How about a bit of Snake oil?
People will probably laugh at you as the name has a poor reputation. Going back to the times of the old west days, you would find 19th-century vendors selling snake oil. Their claims were big, as it was said to be good for about every ailment existing in the world. They would travel up and down the country, visiting the fairs and markets, trying to make the curious onlooker buy this ointment or tincture.
Often a trick would be used to convince the public, as suddenly, somebody from the crowd would loudly proclaim he or she had been cured before by this wonder medicine. After selling off his stock of little flasks, the peddler would soon disappear over the horizon well before the people realized that his medicine was useless.
Grass Snake in a lily pond image Onkel Ramirez
Soon the name snake oil gained a negative connotation as more and more people spread the word that this was a real fake and warned to not spend one’s money on. Something that was good and helpful got banned till it was rediscovered once again in modern times.
Old-Fashioned Locomotive image David Mark
The Transcontinental Railroad
We have to go back a little in history to the times where the Transcontinental Railroad was being built in the mid-1800s. People working there suffered long hours and physically hard times, and often after such a day of strenuous labor, the entire body would ache.
When Chinese laborers (imported immigrants) came to help to build this railroad, it is very possible they offered their comrades in toil one of their ancient remedies; you guessed it, snake oil. It was thanks to these Chinese workers that the project got over the Sierra Nevada.
What happened, later on, is one of those human things. Wanting to make money, adulterated or even complete fake imitations came on the market. Slowly but surely snake oil lost its good name. It merely lived on as an expression to show fraud and cheating.
Chinese God of Medicine image Lisa Redfern
Let food be thy medicine
Chinese medicine has a completely unique approach to illness as compared to western medicine. Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food. Many Chinese also follow the saying of Hippocrates. The principle of Yin and Yang, the keeping of the balance with food, is something we here in the west do not really believe in.
We rather run to the doctor to get some kind of pill prescribed which, often at its best, will take the ailment away but does not address the root cause, namely an imbalance of the system. If we are lucky, we will not suffer side effects.
4000 years of traditional Chinese medicine
In this book, you will find remedies that cover bronchitis, cirrhosis, and chronic hepatitis to hypertension, and many ailments that plague humanity. The author, Dr. C. Lu gives treatments for men and women.
Diseases of the prostate and impotence for men. Women will find solutions for PMS and menopause, at least how to ease symptoms without needing chemical pills. Keep an open mind and the things you learn will surprise you, which have helped so many people for thousands of years.
The Chinese name for Snake oil is “Sheyou” and it was used as a remedy for inflammation, pain in the joints, rheumatoid arthritis, bursitis, and similar conditions. Snake oil is still being used in China today.
When one knows that the fat of the Chinese water snake contains the highest amounts of eicosapentaenoic acid or EPA, which has inflammation-reducing properties, it is well worthwhile to not discard it, even if the name has a bad rap.
Rice fields of Yunnan image 213852
The habitat of the water snake
The Chinese water snake also called the Chinese Mud Snake, or Chinese Paddy Snake, can be found in a vast area. They live in southern China from south-central China’s East Hill and Plain. One can also find this species in Vietnam and on the continental islands of Taiwan.
It lives well, between sea level up to 200m, but in Vietnam, it can live at a height of 900 to 1100m. There seem to be a lot of them, even if they are caught for food and their skin, so this species is not on the list of endangered species yet.
The health benefits are numerous when using an authentic snake oil product. You have to be sure of its source to be able to have these improvements with an entire array of ailments. Chronic pain, dementia, weak immune system, cardiovascular problems, joint pain, to just name a few.
Traditional Chinese Medicine image Kian 2018
Conclusion
Not all that has a bad name has to be bad, as now modern science shows. Often remedies used for thousands of years are rediscovered with astonishing results. I am happy to read that this snake is not on the list of endangered species because if that were the case, I think I would not write about it. I would not like to contribute to the hunting of this snake.
There you see, Mother Nature provides for all our ailments, but the first thing we have to do is eat healthy food so that only occasionally we might grab the bottle of snake oil.
I have made a special page for you with a collection of things you might find interesting. Before you leave, please visit Recommendations.
Source: The World Digital Library and Wikipedia
Photo Source: Pixabay
There is a lot of misinformation going around, perhaps you like to read the following post.
Comments
Albert
Interesting article. I had never heard of snake oil before and honestly when I started to read your post I was thinking that:
How on earth a poor snake oil is going to help anyone?
But you’ve changed my mind. I will study more about it…
From the benefit you listed, helping a weak immune system sounds interesting to me because many people around me have this issue and normal multivitamins could not help them to improve their immune system very much.
Taetske
Good Morning Albert,
It is quite amazing all the help that can be found in nature. Modern-day scientist discover that in the old times, people had a big knowledge of health. I prefer natural things above men made things, normally much better for our health as it hardly has side effects.
Thank you for leaving a comment, I hope you got your free PDF?
Regards Taetske
Paul
Dear Taetske,
Thanks a lot for shedding light on the snake oil and providing its history.
I got new insights from your post and to be honest this is the first time I came across the benefits of snake oil.
In India also, there is an old saying… Let thy food be the medicine and medicine be the food!
Indeed addressing the root cause is the best way to cure the diseases and in Ayurvedic medicine also its the same concept.
Thanks again for the helpful post and wishing you great success!
Paul
Taetske
Good Morning Paul,
The way how modern medicine treats ailments with a pill is not good. All this chemical stuff only creates side effects. Ayurvedic medicine has a much better approach. I am doing oil pulling every morning and am very happy with the results.
Thank you for your visit and leaving a comment. I hope you got your free PDF?
Regards Taetske
p.s. I thought you might find this article interesting.
https://healthyantiagingalternatives.com/new-understanding-of-the-human-body-from-an-eastern-perspective
Shane
Hi Taetske, I never knew snake oil was a real product, in fact i thought i was something that belonged in the wild west movies of old. its amazing that this is not only genuine but a powerful and very helpful medicine.Firstly your title got my attention and you really opened my eyes with this information. This has been a very interesting read. Well done, your site is very well presented.
Thank you Shane.
Taetske
Good Morning Shane,
I am happy you like my website. Thank you for leaving a comment. I hope you got your free PDF? I find this story on snake oil also fascinating. The fact that in old times people knew so much and that now our scientists are discovering that is quite amazing.
Regards, Taetske
Jenny
I didn’t know about the bad reputation, but the first time I heard about snake oil, I was a little terrified. 😛
I’m trying to find a few natural supplements to strengthen my immune system a little bit. But when I talked about that to a friend and told me about snake oil, I laughed. I thought she was joking.
I’m glad it’s actually legit. Thank you!
Taetske
Good afternoon Jenny,
Thank you for your comment on my website. I hope you downloaded your free PDF?
Modern lifestyle and the man-made foods we eat make it difficult for our immune system to be in good shape. Making some few changes can help a lot. Skip fast food, sugar, and bad oils as much as you can. Eat fresh fruits and vegetables, seeds and nuts, extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, honey, and if possible buy organic. You will see your health will improve a lot
Regards, Taetske.
Sujandar Mahesan
Just like you said I had a bad impression about snake oils before reading this article. But after reading this article I think I know the cause of this issue. It is really nice to know about where it started and who used it. Considering the modern medicines with all those side affects this doesn’t look bad either.
Thank you for sharing this post.
Taetske
Good afternoon Sujandar,
Nice to see you again. Thank you for your comment.
Modern medicine normally has a long list of side effects. I prefer to find natural solutions when possible. Here at home, I have a herbal lotion made by Shaolin monks. Doing their martial arts they often had bruises and aching muscles. A massage with that lotion would help a lot. I certainly will also try to get the snake oil.
Regards, Taetske
Kehinde Segun
Another wonderful post from Taetske. Hearing about snake oil really sound weird because I was thinking how would a snake help anyone out there or it’s benefits. Believe me, this is not only powerful and genuine, it is simply helpful medicine. I’m glad to have come across of your post like this
Taetske
Good afternoon Kehinde,
I am sure that quite a few people might have been a little disturbed by the title. But let’s face it, once again Mother Nature comes up with a solution to our ailments.
Nice to hear you like reading my posts. Thank you for your comment.
Regards, Taetske
Humayra
Hi Taetske,
Thank you for writing this informative and educative article with all related information about snake oil and it’s uses. I would not even know about this important information if I did not read your article. I heard about snake poison is very important for medicine and now I know that snake oil is also important as a medicine. I am going to share it with my friends. Thanks for sharing this great knowledge.
Taetske
Good afternoon Humayra,
Thank you for your comment on my website. I hope you have downloaded your free PDF?
Nice to hear you found this information helpful. Again it is nature which comes to our aid and no side effects.
Regards, Taetske
Kenechi
Ones a product has been ridiculed and considered as fake in the society, no one would like to purchase it anymore. But notwithstanding, I think there are still exceptions and that’s where I think Chinese oil could be okay. The Chinese water, is it different from the Chinese oil? I actually like the health benefits attached to the Chinese water.
Taetske
Good afternoon Kenechi,
To tell you the truth I do not know what you mean when asking me if Chinese water is different from Chinese (snake) oil. Perhaps you know something I do not know. Chinese water is a torture method so I do not see where the health benefits would be suffering this torture. It would be nice if you could explain this.
Thank you for your comment.
Regards, Taetske
Emmanuel Buysse
Great post and good info.
I never new this about snake oil, and indeed, luckily it is not an endangered species, or else it would be very bad writing about it.
Im going to show this to my wife, she will be happy to know that this exist.
Thanks a lot for sharing it, you will make a lady happy!
Taetske
Good afternoon Emmanuel,
Nice to see you again. Thank you for your comment.
So your wife also believes in natural solutions, the same as I do. I prefer to stay away from modern medicine as much as possible. I feel much better like that.
Regards, Taetske
Gracen
Hi Taeske! I love your article on snake oil being the best source of Omega 3. I have heard often that snake oil especially fat from python is often used as massage oil in the olden days for massaging of pains in any part of the body. I don’t know how true it is. Thanks for teaching me that authentic snake oil can actually be used to improve chronic pain, dementia etc.
Taetske
Good afternoon Gracen,
Thank you for your comment. Nice to see you again.
When humans turned away from nature the trouble started. We always think we can improve on her but that is wrong. So many helpful things still need to be discovered.
Regards, Taetske
Chris
Well I take Omega 3 daily with supplements of magnesium and Vitamin B – I also thought that I was completely clued up on where and what foods I could find Omega 3 in…turns out I was wrong!
Really interesting article introducing me to the whole subject of snake oil – I thought it was nothing more than a gimmick used by the wagon salesmen in old cowboy movies!
Taetske
Good afternoon Chris,
I was also surprised finding out about the history of snake oil. Often these age-old remedies are good but through time have been forgotten to then be rediscovered again.I really prefer natural solutions whenever possible. Luckily my health is good so I seldom need help. I was a bit low on B12 so now take a supplement and all is well again. I also take Vit. D3. Even if I live in a sunny climate one has to check as modern people often have a big deficiency of this vitamin.
Thank you for your comment. Nice to see you again.
Regards, Taetske
seofarhan
Hi,
Thank you very much for sharing with us such an important blog. If I did not read this blog I can not find the details about the Snake oil. This blog will be very helpful to the others who want to know the benefits of Snake oil. The most important thing I just learn from here is this oil is a remedy for inflammation, pain in the joints, bursitis, rheumatoid arthritis, and similar conditions. I will definitely share this blog with my friends.
Taetske
Good afternoon Seofarhan,
Thank you for leaving a comment on my post. I hope you downloaded your free PDF?
This snake oil seems to be very helpful for quite a list of ailments. The good thing is it does not have side effects.
If possible I always prefer natural remedies above man-made ones.
Regards, Taetske
ajibola40
Snake oil as it may sound have not hear about it before. But there are so many ways nature has help us in medications.Thanks to research and improve. I prefer to use more of herb product than doctor medications with side effects will check it out and find out about snake oil
Taetske
Good afternoon Ajibola,
I am like you as I also prefer natural solutions to a health problem. Luckily my health is good as I take care of what I eat, the more natural the better.
Thank you for visiting my website and leaving a comment. I hope you downloaded your free PDF?
Regards, Taetske
Paul
Hello Taetske!
I found your article interesting and educative. I will be looking further into the benefits of the snake oil product as I have been a long-term sufferer of joint pain. I have never found any relief with modern medicines, particularly those which are off-the-shelf. Such as cod liver oil and olive oil capsules.
I too believe that modern medicines never get to the cause of the issue, but creates multiple other ailments through their side-effects.
Thank you for your insightful and informative perspective!
Taetske
Good afternoon Paul,
Thank you for your comment. I hope you downloaded your free PDF?
30 Years ago I started having painful fingers with bumps. The doctor told me that it was arthritis and age-related.
Over time I changed the things I was eating and got rid of this problem completely. Hardly man-made foods, sugar, and bad oils. Lots of fruits, veggies, nuts and seeds, Kefir, honey, coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil, happy chicken eggs, little meat, some fish. Perhaps in your case, some food changes might also be beneficial. I think it is worth trying.
Regards, Taetske
Hollie Rose
I have never actually heard of snake oil before but I found your article truly fascinating. It has such an interesting history too. I usually get my source of omega 3 from flaxseed, but hey, if I see snake oil I will definitely give it a shot. That’s if it’s available in the UK! Is there a way to tell if it’s genuine snake oil and not a fake?
Taetske
Good Morning Hollie,
I also eat flaxseed and similar things to get Omega 3. Yes, the story about snake oil is interesting. Things from the past are rediscovered all the time. I live in the south of Spain and am also looking if I can find it. I plan the ask the Chinese restaurants and shops in town, I think that is probably the best. I will have to trust what they tell me as personally, I am not capable of identifying the good from the bad.
Thank you for your comment. I hope you downloaded your free PDF?
Regards, Taetske
Fitoru
I am so afraid of snake. There are a lot of wonder oils out there, I won’t ever try snake oil
Taetske
Good afternoon Fitoru,
Thank you for stopping by and for your comment. I hope you downloaded your free PDF? Tulip widget.
There are many healing oils so there is no need to use the snake oil. Just curious to find out this oil holds so much Omega 3.
These are difficult times. Stay safe and healthy.
Regards, Taetske
A Jaynes
Wow, Taetske! This is definitely a new world for me – snake oil, who would have thought?! I’ve definitely had some past experience that solidifies my agreement with your statement that sometimes the most ancient remedies have some of the most surprising modern results! I’ll definitely take a peek at your recommendations page and see if there is something for me to try! 🙂
Taetske
Good Morning
It is funny, but the more scientists investigate in the effectiveness of ancient remedies, the more they discover about astonishing health benefits. They mainly make these remedies with natural ingredients. Big Pharma cannot earn money with it, as one cannot patent it. And that is why this knowledge is kept hidden from the public. They give us chemical pills with many side effects.
Thank you for your visit and for your comment. I hope you downloaded the free PDF of your choice at the tulip widget.
Regards, Taetske