These elements have great culturally representative meaning, however, they can have health benefits.
By: Mariana Mestizo Hernandez
January 06, 2024
In various cultural contexts, it is argued that wise men presented the newborn Jesus with gifts of incense, myrrh, and gold, elements considered valuable at that time. In addition to their spiritual meaning, these gifts also possess biological, scientific, and chemical attributes that are considered beneficial for health or with healing properties.
“I think that just like today, the aborigines of South America, of North America, people from central regions in Africa in direct interaction with nature, have a vast knowledge of naturopathic medicine, from which many medicines eventually synthetically modified are derived, that is, pharmaceutical companies appropriate the knowledge of tribes, of villages,” said Dr. Neftalí García, a specialist in organic chemistry with a secondary concentration in biochemistry.
Dr. García raises the possibility of analyzing whether the wise men considered that newborns, being more susceptible to diseases, could avoid them or even find a possible cure through the use of this type of substance: “I think they were wise and knew about astronomy, because they probably observed a star of enormous intensity that, as a general rule, does not last long in the sky and tends to be seen in some particular places,” added the chemist.
Favorable uses of incense in medicine and mental health
“Incenses release a balsamic smoke, they have therapeutic uses, some of them are relaxing, some are used in aromatherapy, also as meditation, in order to calm anxiety, depression or improve sleep, they help improve the immune system, blood pressure and care of the respiratory system,” added the doctor.
Benefits of myrrh for wound healing
On the other hand, according to the expert, the myrrh is classified as a variety derived from a waxy resin that solidifies quickly. This substance, in turn, has been observed to help stop bleeding, accelerate healing and have anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, and antioxidant properties. Additionally, it is suggested to have a positive impact on the control of skin conditions such as eczema, ulcers, acne, and cracked skin.
In terms of benefits for health, the myrrh can strengthen the immune system, especially by increasing the generation of white blood cells responsible for fighting infections. Likewise, it can reduce fever in an antibacterial way, since when burned, the myrrh has the ability to eliminate bacteria. Additionally, it has been suggested that it could play a beneficial role in preventing hair loss.
Representative meaning of gold as currency for humanity
The specialist highlights that gold has been historically recognized as a precious metal, present in limited quantities on the Earth’s surface. Furthermore, he points out that it has played the role of currency since the first records of its use and has been considered a representative of value over time. “They gave medicinal products and gave a general equivalent recognized in ancient times in all countries useful for purchase.”
The expert concludes that the figure of the wise men in Puerto Rico has a significant cultural content, as evidenced by the peasant music that accompanies it. This tradition is perceived as an element of unification for the population, thus transcending political-electoral aspects.