Native American healing incorporates mind and body techniques to treat almost any condition whether it is psychological or physical. According to principles of native American healing, illnesses are not rooted in the affected area, but are cause by spiritual imbalances which can be corrected by herbs, meditation and rituals. Native American healing has been around for countless centuries, and although many of its practices were illegal in the United States for decades, rituals used for healing were made legal once again in 1978 on the grounds that restriction violated freedom of religion.

Much of what we know today about herbal medicine is based on Native American healing. Herbs were a staple of Native American medicine, and for almost any kind of complaint, tinctures, salves or teas made of leaves, flowers, bark or berries were applied or consumed to treat the ailment. Native American healing has saved millions of lives, thanks to the invention of penicillin, which was derived from a Native American treatment for infection using mold. Before penicillin was discovered by doctors, Native Americans had been using it as a remedy for centuries to treat illnesses.

There is a revival of interest in Native American healing as more people are searching for alternative remedies to avoid the side effects, inconvenience and cost of traditional medicine. There have been studies that have shown herbal remedies to be effective, however, few herbal treatments are recommended by the FDA, Native American healing also focuses on detoxification methods, such as sitting in sweathouses and fasting to remove impurities from the body. These sweathouses consisted of fires in tents, and through perspiration, the body could be cleansed and purged of germs and other unhealthy substances.

Given today’s hectic, stress-filled lifestyle, Native American healing is making a comeback and traditional practitioners of this science are very much in demand.

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