~~~ Bush Medicine in The Bahamas - A Modern Approach ~~~

About the author

A book can be very anonymous, but there always is a person behind it with the ambition and patience to create a work, that passes on a message. Knowing more about the author makes a book more personal and gives the reader a chance to see a bit what's behind it.

• Being 24 friends brought me to the first bush people including a very respected and self confident midwife with enormous knowledge about medicinal plants. I started to learn more about bush medicine, the plants and how to prepare them.

• In Germany I studied graphic arts and holistic medicine at the same time. Since 1984 I worked in my own holistic practice using many traditional medicinal plants recognized in Europe. The success of these natural remedies made me think, that the Bahamian Bush Medicine should be revived and be part of general medicine. Phytotherapy is still popular in Germany and the Bahamas. Bush Medicine is borne from the needs and possibilities of earlier people in the Bahamas, lacking of medical care. It has a great potential of good remedies also for modern natural medicine.

• So during my vacations I interviewed Bahamian people, including friends and remaining midwifes taking many photos. Since 2000 the interest to write a book about Bush Medicine and to encourage scientists to research became serious. There is an increasing awareness of the value of Bahamian culture and plant medicine in general. The museum and library in Long Island were rebuilt and are very active.

• I structured my work, spoke with biologists, scientists at our home university, different people of the COB and Ministry of Agriculture, and everybody is fond about the idea to research more and write about the subject in a modern way. A scientific background and a more standardized but still easy production of Bush Medicines would be safer and beneficial for a broad public besides other necessary therapies. For sure it would improve public health and awareness of the importance to preserve plants (and nature) in general.

• In past years some schools in the Bahamas started to teach some Bush Medicine again. To me it would be a great idea and a good perspective for future, if countries like the Bahamas would have an own school of Bush Medicine, where students (biologists, medical students, nurses and other medicinal personal) could take professional courses, including an exchange with foreign countries. I hope that this book will be one step to preserve that knowledge.

• The therapies in my practice include teas and medication based on plants. I try to motivate patients to keep a proper diet and life style. So I developed many individual food and tea plans in general and against certain medicinal conditions. From 2008 I started to produce a first poster series from: • Strong Back (Bourreria ovata) • Jackmadar (Eupatorium villosum) • Yellow Elder (Tecoma stans) • Indications: prostate gland, skin • Photos and drawings are made by myself to make it a bit easier to identify plants.

• The name (Dr.) Renate Wilmanowicz (MD) can be found in the internet (please don't confuse with other “Wilmanowicz”). You find some information that had been put in by University of Düsseldorf, lists of Doctors, a curriculum vitae and some other information stranded there including my dissertation (St. John's Wort). Most is in German, but, if you are interested, here a short curriculum vitae in English.

1976 - 1981
• 5 Year practical course study of Graphic arts and Visual Communication at the specialized Gutenberg-School, Düsseldorf.
• Final exam as Diploma-Designer at Gutenberg School. Subjects: Medicinal-didactic Methods and Illustrations with examples like: Infectious diseases, lymphatic system, disaccustom-treatment for smokers, a physical training program and a sample of how an English-study program could be set up.
• Studies of Holistic medicine at a private school, IAT-Düsseldorf, two years. Internships in a holistic practice also for handicapped patients in Mühlheim a.d. Ruhr (1 year, 2 days a week).
• Final exam at the Public Health Office in Düsseldorf to achieve the license for medicinal treatment of patients under the laws concerning holistic practitioners.

1982 - 1985
• Opening a Holistic practice in Düsseldorf.
• Study of psychotherapy for 5 semesters including final Exam.
• Final Exam as Coach, Fitness-trainer and Trainer for Jazz-Gymnastics. Larger practice in Düsseldorf including a sports room.
• Marriage, civil and by our Church, keeping my maiden name Wilmanowicz.

1986 - 1997
• Test for entry to study medicine passed.
• Different Schools of Medicine at University in Vienna, Austria,(here partially general and Human Biology), Cologne, Essen, Bochum, Marburg, Düsseldorf.
• A serious accident and several exchanges of the study places with other students to be able to be in my home town caused some delay.
• Several externships in different Hospitals and physician's practices in my home town. For a good 6 weeks I could work in Oak Hill Hospital in Spring Hill, Florida, USA.
• So called „Practical year“, as intern at Heinrich-Heine-University-Düsseldorf for a year.
• 3rd and final State Exam to become a medical physician.
• Begin of my profession as an AiP (“Doctor in practical course”, which at that time had to be done before one could open an own practice). First six month at HH-University and the Institute for LASER-medicine. It included research about antioxidants and Hypericin effects on red blood cells. The next 13 months I worked as an AiP in an internist and alternative orientated practice in Düsseldorf.
• In 1997, my father died. I received the full approbation as a Doctor.
• During the whole study time and the time working as an AiP I kept on with my practice as a holistic practitioner. My husband helped arranging schedules, appointments and worked there as podiatrist and medicinal massage therapist.

1998 - 2000
• Lecture, in San Jose, California: „Influence of Hyperizin and GSH on the Elongation of Erythrocytes“. Then I finished my Doctor's Dissertation at HH-University in Düsseldorf to get the MD.
• The holistic practice was converted into a private doctor's practice (as we are not allowed to keep both titles at the same time)
• Between 1998 and 2000 I took courses and did a literature and internet research about antioxidants, phytochemicals, Vitamins, minerals and food supplements partially for our University or for my own practice. I wanted to apply these safely and with least possible side effects. This included some botany more as an autodidact to have a better base for the book.

2000 - 2011
• My studies of herbal therapy “Bush medicine” in The Bahamas, included: Trips to The Bahamas and America, interviews, study of literature, making pictures, trying to set up some projects and cooperation to save this knowledge.
• I gave a first CD about plants to the Museum in Long Island, and several plant-posters, and we exchanged information.
• Different workshops in the museum and Kiwanis Club (high school in Simms, Long Island) keeping some contacts. 
• I’m trying to set up a cooperation between Bahamian Institutions and the University of Düsseldorf for a scientific investigation of plants and some projects to provide a more sophisticated work in this field.
• I still love and continue my work in the holistic orientated, private practice.
• And last but not least I finished this book ;)

20012 - 2014

• With a kind research-permit from the Bahamas I started scientific research about several medicinal plants. There is a constant cooperation with some laboratories and universities in Germany to state at least some of the many effects of bush medicine. Phytosubstances deserve more interest in general, as plants may bear many more beneficial properties than we know nowadays.

 • The second book about round 70 plants is in progress. For this reason I'll be in the Bahamas summer 2014 and round March 2015 for more investigation.

2015 - 2016

• Research and laboratory trials about some Caribbean Plants lead to a patent application and two brand names, Epiflor® for Germany, and Integusan® for the USA and EU. There are promising positive anti-inflammatory and antiseptic effects, so that a skin-product may be developed as a result of this research.

2017 - 2020

• A European patent for a possible plant preparation is granted in 2019. Applications are in the USA, China and Canada.

• This first book received positive reviews as to scientific investigation, structure and easy comprehensibility for readers.

• The second book in progress will contain some of the present research with the University in Düsseldorf and also interesting facts about the long and complicated proceeding to develop a good plant product based on wise traditional bush-medicine.

© Copyright from 2011/2020 - Dr. Renate Wilmanowicz