Portfolio: The use of herbs in Egypt at the Bedouins and Fallah and Massai community

We frequently examine the various health precautions adopted by diverse societies around the world. Numerous health issues, including stress and depression, can be treated using some of the ancient techniques. Acupuncture and massage are two examples of traditional therapies that have been found to be highly beneficial. More than 80% of the nations are thought to be developing nations, according to estimates from the World Health Organization. The World health organization chose to incorporate the traditional medicines in the treatment of individuals following the Alma Ata declarations of 1978. Use of herbs was the major focus of the patients in Egypt during early times. The Egyptians got their drugs like cannabis and opium. Most people in Egypt believed that the garlic were essential drugs when one wanted to gain endurance in anything they do. Garlic and onions were occasionally steeped in wine and given to those who are sick to drink as oral medicine. Raw garlic was administered in individuals who are having respiratory problems including asthma. Onions were used on patients who were victims of stomach upsets. Garlic is still used in the modern Egypt. Garlic is normally peeled then placed in water then gurgled to wash the mouth. The Bedouins in Egypt are recognized to be among the Egyptians who have chosen to use the traditional medicines at a great extent. The Bedouins have been known for their great command in reliance on the traditional methods of treatments. The Bedouins normally use the, natural products, springs and camel milk as some of the methods. The Maasai community is among the communities that are highly recognized for their high probability of offering traditional healings in Tanzania. This paper explains the use of herbs in Egypt at the Bedouins and Fallah and Massai community

Analysis

Among the articles that try to explain the healing capability of the Maasai is “The healing wisdom of the Maasai. The article describes the Maasai community as nomadic community that does rely so much on the herbal medicines as their major way of treatment. The article describes the community to be well versed with the different typed of plants that are used to treat various diseases. The community is believed to do use various plants to treat various kinds of diseases. The article also recognizes the community to be residents of the Tanzanian population. The article recognizes the herbal medicines to be working in the treatment of various diseases. The significant of that article is that it outlines that it is the time for the African population to teach the world of the possible occurrences in the world of medication. The article helps in identification of the Maasai community as part of the communities in Tanzania. The article also tries to give us the lifestyle of the Maasai that they are a pastoralists community that rare livestoke. The community feeds on raw meat and herbs. The article tries to give the clear explanation on why the the Maasai community members depend on herbs for treatments. The community moves from one place to another owing to the fact that they are pastarolists. They have no time to settle and follow the hospital routines of keeping records within a particular area. The herbs are readily available in the everyday environments and thus they can easily access the medication.

According to another article entitled “Miracle Cure in The Tanzanian Bush,” the Maasai traditional herbs can help in the treatment of various health conditions that cannot be treated in the hospital environments. The article gives as a story of someone who is diabetic and was convinced by a college to visit the famously known Maasai medicine man known as Loliondo. The man was believed to be able to treat chronic disease conditions that doctors have not been able to handle in the day to day hospital situations. The man using the herbs is believed to treat diabetes and HIV/AIDS. It cannot be denied that the man attracted the attention of many from all other parts of the world because his work setting used to be completely occupied most of the times. The significance of this article is that it helps in outlining the superiority of the herbal medicines. The use of the herbs can actually bring hope to those who had lost hope in the modern medicines. The man in Tanzania gave insights of various trees that he used to treat various diseases. The interests of the scientists have been brought closer and they have been doing researches on the potent components of various plants of like the Carissa tree. The article actually gives an insight of the importance of the traditional medicines in the growth of the modern medicines. The place of Loliondo attracted people of all categories from the government officials and the poor voters. The article shows that importance of standardizing the medical costs to ensure that each and every individual can at least access health care. Because the medicines tend to heal most diseases that the modern medicine have turned out to be quite inadequate to help out, the World Health Organization gets a reason to incorporate the herbs treatment in its developmental goals.

According to the “Saint Catherine's flourishing medicinal growers,” Bedouins have secluded several land pieces to ensure that the growth of the medicinal plants is maintained at the peak always. The author of the article expresses disbelief if there is treatment that exists in the use of the flowers in the treatment of various health conditions. The author describes how the use of herbal medicines has been taken seriously in Saint Catherine and has been severally used to ensure that the medicines substitute the modern medicine. The article briefs us that in as much as we focus on the modern medicine, the herbs are the main root for the modern medicine. Most modern drugs are actually extracted from herbs. The only disadvantage of the herbal medicine is that we cannot know the right proportions that should be used in the treatment of various diseases.

Relevant material from course

According to the article on “the disadvantages of herbal medicines,” the herbs normally have disadvantages though they are so much trusted. The herbs used by the various communities in Africa help in treatment of diseases that are caused by the pathogenic microorganisms in most cases. The herbs cannot be effectively used in the treatment of diseases that involve physical abnormalities like the broken legs or even the blockages in the appendices. The dosages of the drugs are also not always outlined thence there are high probabilities of under dosing or overdosing. The ways to control the incidences of under dosing or overdosing are also not outlined in most instances. This shows that in case of any adverse reactions of the usage of the drugs may not be helped out within the shortest time as possible. The herbs have also been recorded to have a slower onset of activity and thus have a slow onset of activity. Thence, the modern medicine still leads when it comes to relieving the common pains. The interactions of the modern medicines with other drugs have also not been extensively studied and thus have s high probability of going unnoticed if they cause dangerous side effect on individuals due to synergy.

According to the political economy, the discussed community in Egypt were pastoralists according to Emmanuel Marx. The community has a similarity to the Maasai community in Tanzania. The similarity in the economic activity might have greatly contributed to the similarity that is present in the way in which they treat individuals who are sick in their communities.

Focus questions for final paper

What are the similarities in the lifestyle of the communities that use herbs

Are there other communities apart from the ones discussed that also believe in herbal medicines?

What are the similarities of the communities discussed in question two above



Annotated bibliography



de Boer, Hugo J., Anneleen Kool, Anders Broberg, William R. Mziray, Inga Hedberg, and Jolanta J. Levenfors. "Anti-fungal and anti-bacterial activity of some herbal remedies from Tanzania." Journal of ethnopharmacology 96, no. 3 (2005): 461-469.

The article discusses the various plants that heard been tested for affectivity against various bacterial and fungal infections among the people of Tanzania. The article outlines that there are 29 plants that are used for medicinal purposes while 41 plants are used for non medicinal purposes.

Runyoro, D. K. B., O. D. Ngassapa, M. I. N. Matee, C. C. Joseph, and M. J. Moshi. "Medicinal plants used by Tanzanian traditional healers in the management of Candida infections." Journal of ethnopharmacology 106, no. 2 (2006): 158-165.

The article reports that the it has been discovered that about thirty six plants from the twenty one medicinal plant families can be effectively used in the treatment of Candida. The plants have also been noted to be effective in the treatment of other bacterial infections that may come in as a result of one being immune-compromised. The plants can be effectively used on patients suffering from HIV/AIDS.















Bibliography

"Disadvantages Of Herbal Medicine - Medicine Articles - Articledoctor.Com". 2017. Articledoctor.Com. Accessed May 15.

Aboelsoud, Neveen H. "Herbal medicine in ancient Egypt." Journal of Medicinal Plants Research 4, no. 2 (2010): 082-086.

Abu-Lughod, Lila. "A community of secrets: The separate world of Bedouin women." Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society 10, no. 4 (1985): 637-657.

Marx, Emmanuel. THE POLITICAL ECONOMY OF THE MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICAN NOMADS. Print. 17 Oct 2016

Miracle Cure In The Tanzanian Bush? - New African Magazine". 2017. New African Magazine. Accessed May 15.

Saint Catherine's Flourishing Medicinal Growers | Egypt Independent". 2012. Egyptindependent.Com.

The Healing Wisdom Of The Maasai". 2017. Naturalmedicine.Co.Za. Accessed May 15.

Hodgson, L. Dorothy. Once Intrepid Warriors. Print. 17 Oct 2016

Bignante, Elisa, and Nadia Tecco. "Is indigenous health knowledge converging to herbalism?: Healing practices among the Meru and the Maasai of the Ngarenyanyuki ward, Northern Tanzania." Geoforum 48 (2013): 177-186.