Climate and categories: Two key elements for understanding the Mesoamerican hot-cold classification of illnesses and medicinal plants

García-Hernández, Karina Yaredi; Vibrans, Heike; Colunga‐GarcíaMarín, Patricia; Vargas-Guadarrama, Luis Alberto; Soto-Hernández, Marcos; Katz, Esther; Luna‐Cavazos, Mario

doi:10.1016/j.jep.2020.113419

Cited by 7 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…Participants in the COVID-19 condition were asked how often they engaged in each of the following behaviors intended to prevent COVID-19 transmission, on a 3-point scale (have done, have considered doing, have not considered doing) (those marked with an asterisk (*) were adapted from GALLUP, n.d. , 2022 ): *Avoided going to public places, such as stores or restaurants; *avoided small gatherings of people, such as with family or friends; *avoided traveling by airplane, bus, subway, or train; *stocked up on food, medical supplies, or cleaning supplies; worn a mask on your face when outside your home; maintained 6 feet of distance from people outside your household; practiced frequent handwashing; avoided touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands; avoided contact with people who are sick (even inside your home); covered coughs and sneezes; cleaned and disinfected frequently touched surfaces; cleaned off/wiped down groceries; *worked from home; *stayed home from work and unable to work. All items were scored such that higher numbers indicate higher protection.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Likewise, Mesoamerican cultures express the belief that an imbalance of hot and cold may lead to illness, based on a classification of objects, foods, illnesses, treatments, etc. into intrinsic properties of “hot” and “cold,” though these may not be related to temperature per se ( García-Hernández et al, 2021 ). Moreover, belief that exposure to cold is a cause of illness has been documented in a range of cultural contexts (e.g., Helman, 1978 ; Sigelman et al, 1993 ; Baer et al, 1999 , 2008 ; Toyama, 2019 ; Motta and Callaghan, 2020 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Scientific and Folk Theories of Viral Transmission: A Comparison of COVID-19 and the Common Cold

Labotka

Gelman

2022

Front. Psychol.

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Disease transmission is a fruitful domain in which to examine how scientific and folk theories interrelate, given laypeople’s access to multiple sources of information to explain events of personal significance. The current paper reports an in-depth survey of U.S. adults’ (N = 238) causal reasoning about two viral illnesses: a novel, deadly disease that has massively disrupted everyone’s lives (COVID-19), and a familiar, innocuous disease that has essentially no serious consequences (the common cold). Participants received a series of closed-ended and open-ended questions probing their reasoning about disease transmission, with a focus on causal mechanisms underlying disease contraction, transmission, treatment, and prevention; non-visible (internal) biological processes; and ontological frameworks regarding what kinds of entities viruses are. We also assessed participants’ attitudes, such as their trust in scientific experts and willingness to be vaccinated. Results indicated complexity in people’s reasoning, consistent with the co-existence of multiple explanatory frameworks. An understanding of viral transmission and viral replication existed alongside folk theories, placeholder beliefs, and lack of differentiation between viral and non-viral disease. For example, roughly 40% of participants who explained illness in terms of the transmission of viruses also endorsed a non-viral folk theory, such as exposure to cold weather or special foods as curative. Additionally, participants made use of competing modes of construal (biological, mechanical, and psychological) when explaining how viruses operate, such as framing the immune system response (biological) as cells trying to fight off the virus (psychological). Indeed, participants who displayed greater knowledge about viral transmission were significantly more likely to anthropomorphize bodily processes. Although comparisons of COVID-19 and the common cold revealed relatively few differences, the latter, more familiar disease elicited consistently lower levels of accuracy and greater reliance on folk theories. Moreover, for COVID-19 in particular, accuracy positively correlated with attitudes (trusting medical scientists and taking the disease more seriously), self-protective behaviors (such as social distancing and mask-wearing), and willingness to be vaccinated. For both diseases, self-assessed knowledge about the disease negatively predicted accuracy. The results are discussed in relation to challenges for formal models of explanatory reasoning.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Scientific and Folk Theories of Viral Transmission: A Comparison of COVID-19 and the Common Cold

Labotka

Gelman

2022

Front. Psychol.

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“…Varied natural environments and resource availability across different regions have led to diverse choices and applications of medicines. For instance, in the Gansu-Ningxia-Inner Mongolia junction area, the local environment and climate conditions have prompted a greater emphasis on the use of mineral and animal-based medicines ( Liang, 2015 ; Garcia-Hernandez et al, 2021 ). In contrast, other regions, blessed with abundant herbal resources, lean toward herbal medicines ( Luo et al, 2019 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Animal-and mineral-based medicines in Gansu-Ningxia-inner Mongolia region, P.R. China: a cross-cultural ethnobiological assessment

Luo,

Zhao,

Liu

et al. 2023

Front. Pharmacol.

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Introduction: Traditional animal- and mineral-based medicines are widely used in the Gansu-Ningxia-Inner Mongolia junction zone, a region with diverse ethnic groups and cultures. This study aims to document, conserve, and explore the potential of these medicines for further research and sustainable development of ethnic medicine.Methods: We interviewed 56 informants from different ethnic backgrounds and analyzed their responses quantitatively. Additionally, a comparative analysis with adjacent regions was conducted, providing invaluable contextual insights.Results: The study unveiled a diverse array of traditional medicines in the Gansu-Ningxia-Inner Mongolia junction zone. A total of 47 animal-based medicines were identified, ranging from insects and scorpios to distinctive animal organs. Of notable significance was Moschus, emerging as a pivotal traditional Chinese medicine resource. In parallel, 12 mineral-based medicines were cataloged, procured both locally and from “pharmacies”. Female informants, frequently local herbal practitioners, demonstrated broader knowledge of medicines. The analysis of 13 villages revealed varying perceptions of medicine importance, underscoring the wealth of traditional knowledge. Specific medicines, such as Feng-Mi and Xie-Zi, were widely used and valued in local healthcare practices for their cultural and medicinal benefits.Conclusion: This study provides a comprehensive overview of traditional animal- and mineral-based medicines in the Gansu-Ningxia-Inner Mongolia junction zone. It highlights the need for preserving and applying these practices in a sustainable manner. It also lays a solid foundation for future research on ethnic medicine, which can contribute to the holistic wellbeing of local communities.

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“…These beliefs were shared in their medical practices, not only to understand the illness and its cause but also to understand how to treat it. 13 Considering this duality, they believed that to be healthy, the body requires a balanced equilibrium of hot and cold, and that an excess of either one would favor disease; thus, remedies of the opposite properties would be necessary to reestablish this balance 14 ( Table 1 ). The Maya civilization, during the search for duality, classified several illnesses, as well as the medicines, plants, and foods used to treat these ailments, into “cold” and “hot.” In this regard, “hot” illnesses, such as fever, diarrhea, and vomiting, required a cold treatment, and thus cold and cold plants and foods were used to treat the disease.…”

Section: Therapeutic Application Of Cold Through Historymentioning

confidence: 99%

The forgotten art of cold therapeutic properties in cancer: A comprehensive historical guide

Grazioso

Djouder

2023

iScience

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Climate and categories: Two key elements for understanding the Mesoamerican hot-cold classification of illnesses and medicinal plants

Cited by 7 publications

References 25 publications

Scientific and Folk Theories of Viral Transmission: A Comparison of COVID-19 and the Common Cold

Scientific and Folk Theories of Viral Transmission: A Comparison of COVID-19 and the Common Cold

Animal-and mineral-based medicines in Gansu-Ningxia-inner Mongolia region, P.R. China: a cross-cultural ethnobiological assessment

The forgotten art of cold therapeutic properties in cancer: A comprehensive historical guide

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