It is human nature to seek explanations for the things that happen to us. When the event defies a quick, easy answer, we turn to the supernatural. It must have been the will of God, the Universe or we simply weren’t keeping our thinking positive. While any of these may be true, it also reflects our need to have something, or someone, responsible when we face difficult times.
One of the situations that most perplexes us as humans is our struggle with illness. Billions of dollars are spent yearly in research trying to eradicate disease. Yet, with every disease we do manage to banish there seems to be another one either becoming more prevalent or a new one popping up. There is more incidence of Parkinson’s, ALS and other autoimmune diseases today. Polio, once almost totally eradicated is starting to appear again in certain populations where the vaccine is not automatically provided young children.
One of the most terrifying illnesses is the common flu. Although it has been around for centuries, it appears impossible to tame. Every year a new strain appears to replace the one covered by the past years’ flu shot. Despite drugs that will ease symptoms if taken within 48 hours, the flu has no effective treatment and no cure is in sight.
Our ancestors faced these same issues, but without the advantages of scientific knowledge. Since they did not have the microscopes that reveal bacteria or the tests that illuminate tumors, they could only go by what they knew of the world. Since they had only what they could see, they tended to rely even more upon faith and certain assumptions. Often, if a series of events fell into place in a certain manner, they deduced that the first event caused the second and so on. With this “domino reasoning” they came up with witches, the Evil Eye and cures that defy modern logic.
It is this mindset that gave birth to the folklore, superstitions and traditions that entered America with the various cultures. Oral history, handed down from generation to generation, dictated almost everything a person thought about the world. And, especially about illness.
In the mid-1800′s it was not uncommon for people to die of diseases we consider minor today. Often women would give birth to several children and only one or two would make it to adulthood. With death hanging over constantly, it was completely natural for mothers to grasp at straws in an effort to help a family member who was ill. One of the more common beliefs was that if you tied a rag to a bush near the grave of a saint, the illness would disappear. Another called for putting an egg in the shallow part of a stream. If someone happened to pick the egg up, the disease would pass on to them. The evidence that this was true was obvious to the community that believed it. Many eggs were place in a stream and still a disease could wipe out an entire village.
The most troubling of old traditions is that of witches and the belief that certain people were able to make others sick through casting spells. This belief gave rise to the Salem witch hunts and similar atrocities across the colonies.
Despite the seeming ignorance of the early settlers, they also provided us with the natural herbs and plant derivatives we use today in medications and in supplements. While some have proven to be dangerous under certain circumstances, others have proven to provide relief for the sick and improved health for everyone.
Two of the most common illnesses yet to be conquered by modern medicine are the flu and cold. While more common in the winter, these are especially miserable when they hit during the warm weather months.
If you are hit with a miserable cold or fever this year there are a few options for you. Upon the first signs of illness drink a tea of elderberry blossoms and peppermint. You should feel better within 24hours. If it happens to be more serious than the sniffles, you can try taking baking soda and mixing it in a glass of cold water. Take this 15 minutes before meals for the next five meals. This works by stopping acid formation in the intestines. It is then absorbed into the blood and filters out through the membranes of the nose, throat, eyes and lungs. Cream of tartar would also work.
For the simple cold or flu, you might also try teas with cayenne or eyebright. If it’s definitely the flu, try the herb called Yarrow or milfoil. Naturally, if you are deathly ill, you need to see a doctor. You also need to let your health professional know if you have taken any of these treatments. If you already suffer from a health problem, you should consult the doctor before taking any of the natural treatments. As someone who deals with autoimmune diseases, I can personally testify to the importance of doing this. I took an herbal mixture for a cold at one point and ended up in Intensive Care. This is not what you want.
If these treatments fail to work and you still feel miserable, I suppose the next step is to go out to a cold stream, tie a rag on the nearest bush and take a bath. I can’t promise it will work, but it might feel good on a hot day.
