Filipino Remedies
This project was my senior thesis exploration of the intersection of commercialized wellness, health and culture. Filipino Remedies is a resource designed to share traditional Filipino remedies as a response to mainstream health trends and the commercialization of food. These remedies are not intended to replace professional medical advice but serve as an alternative natural resource.
Context
How can we highlight and share traditional Filipino health practices and remedies today?
How has health and wellness become commercialized? Today, wellness surrounds us in forms of vitamin supplements, clean eating ads and juice trends. At the same time, we are surrounded by junk food marketing and processed foods. Both industries use branding and overused, friendly verbiage to lure consumers. Modern diets and the commercialization of wellness create a conflicting environment for consumers to make healthier choices for themselves.
Prior to these trends and topics, people practiced traditional home remedies and cultural health practices. Traditional healing is ingrained in Filipino culture with documentation dating back to pre-Spanish colonization. People may often be skeptical of home remedies. However, they do contain cultural significance and have been successful for people.
Goals
Relearn and preserve traditional health practices through remedies and food.
Filipino Remedies uses communication design to share Filipino remedies so we can continue to relearn and preserve past traditional health practices.
This project is also serves as a response to the commercialization of health and wellness today. An online platform and printed newspaper were created to showcase this information both in a digital and analog format.
Documentation: Documenting the practice and history of home remedies in a digital platform
Relevance: Creating relevance and connection to people today
Visual References
For visual references, I referenced the typography and colors found on Filipino street signage.
Image Sources: @typedvo / Positively Filipino Magazine
Visual Elements
Website
Home Page
Individual Remedy Page
Each remedy page includes detailed information such as the description, type of remedy, time duration, taste, smell and step by step instruction to help users find the right remedy for them.
History
It is important to learn the history of traditional healing and remedies from the past, why they’re prominent today in modern day Philippines and how we can continue to relearn and preserve this information in the future.
