Even monkeys do it
“Chausiku goes directly to and sits down in front of a shrub and pulls down several new growth branches about the diameter of my little finger. She places them all on her lap and removes the bark and leaves of the first branch to expose the succulent inner pith. She then bites off small portions and chews on each for several seconds at a time. By doing this, she makes a conspicuous sucking sound as she extracts and swallows the juice, spitting out most of the remaining fiber. This continues for 17 minutes, with short breaks as she consumes the pith of each branch in the same manner.”
Michael A. Huffman, PhD, a primatologist at the Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, observing the chimpanzee, Chausiku, medicating herself in the jungles of Tanzania.
Dr. Michael Huffman’s description of Chausiku documents an extraordinary example of animal self-medication, unaided by human direction. In this instance, the chimpanzee, weak, clutching her back in pain, and listless, was ingesting the leaves of the plant, Vernonia amygdalina, to purge an intestinal parasite. She recovered by the next morning.
Vernonia leaves have since been found to contain over a dozen potential anti-parasitic compounds.
Perhaps if chimps can do it, we can, too.
On the news, you hear about a new study that showed reduction in heart attack in people who eat fish or take fish oil. Intrigued, you go to the health food store and purchase a bottle of fish oil capsules.
Believe it or not, you have just participated in the new exploding phenomenon that I call self-directed health, taking part in your own health based on an information exchange that does not involve your doctor¾undoctored.
It certainly doesn’t end at taking fish oil to reduce heart attack risk. There is a revolution underway that will help identify health conditions before they require a doctor, locate treatments that stop or reverse the condition without medication, share experiences with others with similar concerns, help people become far more healthy than ever believed possible¾certainly healthier than the hands off, call-me-when-you-hurt approach of conventional medicine. In fact, incredible health is achievable for most of us free of medication, managed under self-direction.
Even 10 years ago, the prospect of self-directing aspects of health would have been difficult. In 10 short years, the resources available to us have exploded. And they will continue to increase at an exponential rate.
Michael A. Huffman, PhD, a primatologist at the Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, observing the chimpanzee, Chausiku, medicating herself in the jungles of Tanzania.
Dr. Michael Huffman’s description of Chausiku documents an extraordinary example of animal self-medication, unaided by human direction. In this instance, the chimpanzee, weak, clutching her back in pain, and listless, was ingesting the leaves of the plant, Vernonia amygdalina, to purge an intestinal parasite. She recovered by the next morning.
Vernonia leaves have since been found to contain over a dozen potential anti-parasitic compounds.
Perhaps if chimps can do it, we can, too.
On the news, you hear about a new study that showed reduction in heart attack in people who eat fish or take fish oil. Intrigued, you go to the health food store and purchase a bottle of fish oil capsules.
Believe it or not, you have just participated in the new exploding phenomenon that I call self-directed health, taking part in your own health based on an information exchange that does not involve your doctor¾undoctored.
It certainly doesn’t end at taking fish oil to reduce heart attack risk. There is a revolution underway that will help identify health conditions before they require a doctor, locate treatments that stop or reverse the condition without medication, share experiences with others with similar concerns, help people become far more healthy than ever believed possible¾certainly healthier than the hands off, call-me-when-you-hurt approach of conventional medicine. In fact, incredible health is achievable for most of us free of medication, managed under self-direction.
Even 10 years ago, the prospect of self-directing aspects of health would have been difficult. In 10 short years, the resources available to us have exploded. And they will continue to increase at an exponential rate.
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