Native American Traditional and Alternative Medicine
There are hundreds of indigenous tribes throughout North America. Each one of them has their own unique way to cure their people’s illness and make them whole. They combine herbal medicine, spirituality, and rituals. In addition, there are many similarities in today societies and the Native American culture. Sage is held sacred by many Native American Indians, because of the effective purifying energies. They both use Native American medicine for example sage, which is use to protect you against bad spirits. It is also use today to treat stomach problems, kidney, and liver problems. On the other hand, Native American medicine is not the same today as modern medicine. Modern medicine in today’s world is a pill that can improve one’s well-being, but many people complain of the side effects because they have chemicals which are not natural. On the other hand, Native American used medicine as a power from nature; within one self they believe they could cure themselves and other human beings from being harmed in a natural way. Native American healing involves herbal remedies such as sage and tea. Modern medicines use sage and teas, too. Native Americans traditionally believe that illness comes from spiritual problems.
They have a traditional man, woman, shaman, or herbalist which is spiritual healers. A ritual that Native Americans use is the sweat lodges and stones for purifying the body, mind, and spirit… In addition, rituals that will last weeks or even longer, such as dancing, singing, and sand painting take place at the same time to bring harmony into the soul. Modern medicine does not always use medicine to treat a patient. Sometimes yoga, music, dancing, meditation is recommended to relieve the stress and lift the spirit. The basic purpose of both is to restore harmony in the person; this harmony will be reflected unto others in the community. Also, ceremonies in the Native American culture involve patient, community, and healer. People of all cultures utilize symbolism found in their various religious and spiritual practices to cope with health problems. They use beads, charms, as a way to heal; our modern world uses symbolism too, the cross, statues of saints, holy water, and rosary. On this website, I found writings of Benjamin Kush and Benjamin Smith Barton of Philadelphia which discussed native medicine. Let us now enquire into the remedies of the Indians.Thefe like their difeafes are fimple, and few in number.Among the firlt of them we fhall mention the Powers of Nature.Fevers we faid formerly, conftituted the chief of the difeafes among the Indians; they are like- wife, in the hands of nature, the principal inftruments to remove the evils which threaten her diffolution; (d) but the event of thefe efforts of nature,no doubt ,toon convinced the Indians of the danger of trufting her in all cafes; and hence in the earlieft accounts we have in their manners, we read of perfons who were intrufted with the office of phyficians. In addition, on the website , I found a quote from White Feather Navajo Medicine Man “Native American isn’t blood; it is what is in the heart.
The love for the land. The respect for it, those who inhabit it; and the respect and acknowledgement of the spirits and the elders. That is what it is to be indian.” In conclusion, Native American medicine uses medicine men or women to perform healings. In today’s societies these are doctors before treating a certain person in their tribe they must understand their condition. In some instance, Native American doctors also recommend a ritual purification. Purifications are intended to get rid of harmful toxins to the body. It is a holistic approach. Even with the advance improvement in the medical field and technology that has improve people’s health conditions, there has been an increase in people interest for natural medicine. The Indians believe that the earth provide the basic needs that they need to help cure their own. Similarly, scientists today believe the rainforest have millions of plants that could heal our diseases. In addition, everything was scared animals, plants, and food. They loved and respected everything that Mother Nature gave us. Everything is united and the Native American will worship everything from birth to death all their surroundings no matter what. Furthermore, The Native American Indians open the door for us to realize the power of nature and how important it is in our life.