“From the bitterness of disease man learns the sweetness of health.” According to the Medical Dictionary of Health Professions and Nursing (Farlex 2012), health status refers to the level of health of an individual person, a group or a population as assessed by that individual or by objective measures. In previous years, one would live longer due to their good health status. Herbalism or herbal therapy has contributed to this in a variety of ways and has been practiced for thousands of years by people of all cultures globally.
Many Caribbean people believe that the Supreme Being created herbs for the healing of the nation. Perhaps this belief was passed down from African predecessors, who came to the Caribbean, which was passed to them by their ancestors. Africans utilized herbal therapy to doctor physical, mental and spiritual aspects of various sicknesses that afflicted people daily. This may be accountable for the tradition within the Caribbean community to use herbal medicines to attain and prolong general health and well being. As a child, growing up in the Caribbean, one would receive the advice from their grandmother to drink ‘bush’ tea because it’s good for you
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An article in the Jamaica Observer written by Maureen Minto (2015) stated, “The bitter principles in herbs are fast acting and stimulate cleansing responses from the stomach. When our bodies have these medicinal compounds in excess, it excretes them through the kidneys, lungs, colon and skin, leaving us in total wellness of mind, body and soul,” (“Why I Choose Herbal Medicine”, para. 9). In agreement with this an article written by Healing Waters Clinic and Herbs Shop (“How Herbs Work,” 2010) mentions that herbs work three (3) ways in traditional herbalism; detoxification, regulation (balancing) and tonification (building). Through these three methods herbs are able to heal the whole body regardless of the nature of the
In essence, the Hmong cultural medicinal beliefs versus Western medicine is analyzed from the two
Herbal remedies are not as simple as just determining the illness and giving the prescribed medicine, without having knowledge of the body. The fundamental element of medicine in the Medieval time period is the theory of humours. This theory followed through until they reach the 19th century where more modern analysis could conducted. Humours also known as principle fluids are made up of four different fluid found in each individual: black bile, yellow bile, blood and phlegm. Each of the fluids are found in different organ of the body, black bile resides in the spleen and is the cause for melancholy, yellow bile is secreted by the liver and can cause irascibility, phlegm comes from the lungs and can be denounced to sluggishness, and the final
This intellectual school revolutionized medicine in Ancient Greece, establishing it as a discipline distant from other fields that it had traditionally been associated with, thus making medicine a profession. (Hippocrates, n.d.) He was known to use ginger as a ‘warming’ herb to soothe ‘cold’ conditions and he used members of the mint family to ‘cool’ ‘warming’ conditions.(Falsetto, 2009) Implicit in his observation is fundamental principle of therapeutic aromatherapy – that essential oils applied externally affect the internal organs and tissues of the body. (History of Essential Oils,
African-Brazilian religions are represented, among other experiences, chiefly by Candomblé and Umbanda. They are characterized by spirit possession - the Orishas, or ancestors - who take possession of the body of a person, the medium, and meet the demands of subjects who seek their guidance. They are derived from the knowledge of African religious beliefs that came to Brazil with the black diaspora, and that brought a great amount of knowledge about how to treat disease and preserve health. This knowledge associate a comprehensive response to a series of somatic, psychological, social, spiritual and existential dissatisfactions, offering people explanations about the disease events generating pain and suffering. In this context, the aim of
While it may not be fair to credit the Aztecs with the use of herbs as a point of superiority, since the biodiversity was much grander in the New World than in Spain, they without a doubt had a greater understanding of their importance in medicine. The Aztecs, under Moctezuma I, had implemented vast botanical gardens dedicated to experimenting with the usage of herbs for medicine, this can perhaps be viewed as one of the first instances of government supported scientific research. This was years before any kingdom in Europe had come up with the same idea. The creation of these gardens with the express intent of scientific research is noteworthy when compared to the Spanish Inquisition’s wholesale attack on medical
The Igbo people were able to blend the indigenous and Western medical perspectives to achieve an understanding of disease. They used plants as remedies for multiple illnesses, such as the bitter leaf. The bitter leaf was claimed to cure measles, chickenpox, fungal infections and diarrhea. The Igbo clan was strong in remedies and healing, and surrounding villages were aware of it. “It was powerful in war and magic, and its priests and medicine were feared in all surrounding country.”
Different cultures and religions believe in different types of healing practices, there are a lot of Americans that use herbal remedies to cure all sorts of illnesses. If these remedies don’t work, it is the responsibility of the individual and family members to seek out proper medical treatment for the
In short, the biological model of health is mainly defined from the absence of disease, from the model that is well-matched with positive meanings in relation to balance of normal functioning. The social model health is actually a positive state of well-being and wholeness linked with however this is not mainly explained from the non-existence of disease, physical, mental impairment and illness (Gross, 2010). Overall the concepts of ill health and health are not balanced. Non-existences of disease might be part of health, however health is considered more than the “absence of disease”.
The philosophies and practice of healing in the 19th century could be described as both a little elaborate and strange. There is a belief that the potential cause of experimenting with the effects of different plants derived from watching the behavior of animals after consuming them. The plants that caused hallucinations were of particular interest and those individuals who had knowledge about the different plants, would more often than not, become revered members in their communities. They were referred to as, Shamans, and their practice, shamanism. Shamans healed individuals by way of the plants that would put the patients in a trance-like state, which was caused by the hallucinations created by the plant-based medicines (Levinthal, 2012).
The relationship between the person taking the plant medicine and the ritual is like taking an already paved trail in the woods to get to the chosen destination rather than stumble around the uncharted parts. Plant medicines are amazing tools to explore the mind. Toys they are not, as they still manipulate the chemistry of the brain and can affect a person in almost unpredictable mind. By taking a plant substance person is agreeing to let that plant take your perception to a possibly completely different level. This shift of perception is not always a choice.
Shamanism was created by utilizing the knowledge of drugs and practicing healing with that knowledge. Shamanism is not the only philosophy to use this knowledge for healing purposes. One document that
(p80 Mitchell and Cormack 1998) To conclude, it appears that the connotations of the term placebo are in flux, with science now recognising placebo as a valuable and distinct part of the healing process. Modern Western herbal medicine can not be seen as purely placebo as there is now sound evidence based research to back up medical claims but the placebo effect can be seen as a valuable part of the healing experience. A therapeutic alliance, based on listening, empathy, reassurance, and therapeutic optimism, constitutes good clinical practice… Promoting the placebo response is not the same as merely trying to please the patient.
With marijuana being as popular as it is, it has more than enough names that it goes by and that is shocking to me. Marijuana is also known by Ganja which is the term that Jamaica people use. Chronic: which is marijuana mixed with crack? Ditch Weed: This is inferior quality of marijuana.
Any idea?? Health – according to World Health Organization (WHO), health is the state of being complete physical, mental and social well being, and not merely freedom to disease or absences of any infirmity. So meaning, even when you are physically fit but you are not mentally and socially well, you cant still call yourself a healthy person.
The use of herbs as medicine to treat illness is possibly the oldest form of medicine known to man. Plants have a wide range of documented healing properties, including the ability to balance hormones, decrease blood pressure, and stimulate the immune system and lower blood sugar levels. Many plant substances are powerful medicines. Homeopathic Medicine Homeopathy is one distinct and powerful type of natural therapy used by naturopathic physicians. Homeopathy has its own specially prepared natural remedies and rules of practice.