Healthy Bodies in Latin America

Anthropologists today, study the different perspectives of the human body between modern westernized civilizations and indigenous peoples. "The concept of body image consists of an attitudinal and perceptual dimension." (An exploration of attitudinal and perceptual dimensions of body image among male and female adolescents from six Latin America cities). Today body image throughout Latin America and the Caribbean is a melting pot of traditional ingenious ideas as well as modern ideas. Also traditional ideas of healing are also increasingly popular in western society.

For example the indigenous group the Aymara of Bolivia view their bodies as a reflection of a high mountain dwelling. This is important is important topographical- hydraulic model. Under this model they see the human body as in three different levels which include flesh and blood from the center of the body. Tier one includes head,eyes and the mouth. Tier two: the stomach and heart. Tier three: the legs and toenails. They see illness as a result of violating cultural norms. In addition this relationship is tied back into the mountain in that if they are careless in the planting the season the earth yield the resources that they need. They use two healing processes the first being to have healers "feed the earth" by nourishing the earth. The second is to use medicinal herbs as discussed in previous blogs to restore circulation. As noted before Tuberculosis is a rapidly growing epidemic in Latin America and the Caribbean. The Liquichado is the indigenous equivalent of Tuberculosis. The Aymara view this illness as a result of losing essential fat as a consequence of vicious actions of others.

Local Aymara Woman

Body image in the Caribbean as illustrated by Jamaican women is drastically different from the Aymara. For example rural Jamaican women view their as being porous, which makes it important to clean their bodies regularly. People who are overweight are said to be generous and healthy as a result of this idea, while those underweight have experienced the opposite. This idea is also elsewhere in the Caribbean "the perception of the Trinidadian adolescent that obesity was associated with wealth, and to a lesser extent happiness... were causes for concern."(European Journal of Clinical Nutrition) Body temperatures are also important because if a body temperature is to one extreme they will also have an unhealthy lifestyle. Like the Aymara they view sickness as being a result of the vicious actions of the community.

Source:
An exploration of attitudinal and perceptual dimensions of body image among male and female adolescents from six Latin America cities. - Laura McArthur, 2005
http://eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/custom/portlets/recordDetails/detailmini.jsp?_nfpb=true&_&ERICExtSearch_SearchValue_0=EJ725089&ERICExtSearch_SearchType_0=no&accno=EJ725089

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition- http://www.nature.com/ejcn/journal/v57/n1/full/1601515a.html