Health. Self help.

[jansman]

In fairness,my grandmother was the local midwife / ‘healer’ up in a North Derbyshire mining village in the 30’s. She was the midwife because she’d had eight children- live ones. She helped people who were poorly with traditional remedies. It was the best most folks had,as doctors had to be paid for. Now we have the NHS. Thankfully. Only 75 years since people relied on ‘remedies’.

A very good friend had two grandparents who were the doctors in the next village up to,and after the start of the NHS. His grandmother,right up to her death ,would get braces of pheasants,garden produce and such from the children of patients who had been ill before the NHS. Apparently,the two doctors were quite generous to patients who struggled to pay.

[ForgeCorvus]

In fairness,my grandmother was the local midwife / ‘healer’ up in a North Derbyshire mining village in the 30’s. She was the midwife because she’d had eight children- live ones. She helped people who were poorly with traditional remedies. It was the best most folks had,as doctors had to be paid for. Now we have the NHS. Thankfully. Only 75 years since people relied on ‘remedies’.

Around here they used to be called the "Cunning Woman/Man/Folk"(it was a family trade), it was the NHS that finally saw them off.

[jansman]

In fairness,my grandmother was the local midwife / ‘healer’ up in a North Derbyshire mining village in the 30’s. She was the midwife because she’d had eight children- live ones. She helped people who were poorly with traditional remedies. It was the best most folks had,as doctors had to be paid for. Now we have the NHS. Thankfully. Only 75 years since people relied on ‘remedies’.

Around here they used to be called the "Cunning Woman/Man/Folk"(it was a family trade), it was the NHS that finally saw them off.

Talking to my mum, it appears that Great Grandma did it too. They also ‘laid out’ the dead in the parlour too. Mum said that death was earlier and more accepted then too. When I was a boy, if there was a death in the street all the women would close the front curtains until the funeral. There would be a ‘whip- round’ for cash for the bereaved family too.
As a bald headed man, I wear a baseball cap to keep the sun off. On Monday a hearse and mourners drove past as I was crossing the road. I took off my hat and bowed my head. My 20 something neighbour asked if I knew the deceased. She did not understand the traditional respect I was taught by my mother.

[jansman]

I just re read that. Too many ‘too’. I do apologise

[GillyBee]

We now have a fair collection of herbs & essential oils that are either anti-viral, anti-fungal or antibacterial .
We keep the Andrew Chevallier boo on herbal remedies. He founded the herbal medicine course at Middlesex University so is reputable and knows his stuff.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/024 ... UTF8&psc=1

And for general mobility we like Tai Chi. It has proven as good if not better than physio for several injuries and t'other half credits it with keeping him out of that wheelchair.

My approach has been that if there are a lot of anecdotes that something helps a specific ailment I will look to see if any medical research papers have been written to support the idea, then check if there are any safety concerns and then decide if we want to trial the remedy ourselves. The safety check is important. Some remedies are fine in small doses but dangerous if taken the wrong way or too often and some internet gurus are pushing things that are just plain risky.
The Chevallier book does a good job of hghlighting anything that needs to be handled with care which is a useful check for the herbs and essential oils.
Lil: Do check out the Tai Chi for Health if you can. It has an excellent reputation for helping with general mobility in people who are at risk of falls or otherwise struggling.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIOHGrYCEJ4

[jansman]

Thank you GillyBee.

[diamond lil]

Will do Gillybee. My problem is lower back / hip pain due to osteoporosis and arthritis.
JM a herb garden is an utter joy! And get Culpeper.
I found out about honey from something I read on medieval battle wounds being treated with it, with excellent results. It was a standard well-known treatment. So I practised on the husband when he had the heart op scar

[jansman]

Will do Gillybee. My problem is lower back / hip pain due to osteoporosis and arthritis.
JM a herb garden is an utter joy! And get Culpeper.
I found out about honey from something I read on medieval battle wounds being treated with it, with excellent results. It was a standard well-known treatment. So I practised on the husband when he had the heart op scar

Thanks Lil. Mrs J has osteoporosis too. Culpepper was the author I was struggling to remember. The ‘physic’ garden will be a good area I think.

[GillyBee]

If you are visiting London check out the Chelsea Physic Garden. It has been growing medicinal herbs for 400 years although these days it is all about education. A good place to see unusual herbs growing first hand and a pleasant way to spend a couple of hours.

[Kiwififer]

There’s a ‘medicinal garden’ being grown next to Holyrood Palace in Edinburgh as well, it’s next to the old house they have just done up.

It’s obviously more a tourist thing but it shows how ailments were treated by doctors in the past.