Culture and its factors in relation to health and sickness
Posted by davidson on May.12, 2011, under Men and Society
Culture is shared, by which we mean that every culture is shared by a group of people. Depending on the region they live in, the climatic conditions they thrive in and their historical heritage, they form a set of values and beliefs. Culture is used in two senses, a general and a specific sense. In general sense, it implied the some total of those characteristics which are unique to mankind and which have no parallel in the animal kingdom. In a specific sense, it refers to the totality of the life ways and behavior patterns of a community or a group. There are so many relations between culture and health. Some sickness comes from someone cultural habit. Cultural factors significantly influence health and sickness in society. Certain types of ailments are significantly correlated with such factors as class occupation, ethnicity and food habits. Diabetes, ulcer, hypertension may be regarded as urban disease, generally connected with sedentary occupations. Environmental pollution brought about by technological advancement, is now identified as one of the major causes for the growing incidence of cancer. Consumption of fatty foods and high salt intake habits are significantly correlated with cardiovascular diseases. In several tribal communities in the south pacific islands, the kirghis of turkey, certain African tribes, the Australian aborigines, and Eskimos use no salt in their diet. So high blood pressure is rare among them. But one-fourth of the diet of Eastern Finland are consists of animal fat, consequently they are most prone to heart attacks. Generally a culture defines what diseases are to be considered as illness, and therefore requiring treatment. Intestinal worms are regarded as necessary for digestion for the Thonga of Africa and the Yap islanders. In most primitive societies, diagnosis and treatment of diseases are invariable associated with magical beliefs and rites and shamanistic practices. In some cultures diseases are associated with the violation of taboos. Among the Ojibwa Indians, a person who is guilty of violating food taboos invites sickness on himself and his family members. And religion is sometimes used interchangeably with faith or belief system, but more socially defined than personal convictions and it entails specific behaviors. Culture defines what types of food are worthy of consumption by a given people or a community, and what food items are to be avoided. Consequently, a given food item, which is relished by one people may be abhorred by another. The aphorism a short sentence packed with meaning, ‘one man’s food is another man’s poison’ is very true in a culture sense. Pork which is forbidden to Jews and Muslims is eaten with relish by the Christians. Milk and milk products are regarded as luxury food by the Baganda of east Africa, and the people of West Africa and Chinese consider them as inedible and nauseating. The Navahos and the apaches of New Guinea and Arizona consider fish nauseating and unfit for human consumption. Dog meat, which will be nauseating to most modern people, is eaten with relish by the Mexican Indians and some Naga tribal in India. The American Indians, until recently, considered tomatoes poisonous and refused to eat them. Certain types of fish are considered a delicacy and eaten raw in Japan. Eating raw meat is widely prevalent in several part of Africa. Various shades of vegetarianism And non-vegetarianism exist side by side in the Indian society. There are Strict vegetarians in south India and Gujarat who consider meat, egg and fish as taboo.
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