Really interesting Dominique. In fact the shaman (Don Juan) who teached Carlos Castaneda was an Indian from the Yaqui people, they live in the mexican state of Sonora. The Huichol people lives in the states of Nayarit, Jalisco and Durango. They are very famous by they colorfull artcrafts wich almost allways include peyote?s (Lophophora williamsi)designs. As the Yaqui People (and some other ethnias) the peyote is used(Lophophora williamsii) for ritual purposes.
As I told in my last post I ?ve been talking with Huicholes for the last nine years. Last year I went to the Huichol lands, in a very fascinating 24 hours trip across the mountains that we call "Sierra Madre Occidental".
As you said extremely interesting.
Fascinating Cactus Story
Last edited by mavaz on Sat Feb 19, 2011 4:46 am, edited 1 time in total.
Dominique, let me tell you that this is not my subject of academic research, but I?ve been working with a group tryng to promote and conserve the traditional use of plants for medicinal pruposes. In this effort I have developed a special interest for the Huichol people. So I?ve been talking with shamanes, reading about Huichol culture, colecting Huichol art and tryng to understand their beliefs related with biodiversity (In particular cacti and arthropods).
But you can find interesting information about Huichol people in english in the sites:
http://www.huicholcenter.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.mexconnect.com/mex_/huichol/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ... index.html
If you don?t find enough information or you have particular questions just let me know.
But you can find interesting information about Huichol people in english in the sites:
http://www.huicholcenter.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.mexconnect.com/mex_/huichol/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ... index.html
If you don?t find enough information or you have particular questions just let me know.
Last edited by mavaz on Sat Feb 19, 2011 4:46 am, edited 1 time in total.
Hello everyone,
there are many uses of cacti in Mexico. Especially the Opuntia genus is utilized for many different purposes. I have seen a lot of cactus plant material, mostly the prickly pear fruit (tuna), which is used as a dessert. There is also a sour type of "tuna", which is called xoconostle and is derived from the Opuntia joconostle plant. A lady arriving from Mexico told me, that she uses the fruit in soups and stews. The pads are cut into pieces and prepared with scrambled eggs according to another lady. Also, Opuntia streptacantha ("nopal")is suggested as a treatment for diabetes. It is listed in "The Natural Health Bible" by Steven Bratman, MD and David Kroll, PhD and I was asked to take an extract of said plant to Germany, because my father, a diabetic, had heard, that it is effective in reducing your blood sugar level. Other cacti that are brought across the U.S./Mexico border are the roots of Peniocereus greggii, which is eaten, but I do not know whether or not it is used as a medicine. I have also encountered a lot of shipments of Pachycereus marginatus (syn: Stenocereus marginatus), which must have some medicinal value to the people importing it. One time, even a large barrel cactus was crossed into El Paso with all its spines removed along the ribs. I am certain, that it was also intended for medicinal use. I recent survey in our area indicated, that 60% of the people in this vicinity use alternative herbal medicine and cacti seem to play a significant role in it.
Harald
there are many uses of cacti in Mexico. Especially the Opuntia genus is utilized for many different purposes. I have seen a lot of cactus plant material, mostly the prickly pear fruit (tuna), which is used as a dessert. There is also a sour type of "tuna", which is called xoconostle and is derived from the Opuntia joconostle plant. A lady arriving from Mexico told me, that she uses the fruit in soups and stews. The pads are cut into pieces and prepared with scrambled eggs according to another lady. Also, Opuntia streptacantha ("nopal")is suggested as a treatment for diabetes. It is listed in "The Natural Health Bible" by Steven Bratman, MD and David Kroll, PhD and I was asked to take an extract of said plant to Germany, because my father, a diabetic, had heard, that it is effective in reducing your blood sugar level. Other cacti that are brought across the U.S./Mexico border are the roots of Peniocereus greggii, which is eaten, but I do not know whether or not it is used as a medicine. I have also encountered a lot of shipments of Pachycereus marginatus (syn: Stenocereus marginatus), which must have some medicinal value to the people importing it. One time, even a large barrel cactus was crossed into El Paso with all its spines removed along the ribs. I am certain, that it was also intended for medicinal use. I recent survey in our area indicated, that 60% of the people in this vicinity use alternative herbal medicine and cacti seem to play a significant role in it.
Harald
Daiv,
I cannot say whether or not the Opuntia extract helped lower the blood glucose level, because my father continued injecting insulin and he never took the maximum recommeded dosage of the capsules. The authors of the book mentioned previously, also did not provide an efficacy study on the cactus treatment using Opuntia ("nopal"). They did, however, suggest, that another herb, named Gymnema sylvestris, is rather effective in fighting diabetes, based on a number of studies.
Harald
I cannot say whether or not the Opuntia extract helped lower the blood glucose level, because my father continued injecting insulin and he never took the maximum recommeded dosage of the capsules. The authors of the book mentioned previously, also did not provide an efficacy study on the cactus treatment using Opuntia ("nopal"). They did, however, suggest, that another herb, named Gymnema sylvestris, is rather effective in fighting diabetes, based on a number of studies.
Harald