress can lead to polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), and how other past traumas can have an impact on their reproductive health. Apart from bringing the physical solutions, we are teaching them to empower themselves, and in the realm of their relationships, what can affect or improve their wellness and wholeness,” Priest Kailash said. In 2017, Priest Kailash opened the Mount Kailash Rejuvenation Centre in St Lucia with the intention of revolutionising the healthcare system.

Priest Kailash shared that the expectation of his first son, in 2004, was the catalyst for the development of the products, and later propelled him to create the first of many plant-based products and develop the line of herbal supplements.

“There are so many natural herbs that people know about but have not allowed proper education on their uses, and the need to go back to the earth for our healing. It is the answer to many health issues, and we have seen this throughout the pandemic – many more persons going back to the source for healing,” Priest Kailash offered.

Chronixx is among those who fully endorse The Answer from personal experience. Last summer, the Mount Kailash Rejuvenation Centre was the venue for ‘The Rising of the Gods’ retreat, which the reggae artiste attended, along with other positive role models, such as The University of the West Indies (UWI) lecturer Dr Jahlani Niaah and social media influencer Ronnie Steven ‘Rizza’ Islam. Through his CHOR Foundation, Chronixx is supporting Priest Kailash’s Reclaiming Wellness and Reproductive Health Tour, where another lecture will be held at the UWI, Mona, today. This will focus primarily on sexual and reproductive health, prostate and breast cancer, fibroids and other related topics.

“We need to transcend island barriers, and it’s we, the people, who have to play major roles in achieving this unity and bridging across the Caribbean Sea,” Chronixx said. “There’s a solid community of scientists, healers, creatives and more, and we just have to connect the dots with good intention.”

Amid the reports of a fifth wave of COVID-19, Priest Kailash also emphasised the importance of self-care and meditation during the public lecture and launch, held at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel.

Another featured guest speaker, Ras Wayne, said that persons need to connect with their bodies and with the earth. “Jamaica is a place of land, wood and water; it is a triple complement that shows that we need to become intimate with it. The education on health and wellness must start within our schools, with the children. Allow them to take some time to farm or plant something because, as the saying goes, ‘plant a seed and watch it grow’,” he said.

“We need to look at our own growth, and look at our body, how we breathe, what we are doing when we are breathing, and listen to ourselves. People are also invested in pharmaceuticals and have failed to recognise the issues of cost, or even pay attention to the after effects, and the need for proper lifestyle changes that can have better and more fulfilling long-term benefits,” Ras Wayne continued.

stephanie.lyew@gleanerjm.com