Ethnobotany and Culinary Pedagogy as a Community-Based Clinical Intervention Among Mexican Indians With Diabetes
Leslie Korn, PhD, MPH
Volume 6, Number 1 (2005) 6 (1): 104-132
Keywords Ethnobotany, Culinary Pedagogy, Indigenous Medicine, Diabetes, Community-based Intervention, Traditional Healing Practices, Cultural Context in Health
Abstract
This article explores the integration of ethnobotany and culinary pedagogy as a culturally grounded, community-based clinical intervention for diabetes among Indigenous peoples in western Mexico. It highlights how Indigenous knowledge systems, rooted in empirical observation and environmental relationships, inform healing practices that address both physical and social dimensions of chronic disease. By reconnecting individuals with traditional foods and cooking methods, the intervention helps counteract social and somatic dissociation linked to colonial and modern disruptions. The article emphasizes the therapeutic potential of culturally authentic diets and community engagement in managing diabetes, illustrating the importance of honoring traditional knowledge in contemporary health care approaches.
Leslie Korn, PhD, MPH
Published September 1, 2005
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Copyright (c) 2025 Leslie Korn, PhD, MPH (Author)
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