Maintaining good health in Mesoamerica was understood as a spiritual practice.
Because infant mortality was high in ancient Mesoamerica, just like in the rest of the world of the time, anxiety surrounded pregnancies and birth.
Pregnancy and childbirth were sometimes linked to death and rebirth. Certain words for pregnancy in Nahuatl (the Aztec language) had roots in death, signifying a transformation and passage. This symbolizes the woman leaving her previous state and emerging into motherhood.
Though important differences exist between Mesoamerican cultures, pregnancy was seen as a sacred journey guided by deities like the Maya goddess Ixchel or the Aztec Tlazeltéotl.
Fundamental to Mesoamerican ideas of health was the hot-cold theory. This belief system held that illness was caused by an imbalance in the body. Different foods, plants, and activities were classified as hot or cold, and treatment involved restoring the balance by consuming or applying substances with the opposite property.
Elements of hot-cold theory can still be seen in contemporary Yucatán. For example, even in large cities like Mérida, people often speak of being wary of bad winds known as K’aak’as, which are seen as harbingers of diseases like pneumonia and death. Hadzaha, or dew, can be seen as dangerous, especially when it’s thick enough to make surfaces wet.
The temazcal, a sort of sweat lodge, was used for a variety of therapeutic purposes, such as relieving stress, pain, breathing problems, and inflammation.
Trained midwives, often older women with vast knowledge of herbal remedies and childbirth practices, played a crucial role in ancient Mesoamerica. They assisted in the birthing process, provided herbal medicines, and performed rituals to protect mother and child.
Traditional midwives continue to work in many regions of Mesoamerica, including Yucatán where a few years ago the documentary Jats’uts Meyah tells the story of Bacila Tzec Uc, who has successfully brought thousands of children into the world using ancient techniques.
One aspect that Mesoamerican peoples gave great importance to human health was clementines and the practice of bathing daily — which oddly enough was described as scandalous by the first Europeans to arrive on the continent.
Aside from traditional medicines such as copal, resins, and concautions made of herbs, Mesoamerican people also enjoyed drinking alcohol and taking hallucinogenic drugs.
But just like today, illnesses and genetic problems would show up from time to time. However, there are good reasons to believe that “difference” was not seen as a curse but rather as a blessing.
If you are interested in learning more about medicine in ancient Mesoamerica, there is a museum dedicated to the topic in Mexico City’s Faculty of Medicine, which is free and open daily.
