Traditional medicinal knowledge in Belize
Some of the earliest evidence of medicinal plant use was unearthed in the grave of a Neanderthal man, who died almost 60000 years ago. The first known medical document is a Sumerian clay tablet listing plant based treatments for various maladies about 4000 years ago (Kong,2003). Ancient though those times may seem traditional medicines still serves the health needs of about 80 percent of the world's population (WHO, 2014). Medicinal folk knowledge is imperative for underdeveloped and developing nations and has important scientific implication in the developed world e.g. new sources for pharmaceuticals. This incredibly long tradition of folk medicine persists to the present in all corners of the globe (e.g. China, India, Africa, Central and South American). In these regions marketplaces offer a selection of medicinal plants right next to other goods. In other words, to the people in these regions their food is their medicine and their folk style medicine is the norm, the world over. Traditional medicine practitioners frequently submit themselves to a prolong apprenticeship in order to study the names, uses, and preparation of plants native to their specific environment. That rigorous training and deep understanding of illness and treatment in one’s own environment is held no dearer to the heart of any healer more than in Belize. Belize has a history of traditional healers that is varied and enduring. Traditional medicine in Belize gravitates around the usage of the flora from the endemic forests which makes up approximately 60 percent of the country’s land mass (Cherrington, 2010). The total forested area in Belize is around 1,653,000 ha (Cherrington, 2010). Traditional Medicine is defin...
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In Cherokee medicine, it is believed that councils of animals created diseases in order to avenge the loss of their families and living spaces. The plants, being sympathetic to humans, decided to each furnish a cure for these diseases. It is believed that the spirit of the plant will tell a sick person which one to use to cure his illness.
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In fact, Native American medicine men belief is firmly grounded in age-old traditions, legends and teachings. Healing and medical powers have existed since the very beginning of time according to Native American stories. Consequently they have handed down the tribe's antediluvian legends, which i...
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Alternative medicine has been considered the “hidden mainstream” of patient care in America. As biomedicine increased in popularity, alternative methods of healing arose as a response to the treatments used by physicians. Historically, alternative (or “complementary”) medicine conveyed itself by highlighting its “natural” attributes. These characteristics attracted those who were wary of the chemicals used in allopathic medicines. Much of the skepticism that has accompanied complementary alternative medicine (CAM) stems from the lack of scientifically-based evidence that shows its efficacy; there is no “alternative” medicine there is simply “unproven” medicine (Fontanarosa and Lundberg 1618). This argument suggests that medicine and healing are inherently scientific and avoids the cultural and spiritual aspects of the healing process. However, alternative medicine has been increasingly incorporated into biomedical practice and more research initiatives are working towards demonstrating its efficacy. An important advancement has been the relationship between allopathic physicians and alternative medicine. Throughout alternative medicine’s history, there have been some physicians who promoted “alternative” treatments. This campaign may have led to further acceptance and use of CAM. In this essay, I will explore the boundaries between alternative medicine and biomedicine, describe the involvement of physicians in alternative practices, and shed some light on the tensions that surround this relationship.
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Medicine is continuously developing and being discovered in many different objects and ways. Forms of medicine date back thousands of years but more closely related to Native Americans and their contributions to Europeans who came over to America. The word medicine is derived from the word medecin, a French word meaning physician, which was introduced to Native Americans as many French doctors came to the new world. Native Americans used this term to describe just about any healing or spiritual method they used.
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Herbal remedies’ qualities are widespread availability, lower cost, effective for chronic conditions. Herbal remedies are the use of plants or plant extract to treat a person’ overall health. Herbal treatments are prominent for developing countries for instance, “in Africa up to 90% and in India 70% of the population depend on traditional medicine to help meet their health care needs” (Wachtel-Galor & Benzie, 2011), due to their low cost and availability. Herbal remedies have gained attention in the past decades, and expanding their uses due to the increased interest of natural therapies (Wachtel-Galor & Benzie, 2011). Herbs used on the remedies grow in the wild throughout the world, therefore making it easy to