Tag Archives: Word of the Week

sajumar/sahumar

v. ritual treatment of passing children through smoke by a curandero; see desahumar

riñones

m. kidneys, commonly thought to be the cause of lumbar pain

najual

m. in Mayan thought, an animal spirit that sometimes causes illness

mal de mayo

m. lit. May sickness; diarrhea; the early spring rains may cause water sources to be contaminated, potentially leading to diarrhea.

luna

f. moon; thought to affect the activity of parasites and position of babies before birth

jalar aire

v. to breathe deeply; patients may understand, “Jale aire” better than “Respire profundo”.

inconoso

adj. refers to certain foods which are thought to cause wound infections, such as eggs, fish, avocados and beans. Patients need to be taught about diet to avoid malnutrition and poor wound healing.