Bedouin Herbalism: The Richness of the Desert | Atmos
Health is, in a sense, a synonym for integration. Health refers to wholeness and whether a system is in harmony or disharmony. Therefore, many of the world's most venerable medical practices, such as the three medical practices included in the Get Well series, are rooted in holism and the larger system that connects us: how we exist. It is no wonder that we treat our individual systems in relation to dolphins. Become one with nature.
Visiting Ahmed Saleh is like visiting a king. When he stops strangers on the street and asks for directions, or mentions him at the military checkpoints that dot South Sinai's highways, it is as if he has given them a secret password. They relax their shoulders, smile, and wave. Within the small desert community of St. Catherine, located on the ancient road to Sur in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, Ahmed is simply a “doctor” despite having no professional qualifications or formal medical training. Are known.
In the harshest and most unforgiving terrain on earth, Ahmed tends a medicinal garden consisting of more than 472 species of plants and herbs. 19 of these species are endemic to St. Catherine, and 42 of them exist precariously as endangered species. Relying solely on the plants he grows and cares for, Ahmed is able to support his family, members of his community, tourists who happen to visit his farm during his travels, and pilgrims who visit St. Catherine's from different countries around the world. I value it. When people hear about his work, they seek cures for the illnesses and sufferings that afflict them.
The community of St. Catherine is settled primarily by Bedouins. The Bedouins are an ancient group of nomadic Arabs who roamed the deserts of North Africa and the Middle East since B.C. Their survival for thousands of years literally depended on their ability to survive in relation to the Earth, despite the harshness of the region's topography. Bedouin ethnobotany evolved as a natural result of their pastoral lifestyle. Living so close to the natural world required a deep understanding of the natural world. Knowledge about plants and their medicinal properties has been passed down from the elderly to the young over many generations, primarily by practice and word of mouth, and primarily in informal settings.
Similar to traditional Bedouin ethnobotany, Ahmed's own medical practice focuses on the relationship between the human body and the earth. He lives in harmony with nature, waking up with the sun and resting with it. The gardens he grows on his farm are completely organic, uncontaminated by the pesticides present in most commercialized agriculture, and protected from the pollutants endemic to city life. He regularly takes care of his plants using the water collected in the well. Due to the abundance of plants he has to work with, a wide variety of plants figure prominently in Ahmed's practice. Among them are sage, moringa, ginger, cinnamon, ginseng, rosemary, mugwort, lemongrass, hyssop, chicory, Giada, dandelion and parsley. He prepares these plants as tea blends, creams, soaps, oils, and tablets, which he sells in his small two-room pharmacy adjacent to his home grounds. These treatments address a variety of medical conditions, including infertility, diabetes, hair loss, impotence, arthritis, AIDS, asthma, acne, kidney problems, emotional and hormonal irregularities, poor circulation, and obesity. In addition to therapeutic drugs, we manufacture herbal contraceptives as a preventative measure and sell supplements for immune support.
Ahmed's medical practice is intuitive. When he meets someone, even without physical contact, he instantly senses what is wrong with that person's body, and it manifests itself in him. His most popular formula is the tea he and his employees offer to guests arriving at the farm. Used as a common elixir, but specially formulated to cleanse the body of toxins and provide additional immune support, this tea is comprised of a rich blend of sage, hibiscus, rosemary, and moringa. It is then soaked in boiling water until it turns red and then sweetened. taste. A woman I met in Nuweiba, who accompanied me to St. Catherine's to meet Ahmed, calls the product an “antidepressant tea” because of its uplifting effect immediately after ingestion. Another popular product he sells is a blend of ginger, cinnamon, and ginseng, which is meant to promote blood circulation in the body, and is also steeped and served as a tea. The local varieties of herbs available in Egypt and other parts of the world vary widely, but these plants are either ethically grown in the wild or sourced from reputable herbal stores and are sufficiently cultivated to brew at home. It's so ubiquitous.
“I have life. I have days. I have nights. I have feelings. What more do I want?”
Ahmed Saleh
In Ahmed's garden there is no scarcity or lack. I think about the nature of abundance, that the earth supplies us with everything we need. Ahmed's professional ethos is most different from that of most practitioners of mainstream Western medicine. It is deeply rooted in mindfulness, stewardship, selflessness and an ethic of care. There is no frivolity or excess in his work. It is not a by-product of greed. On this he told me: “There are days. There are nights. There are feelings. What more do you want?”
Bedouin antidepressant tea
Formulated by Ahmed Saleh for cleansing and immune support.
Ingredients: sage, hibiscus, rosemary, moringa, basil, peppermint, white mint, anise, lemongrass
Instructions:
1. Mix the desired amount in a large bowl.
2. Boil water and steep batches until blend turns red.
3. Sweeten the tea with sugar or honey and serve hot.
Consult a medical professional before using any unfamiliar plants. It may not be possible to use it with certain medicines or pre-existing conditions.
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