
Appalachian folk medicine has long been a vital part of mountaineers’ cultural practices. Appalachians traditionally relied on what the hills could provide them for treating medical ailments, and there is a rich history of folk medicines in the region. Different plants or combinations were used as extracts, teas, poultices, or in foods to treat illness and diseases. Appalachians learned the effects of these plants as well as where to best locate them. Science has born out the effectiveness of many of these folk remedies and the values of these medicinal plants, and Appalachian folk medicine is still practiced in the hills and hollars of central Appalachia.
