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Alternative Medicine in Belize
By Jane Goodwin | April 4, 2007
The world’s first medicinal plant reserve was established in 1993 in Belize, and it is called the Terra Nova Medicinal Plant Reserve. Seedling plants rescued from destroyed rainforest areas are sent to Terra Nova for transplanting and nurturing by the Belize Association of Traditional Healers. Lifesaving herbs of all kinds, derived from the plants that are rescued before the bulldozers can destroy them, are grown and marketed here, and the profits are shared among the employees and the traditional healing cooperative.
Terra Nova’s origin is quite interesting.
Dr. Rosita Arvigo, an American Doctor, moved with her family to Belize in 1981, determined to start a farm and natural healing clinic in Western Belize. Dr. Rosita studied herbal medicine in Mexico, but it was Don Elijio Panti who taught Dr. Rosita the art of traditional Mayan natural healing. Dr. Rosita’s farm, which was called Ix Chel, in honor of the Mayan goddess of healing, and Dr. Rosita was determined to preserve the knowledge of Don Elijio Panti and other traditional shaman.
In 1987, Dr. Rosita contacted Michael Balick, the director of the Institute of Economic Botany of the New York Botanical Gardens about her work in herbal medicine. Balick, who had just received a contract from the National Cancer Institute to collect tropical plants for study and testing for possible cures for AIDS and cancer, went to Belize to see for himself. From that visit evolved the Belize Ethnobotany Project, which to date has sent over 2,000 plants of various kinds to the NCI.
Dr. Rosita began to hold conferences for natural healers at Ix Chel; from these conferences grew the Belize Association of Traditional Healers. Dr Rosita now teaches traditional herbal medicine at the Belize College of Agriculture, and holds seminars for all kinds of health professional.
In Belize, people who seek medical help and treatment have a variety of types from which to choose. Traditional? Of course. But if they wish to try alternative methods, there are many of those, also, thanks to Dr. Rosita Arvigo and Don Elijio Panti.
Ix Chel Farms are right next door to Chaa Creek, and many visitors get there and back by canoing along the river. Most of the Belize resorts and hotels can arrange canoe rental and will arrange to pick you up when you dock. Or, if you prefer, most resorts and hotels will just transport you to Ix Chel themselves.
Sphere ItTopics: Travel / Relocation, Lifestyle, Healthcare, Retirement Overseas |
