Salud! Addressing Latino Health Challenges
July 29-31, 2002

The University of Georgia
College of Family and Consumer Sciences
Department of Foods and Nutrition
In partnership with
DrTango, Inc. and the Latin American Association

Tuesday, July 30, 2002
4:00-5:30 p.m.

Session: "Conventional, Complimentary, Traditional and Integrative Medicine: The use in the Latino community"

Speaker: Brent Berlin and Elois Ann Berlin, Professor and Associate Professor, Department of Anthropology, UGA

o Folk Medical Systems- based on theories about disease and illness…
o Traditional medicine or folk medicine are often based on natural products
o Folk medicine does not equate to charlabnism nor does natural equate to safe
o When people leave their country, they bring their own practices and medicine to the new country.
o (Past few Decades) AMA and the legal system have slogmatize and sometimes premised folk practices
o Latin American Diseases
o Susto "illness due to a fright or fall"
o Mal Ojo "Evil Eye" - Caused by the glance of a person, or strong eyes or by envy

o www.who.int/ - World health org
o http://www.wccam.nih.gov/ - National Center for Compa. Alt. Med.

o How far we've come … articles on A.H.S.C - investigating herbal remedies at different universities (Emory, John's Hopkins).
o Alternative Medical Funding
o 1992 - 2.0 million
o 2003 - 113.2 million

o Hispanic population of Athens-Clarke County has tripled over last five years. (10,000).
o Project in 1st stages - Bring together these three
1. Athens Regional Hospital and Mind-Body Institute (Dr. Rich Patrico - Director).
2. University of Georgia
o Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies
o Department of Anthropology
o Biochemistry
o Vetenary Medicine
o Ecology
o Botany

3. Catholic Social Services - St. Joseph's Parish

o Pilot Community Outreach Project:
1. Initiation of medical herbal home gardens when needed bimolecular medicine will be available

o Native herbs requested in order from most to least from Latin America
o Epazote
o Llanten
o Arnica
o Chanca piedra
o Maca
o Magnolia
o Omiga
o Le
· 65% of the herbs requested were introduced from Europe, Asia
o Manzanilla
o Ruda
o Yekoba Buena
o Savila
o Eucalipho
o Oregano

· Ruda (Rue) - Appetite loss, colic, dizziness, headache, rheumatism, wounds, worms, delayed periods
· Yerba Buena (mint)
· Spanish: Manzanilla, English: Chamomile, Scientific: Mahricariz Chamomila
o Problems: Peptic ulcer, indigestion, nausea, appetite loss
o Pharmological Effects:
§ Alpha-bisabolol- reduces inflammation, promotes healing
§ Cholereric - bile secretion
§ Earmmature
§ Bitter-bile
§ Anti-oxidant properties - assist enzymes

Digestive
o Problems: Stomach Cramps, Colic, Colitis, Diarrhea, Gas, Gastrins, IBS
o Pharmological:
§ Polysaccarides - affects smooth muscles (relates cramping)
§ Spiro ether - relieves cramps
§ Antimicrobial, anti-viral (kills or inhibits growth of bacteria, viruses

Respiratory
o Problems: Hay fever, Asthma
o Pharmological:
§ Chamazolene - reduces inflammation, anti allergy
§ Herenoglycans - decrease bronchospasms
§ Alpha - bisabolol
§ Spiro ether

Inflammatory Conditions
o Problems: Earache, eye problems, nasal membrane, sore throat, inflamed gums, wounds
o Pharmological:
Alpha-bisabolol - decrease skin temperature

Reproduction
o Problems: Menstrual problems, labor, miscarriage
o Pharmalogical: tannins, polysaccharides, sedative, analgesic affect

Fever; insomnia
o Increase body temperature and localized inflammation
o Pharmalogical: Alpha - bisabolol, antipyretic (decrease fever), sedative

Possible Toxicity: negative effects, nausea and vomiting (in large doses), topical dermants, anaphylsshic shock(in large doses)
Mid-term goal
o Want small bus in for med. Scale prod. of:
o Products for the herbal market; Fresh and dried products - (assurance of accurate scientific determination)

Long term goal

Chamonite- Almost as expensive as marijuana

2nd Speaker Starts Here

o Works with extension service- helps families grow their own herb gardens (which could create a source of income)
o Created by Public University in Mexico: Trains veterinary and agricultural doctors
o Students come from all over, it is almost a free education ($20.00/semester)
o Offers dorms, food, scholarships; trades nationally and internationally, instruction, research and extension
o Project is funded by development department in university
o Plant Cosmetology
o Recycling

o Lemon $5.00 conf. Oct. 19-21 ( Trad. Med)