Health and Folk Medicine

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Part of the SpringerBriefs in Environmental Science book series (BRIEFSENVIRONMENTAL)

Abstract

The effort to realize and uphold an optimum state of health has always drilled the minds of men and as a result, a number of healing systems have evolved around the world. Communities have devised systems to alleviate the tiresome condition arising out of illnesses using their own technique, which vary from one community to another. Each culture has set outlook regarding the disease causation and these are rooted in their belief systems. There are several theories which not only explain the cause of disease but also community’s health care seeking approach. Archaeological and existing genetic facts state that human population voyaged to the Indian subcontinent and their familiarity with herbs and other naturally accessible material is as old as human civilization.Folk medicine includes healing practices and ideas on health care which are limited to a particular group in a culture, and are generally transmitted orally or word of mouth. In India, folk medicine is highly conditioned by the impact of folk deities and, sometimes it is so deep rooted that medicine and folk deities become an integrated whole. Across the whole Himalayan Region, folk healers have a remarkable knowledge of herbs, accumulated through generations and they have been developing the health care traditions through constant experimentation and years of experience which is rooted in understanding and realistic considerations.

Keywords

Folk medicine Health Ayurveda Unani medicine Traditional healing systems Local health tradition Traditional Chinese medicine Indigenous health care traditions Atharvaveda Hakims Vaidyas 
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Copyright information

© The Author(s) 2014

Authors and Affiliations

  • Pankaj Gupta
    • 1
  • Vijay Kumar Sharma
    • 1
  • Sushma Sharma
    • 2
  1. 1.Institute of Integrated Himalayan StudiesHimachal Pradesh UniversityShimlaIndia
  2. 2.Department of BiosciencesHimachal Pradesh UniversityShimlaIndia

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