Here is a literal feel-good story. Amish teen Daniel Troyer (of Jamesport, MO) needs a heart transplant. His condition (cardiomyopathy) had made it difficult for him to do even basic tasks like eating. He still needs a transplant – but a special implant has given him new energy and hope. From KCTV 5: At 17-years old, Daniel Troyer suffers from cardiomyopathy. His heart is dying….
The Good ‘N Plenty restaurant was one of the best-known Lancaster County eateries, serving PA Dutch style meals for over 50 years, until the pandemic-related downturn put them out of business. Now, an Amish group has organized to purchase the property and make it into a health clinic catering to the area’s Plain community. Via Lancaster Online: A group organized by members of the Old…
Every now and again the Amish make news for a genetic study that may hold solutions to health problems that plague the general population. This latest one just reported today concerns heart health. The story from Inverse: The Amish of Lancaster County are an example of a “founder population,” an isolated population of people who are all relatively similar in terms of their genes, meaning…
Last week we informed you of a new free online resource called The Journal of Plain Anabaptist Communities. Here’s a summary of one of the articles you might find of interest – Mark Louden’s “Plain Talk about Health: Linguistics Aspects of Mediation between Amish and Mennonites and Health Care Professionals”, courtesy of editor Joe Donnermeyer. The inaugural issue of The Journal of Plain Anabaptist Communities…
Following our first post on natural remedies which Amish use, here are five more. This time, they’re all sourced from Emma Byler’s book Plain & Happy Living: Amish Recipes & Remedies. I’m not promoting these as something you should use, though. I’m just sharing them as ones that caught my eye “for informational purposes”. Amish use a variety of approaches to health care, including conventional…
What kinds of natural remedies do Amish use? The book Plain & Happy Living: Amish Recipes & Remedies by Emma “Jonas Em” Byler covers many of them. It includes chapters like “General Tonics”, “The Herbal Medicine Chest”, and “Poultices, Plasters and Salves”. The more recent book Nature & The Environment in Amish Life also contains a chapter looking at herbal remedies and natural medicine use…
Expectant Amish mothers generally have three choices on where to bring their children into the world – at home, at a hospital, or at a birthing center. In larger Amish communities, these centers cater to a Plain population. A new article in the Wooster Daily Record gives us a look at the Mt. Eaton Care Center in Mt. Eaton, Ohio, a place that’s been delivering babies…
Questions on the Amish & coronavirus – awareness, risk, and protection from disease With the coronavirus topic heavy in the media, I thought it might be worth addressing several questions regarding COVID-19 infection and the Amish. Do the Amish know about COVID? Reader Beverly posed this question yesterday. With all the recent hubbub over this public health issue, it might seem odd to think that…
In tragic instances dating back to at least 2004, otherwise healthy Amish boys and girls have died suddenly while playing, with no clear explanation as to why. These cases occurred not in one community, but in multiple states including Pennsylvania, Delaware, Kentucky, and Iowa. Now, this mystery spanning 15+ years has been solved. Research looking at two extended families has unlocked the genetic cause of…
Two readers wrote to make sure I didn’t miss this article. Dr. James DeLine has had a remarkable career as the “country doctor” of a small Wisconsin village – spending a good portion of his time treating Amish. The article is a long look at his work and career. I was drawn to this story for his involvement with the Amish, but DeLine’s background story…