Folk Medicine Folk Medicine : A Cultural Perspective

Core Concepts and Characteristics of Folk Medicine §Oral transmission §Health as harmony §Interrelation of body,mind, spirit §Supernatural elements §Thoughts and emotions associated with disease §Positive/ negative energies §Moral tone

Disease and Illness Classification Classified according to causation §hot or cold type §elements of the body §natural(according to God) §supernatural(violating God’s will)

Folk Practitioners Self or Family Care: Generalists or Specialists §birth order or circumstances §divine gifts or calling §special or transformative life circumstances §familial inheritance §personal desire or interest

Common Therapeutic Practices §Religious, spiritual, magical, sacramental objects §Natural substances; botanical, animal, mineral §Physical Therapies

C.A.M. Complimentary and Alternative Medicine jThis is a Western view of traditional healing practices jMillions of people use these practices as their primary source of health care

Ancient Folk Traditions Traditional Chinese Medicine jover 4,000 years old jis the basis for other healing systems: Vietnam, Korea and Japan jhas now spread worldwide jto learn more: The Chinese Way to Health: A Self-help Guide to Traditional Chinese Medicine by Dr. Stephen Gascoigne Indian, Ayurvedic Healing j5,000 years old jSanskrit for” the science of life and longevity” jdiet/ nutrition jrelaxation jlifestyle jexercise jmeditation, breathing jherbs jThe Complete Book of Ayurvedic Home Remedies by Vasant Lad

Why Folk Medicine? Cultural Identity & Tradition l Personal beliefs, guided by social and ethnic backgrounds l Folk remedies are usually passed by word of mouth. l Strong ties to nationalities, backgrounds, and heritage “ Her days are slow, days of grinding dried snake into powder, of crushing wild bees to mix with white wine. And the townspeople come, hoping to be touched by her ointments, her hands, her prayers, her eyes. She listens to their stories, and she listens to the desert, always to the desert.“ from the poem, "Curandera" by Pat Mora

Personal Power & Taking Control- -Why Wait to Jump That Bridge? l Limited accessibility to medical care. l Affordability of medical care. l Distrust of the Western healthcare system.

Distrust of Western System l Side effects. l HMO marathon visits. l Medication not Meditation.

“Doctors” are community l The healthcare practitioner is always a member of the community l Practitioners assist in finding the root cause of health issues, using the appropriate form of “treatment” to help cure the patient. Community is the “doctor” l In many cultural folk medicine rituals and belief systems, the entire community is involved in the ritual. l The individual, as part of a community, is directly involved in the healing process. Choosing Folk Medicine l Simplicity of Treatment l Gives You You

Food as Medicine Food IS your Medicine §We really ARE what we eat. Whole Foods Processed foods §People are chronically unhealthy. Dis-ease Malnutrition Convenience Addicted culture/cravings §Medical System Sickness oriented. Pill mentality – quick fix. People don’t like the discomfort of change. Minimal Nutrition Education in Medical Schools.

Ayruvedic 5 – Element System Basic elements or constituents to which anything can be reduced. §Fire §Earth §Water §Air §Space Use this to deepen your connection to all things, including the foods we eat. We are ENERGETIC beings. Real food feeds this energy life-force.

Food-related diseases and conditions: that can be controlled and treated by Dietary Adjustments What are the “BEST” foods for Good Health? UNPROCESSED & WHOLE! \Heart disease \Obesity/ eating disorders \Depression \Immune disorders \Headaches/ migraines \Fibroids \A.D.D. \Clods and flues \PMS \Diabetes \Allergies \Asthma \GI Disorders \Celiac Disease \Irritable Bowel Syndrome  Heartburn \Constipation/Diarrhea \Kidney and Gallstones

SOLUTIONS & LIFESTYLE CHOICES What YOU can do – This IS your Medicine jDrink more water! jReduce or eliminate sodas and caffeine. jEat REAL foods jShop at Farmers Markets jADD good things to your diet, don’t just eliminate. jGet outside and do something physical. jGet enough sleep and relaxation. jMeditate. jGrow a garden jCook at home more. jBe present when you eat jConnect with where your food has come from. jPractice Gratitude. jTry eliminating something for 1 day. jCut out partially hydrogenated oils. jEat Breakfast. jChew your food thoroughly. Too little attention is given to CREATING health, rather than treating Disease/Dis-ease.