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For most sicknesses no medicines are needed.

Our bodies have their own defences, or ways to resist and fight disease.

In most cases, these natural defences are far more important to our health than are medicines.

People will get well from most sicknesses , including the common cold and ‘flu’, by themselves, without need for medicines.

To help the body fight off or overcome a sickness, often all that is needed is to:

• keep clean
• get plenty of rest
• eat well and drink a lot of liquid

Even in a case of more serious illness, when a medicine may be needed, it is the body that must overcome the disease; the medicine only helps.

Cleanliness, rest, nutritious food, and lots of water are still very important.

Much of the art of health care does not, and should not, depend on use of medications.

Even if you live in an area where there are no modern medicines, there is a great deal you can do to prevent and treat most common sicknesses, if you learn how.

Many sicknesses can be prevented or treated without medicine.

If people simply learned how to use water correctly, this alone might do more to prevent and cure illnesses than all the medicines they now use.

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.and misuse.

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HEALING WITH WATER

Most of us could live without medicines.

But no one can live without water.

In fact, over half (57%) of the human body is water.

If everyone living in farms and villages made the best use of water, the amount of sickness and death, especially of children, could be reduced.

For example, correct use of water is basic both in the prevention and treatment of diarrhoea.

In many areas diarrhoea is the most common cause of sickness and death in small children.

Contaminated (unclean) water is often part of the cause.

An important part of the prevention of diarrhoea and many other illnesses is to make sure that drinking water is safe.

Protect wells and springs from dirt and animals by putting fences or walls around them.

Use cement or rock to provide good drainage around the well or spring, so that rain or spilled water runs away from it.

Prevention

Where water may be contaminated, an important part of the prevention of diarrhoea is to boil or filter the water used for drinking or for preparing foods.

This is especially important for babies.

Babies’ bottles and eating utensils should also be boiled.

If regular boiling of bottles is not possible, it is safer to use a cup and water spoon.

Washing hands with soap and water after a bowel movement (shitting) and before eating or handling foods is also important.

Treatment

A common cause of death in children with diarrhoea is severe dehydration, or loss of too much water from the body (see page 151).

By giving a child with diarrhoea plenty of water (best with sugar or cereal and salt), dehydration can often be prevented or corrected (see Rehydration Drink, p.

152).

Giving lots of liquids to a child with diarrhoea is more important than any medicine. In fact, if enough liquid is given, no medicine is usually needed in the treatment of diarrhoea.

On the next 2 pages are a number of other situations in which it is often more important to use water correctly than to use medicines.

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TIMES WHEN THE RIGHT USE OF WATER MAY DO MORE GOOD THAN MEDICINES

prevention

to help prevent / use water

diarrhoea, worms, gut infections / boil or filter drinking water, wash hands, etc.

135

skin infections / bathe often 153

wounds becoming infected; tetanus / wash wounds well with soap and clean water 84, 89

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treatment

In the following list:

to treat: / use water in this way:

diarrhoea, dehydration / drink plenty of liquids 152

illnesses with fever / drink plenty of liquids 75, 76

high fever / remove clothing and soak body with water 76

minor urinary infections (common in women) / drink plenty of water 235

cough, asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia / drink a lot of water and breathe hot water vapors (to loosen mucus) 166

sores, impetigo, ringworm of skin or scalp, cradle cap, pimples / scrub with soap and clean water 201, 202, 205, 211, 215,

infected wounds, abscesses, boils / hot soaks or compresses 88, 202,

stiff, sore muscles and joints / hot compresses 102, 173, 174

strains and sprains / the first day: soak joint in cold water; then use hot soaks 102

itching, burning, or weeping irritations of the skin / cold compresses 193, 194

minor burns / hold in cold water at once 96

sore throat or tonsillitis / gargle with warm salt water 96

acid, lye, dirt, or irritating substance in eye / flood eye with cool water at once, and continue for 30 minutes 219

stuffed up nose / sniff salt water 164

constipation, hard stools / drink lots of water (also, enemas are safer than laxatives, but do not overuse) 15, 126

cold sores or fever blisters / hold ice on blister for several minutes at first sign 232

In each of the above cases (except pneumonia) when water is used correctly, often medicines are not needed.

In this book you will find many suggestions for ways of healing without need for medicine.

Use medicines only when absolutely necessary.