HOME CURES AND POPULAR BELIEFS
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HOME CURES
AND POPULAR BELIEFS - extracted text
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CHAPTER
HOME CURES
AND POPULAR BELIEFS
This is a reprint From
WAere “There Is No Doctor
( Indian adaptation )
Published by the
VOLUNTARY HEALTH ASSOCIATION OF INDIA
40, Institutional Area, South of l.l.T.
New Delhi 110 016
CHAPTER
Home Cures
and Popular Beliefs
Everywhere on earth people use home remedies. In some places, the older or
traditional ways of healing have been passed down from parents to children for
hundreds of years.
Many home remedies have great value. Others have less. And some may be risky
or harmful. Home remedies, like modern medicines, must be used with caution.
Try to do no harm.
Only use home remedies if you are sure they are safe
and know exactly how to use them.
HOME CURES THAT HELP
For many sicknesses, time-tested home
remedies work as well as modern medicines
—or even better. They are often cheaper.
And in some cases they are safer.
For example, many of the herbal teas
people use for home treatment of coughs
and colds do more good and cause fewer
problems than cough syrups and strong
medicines some doctors prescribe.
Also, teas or sweetened drinks many
mothers give to babies with diarrhea are
often safer and do more good than any
modern medicine. What matters most is
that a baby with diarrhea get plenty of
liquids (see p. 181).
The Limitations
of Home Remedies
FOR COUGHS, COLDS, AND COMMON
DIARRHEA, HERBAL TEAS ARE OFTEN
BETTER, CHEAPER, ANO S/l PER THAN
MODERN MEDICINES.
Some diseases are helped by home remedies. Others can be treated better with
modern medicine. This is true for most serious infections. Sicknesses like pneumonia,
tetanus, typhoid, tuberculosis, appendicitis, diseases caused by sexual contact,
and fever after childbirth should be treated with modem medicines as soon as
possible. For these diseases, do not lose time trying to treat them first with home
remedies only.
It is sometimes hard to be sure which home remedies work well and which do
not. More careful studies are needed. For this reason:
It is often safer to treat very serious illnesses with modern
medicines—following the advice of a health worker if possible.
2
Old Ways and New
Some modern ways of meeting health needs work better than old ones. But at
times the older, traditional ways are best. For example, traditional ways of caring
for children or old people are often kinder and work better than some newer, less
personal ways.
Not many years ago everyone thought that mother's milk was the best food for
a young baby. They were right! Then the big companies that make canned and
artificial milk began to tell mothers that bottle feeding was better. This is not true,
but many mothers believed them and started to bottle feed their babies. As a
result, thousands of babies have suffered and died needlessly from infection or
hunger. For the reasons breast is best, see p. 31 7.
Respect your people's traditions and build on them.
BELIEFS THAT CAN MAKE PEOPLE WELL
Some home remedies have a direct effect on the body. Others seem to work
only because people believe in them. The healing power of belief can be very strong.
For example, I once saw a man who
suffered from a very bad headache.
To cure him, a woman gave him a
small piece of yam, or sweet potato.
She told him it was a strong painkiller.
He believed her—and the pain went
away quickly.
Clearly, it was his faith in her
treatment, and not the yam itself, that
made him feel better.
Many home remedies work in this
way. They help largely because people
have faith in them. For this reason,
they are especially useful to cure illnesses that are partly in people's minds, or
those caused in part by a person's beliefs, worry, or fears.
Included in this group of sicknesses are: bewitchment or.hexing,
unreasonable or hysterical fear, uncertain ‘aches and pains . anxiety or
nervous worry, and some cases of asthma, hiccups, indigestion, stomach
ulcers, migraine headaches, and even warts.
For all of these problems, the manner or 'touch' of the healer can be very
important. What it often comes down to is showing you care, helping the sick
person believe he will get well, or simply helping him relax. <77 n
. . <
3
Sometimes a person's belief in a remedy can help with problems that have
completely physical causes.
For example Indian villagers nave the following home cures for poisonous snakebite
1.
To use snake stone.
3.
To
2 To eat a handful of chillies
or neem leaves.
drink a bucketful of plantain stem juice.
In other lands people have their own snakebite remedies—often many different
ones. As far as we know, none of these home remedies has any direct effect
against snake poison. The person who says that a home remedy kept a snake's
poison from harming him at all was probably bitten by a non-poisonous snake!
Yet any of these home remedies may do some good if a person believes in it. It
it makes him less afraid, his pulse will slow down, he will move and tremble less,
and as a result, the poison will spread through his body more slowly. So there is
less danger!
But the benefit of these home remedies is limited. In spite of their common
use, many people still become very ill or die from snakebite. As far as we know:
No home cure for poisonous bites
(whether from snakes, scorpions, or other poisonous animals)
has much effect beyond that of the healing power of belief.
For snakebite it is usually better to use modern treatment. Be prepared: obtain
'antivenins' or serums' for poisonous bites before you need them (see p. 1 22).
Do not wait until it is too late
4
BELIEFS THAT CAN MAKE PEOPLE SICK
The power of belief can help heal people. But it can also harm them. If a person
believes strongly enough that something will hurt him, his own fear can make him
sick. For example:
Once I was called to see a woman
who had just had a miscarriage and
was still bleeding a little. There was
an orange tree near her house. So I
suggested she drink a glass of orange
juice. (Oranges have vitamin C,
which helps strengthen blood vessels.)
She drank it—even though she was
afraid-it would harm her.
Her fear was so great that soon
she became very ill. I examined her,
but could find nothing physically
wrong. I tried to comfort her, telling
her she was not in danger. But she
said she was going to die. At last I
gave her an injection of distilled
(completely pure) water. Distilled
water has no medical effect. But
since she had great faith in injections,
she quickly got better.
Actually, the juice did not harm her. What harmed her was her belief that it
would make her sick. And what made her well was her faith in injections!
In this same way, many persons go on believing false ideas about witchcraft,
injections, diet, and many other things. Much needless suffering is the result.
Perhaps, in a way, I had helped this woman. But the more I thought about it,
the more I realized I had also wronged her, I had led her to believe things that
were not true.
I wanted to set this right. So a few days later, when she was completely well, I
went to her home and apologized for what I had done. I tried to help her
understand that not the orange juice, but her fear had made her so sick. And that
not the injection of water, but her freedom from fear had helped her get well.
By understanding the truth about the orange, the injection, and the tricks of
her own mind, perhaps this woman and her family will become freer from fear
and better able to care for their health in the future. For health is closely related
to understanding and freedom from fear.
5
Many things do harm only because
people believe they are harmful.
WITCHCRAFT-BLACK MAGIC—AND THE EVIL EYE
If a person believes strongly enough that someone has the power to harm him,
he may actually become ill. Anyone who believes he is bewitched or has been
given the evil eye is really the victim of his own fears (see p. 31).
A 'witch' has no power over
other people, except for her ability
to make them believe that she has.
For this reason:
It is impossible to bewitch
a person who does not believe
in witchcraft.
Some people think that they
are 'bewitched' when they have
strange or frightening illnesses
(such as tumors of the genitals or
cirrhosis of the liver, see p.374).
Such sicknesses have nothing to
do with witchcraft or black magic
Their causes are natural.
Do not waste your money at 'magic centers' that claim to cure witchcraft. And
do not seek revenge against a witch, because it will not solve anything. If you are
seriously ill, go for medical help.
If you have a
strange sickness:
do not blame
a witch,
do not go to a
magic center,
but ask for
medical advice.
6
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ON SOME FOLK BELIEFS
AND HOME REMEDIES
These are examples from different places in India. Perhaps some of these beliefs
may be common in your area. Think about ways to learn which beliefs in your.area
l< ad to belter health and which do not.
This Is often true. The.'soft
spot' sinks because the baby
has lost too much liquid
(see p. 181). Unless he gets
more liquid soon, he may
die (see p. 1 82).
Is it true that if the light
of the eclipsing moon falls
on a pregnant mother,
her child will be born
deformed or retarded?
.■-. i This Is not true! The light
of the eclipsing moon has
/ no effect on a baby in the
womb. For reasons of
deformity and mental
retardation see p. 365.
Is it true that mothers
should give birth in a
darkened room?
z*sST
Is it true that the watery
milk that is produced for
the first two days after the
baby is born, is bad for the
baby?
x
^ \\
Is. it true that when a baby
has diarrhoea and the
‘soft-spot’ on top of his
head sinks inward, it
means the baby will die
unless he gets special
treatment.
ftijj,
'/fiMli,
It Is true that soft light
is easier on the eyes of
both the mother and
the newborn child. But
there should be enough
light for the midwife
to see what she is doing.
This is not true. Thiswatery
milk is called colostrum
and is very good for the
baby. Colostrum has a lot
of protein and an ibodies
which protect the baby
against infection.
7
How many days after giving
birth should a mother wait
before she bathes?
A mother should wash with
warm water the day after
giving birth. The custom of
not bathing for weeks
following childbirth can lead
to infections.
Is it true that traditional
breast feeding is better
than 'modern' bottle
feeding?
TRUE! Breast milk is
better food and also
helps protect the baby
against infection.
What foods should
women avoid in the first
few weeks after
childbirth?
In the weeks following
childbirth, women should
not avoid any nutritious
foods. Instead, they
should eat plenty of fruit,
vegetables, whole grains,
beans, milk, eggs and
meat (see p. 322)
8
Is it a good idea to bathe a
sick person, or will it do
him harm?
Is it true that oranges,
guavas, and other
frui+s are harmful
when one has a cold
or a fever?
Is it true that when a
person has a high fever, he
should be wrapped up so
that the air will not harm
him?
NO! All fruits and
juices are helpful when
one has a cold or a
fever. They do not
cause congestion or
harm of any kind.
NO! When a person has a
high fever, take off all
coversand clothing. Let
the air reach his body.
This will help the fever go
down (see p.88).
9
MEASLES, CHICKEN POXl(MATA)
Many places in India, people believe that these
diseases are caused because the Goddess is
angry with their family or their community. The
Goddess expresses her anger through these
diseases.
The people believe that the only hope of cure
for these diseases is by giving the goddess
offerings in order to please her. They do not
feed the sick child or care for him because they
fear this will annoy the goddess more. So the
sick child becomes very weak and either
dies or takes a long time to get cured.
These diseases are caused by extremely small germs called virus (see
p. 27). It is essential that the child be given plenty of food to keep up his
strength so that he can fight the infection. This is more important in the
case of smaller children.
Treatment:
Show the child to the
health worker
immediately
Magic cures will not
help
Never restrict food.
Give the child plenty
of nutritious food
and a lot of fluid to
drink
Prevent these infections by vaccinating your child.
10
WAYS TO TELL WHETHER A HOME REMEDY WORKS OR NOT
Because a lot of people use a home cure does not necessarily mean that it works
well oris safe. It is often hard to know which remedies are helpful and which may be
harmful. Careful study is needed to be sure. Here are some rules to help tell which
remedies are least likely to work, or are dangerous.
1. FOUL AND DISGUSTING REMEDIES ARE NOT LIKELY TO HELP
AND ARE OFTEN HARMFUL
For example :
1 .The idea that poisoning
can be cured by
drinking human feces.
2. The idea that a sterile
woman will become
pregnant by drinking tea
made from the umbilical
cord of a newborn baby.
These two remedies do not help at all.
2.
REMEDIES THAT USE ANIMAL OR HUMAN WASTE DO NO GOOD
AND CAN CAUSE DANGEROUS INFECTIONS. NEVER USE THEM.
Examples :
1. Putting human feces on
the area of smallpox
vaccination does not
prevent the child from
2 Smearing cowdung on
the newly cut umbilical
cord of a baby can
cause tetanus.
DON'T
DON'T
3. Smearing cowdung on
burns does not help in
healing the burns, it can
cause serious infection.
11
REMEDIES THAT CAN CAUSE SERIOUS HARM
3.
Examples:
2. Pouring milk into the
mouth of unconscious
persons to make them
conscious
1. Giving neem seed O'l to
children who ere havmo
fits can be very harmful.
DON'T
3. Branding a newborn
baby with a red hot iron
to make it cry.
DON'T
When a person is having fits or is unconscious, do not give him anything by
mouth. The fluid can go into his lungs and either choke him to death.
or can cause pneumonia (p. 91)
4.
REMEDIES THAT ARE EVIL AND BRING HARM TO OTHERS
Examples:
1. The belief that a childless
(sterile) married woman
will get a child by giving
a human sacrifice to the
gods.
DON’T
There are many reasons why a husband and wife do not have any children
(t PC288 )■ Killing another person does not help in anyway.
2. The idea that syphilis can be cured by having sexual contact with a girl who
has not yet reached puberty. This does not cure syphilis The girl most often dies of
shock and bleeding. If she lives, she may also have syphilis
(
No one is ever helped by harming someone else. | ' .p
COMMUNITY
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—
12
5. THE MORE A REMEDY RESEMBLES THE SICKNESS IT IS SAID TO
CURE, THE MORE LIKELY if S BENEFITS COME ONLY FROM THE
POWER OF BELIEF.
The association between each of the following illnesses and its remedy is clear
in these examples:
1. For elephantiasis.
stamping on elephant
dung.
3 For scorpion sting.
tying the claws of the
scorpion on the area of
the sting.
5. For diarrhoea, when a
chijd is teething, tying a
tiger's claw around the
neck.
2. For mumps, wearing a
necklace borrowed from
a neighbour.
4 For sore throat
smearing a paste of
turmeric on the throat
6. For jaundice, washing
the hands with turmeric
powder and water.
These remedies and many other similar ones have no curative value in
themselves. They may be of some benefit if people believe in them. But for
serious problems, be sure that their use does not delay more effective
treatment:-
13
SOME HELPFUL HOME CURES
Many plants have curative powers Some of the best modern
medicines are made from wild herbs
Nevertheless, not all 'curative herbs' people use have medical value,
and those that have are sometimes used in the wrong way. Try to learn
about the herbs in your area and find out which ones are worthwhile
CAUTION: Some medicinal herbs are very poisonous
if taken in more than the recommended dose For
this reason it is often safer to use modern
medicine, since the dosage is easier to control
The medicinal plants are given in various ways as home cures. Here
are some examples of home cures that can be useful if used correctly
HOME CURES ARE EFFECTIVE ONLY IN MILD DISEASES.
ALWAYS TREAT A SERIOUS ILLNESS WITH MODERN
MEDICINE.
Cough and cold (see p 200 )
If a child has a cough and cold:
’ crush some 'tulsi' leaves. Give one or two
drops of this juice three times a day to
hahies
* Heat two teaspoons of coconut oil. (Jrusn one taoie
spoon of camphor (Kapoor or Karpura). Dissolve this in
the oil. Keep it stored in airtight bottles. This can be
rubbed on the chest and throat of the child to relieve
congestion.
If an adult has cough and cold:
" Boil a handful of eucalyptus leaves in two
glasses of water, till only one glass is left.
Strain this water and add sugar. Drink this
three times a day.
■ Another effective medicine for cough and
cold is Leucus aspera
(Hindi : Guma. Tamil : Thumbai)
This is a wild plant with white bellshaped
flowers. Boil the leaves in water with a pinch
of turmeric powder (haldi). Inhale the steam
This helps to relieve congestion. To produce
more steam, throw red hot stones into the
water.
If the cough and cold persists for more than seven days, or if the
person develops a fever, see pages 205 and 206 for treatment
TULSI
14
Sinusitis (see p. 202)
Soak a piece of turmeric in castor oil and burn it. Inhale the fumes.
*
Burn a few pepper coms (Hindi: Kali mirchi, Tamil: Milagu).
Inhale the fumes
•
Roast garlic in hot ash and take in three times a day.
•
Crush a field crab along with the shell. Add some water and strain it
through a fine cloth. Grind together some cornander seeds (Hindi :
dhania; Tamil: Kothamalli) and cummin seeds (jeera), garlic, pepper
and salt. Add to the juice of the crab. Boil and drink this soup hot.
Then qover yourself with a shefet.This is good for cold with a slight
fever.
Mix together half a cup of bitter gourd (Hindi:karela; Tamil:
Paharkai )juice. half a lime juice and one tablespoon of honey.
Drink three times a day.
•
Sore throat (see p.. 356 )
’
Mix equal amounts of honey and lime juice. One tablespoon every
ten minutes is very soothing to the throat.
•
Boil some water. Add the juice of one lime and sugar or salt. Take
this hot.
Boil milk with a pinch of turmeric powder and drink it hot.
Add a pinch of pepper powder to glass of milk and drink it hot.
•
Intestinal cramps, stomach-aches, and gall-bladder pain (see p. 378)
•
The leaves of angel's Trumpet (Hindi :
dhatura)contain a drug that helps calm
intestinal cramps, stomach-aches, and even
gall bladder pains.
15
•
Grind up one or two leaves o Devil's
Trumpet and soak them for a day in seven
tablespoons (100 ml.) of water.
• Give adults only between 10 to 15 drops
every four hours.
WARNING: Angel’s Trumpet
is very poisonous if you take more than the
recommended dose. It is safer to use antispasmodic
pills when possible (see p. 41 5 ).
Diarrhoea (see p. 181)
If a person has mud diarrhoea without any fever or vomiting or blood in the
stools, and no signs of dehydration:
" roast rice till it becomes completely black. Crush it. Give adults two tablespoons
after each loose motion. Give children one tablespoon after each loose motion.
• Strong black tea without any milk or sugar and with lime juice is effective for mild
diarrhoea.
• Grind guava leaves to a paste and boil with water. Strain and give 2 teaspoons
three times a day.
• Peel a tender pomegranate and grind it. Mix with some curds or buttermilk and
give twice a day.
’ Unripe bananas also help in mild diarrhoea.
If mild diarrhoea is accompanied with blood or mucus without_any s.icjns of
dehydration:
Take the white sap from a banyan tree and mix with
some water. Give an adult two teaspoons and a child
one teaspoon after each loose motion.
If diarrhoea is accompanied by vomiting:
’ roast some cummin seeds (jeera), add the juice of
one lime and some salt. Drink this three times a day.
GIVE REHYDRATION DRINK (p. 182) TO ALL PERSONS HAVING
DIARRHOEA
Vomiting in pregnancy (see p. 294).
• Powder 6-7 cloves (laung) and soak in a glass of water for half an hour. Strain
and drink this water.
Fresh cuts and wounds (see p. 97)
* Wash the cut well with clean water. Wash a piece of fresh ginger and grind it
with some sugar. Apply on the cut. and bandage it with a clean cloth. Do not
remove the bandage till the cut has completely healed and the ginger comes off
on its own. Keep the bandage completely dry.
16
Cactus juice can be used to clean wounds when there is no boiled
water and no way to get any
Cardon cactus also helps to stop a wound from bleeding, because
the |uice makes the cut blood vessels squeeze shut.
Cut a piece of the cactus with a clean knife
and press it firmly against the wound
•v When the bleeding is under control, tia a
piece of the cactus to the wound with a
strip of cloth.
After two or three nours. take off the cactus
and clean the wound with boiled water and
soap There are more instructions on how
to care for wounds and control bleeding
on pages 95 to 106
Clean ulcer
When an ulcer is clean without any pus. boil
some ink nuts (Hindi Zangihar, Balhar.
kalepar; Tamil Kadukai) in water. Strain the
water and wash the ulcer with it
Then rub the nut on a stone Apply the paste
on the ulcer Keep the ulcer clean
'
.Old ulcers and wounds (see p. 101)
When an ulcer or a wound is not treated, it gets infection and has lot of
pus.
"
Cut a green papaya Scoop out the inside
pulp and apply on the ulcer Wash it off the
next day and apply papaya pulp again.
Continue till the ulcer becomes clean. Then
treat as for clean ulcer (see abovelwith ink
nut This is very effective in the case of leprous ulcers.
The sap from the banyan tree is also good for cleaning ulcers, with
pus. This sap can also be used for cracked heels.
An ulcer which is clean will heal without any antiseptic.
*
In a teaspoon of curd, rub a crystal of copper sulphate (Neela
Thotha) till the curd is pale blue. Add a little clean soot from the
bottom of a cooking pan Apply to the ulcer This helps to keep
the flies away Do not wash. When the ulcer heals, the black
Diabetic Ulcers
Roast a brinjal. Mix with camphor (kapoor.
karpura) and apply to the ulcer. The ulcer will
heal. Follow the diet for diabetes (see p.149 )
17
Pus under the Nails (Paronychia)
’ Make a hole in a ripe yellow lime Keep
your finger in this till the pus disappears.
Boils and abscesses (see p. 244)
When a boil is painful.
apply a paste made of soap and turmeric powder. Turmeric powder
is antiseptic The boil will burst fast and will heal quickly
Apply castor oil on the boil. Cook some rice flour with turmeric
powder and apply this on the boil. Tie with a clean rag. The boil will
burst within 1 2 hours.
After the boil bursts treat it like an ulcer with pus (see above'
Illcnr in the Mouth nr Tonaue (see p. z/oi
Ulcers in tne moutn or tongue are often caused by not eating the right kind
of food (malnutrition). These ulcers are painful and the person does not feel
like eating. This leads to more malnutrition
These ulcers can be made less painful, so that the person can eat
his food properly. Only proper nutrition can cure these ulcers
completely
The following remedies help in making the ulcer less painful, by
forming a protective coat on the ulcer
■ Grind
the bark of a banyan tree. Put this juice on the ulcer.
' The sap of the banyan tree can also be applied on the ulcer to make
it less painful
' Chew some guava leaves before eating. These leaves have pectin
in them, and this coats the ulcer.‘making it less painful.
’ Apply the paste of ink nut on the ulcer
Stomach Ulcer and Heart Burn (see p 149)
Soak some cooked rice in water for one night. In the morning add
two teaspoons of fenugreek (Hindi . methi. Tamil: Vendayam) seeds
to the soaked nee and eat it on an empty stomach (before breakfast)
" Fresh ash gourd (Hindi ■ Petha: Tamil: Chambal Pusanikai) juice
taken every morning helps in relieving stomach burn
Dilute plantain stem juice with water and
drink it-three times a day. The juice is
alkaline and neutralizes the acids in the
stomach.
* *To make an antacid solution add a pinch of baking soda to a glass of water
and drink this.
Funaus Infections of the Skin Tinea circinata.fsee p 246)
t axe the leaves of Cassia Alata
Tamil : Seemai agathi) and grind it.
Apply the juice three times a day.
Chicken pox blisters (see P358 )
* Spread neem leaves on the bed of
the sick person. Neem leaves are —
cooling and antiseptic. They will
help relieve itching.
18
Boil neem leaves in water Bathe the
sick person with this water A daily
bath is good.
Scorpion sting (see p. 1 23)
• Cut a piece of onion and rub it on the site of the sting. This helps
to relieve pain
• Grind up a small pinch of potassium
permanganate with equal amount of
citric acid. (If you cannot get citric acid
powder, you can use one drop of lime
juice). Collect the powder into a paper
and spread it over the exact site of the
sting Add a single drop of water. It will
haqm to bubble vigourously and will
become very hot. This usually gives
immediate total or partial relief
•
WARNING: Tender skin may get badly
burnt nr blistered. Spread the
powder only on the exact
site of the sting.
Worms (p. 193)
Papaya can help get nd of intestinal
worms, although modern medicines
often work better.
* Collect 3 or 4 Teaspoons (15-20 ml)
of the milk that comes out when the
green fruit or trunk of the tree is cut.
Mix this with an equal amount of
honey and stir into a cup of hot
•/. tei If possible, drink along with
'. laxative.
Boundworms (see p. 1 93).
Crush two papaya seeds and mix it with a glass of milk. Drink
'his. Do the same the next day aiso.
ly!
)r/<
Ctush some pomegranate leaves, and boil with a glass of milk.
Drink halt of it early in the morning before eating.After two hours.
drink the rest of the milk. Give two tablespoons of castor oil
O’-/
aftei another two hours.
V
Do not give the person anything to eat before and during the treatment.
19
Threadworms (see p. i 94)
■ Grind naem leaves to a fine paste
For one week.take a marble sized
ball of this paste every morning on
an empty stomach. Do not take this
for the second week. For the third
week, take the neem leaves again as
before on an empty stomach
The whole family should take this treatment together for curing
threadworms
Tapeworms (see p. 196)■ Grind one betel nut with a small glass of milk Take this early in the
morning on an empty stomach.
* Take a handful of ash gourd seeds and grind it. Eat it in the morning
on an empty stomach Two hours later, take two teaspoons ct castor
oil.
■ Dissolve a small piece of asafoetida (Hindi : heeng: Tamil : kayam)
in water and drink it on an empty stomach
Jaundice-Hepatitis ( see p. 209)
■ Phyllanthus niruri (Hindi Bhvm
Amla: Tamil : keela nelli)
This is a small wild plant The leaves
have small berries under them
Treatment: Take a whole plant
and grind it Eat this paste early
in the morning on an empty stomach
This does not cure jaundice But this
helps to stop vomiting, and the sick
person can eat his food
Eclipta prostata (Hindi bungran.
Tamil: Karisilankanni)
The leaves of this plant can be
cooked and eaten once a day.
Boil a handful of the leaves rJong
with one spoon of castor oil and a
httle garlic and give this to the
sick person
This also helps to reduce vomiting.
The stools and urine become normal
coloured.
' Take 2-3 castor leaves and grind
them. Give the sick person a marble
sized ball of paste every morning This
also helps reduce vomiting.
High Blood pressure (seep. 147)’ Crush and take one teaspoon of the juice of
yellow drumstick leaves after food.
20
Mix one teaspoon ginger juice, one teaspoon honey and one
teaspoon powdered cummin seeds. Take this once a day
Curds, raw onion, garlic and turmeric powder are also good for
reducing high blood pressure
Diabetes (see p. 149)
Periwinkle with mauve flowers Take
the plant with its roots and boil
it in some water Strain and drink
it before eating anything
Dry and powder jamun seeds Pour hot water on this powder
Strain and drink the water
Pull out an entire touch-me-not (mimosa pudica)
plant with its roots, grind it, or cook it with rice to
form conn Drink this every day.
Neem leaves and bitter gourd also help in reducing diabetes
Asthma (see p 204)
Boil the leaves of malabar nut (Hindi: Arusa; Tamil: adathodai) Roll it up
in another leaf of the same and smoke it.
Dandruff (see p. 257)
Apply curd or lime juice or the paste of neem leaves to the hair and
scalp. Leave it for one hour Wash well. Do this once a week.
Toothache (see p. 275)
’ Chew one or two cloves, and let the juice remain in the mouth for sometime.
■ Chew one or two cashew leaves and let the juice remain in the mouth.
■ Toothpowder made of burnt mango leaves also helps in reducing toothache.
These remedies will help reduce the pain for some time. These
remedies will not cure the problem. Consult the health worker to find out
if the tooth needs to be filled or removed.
Pain during Menstruation (see p. 291)
Grind the leaves of bitter gourd with some pepper and garlic. Take this once a
day for three days.
21
Swelling of Feet during pregnancy (see p 294)
To reduce swelling,
* Boil some palm sugar and fennel (Hindi . saunf) together. Strain and drink
three times a day till the swelling disappears
Boil leaves of prickly chaff. (Hindi :
Chirchira) and take it in the morning
The woman will pass more urine, and
this will help to reduce the swelling of
the feet
Sometimes decoctions made from
com silk (the tassels or “silk” from the
ear of maize can help to reduce
swelling of feet. Boil a large handful of
corn silk in water. Drink 1-2 glasses.
This is not dangerous.
False labour pains (see p 304)
• Boil drumstick leaves with corriander seeds (Hindi : Suka dhahia: Tamil :
Kotthamalli). Take about one glass. If the contractions are false, the pain will
disappear
Powder the bark of cinnamon (dalchini) and take some with water or milk.
ENEMAS, LAXATIVES, AND PURGES:
WHEN TO USE THEM AND WHEN NOT TO
Many people give enemas and take laxatives far
too often. The 'urge to purge' is world wide.
Enemas and purges are very popular home
cures. And they are often very harmful. Many
people believe fever and diamhea can be 'washed
out' by giving an enema (running water into the
gut through the anus) or by using a purge, or
strong laxative. Unfortunately, such efforts to
clean or purge the sick body often cause more
injury to the already damaged gut.
Rarely do enemas or laxatives do any good at all.
Often they are dangerous—especially strong laxatives.
COMMUNITY HEALTH CELL
47/1. (First F’oor; St. Marks Read,
Bangalore - 560 001,
22
CASES IN WHICH IT IS DANGEROUS TO USE ENEMAS OR LAXATIVES:
Never use an enema or laxative if a person has a severe stomach-ache or any
other sign of appendicitis or 'acute abdomen' (p. 106) even if he passes
days without a bowel movement.
Never give an enema or laxative to a person with a bullet wound or other injury
to the gut.
Never give a strong laxative to a weak or sick person. It will weaken him more.
Never give a laxative or purge to a child with high fever, vomiting, diarrhea, or
signs of dehydration (see p. 1 SI ).
Do not make a habit of using laxatives often (see Constipation, p. 151).
THE CORRECT USES OF ENEMAS
1. Simple enemas can help relieve constipation (dry, hard, difficult stools). Use
warm water only, or water with a little soap in it.
2. When a person with vomiting is dehydrated, you can try giving an enema of
Rehydration Drink very slowly (see p. 182).
PURGES AND LAXATIVES THAT ARE OFTEN USED:
SENNA LEAF
CASCARA (cascara sagrada)
These are irritating purges that often do
more harm than good. It is better not to
use them.
CASTOR OIL
This will do good if only little is
taken where suggested.
These are salt purges. Use them only m
low doses, as laxatives for constipation.
Do not use them often and never when
MAGNESIUM CARBONATE
MILK OF MAGNESIA
EPSOM SALTS (magnesium sulfate)
(see p.417)
MINERAL OIL
(see p. 417)
there is pain in the belly.
This is sometimes used for constipation in
persons with piles . . . but it is like passing
greased rocks. Not recommended.
23
CORRECT USES OF LAXATIVES AND PURGES;
Laxatives are like purges but weaker. All the products listed above are laxatives
when taken in small doses and purges when taken in large doses. Laxatives soften
and hurry the bowel movement; purges cause diarrhea.
Purges: The only time a person should use a strong dose of a purge is when he
has taken a poison and must clean it out quickly (see p. 118). At any other time
a purge is harmful.
Laxatives: You can use milk of magnesia or other magnesium salts in small
doses, as laxatives, in some cases of constipation. People with hemorrhoids (piles)
who have constipation can take mineral oii but this only makes their stools
slippery, not soft. The dose for mineral oil is 3 to 6 teaspoons at bedtime (never
with a meal because the oil will rob the body of important vitamins in the food).
This is not the best way.
A BETTER WAY:
Foods with fiber. The healthiest and most gentle way to have, softer, more
frequent stools is to eat more foods with lots of natural fiber, or 'roughage' like
tapioca, grain, cereals, fruits and vegetables. Drinking lots of water
also helps.
People whose tradition it is to eat lots of food with natural fiber suffer much
less from piles, constipation, and cancer of the gut than do people who eat a lot
of refined 'modern' foods. For better bowel habits, avoid refined foods and eat
foods prepared from unpolished or unrefined grains.
The book
Where There I« No Doctor
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is available
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