This paper will examine the medicine and healing techniques of the Native American people and the historical context behind the use of these medicines. It will attempt to uncover the healing properties of traditional herbal medicines as well as the spiritual power to heal human pathologies. Specifically the paper will examine the healing properties of natural remedies including nutritional and spiritual practices used by the indigenous peoples of North America and how those practices might benefit people in today’s society.
According to the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA), in recent years, herbal medicines are being recognized for their efficacy and have made a significant contribution to modern Western Medicine. For instance: …show more content…
In an article published by the National Institute of Health that studied Indigenous Native American Healing Traditions, there are shared beliefs and interventional
strategies that are common amongst most indigenous peoples. Specifically the approach is defined as a bio-psycho-socio-spiritual approach. In this article, the author speaks of a holistic health approach practiced by a Native American tribe in Arizona in which the people start the day with a run for spiritual health.
Native Americans in Arizona run each day to greet the dawn, a practice that not only conditions their bodies but also nourishes their spiritual wellbeing. Stories and legends are used to teach positive behaviors as well as the consequences of failing to observe the laws of nature. Herbs, manipulative therapies, ceremonies, and prayer are used in various combinations to prevent and treat illness. (ncbi.nlm.nih.gov / …show more content…
These many healers' primary role was to secure the help of the spirit world, especially the “Creator” or “Great Spirit,” for the benefit of the community or an individual.
The Medicine Man was also a priest in addition to being a doctor. Believing that disease could be caused by human, supernatural, or natural causes, the healer was equipped to treat illness in any of these categories. (legendsofamerica.com/na-medicine.)
As evident above, the health of the individual in Native American traditions does not solely involve one approach to healing, but rather an integrated holistic approach to health. This approach not only includes a balance of medicine, but also a balance of the spirit, nutrition, and walking through life on a path of beauty and being one with the Earth.
In other words, the Native American way to a healthy and fulfilled life is not a quest for just physical health, it is a quest to integrate health into all aspects of our lives. This includes physical health, environmental health, mental health, and a life in seek of a harmonious balance with the nature. In essence, a life of “Walking in
According to the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA), in recent years, herbal medicines are being recognized for their efficacy and have made a significant contribution to modern Western Medicine. For instance: …show more content…
In an article published by the National Institute of Health that studied Indigenous Native American Healing Traditions, there are shared beliefs and interventional
strategies that are common amongst most indigenous peoples. Specifically the approach is defined as a bio-psycho-socio-spiritual approach. In this article, the author speaks of a holistic health approach practiced by a Native American tribe in Arizona in which the people start the day with a run for spiritual health.
Native Americans in Arizona run each day to greet the dawn, a practice that not only conditions their bodies but also nourishes their spiritual wellbeing. Stories and legends are used to teach positive behaviors as well as the consequences of failing to observe the laws of nature. Herbs, manipulative therapies, ceremonies, and prayer are used in various combinations to prevent and treat illness. (ncbi.nlm.nih.gov / …show more content…
These many healers' primary role was to secure the help of the spirit world, especially the “Creator” or “Great Spirit,” for the benefit of the community or an individual.
The Medicine Man was also a priest in addition to being a doctor. Believing that disease could be caused by human, supernatural, or natural causes, the healer was equipped to treat illness in any of these categories. (legendsofamerica.com/na-medicine.)
As evident above, the health of the individual in Native American traditions does not solely involve one approach to healing, but rather an integrated holistic approach to health. This approach not only includes a balance of medicine, but also a balance of the spirit, nutrition, and walking through life on a path of beauty and being one with the Earth.
In other words, the Native American way to a healthy and fulfilled life is not a quest for just physical health, it is a quest to integrate health into all aspects of our lives. This includes physical health, environmental health, mental health, and a life in seek of a harmonious balance with the nature. In essence, a life of “Walking in