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Footsteps 48

TRADITIONAL MEDICINES

Traditional medicine is a subject that touches everyone, since we are all interested in our own health. All of us are likely to have experienced some kind of traditional medicine from childhood onwards. Herbal remedies form part of our cultures, but such knowledge is often rapidly being lost. Modern medicine has most of the answers to health problems, but is not always available or affordable. In addition, many countries experience considerable difficulties in obtaining medical supplies.

In the Bible in Revelation 22:1-2, we read that God has provided the leaves of the tree of life for the healing of the nations. So far only 1% of the world’s forest plant species have been screened for their chemicals. Many more are likely to have healing properties.

Please find below articles from Footsteps issue 48 in html.

To download a pdf version of Footsteps issue 48 click here (778K).

Anamed ‘Natural medicine’ by Dr Hans-Martin Hirt and Dr Keith Lindsey. When Europeans first arrived in Africa, Asia and the Americas and witnessed practices such as ritual sacrifice and ancestor worship, they quickly labelled these as primitive. Instead, they introduced the ... More >>

Bible study Traditional medicines - a gift from God. From the very beginning, we read in Genesis 1:29 how God placed plants in our lives. He gave us seed-bearing plants and trees that bear fruit for our use as food. And so in every place; wet or dry, land or ... More >>

Editorial Traditional medicine is a subject that touches everyone, since we are all interested in our own health. All of us are likely to have experienced some kind of traditional medicine from childhood onwards. Herbal remedies form part of our cultures, but ... More >>

Finding the real community leaders by Robert Linthicum. To encourage change effectively within a community, you need to learn from the community about their situation. You also need to learn who the real leaders are. Often the elected leaders are not the people who make things happen... More >>

Letters Nutritional biscuits. I am a nurse and also run a group for small children. We teach them how to work and about the word of God. To gain their trust, at the end of the meeting we give them sweets that we make ourselves, or biscuits that we buy. The... More >>

Malaria: a new solution Malaria is a serious and growing problem world-wide, with about 2.5 million people dying as a result of malaria each year. The malaria parasites increasingly develop resistance to the well-known malaria drugs. New drugs are being developed, but these... More >>

Medicinal gardens Cultivating medicinal plants ensures that they are preserved for your own use and for future generations. Many fruits provide medicine as well as food. These include banana, pineapple, mulberry, passion fruit and pawpaw (papaya). Food plants that als... More >>

Natural remedies Here are just a few examples of the detailed recipes available in Anamed’s book Natural Medicine in the Tropics (see page 14). Some of the plants described here are also toxic (poisonous), and may cause serious reactions if you change the recipe, or... More >>

Production of medicines The preparation of a medicine from a plant that contains a beneficial chemical varies according to the chemical and the plant. Sometimes the chemical is extracted from the leaves by the use of boiling water. Sometimes the roots are dug up and ground.... More >>

Rain harvesters Information in Footsteps has helped people build ferro-cement tanks for rainwater. However, many people need to know how they can avoid mosquitoes breeding in these tanks. Here are some practical steps I have developed to make a dome shaped cover… ... More >>

Resources Anamed publications Natural Medicine in the Tropics by Hirt and M’Pia (Second edition)This is an excellent introduction and guide to the production and use of traditional medicines. It gives full and detailed instructions on how to use 65 medicinal ... More >>

Traditional and modern medicine: the need for co-operation by Markus Müller and Innocent Balagizi. We opened a seminar about traditional medicine in Asmara, Eritrea with the question, ‘Do any of you have some experience with traditional medicine?’ There was a complete, even hostile, silence in the room. Fin... More >>

Traditional medicine - discussion questions Traditional medicine is a term that does not just simply refer to herbal cures for illnesses. It also touches on all kinds of healing approaches. In this issue we have focused on the enormous benefits available in using tried and tested herbal remedi... More >>

Traditional practices in childbirth by Barbara Soung and Hang Sorya. Traditional healers are known as Khru Khmer in Cambodia. They learn their skills from old monks or older male relatives. They are nearly always male, though occasionally there are female Khru Khmer. Their female equi... More >>

Working with traditional Medicines by René Gayana Simbard. The Pan-African Institute of Community Health (IPASC) in DR Congo has several departments including training, research, healthcare, mother and childcare and consultation. Most of the communities where we work are poor and pe... More >>

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