Gourt > Health > Alternative > Folk Medicine
Folk medicine refers collectively to procedures traditionally used for treatment of illness and injury, aid to childbirth, and maintenance of wellness. It is a body of knowledge distinct from "scientific medicine" and may coexist in the same culture. It is usually unwritten and transmitted orally until someone "collects" it. Within a given culture, elements of folk medicine knowledge may be diffusely known by many adults, or may be gathered and applied by those in a specific role of healer, shaman, midwife, witch, or dealer in herbs. Elements in a specific culture are not necessarily integrated into a coherent system, and may be contradictory.
Folk medicine is sometimes associated with quackery when practiced as theatrics or otherwise practiced fraudulently, and sometimes with witchcraft and often with shamanism, yet it may also preserve important knowledge and cultural tradition from the past.
Herbal medicine is an aspect of folk medicine - the use of gathered plant parts to make teas, poultices, or powders that purportedly effect cures. Many effective treatments adopted by physicians over the centuries were derived from plants (salicylate, digitalis, quinine), and botany was an important part of the materia medica of professional medical training before the 20th century. In the last century, modern medicine has continued to seek effective botanical treatments among exotic places and peoples but tended to regard herbal medicine of Western societies negatively. Recently, controlled studies of some of the herbalists' cures have suggested some are effective.
More on [ Folk medicine ]
Herbs & Herbal Treatments
Ethnobotany :: Botany
Alternative :: Health
Folklore :: Society
@kevinleversee Been sick. But had hilot a while ago. Seems the only thing which could make me feel better ... Good ol folk medicine!
chette (Chette Soriano) Wed, 16 Dec 2009 11:45:53 -0000
@kevinleversee Been sick. But had hilot a while ago. Seems the only thing which could make me feel better ... Good ol folk medicine!
folk medicine ;O Flea Control Secrets - Natural Flea Remedy - Cedarwood http://bit.ly/7wLpJn
Jocelyncb95 (Leah Johnson) Wed, 16 Dec 2009 03:30:34 -0000
folk medicine ;O Flea Control Secrets - Natural Flea Remedy - Cedarwood http://bit.ly/7wLpJn
:P Flea Control Secrets - Natural Flea Remedy - Cedarwood http://bit.ly/7wLpJn folk medicine
Sofiagv92 (Jessica Thompson) Wed, 16 Dec 2009 03:30:27 -0000
:P Flea Control Secrets - Natural Flea Remedy - Cedarwood http://bit.ly/7wLpJn folk medicine
@eleanorpyc03 the only cures I know are all folk medicine
mikegreenwald (Mike Greenwald) Tue, 15 Dec 2009 10:31:13 -0000
@eleanorpyc03 the only cures I know are all folk medicine
Fixed by apple message board folk medicine. Back to sepia. World redeemed... For now...
aramdavid (Aram David) Tue, 15 Dec 2009 02:49:19 -0000
Fixed by apple message board folk medicine. Back to sepia. World redeemed... For now...
@thejuelzsantana cant wait, better knock dees folk folk off da charts, and where unkasa, medicine was fly, expect dat though
BonanzaP (Bonanza Presh) Mon, 14 Dec 2009 18:10:18 -0000
@thejuelzsantana cant wait, better knock dees folk folk off da charts, and where unkasa, medicine was fly, expect dat though
Folk Medicine - Treatise prepared by a Penn State College of Medicine professor on the importance of recognizing cultural diversity of health beliefs and practices.
Meta Description: [ Cultural Diversity, Alternative medicine, & Folk Medicine, in New Directions in Folklore, July 1997. ]
A Brief Note Regarding Campa Medical Practices - Describes the author's experiences with Campa Indian remedies in the Amazon River Basin.
Meta Description: [ Short essay on personal experiences with herbal medical practices of the Campa Indians on the Pichis River in PerÏ. ]
Alternative Cancer Treatment - A treatment center in Thailand specializing in the use of natural healing methods and herbs to treat cancer.
Meta Description: [ In N.E. Thailand I met an old Buddhist monk who told me of a plant which grew in the region and was believed by many of the local people to be effective against a range of illnesses, including ailments now believed to be cancer. ]
American Indian Traditional Medicine in Treating Chronic Illness - Dr. Lewis Mehl-Madrona at Beth Israel's Center for Health and Healing presents research on how Native American traditional practices can integrate with traditional medicine to treat chronic illness. Includes comparison and demographic charts.
Meta Description: [ Dr. Lewis Mehl-Madrona, Native American healer: most recent paper on research of traditional Native American Medicine in treating AIDS, cancer and chronic illness. ]
Ancient Aztec Herbal Remedies - Index offers plant description, properties and method of use.
Meta Description: [ Ancient Aztec Herbal Remedies and Cures Database ]
Ascending Enterprises - Old Fashioned Remedies - By Lois Lenz, Medicine Woman. Offers solutions for a variety of everyday health problems.
Culturally Diverse Childrearing Practices: Abusive or Just Different? - Discusses non-traditional discipline and healing practices of various cultures as related to perceived abuse or neglect. Includes references.
Curanderismo: Folk Healing in the Southwest - Radio documentary describing traditional healing with herbs, aromas, massage and rituals. Requires Real Player.
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Customary Uses of Ironweed by the Yuchi - Article by J. B. Jackson describing the use of Vernonia fasciculta by the Yuchi in Eastern Oklahoma, USA.
Folk Belief and Folk Medicine - An overview of folk medicine and its types, elements, and origins.
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Folk Healing, Alternative, and Parallel Medicines - Treatise by Dr. Ian Carr, Professor Emeritus, Faculty of Medicine, University of Manitoba about the development of folk healing and its parallels in Chinese and Indic cultures.
Folk Medicine - Referenced article by a home healthcare nurse from West Virginia about the history of folk medicine and practices still in use.
Folk Medicine - Plant drawings, common ailments and remedies by a Newfoundland fifth-grade class.
Folk Medicine - Bordering the Future - Brief commentary on folk healing in the Texas border regions.
Folk Medicine in Hispanics in the Southwestern United States - Treatise prepared by a Baylor College of Medicine assistant professor outlining some Hispanic folkloric beliefs and the importance of considering such beliefs during standard medical treatment.
Folk Medicine, Amish and Swiss-Pennsylvania German - Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia article describing 18th and 19th century remedies and the proliferation of folk healing among Amish and Mennonite cultures.
Folk Medicine: UCLA Folklore Archive Resource - Includes searchable database by keyword, usage, condition, belief, date, region or ethnicity of origin.
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Folk-Medicaments - By the Ministry of Culture, Republic of Turkey. Outlines the role of traditional medicine and its interaction with modern practices. Includes list of common remedies. Available in English, Turkish, German and Russian.
Meta Description: [ Folk Medicaments ]
Handbook of Texas Online: Folk Medicine - Referenced article describing beliefs and practices among the Anglo, Mexican and Black cultures in Texas.
Health 911 - Folk Remedies - Alphabetical listing of ailments, their causes and cures.
Herpes Relief - Describes home remedies for relief from the symptoms of herpes naturally, from a fellow sufferer.
Home Remedies and Holistic Cures - A guide to home remedies and holistic cures for common illnesses and ailments.
Meta Description: [ Website that contains home remedies and cures to many illnesses, including, cold, flu, fever, burns, and many more ]
Honey for the Treatment of Infections - Discusses the history of honey's medicinal use, recent research and antibiotic and antifungal properties.
India Parenting: Home Remedies - Cures for common childhood ailments and link to information about traditional Indian Ayurvedic medicine.
Meta Description: [ Learn more about raising children with lots of information on feeding fussy kids, jealousy and sibling rivalry, speech and hearing, language development, anger and parenting, importance of playschools, enhancing your childs IQ or intelligence, effect of television and video games, sexual abuse, d... ]
Indian Child: Home Remedies - Provides home remedies for common ailments.
International Home Remedies - An archive composed by students from around the world.
Meta Description: [ An archive of Home Remedies from
around the world ]
Lithuanian Folk Medicine - Includes sections describing the concept of health and illness, determination of illness, doctors and cures.
Medicine Women - Writer Carolina Carlessi discusses growing up in Peru's culture of folk medicine and faith healing and how it affected her perception of modern medicine.
Meta Description: [ Carolina Carlessi writes of the women in her family/culture growing up in Peru and of their knowledge of herbs and healing ]
Midwives and Maternity Care in the Roman World - Comparisons between folk treatment and professional midwifery in Greco-Roman society, primarily based upon the writings of Pliny and Soranus. Includes references.
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Music As Folk Medicine - Describes the therapeutic use of music in holistic healing.
My Home Remedies - A forum where readers can submit their own home remedies as well as rate and comment on others' submissions.
Meta Description: [ An extensive catalog of home remedies with rating system. ]
Ozarkian and Haitian Folk Medicine - Monograph with references describing the similarities between folkloric beliefs in Haiti and mid-western America.
Pascalite, Inc. - Discusses history and benefits of pascalite clay and provides a method to order pascalite.
Pediatric Oncall - Home-Made Remedies - Indian traditional treatments for common childhood ailments.
Meta Description: [ Home care of various diseases like acidity to cough with Indian traditional medicine at www.pediatriconcall.com ]
Philippine Alternative Medicine - A study of various alternative medicines in the Philippines.
Meta Description: [ Contents: A comprehensive study of alternative mediciine in the Philippines, Introduction, Herbal Therapy, Albularyos and Hilots, Fringe Therapy, Faith Healers, Miscellaneous Conditions ]
Remedies - Herb drying, storage and preparation descriptions and alphabetical list of tips for easing common complaints.
Meta Description: [ Traditional remedies can be an excellant alternative for everyday ailmants. ]
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Russian Folk Medicine - Traditional treatments for ailments ranging from cancer to upset stomach.
RussianFoods.com - Folk Medicine - Includes suggestions for colds, constipation, toothache, insomnia, headache and breakdown as well as links to the full Russian cooking archive.
Meta Description: [ Folk Medicine, The Best Russian Cooking Recipes and Russian Ethnic Food Store ]
Safe Natural Cures - More Than Home Remedies - Suggests remedies for common problems such as stuffy noses, yeast infections, athlete's foot and hiccups.
Meta Description: [ NATURAL CURES, More Than Home Remedies & Prevention for Most Common Ailments (yeast infection, lice, athlete's foot, burns, pimple, cold, bites, heartburn, stretch marks, constipation, dandruff, water retention, hypoglycemia, diarrhea, sinus) ]
Skin Cancer Treatment Alternative Using Topical Pancreatin Enzymes - Describes home remedy using a popular contact lens cleaning solution mixed with aloe vera gel.
Meta Description: [ Skin cancer treatment and prevention information including strategies to optimize the natural defenses against squamous cell or basal cell carcinoma. ]
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Some Common Medicinal and Poisonous Plants Used in Ethiopian Folk Medicine - Treatise by Amare Getahun, professor at Addis Abeba University, Ethiopia. Includes introduction to Ethiopian medical lore, glossary and description of plants and their uses.
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Spirit Medicine - Native American uses of Common Everlasting (Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium) in Eastern North America; article by J. B. Jackson [PDF].
State Department of Health Warns About Dangerous Mexican Folk Remedies - Public service announcement warning about the toxicity of azarcón and greta, remedies containing high amounts of lead.
500
The Folk Medicine Forum - Discusses alternative and complementary medicine. Includes chat room, message board and newsletter.
Meta Description: [ The alternative and complementary medicine forum on folk medicine. ]
The Vinegar Website - Folk uses, medicinal qualities, home remedies, history, and beauty and household uses of vinegar.
Toenail Fungus Remedies - Lists several easy and inexpensive ways to get rid of toenail fungus.
Traditional Health, Medicine and Healing - Describes the practices of the Alaska Native people and their applicability today. Includes reports, articles and resources.
Traditional Medicine - World Health Organization fact sheet outlining the place of traditional healing practices in modern society.
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Traditions in Western Herbal Medicine - Introduction and description of several traditions that have contributed toward medicinal resources in North America. Includes references.
Warts - Archived article from the east Texas weekly newspaper column All Things Historical. Describes remedies the author experienced in childhood and lists cures for warts.
Meta Description: [ Warts: a collection of wart treatments, wart cures, natural home remedies, by the author and readers. Syndicated column in over 70 newspapers. ]
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