(Speaking as an Englishman) I know about essiac for cancer and cayenne pepper for heart attacks, but what other North American folk remedies are worthy of note and ,in your opinion, deserving of being brought to wider, international attention.
American Indian remedies come to mind. Their remedies are pre-USA.
How to not have babies. Contraceptives.
The Indian Paintbrush is a beautiful wildflower. It's especially prolific in Texas. Hopi women drank a tea of the whole Indian paintbrush to "Dry up the menstrual flow."
Chippewa women drank a strong decoction of the powdered blue cohosh root to promote parturition and menstruation.
Indians of Mendocino County
(California) drank a tea of the leaves of American Mistletoe to induce abortion or to prevent conception.
Hemorrhoids.
The Menominee tribe treated piles by squirting an infusion of the scraped inner bark of the white oak into the rectum with a syringe made from an animal bladder and the hollow bone of a bird.
Headaches.
The Onondagas steeped pennyroyal leaves and drank the tea to cure headaches.
Fevers.
The Pomo tribe boiled the inner root bark, then drank strong doses of the resulting tea to induce sweating in cases of chills and fever. In the south, the Natchez prepared their fever remedies from the bark of the red willow, while the Alabama and Creek Indians plunged into willow root baths for the same purpose.
Coughs.
The Cree Indians used an infusion of the inner bark of the aspen tree as a remedy for coughs. The inner bark of white pine was used by Indian people as a tea for colds and coughs. Aren't trees wonderful?
Medicine Bags.
American Indian medicine bags are both sacred and powerful objects; they are considered important throughout a Native American Indian's life. Medicine bags may be concealed by the wearer, worn around the waist or worn around the neck; they are of greatest importance during illness and major life changes.
Native American medicine bags are made from animal skins, muslin, calico or red cloth; they can be made for oneself, by friends or family. As the medicine bag is made, prayers are said for the recipient of the medicine bag; Native American medicine bags may be plain, beaded or painted with medicine plants, totems or dream symbols.
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How that knightofalbion? You can't get too much more folksy that the American Indian healing methods. They should be preserved.
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- Jim "The most powerful force ever known on this planet is human cooperation — a force for construction and destruction.” (Jonathan Haidt)
(Speaking as an Englishman) I know about essiac for cancer and cayenne pepper for heart attacks, but what other North American folk remedies are worthy of note and ,in your opinion, deserving of being brought to wider, international attention.
The native americans also did something known as sweat lodges. They built small structures and placed hot stones inside where the temp would be quite warmer (not as hot as a sauna, beacause they would spend hours in them). Also for arthritis, they would kill a deer and place the arthritic person in the carcass for a few hrs.
If you are interested, find the books: Rolling Thunder and Rolling Thunder Speaks.
My choice of favorite North American Folk Remedy is Echinacea!!
When my daughter was young, she had problems with ear infections. I took her to a local ENT doctor and naturally, she was put on antibiotics. Time after time.
I was doing alot of reading on natural remedies for plant allergies & started using cycles of echinacea for myself prior to new grass growing in spring time, and again just prior to ragweed at the end of summer. It worked! My nose behaved! What was a non-stop running faucet of a nose during these times, turned into a nose that wasn't giving me any trouble... if I started a cycle of echinacea a couple of weeks before my allergy season.
hmmm.... well! If it worked for that, maybe it would work for my little girl's ears. Sure enough, success!
Several years down the road, we had to return to the ENT doctor for a check my daughter's sinuses (softball injury) and he said with a smile that he was happy things had worked out with her ears. I explained that we used echniacea. His smile grew larger & said that's what he would have prescribed had we been in his island homeland
The native americans also did something known as sweat lodges. They built small structures and placed hot stones inside where the temp would be quite warmer (not as hot as a sauna, beacause they would spend hours in them). Also for arthritis, they would kill a deer and place the arthritic person in the carcass for a few hrs.
If you are interested, find the books: Rolling Thunder and Rolling Thunder Speaks.
Native Americans still do sweat lodges. They were forced to stop and or hide their acitivity until 1979 when they finally won the right to practice their religious ceremonies without fear of incarceration.
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“God is the basis of life, life is the basis of energy, energy is the basis of matter.”... Carey Reams
Visit: www.HealthSalon.org
Blood root was used for cancers and growths.
Pine bark extract or pine needle tea for many afflictions including chest complaints and arthritis
white willow bark for fevers and pain
Sage for sinus stuff
Clay packs for wounds
I've never experimented with using sage, but I know several people who have developed some manner of sage therapy for sinus issues.
I am always amazed to see how the Native Americans could treat so many problems, with such effectiveness, and without the need for laboratories and hospital facilities. Who are we kidding with all of our so-called medical knowledge?
North American Folk Remedies
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