Traditional Practices Of Healing Applauded

Sun., Oct. 22, 1995

Associated Press

Indians are returning to traditional healing practices, preferring a holistic approach to treatment, a health care consultant says.

Bob Marsland was Thursday’s speaker at the Idaho Conference on Health Care at Idaho State University. He’s a management consultant for health and environmental concerns. The three-day conference ended Friday.

Marsland said Indians are returning to holistic medicine. Instead of treating an ailment such as kidney disease, holistic medicine treats the patient’s overall well-being. The traditional approach also helps people to be in harmony with their surroundings and live a lifestyle that prevents disease rather than cures it.

“I thought I knew a lot about health care,” Marsland said. “But these methods really work.”

Some holistic practices involve abandoning Caucasian food and drink not part of the traditional Indian diet and eating more wild game and vegetables.

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