WST 2322 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Toxic Heavy Metal, Herbalism, Asian Americans

• School: University of Florida
• Department: Women's Studies
• Course: WST 2322
• Professor: Bushey Sarah

Document Summary

Culture= geography, but also means urban vs rural differences. Totality of socially transmitted behavior, beliefs, attitudes, values and customs. Culture acts to guide worldviews and decision making in a population. This includes membership in ethnic, linguistic, geographic, religious, spiritual, biological and sociological in-groups. Note that the essential question relating health disparities to culture is why do we get sick? i. e. what cultural beliefs influence understanding of disease and sickness. Physical, mental or spiritual balance (sickness caused by imbalance) Evil eye from others (mal de ojo or envidia) Herbal remedies, including oral remedies; eg kampo in japan. Amulets: used to ward off the evil eye caused by jealousy. Cupping or coining: used to mobilize blood to a certain part of the body. Chanting, ritual and prayers: used to better spiritual condition and health, affect energy. Bloodletting: curing illnesses by getting rid of excess blood (not as prevalent today)