Remedial Use of Gastronomic Products:Case Study of Manavgat

Esra Sahin

Abstract—AbstractIn the treatment of diseases or illnesses,modern medicine is used as well as traditional medicine practices.Medicinal plants are commonly used in traditional medicine.For this reason,it is seen in the literature that this subject is generally studied from pharmacology or ethnobotanical perspective.However,in-home practices,it is seen that gastronomic products are also used for healing purposes,along with medicinal and aromatic plants.This research is conducted in order to identify the remedial use of food/beverages and to evaluate them within the scope of social representation theory.The qualitative research method was preferred as the best way to observe social representations and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 people.As a result of the interviews,it was determined that 107 different practices were applied in the treatment of 35 diseases.These practices have been evaluated in the context of social representations,and it was concluded that scientific knowledge and common-sense.

Keywords—Traditional medicine,gastronomy,social representation theory,healing,oral culture

I.INTRODUCTION

It is known that plants and various foodstuffs have been used in the treatment of many diseases throughout history.According to the World Health Organization(WHO),80%of the world’s population,that is approximately 4 billion people,try to cure their health problems primarily with herbal drugs [1].In the Middle East,Latin America,Africa,and Asia,more than 85 percent of the population rely heavily on traditional medicine,especially herbal medicine,for their medical needs.Approximately 100 million people in the European Union and almost as high as 90%of the population in some countries still use traditional,complementary,or herbal medicines [2].

It is noteworthy that despite the advancement of modern medicine and technological developments,the interest in traditional medicine has increased.Here the question of“What kind of an effect does the accessibility to scientific knowledge have on common-sense knowledge?”may arouse.For hundreds of years,people have cured diseases with the knowledge they have gained from their experiences.The information that is reinforced by the use in the social experience process creates the social memory and is passed down from one generation to another.The accumulation of knowledge shows itself in the form of social representations.Social representations,which is a mixture of scientific knowledge and common-sense knowledge,is a reliable method of monitoring the cultural structure of the society and the differences in this structure.In that respect,it is considered appropriate to examine traditional medicine practices in cases of diseases or illnesses within the scope of social representation theory.

In traditional medicine practices,generally,products obtained through the processing of medical plants and herbs are used [3].For this reason,it is seen in the literature that the subject is usually studied from pharmacology or ethnobotanical perspective.However,when home practices are examined,it is observed that not only medical plants but also different nutrition products such as gastronomically valuable fruits,vegetables,and nuts are used.It is seen that written sources on the use of these products are considerably limited.Though,traditional healing methods,which are used as an alternative or aid to modern medicine,constitute an important part of social memory and culture.UNESCO adopted the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2003 in order to protect the cultural heritage that is in danger of disappearing due to globalization and social change.As stated in this convention,one of the five domains that make up the intangible cultural heritage is“knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe”.This intangible cultural heritage passed down from one generation to another,is constantly recreated based on the interactions of communities and groups with their environment,nature,and history,giving them a sense of identity and continuity:thus,contributing to the respect for cultural diversity and human creativity(unesco.org.tr).The close relationship of gastronomy with culture also makes it easier to understand and analyze the society through food and the usage of food,and to make comparisons with different societies [4].

There has been no research on the healing use of foods that we are accustomed to consuming as food and beverages in the traditional medicine practices from a gastronomic perspective.It is thought to be significant to transfer this information to future generations by writing down the oral history.Additionally,making comparisons with researches to be conducted in different countries will provide important information in determining the common cultural heritage of the world.Besides,it is thought that these practices can provide a resource for researching the contribution of health practices and developing new and effective treatment methods.One of the most significant contributions that social sciences have made to the field of medicine is that it helps to gain knowledge about the causes of diseases by society and the ways of their elimination.The idea that a healthcare professional’s understanding of at least one foreign culture will make them more cautious towards their own culture also emphasizes the importance of culture in the field of medicine [5].

For the reasons listed,a research was conducted by interviewing the people living in the central district of the city of Manavgat in order to determine the practices regarding the remedial use of gastronomic products and to study their social representations in cases of diseases or illnesses.The main objectives of this research can be listed as follows:

1.To discover which food products are related to which diseases

2.To study the common or individual social representations of adults living in the central district regarding the benefits of remedial use of foodstuffs in their daily lives in cases of any diseases or illnesses

3.To understand how the participation of these individuals in the social representations occur in relation to their choices

Theoretical Background

Practices of traditional medicine

Human beings have been receiving the support of nature to cure or prevent diseases and use various plants for healing or food purposes since the paleolithic era [6].It is also known that,apart from plants,various animals,and animal parts (hooves,skins,bones,feathers,and tusks) are used for therapeutic purposes [7].Many practices about certain foods that heal people or make them feel good are applied in different parts of the world completely unaware of each other.For example,chicken broth soup is a simple recipe which almost everyone applies to colds.Especially Ayurveda and traditional Chinese medicine contain ancient information on locating the relationship between plants and health [8],[9].However,apart from these systems,it is also seen that local people in different parts of the world devise their unique methods for therapeutical purposes.

Practices of traditional and complementary medicine on various health problems are facing increasing interest around the world.This interest has also caught the attention of WHO.WHO supports the safe use of traditional and complementary medicine practices and prepares strategic plans for this purpose.In its last updated 2014-2023 strategic report,WHO described traditional medicine as follows:“Traditional medicine has a long history.It is the total of the knowledge,skill,and practices based on the theories,beliefs,and experiences indigenous to different cultures,whether explicable or not,used in the maintenance of health as well as in the prevention,diagnosis,improvement,or treatment of physical and mental illness" [10].According to WHO’s estimation,around 88%of the population in developing countries rely primarily on traditional medicine for their healthcare needs[7].Due to these common practices,it is also significant for countries to integrate practices of traditional and complementary medicine into their national healthcare systems.The Ministry of Health of the Republic of Turkey has prepared the required regulations and established the legal infrastructure in order to facilitate access to the traditional and complementary medicine practices by different groups of the society,to integrate them into the healthcare system based on the evidence of these practices,and to standardize these practitioners and practices.

There are many different practices commonly used in traditional medicine in Turkey.Leech therapy,cupping ther-apy,ocaks,religious/magical therapies are some examples of these[11].Traditional remedies,which is a branch of folk medicine,can be made up of various plants and applied with the help of some foodstuffs consumed.This study focuses on the healing use of foodstuffs that are used in the kitchen of almost everyone,except for plants that are used medicinally and aromatically in the region.

Social representations theory

Social representation theory was developed by Serge Moscovici in the early 1960s and offers a critique and a different approach to American social psychology at the same time.The theory has been accepted in different fields of social sciences and especially in social psychology,with its structure that can be adapted to social issues.Researchers see this theory as a flexible conceptual framework that enables us to understand and explain how individuals and groups elaborate,transform,and communicate the social realities [12].

Social representations are knowledge,ideas,thoughts,images,views,and beliefs that are socially produced in social experiences and shared by people to form part of the general awareness [13].It includes the common knowledge and views that societies produce as a result of their experiences.They are always associated with social,cultural,and/or symbolic objects and are representations of something [14].

Language is one of the most important tools in the emergence of representations.Social representations are the sum of information that emerges through communication,shared by members of the society,and consolidated in the process.This information is in constant motion through communication.In fact,this dynamic process was interpreted by Markova(2003:121) as "thoughts in movement" developing through communication (Höijer,as cited in Markova,2011).At this point,the concept of social representation emerges as an important concept that forms social studies.“Social representations are a new form of knowledge that emerges as a result of the synthesis of two different forms of knowledge,scientific knowledge and common sense,which interact and affect each other in a society.What is meant by common sense is the knowledge carried by tradition,acquired as a result of experiences,and passed down from one generation to another.In terms of the concepts of health and illness,it can be argued that the confrontation of modern medical knowledge and traditional medicine knowledge creates new information content.This new information content is thesocial representations about health and diseases which emerge as a result of the encounter between common sense and scientific knowledge”[15].

II.METHODOLOGY

The research was conducted in Manavgat,which is the largest district located in the province of Antalya,considered the capital of tourism in Turkey.Manavgat,which is known to have been inhabited since the 6thcentury B.C.,was named after the Manavs,one of the Turkish tribes who first settled here [16].In this respect,Manavgat has a long history.Tourism,agriculture,and animal husbandry are significant means of living in the district.This region was chosen for research because of its deep-rooted history and the fact that the researcher lives in this region and has a comprehensive knowledge of the culture.

The research was conducted between February 2020 and January 2021 using semi-structured interview forms with 20 volunteer participants.Participants were chosen with the snowball sampling technique and were between the ages of 42-83.After a brief introduction about the purpose of the research,the participants were asked the questions in the semistructured interview form (Appendix 1.).At least 2 face-toface interviews were conducted with the participants by making an appointment.In the first interview,the subject of the study was mentioned in general terms,and the information that came to the mind of the participants at that moment was recorded.Although participants were told that only information about foodstuffs,in general,was required,when they mentioned the teas they prepared with herbs and plants they were not interfered with in order not to disturb the flow.These items were saved in a separate list but were not included in the research.Participants were given time to think about the subject and the interviews were repeated.At the end of the interviews,each participant was asked about the illnesses detected in the first interviews with all the participants,and whether they remembered any practice related to these illnesses.Thus,it was aimed to remind the home practices of foodstuffs which didn’t come to the minds of the participants during the interview.Interviews with the participants lasted around 55 to 125 minutes.As mentioned before,social representations are created within society and are hidden in the language.Therefore,in order to understand social representations,it is necessary to study them on site.In order to uncover the representations,a content analysis of the information accepted in the society is required [17].For this reason,records of the interviews were analyzed and interpreted with the content analysis method.With this in mind,the data was classified by prereading the texts.The obtained data was categorized and connections between concepts and categories were formed and interpreted [18].The coding and categories made went through a peer-review process and a consensus was reached.Additionally,the research received support from two different sourcebooks [19],[20] and an independent public official researcher in identifying the scientific names of the plants and foods.

III.RESULTS

The research was conducted with a total of 20 people,12 females and 8 males.The sociodemographic attributes of the participants are shown in Table 1.

Table 1:Socio-demographic attributes of the participants

The participants were asked“What do you think causes a disease?”.To this question,participants replied with malnutrition (nutrition with hormonal,GMO,and chemical foods)(32,5%),stress (20%),an act of God (12,5%),old age (10%),environmental factors such as air,water,and land pollution(10%),bad habits(alcohol,smoking,etc.)(7,5%),germs(5%),genetics(2,5%).

After the interviews,6 main categories related to the use of foodstuffs in healing practices among the public were determined.(See Figure.2)

Fig.1.The location of Manavgat district of Antalya province on the map of Turkey(Source:www.lafsozluk.com)

Fig.2.Use of foodstuffs in healing practices

Participants were asked about where they obtained this information.All the participants replied to this question with primarily from their family/family elders.Other main sources of information were neighbors/friends (40%),TV,social media,and the internet(30%)respectively.

When the answers of the participants to the question“How long have you been using these practices?”were evaluated,it was understood that giving an exact date was difficult.Due to these practices continuously being applied within the family,they were seen as a part of daily life,and thus,it was difficult to give dates.

Some of the participants answered this question as such:

(P.4)“Well...I can’t exactly say we started on this date.But these have always been a part of our family.If we were to slightly get sick or start coughing as kids,our mother would give us something to swallow for it.I have seen many benefits of this...”

(P.10)“Although we have read the science of this,our childhood was always filled with such medicines...I personally didn’t apply them much after growing up,but my wife has used lots of remedies on our children.If I got sick,she would quickly boil me a mint-lemon mixture...”

(P.20)“I don’t know...can’t give an exact date.We would use them in our house when I was a young girl.But after getting married,I started making them on my own.If it wasn’t enough,we would ask our elders.”

To the question“Do you go to the doctor first or use home remedies in cases of a disease or illness?”,80% of the participants answered with home remedies first.The remaining 20% stated that they would decide it under the circumstances,and if they thought it was a serious situation,they would go to the doctor first.

The food-based healing methods applied by the people living in the Manavgat region in case of any health problem or disease are as follows:

For allergies:In skin allergies,the allergic area is applied with tahini or sesame oil.

To increase the production of breast milk:The mother is fed a raw onion./Cinnamon is boiled and its water is drunk./Cress leaves are eaten raw./Bullace is eaten.

For stye:Raw garlic is cut and applied to the area.

To reduce fever:A cloth soaked in vinegar and water is placed on the forehead and joints.

For headache:Raw potatoes are sliced into rings and are wrapped around the head with a cloth./Boiled onion or bitter orange peel is also wrapped with a cloth and it is kept until the pain is gone./Cucumbers are eaten.

For back,knee,and rheumatism pains:The aching area is rubbed by slightly heated olive oil./The apple is boiled and wrapped with a cloth in the aching area./Stinger is boiled and put on the aching area.

For kidney stones:To pass a kidney stone,lupine is boiled in water and the bitterness is removed.It is then peeled,and 15 to 20 pieces are eaten./Black radish is grated,and after sprinkling salt,it is kept until it becomes watery.Half a cup is drunk on an empty stomach from the cheesecloth filtered water./ Stinger is boiled and its water is drunk.The boiled herb can also be consumed.

For skin conditions (eczema,boils,chaps):Sliced onion is applied to the infected area.Quince is boiled and used externally as mush for hand,foot,and nipple chaps,and eczema./If the stinger is applied externally to the area with boils or abscess,it will cure the boil.In cases of eczema,a stinger is placed on the area./The bitter melon paste is applied to the area before going to bed./ Sorrel is boiled and put on the damaged skin as mush in the treatment of diseases such as acne,eczema,and psoriasis.

For coronavirus:One glass of milk and half a glass of water is mixed.5 cloves of garlic are cut and added to this mixture.It is drunk after boiled for 3 minutes and drained.

For toothache:Cotton dipped in raki is placed on the aching tooth./ Raw garlic can also be placed on the aching tooth.

For low blood pressure:Ayran with salt is drunk./Raw onion is consumed.

For anemia:Grape molasses or grape (especially red grapes) is consumed./Carob molasses and raw cress leaves can also be consumed.

For cholesterol:Cucumber is consumed abundantly.

For nausea:Mint and lemon are boiled and drunk./Boiled mallow is consumed.

For stomach disorders:If there is stomach pain,milk is drunk./The floury part of the oleaster and milk are mixed and drunk together or the oleaster can also be drunk after boiled./The bitter melon paste is consumed./Sumac is boiled and its water is drunk.

For herpes:Raw garlic is cut and applied to the area.

For warts:The fig fruit is plucked from the branch and its milk is rubbed on the wart./Raw onion is applied to the wart.

For burns:Blackberries are lightly crushed on the burnt area./ Olive oil,yogurt,sesame oil,or tahini can be applied.

For dislocation:Olive oil is used./ In cases of twisting,a dough is prepared with flour and water and wrapped in the area.

For falls and injuries:Raw meat is placed on the swollen area./A piece of bread is turned into a dough by chewing and placed on the swollen,bruised area.

For evil eye and spells:Coarse salt is put in a pan and heated.The pan is rotated 3 times around the head of the person thought to have an evil eye./Also,salt and black seed can be carried on.

For difficulty in breathing:5-6 carobs are crushed and thrown into one liter of boiling water for 10 minutes.When the boiled water cools down,it is drunk on an empty stomach every day.

For coughs and expectorants:A couple of figs are boiled in 2 glasses of milk and drunk when it is cool./Sahlep is drunk.Milk and honey are mixed and drunk warm./Menengic coffee is made with milk and drunk./ One tablespoon of carob molasses is eaten once a day./ To extract phlegm,the cress leaves are boiled in water and drunk./One tablespoon of dried mallow is boiled in water for 15-20 minutes and drunk as an expectorant./ Black radish is carved and filled with honey.It is kept for one night.Drained radish water is drunk in the morning and evening.

For diabetes:Black mulberry and mulberry leaves are eaten./Pomegranate’s peels are boiled,and its water is drunk./Rosehip fruit is eaten,and its tea is drunk./ Blueberries are eaten./Cranberry fruits are boiled and after the pulp is cleared the water is drunk./Purslane is consumed.Jerusalem artichoke’s tubers are eaten raw.It is used for diuretic purposes./Rheum ribes are boiled and drunk.

For goiter:Cress leaves are crushed and mixed with honey.One teaspoon is consumed on an empty stomach every morning.

For cardiovascular diseases:Dried cranberry(Cornus mas)fruit is boiled in water and drunk.Its unsweetened marmalade is eaten./Syrian juniper (Juniperus drupaceae),pennyroyal(Mentha pulegium),hawthorn is consumed raw./Blueberries are eaten.

For enterozoa and tapeworm:After the pumpkin seeds are separated from their shells,they are ground and mixed with sugar and fed to children.

For urinary tract diseases:Blackberry (fox grapes) is eaten raw./Cherry is eaten,its stalks are boiled,and the water is drunk./Parsley is eaten raw,and its stalks are boiled,and the water is drunk.

For diarrhea:Oleaster-leafed pear(wild pear,amelanchier,gravel pear),quince,walnut,blackthorn is eaten./ Sumac is boiled in a glass of water either as a grain or a powder and drunk./ A few drops of lemon are poured on Turkish coffee in powder form before its cooked and swallowed./Boiled potatoes are eaten./Brewed tea is drunk./Boiled quince juice is drunk.

For constipation:Pears are eaten./Olive oil and sesame oil is drunk.

To work up an appetite:Sumac is consumed as a spice or boiled in water./Carob molasses and watercress is eaten./Pollen is mixed with honey and swallowed on an empty stomach.

For infertility:Apples are fed.The person is expected to jump over apples.

For cancer:One teaspoon of bitter melon paste is eaten every morning on an empty stomach./Rosehip is consumed in abundance./ Persimmon is eaten./Rheum is eaten raw.

For snakebites and scorpion stings:Garlic is crushed preferably with salt and rubbed on the area./Bitter orange peels are wrapped around the area.Bitter orange stones are crushed and pulverized and put on the area.This takes away the pain.Bitter orange peels are boiled,and its water is drunk./Mallow leaves are crushed and mixed with olive oil and applied to the area./ Sesame oil is applied to the area./ Raki or raw onion is applied./If there is pain and swelling in the area stung by the poisonous insect,2-3 freshly plucked leaves of sage leaves are crushed and rubbed on the stung area,the leaves are then wrapped around the area.

For high blood pressure:Water with lemon is drunk./Raw garlic is swallowed or eaten./Blackberry(fox grapes)is eaten./Plenty of parsley and cucumbers are eaten raw.

IV.DISCUSSION

The most common methods used in the prevention and treatment of diseases,other than drugs,are plants.For this reason,various research and classifications have been made from the perspective of pharmacology and ethnobotanical science.It is seen that these studies sometimes give general information and at other times,can be related to a single plant species or disease [21],[22],[23],[24],[25],[26],[27].However,the practices used among the people are not limited to boiling plants or consuming them as drugs/preparations.Various fruits,animal products,and vegetables that we use in daily life are also used in the prevention or treatment of diseases.

It can be said that the use of plants and food/beverages for healing purposes is essentially divided into raw and cooked uses.Other than that,it has been seen that they also have symbolic uses such as being used an incense or jumping over it due to its energetic effect.In a study on folk medicine in Anatolia,it is stated that folk remedies are used internally and externally.Internally used folk remedies are prepared in the form of tea,pills,raw,paste,syrup,and powder,and it has been observed that the most common use is in the form of tea [28].In this study,no use of plants or foodstuffs in the form of pills and syrup was found.It was also seen that various products not included in the study of S¸ar were consumed as food or drink.It was stated that special herb mixtures prepared for some diseases(such as sexualproblems)were purchased from herbalists because they require separate knowledge and expertise.In the treatment of such problems,no home treatments prepared from food/beverages have been found.

It has been observed that various foodstuffs used in folk medicine are also used for the same purposes in different parts of the country.For example,in the literature,many products such as potatoes for headache [29],[30],[31],[32],olive oil for rheumatism [33],[34],[35],carob molasses for anemia [30],[36],rosehip for diabetes [37],[38] are used for the same purposes.It is also seen that many of these plants have medicinal properties that match their intended benefit.For example,it has been medically proven that the use of rosehip in the treatment of diabetes [39];the use of mallow in the treatment of cough due to the mucilage it contains [40],and the use of potent pomegranate in skin wounds due to its antiseptic,antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects [41]is medically beneficial.Similar practices in different regions of the country indicate a social and cultural consciousness.However,it has been determined that there are various products which are believed to be useful among the people but do not have as much effect as thought.For example,it has been confirmed that the use of molasses in anemia is not as effective as iron preparations [42].In addition,while the hemlock plant was used more frequently for diseases such as rheumatism and nervous breakdowns in the past,this practice was almost completely abandoned as the awareness increased in the society that it is poisonous.

The use of traditional medicine methods has been evaluated in terms of social representations theory.The results of the research show that home treatment methods are primarily used in diseases or ailments that are considered to be not serious (nausea,diarrhea,constipation,etc.) by society.However,in serious diseases such as diabetes,cancer,poisonous animal bites,it is seen that traditional medicine practices are performed in addition to medical treatment and generally without informing the physician.Participants stated that they used these types of practices more commonly in the past,but that nowadays they apply to health institutions more frequently because of the easier access to these health services.Nevertheless,health institutions are visited as little as possible especially during the pandemic.It was even reported that some patients who were diagnosed with coronavirus and were given drugs,prepared home remedies instead of using these drugs.Therefore,it can be said that traditional medicine and home healing practices continue intensely.

Especially people living in rural areas continue to sustain their lives in unity with nature and earn their living from it.People living in these areas generally resort to traditional folk remedies,which are passed down to them through their ancestors and are both inexpensive and easily accessible for their health problems instead of applying to health institutions,which are relatively difficult to reach.Due to their beliefs,they tend to use natural resources created by God,as they believe that both illness and health come through him.At times,they use folk remedies to support the medicines of modern medicine[28].

The answers given by the participants to the questions about why the disease or illness occurred were generally based on scientific knowledge.Today,pesticides,hormones,and GMOcontaining foods used in the cultivation of foodstuffs are seen as serious risks,and if possible,people prefer to consume healthy food that they can grow.This result coincides with the study of Bekar [43],who stated that the participants were most worried about consuming foods containing GMOs and hormones such as pesticide residue.There is a belief that diseases with no cure,such as cancer,are an act of God.With the effect of the pandemic,there are also participants who think that the coronavirus is an act of God to teach humanity a lesson.However,the view that today’s living conditions and harmful behaviors such as smoking increase the chances of diseases still shows that scientific information is taken into account.It has also been observed that the speeches of experts about the benefits of plants in the use of traditional medicines,especially on TV programs,are encouraging people.The information obtained through TV that drinking black tea reduces the absorption of molasses is also a sign of the gradual gaining of scientific knowledge in society.When evaluated in terms of social representations;society continues the use of traditional medicine practices based on common sense and benefits from scientific knowledge in explaining them and questioning their benefits.

V.CONCLUSION

This research is aimed to analyze the healing use of foodstuffs,which are a gastronomic product,and the evaluation of this situation in terms of the theory of social representations.It has been observed that practices of traditional folk medicine are still widely used.It could be concluded that even with a limited number of participants,plenty of products and practices can be reached.As it is stated previously in this research,the discovery and compilation of traditional medicine practices and gastronomic products which exist in the society hold significance not only for its contribution in transferring the oral history but also for the detection of factors that may affect health services.

In this research,it has been seen that practices related to traditional medicine continue to exist with scientific medicine practices and constitute a substantial field of study which cannot be ignored.In that regard,it is important to determine the methods of traditional therapy and the traditional information on which these methods are based.The determination of this data obtained through field research will provide information to healthcare officials on the contents of traditional therapeutic practices and will contribute to the development of new medical treatment practices.In this context,the data obtained carries great significance on its own.Thecompilation of the practices on the traditional treatment of various health problems from a gastronomic point of view will enable them to be further deepened with future research.

The analysis of the current social representations in the society will provide significant information in understanding the culture.It has been thought that the study of how these representations have changed or disappeared in time due to the changes in the social structure and media such as TV and the internet will contribute greatly to the understanding of the structure of Turkish society.This will further pave the way for interactions with different cultures and to make comparative studies.

Competing interests:

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.