Native American natural remedies tie the consumption of healing herbs with a social process that provides spiritual intervention through medicine men--shamans--formal ceremonies and family support. According to the American Cancer Society, Native American healing remedies have not been proven to cure disease; however, they concede that the communal and spiritual support provided by this type of healing could have helpful effects.
Willow Bark
The white willow is a low-growing deciduous tree with light gray tapering leaves that alternate on the branches. As a treatment for pain and fever, the bark is stripped from young trees in the spring, boiled and served as a tea. The active ingredient in willow bark is an acid, which was successfully extracted in 1899 by the Bayer Company, that manufactured and sold it as acetylsalicylic acid or aspirin. In contrast to aspirin, willow bark works more slowly and the effects last longer.
Sage
Native Americans use sage as a hot tea to decrease mucous secretions in the sinuses, throat and lungs and as a lukewarm tea for sore throats. Served cold, the tea relieves stomach aches. Sage is a silvery-green shrub with fragrant leaves. Sage originated near the Mediterranean and grows wild in the central and western United States.
Sage is also used in a Native American smudging ceremony to purify the body and return it to harmony. Smudging involves burning sacred plants and herbal resins and fanning the smoke around a person or place being treated.
Black Cohosh Root
Black cohosh is a perennial member of the buttercup family that grows up to 5 feet tall. The plant has a stout black rhizome (root) that is used fresh in a tea for treating "female complaints," such as premenstrual discomfort and menstrual irregularities. Native Americans used fresh black cohosh plant roots--also called black snakeroot, bugbane, bugwort or squawroot--to make a tea.
Research on the efficacy of black cohosh is inconsistent. Many European studies confirm effectiveness of black cohosh. The herb is approved in Germany for premenstrual discomfort, painful menstruation and menopausal symptoms. Recent studies reported by the University of Maryland Medical Center discount black cohosh as a relief for menopausal hot flashes. However, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists continue to recognize the value of black cohosh for menopausal symptoms.
Member Comments