Healing Secrets of the Native Americans: Herbs, Remedies, and Practices That Restore the Body, Refresh the Mind, and Rebuild the Spirit

164 Pages·2004·3.89 MB·English

by  Porter Shimer

HEALING SECRETS OF THE NATIVE
AMERICANS
HEALING SECRETS OF THE NATIVE
AMERICANS
Herbs, Remedies and Practices that Restore the Body,
Refresh the Mind and Rebuild the Spirit
PORTER SHIMER
Copyright © 2004 Black Dog & Leventhal Text copyright © 1999 Publishing
Properties, LLC
First Published in 1999 as NATIVE AMERICAN HEALING SECRETS
By Publishing Properties, LLC, Owings Mills, Maryland.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be produced in any form or by any
electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval
systems, without the written permission of the copyright holder.
Published by
Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers, Inc.
151 West 19th Street
New York, NY 10011
Distributed by
Workman Publishing Company
225 Varick Street
New York, NY 10014
Cover and intertior design by Shelia Hart Design, Inc.
ISBN: 1-57912-393-7
EISBN: 978-1-60376287-8
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-publication data available on file.
CONTENTS
Introduction: Doctors of the Earth
Chapter One: The Healing Spirit
Health as a Family Affair
Healing with Kindness
Spirituality and Prayer: The Power of Faith
Dream Therapy: Using the Mind to Heal
Shamans: The Makers of Miracles
Death: The Ultimate Life Experience
Chapter Two: The Native American Spa
The Healing Power of Heat
Health at Your Fingertips: The Power of Massage
Healthy Visions: Seeing Yourself Well
The Healing Power of Sound and Movement
Native American Nutrition
Chapter Three: The Native American Pharmacy
The Healing Herbs They Trusted Most:
Aloe
Bearberry
Black Cohosh
Black Haw
Corn
Dandelion
Echinacea
Fennel
Garlic
Ginseng
Goldenrod
Goldenseal
Gravelroot
Hawthorn
Hops
Horsetail
Juniper
Lady’s Slipper
Licorice
Magnolia
Milkweed
Mullein
Nettle
Oak
Oats
Oregon Grape
Peppermint
Pine
Plantain
Purslane
Raspberry
Sage
Sassafras
Squaw Weed
Valerian
Violet
Watercress
White Poplar
Wild Rose
Willow
Wormwood
Yarrow
Chapter Four: Making It Work for You
Preparing Herbs
Herbal Remedies and Your Child
Gathering Herbs
Drying and Storing Herbs
Remedies for Common Ailments:
Acne
Anxiety
Arthritis
Asthma
Back Pain
Bad Breath
Bruises
Burns
Colic
Colds
Constipation
Coughs
Depression
Diarrhea
Earache
Fatigue
Fever
Flatulence
Gum Disease
Headaches
Hemorrhoids
High Blood Pressure
Indigestion
Inflammation
Insect Bites
Insomnia
Itchy Skin
Memory Loss
Menopausal Problems
Menstrual Pain
Nausea and Vomiting
Prostate Enlargement
Skin Conditions
Sore Throat
Sprains
Varicose Veins
Wrinkles
Yeast Infections
Afterword
Appendix I: Native American Sacred Places
Appendix II: Herbal Shopping Guide
Appendix III: Internet Resources
Bibliography

INTRODUCTION
DOCTORS OF THE EARTH
Every day we’re surrounded by powerful remedies that go unnoticed. For
example, when we start paying attention, we can find hundreds of different
“weeds”—in fields, along roadways and railroad tracks, or even in our own
backyards—that are capable of performing wonders for our health.
For the first inhabitants of this continent, the Native Americans, nature was their
pharmacy. They were on a first-name basis with hundreds of healing plants,
grasses, and herbs. Native Americans also recognized the healing powers within
their own bodies and treated them with great respect. They felt that the power to
heal was a gift entrusted to them by the Creator and believed that human power
and strength came from Mother Earth and all living things.
There’s no question that advances in medical science have had a tremendous
impact on our lives. People are living longer, healthier lives than ever before.
However, some of the benefits of modern medicines may be offset by their costs.
Modern drugs are expensive, not just in dollars, but possibly in terms of our
long-term health. That’s because, as effective as drugs can be, most work by
forcing the body to respond in certain ways, rather than by calling upon the
body’s own natural healing powers. Using drugs can put the body in a passive,
dependent, and ultimately weakened state.
Consider what happens when you have an infection. The modern approach is to
take an antibiotic, which kills the bacteria that is making you sick. In the short
run this is a sensible solution, but the body is exposed to billions of bacteria
every day. In the long term, it’s a losing battle. Antibiotics, although vital for
fighting some infections, are only a temporary defense. They don’t help the body
strengthen its own defenses and resist future infections.
Native healers took an entirely different approach. The best remedies, in their
view, were those that empowered the body to take care of itself, rather than
merely providing temporary support. They also deeply believed in a spiritual
component to healing—that prayer, visualization, and a variety of healing
ceremonies strengthened the body as well as the mind and emotions, making