Analysis of Traditional Healing Approaches in Public Health Context

This essay delves into traditional healing approaches to health and illness, drawing upon Aggleton's (1990) perspective that the human body possesses inherent recuperative capabilities. It emphasizes that traditional healers view illness as preventable by adhering to natural laws and focus on correcting external disharmonies and internal imbalances to enhance the body's natural healing power. The essay outlines key steps in traditional healing, including counseling, nutritional correction, herbal medicines, and physical approaches. It further provides examples of traditional practices such as Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Ayurveda, and Early European medicine, highlighting their common goal of restoring balance within the body and its environment. The essay concludes that these approaches, rooted in nature's laws, are gaining popularity and are poised to expand their applicability in the future. Desklib offers a variety of resources, including past papers and solved assignments, to support students in their studies.

Running head: PUBLIC HEALTH
Public Health
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1PUBLIC HEALTH
Traditional healing approaches to health and illness have been under assessment since the
concept of medical science emerged. Researchers and scholars from across the world have taken
much interest to understand the applicability of such healing approaches, and the extent of its
usefulness has been well documented. The present essay describes the principle of a traditional
approach towards health and illness, as described by Aggleton (1990), with suitable examples.
Traditional healing is considered to be the health practices, beliefs, knowledge and
approaches incorporating conventional medicines based on plants, animals and minerals, and
energetic therapies (Chao et al. 2017). According to Aggleton (1990), traditional healing takes
into consideration the idea that human bodies are organisms with strong recuperative and self-
healing capabilities. When this is maintained in optimal condition, the body endures longevity
due to ongoing health. Traditional healers view illness and diseases as a preventable occurrence
that can be resisted if the immutable ad basic laws of nature are followed. The idea of traditional
healing is the correction of external disharmonies together with internal imbalances in a proper
manner for enhancing the natural healing power of the body. Restoration of health is thought to
be the key to prevent illness and poor health conditions. The claim is not to cure the disease, but
to restore the existing balance between the external and internal relationships forces.
Though the traditional methods adhered to by healers might vary from one country to
another, the basic treatment principles are similar across the globe. The first and basic approach
is counseling of the patient the focuses on correction of the emotional or mental disharmonies.
The second step is to correct the nutritional status together with the lifestyle of the patient. The
third method is herbal medicines that act as a powerful health restoring agent. Physical
approaches make up the fourth element of the traditional healing process that treats the patient
based on their energy points.

2PUBLIC HEALTH
Traditional healing approaches such as Chinese, Ayurveda and Early European medicines
have been included in treatment processes across the globe since ancient times. Traditional
Chinese medicine (TCM) is the traditional Chinese medical practice that is based on the use of
herbal medicine, massage therapy, acupuncture and dietary therapy for restoring the patient’s
health appropriately. TCM considers disease as the imbalance in the interactions of the human
body with the environment and aims to provide therapy on these patterns of disharmony.
Ayurveda is the system of medicine that has historical connections with the Indian Subcontinent.
The word ‘ayurveda’ means ‘life-knowledge’ and healer consider personality, mental existence
and physical existence as the elements in holistic care approach. This approach emphasizes on
herbal remedies, meditation, exercise, dietary regulations, breathing exercises and physical
therapies. Medieval medicine in Europe or early European medicine is based on the idea that
origin and cure of diseases are based on astral influences and destiny. The focus was therefore on
spiritual healing apart from medicines extracted from all forms of natural beings (Micozzi 2014).
In conclusion, Traditional healing approaches follow the nature’s law and lead to return
to good health. The natural balance of the body sis the key to restoration of health that is
essential for normal body functioning. Such approaches have gained immense popularity in
across countries, and would sure to extend its applicability in future.

3PUBLIC HEALTH
References
Aggleton, P. (1990). Health. Routledge.
Chao, J., Dai, Y., Verpoorte, R., Lam, W., Cheng, Y.C., Pao, L.H., Zhang, W. and Chen, S.,
2017. Major achievements of evidence-based traditional Chinese medicine in treating major
diseases. Biochemical pharmacology, 139, pp.94-104.
Micozzi, M.S., 2014. Fundamentals of Complementary and Alternative Medicine-E-Book.
Elsevier Health Sciences.