The Seminole Indians in Florida, USA, call themselves the "Unconquered People".

During the 19th Century, the Seminole fought against relocation to Oklahoma by the US Government.

The Native Americans put up such strong resistance the US Army eventually withdrew and the remaining Indians avoided expatriation by seeking refuge in the inhospitable swamps of the Everglades.

Constructing simple shelters of thatched roofs supported by poles, they managed to survive by hunting and fishing and making the most of the local vegetation.

One of the Seminole's staple foods was a low-growing palm tree with deep purple berries called Saw Palmetto.

Despite the pungent taste of the berries, the natives realised its value as a food source and medicine. The berries were either dried and ground into a nutritious flour or stored as a remedy for indigestion, respiratory infections and catarrh.

Infusions of the plant relieved stomach pain and dysentery, while the inner bark of the tree trunk was used topically for snakebites, insect bites and skin ulcers.

The Latin name for Saw Palmetto is serenoa repens and its current use is quite different from its traditional one.

During the late 19th Century, interest in Saw Palmetto grew as a tonic for the urinary and reproductive systems.

Now, Saw Palmetto is a best-selling natural prostate remedy and available in pharmacies and health food stores.

In men over the age of 40, the prostate gland can grow to many times its normal size. An enlarged prostate is a common condition in older men called Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy (BPH).

Symptoms include the frequent need to urinate and a weak, often interrupted or painful flow. Untreated, it can lead to kidney problems.

Clinical trials confirm the effectiveness of Saw Palmetto in treating the condition without the side-effects of commonly-prescribed drugs.

Saw Palmetto supports the function and structure of the prostate. It is also believed to inhibit the conversion of testosterone into the more active and potentially dangerous dihydrotestosterone, a major factor in prostate enlargement.

Men who experience urinary problems should be examined by their doctor before taking Saw Palmetto, because the symptoms of BPH are similar to those of prostate cancer.

Saw Palmetto also affects the production of dihydrotestosterone in women. It is useful in treating women who produce larger than normal amounts of the hormone.

Common symptoms of such a hormone imbalance may be excess bodily hair, acne, weight gain, mood swings and multiple ovarian cysts.

Pregnant women, or those using hormone products or anabolic steroids are advised not to take the herbal extract.

Alcohol, nicotine and some chemical pesticides used on fruit and vegetables can also impair the effectiveness of Saw Palmetto.

The Seminole's lifestyle and culture was dependant on a healthy ecosystem. They survived in an untamed wilderness only by fully utilising but not exhausting its natural resources.

And so the tenacious Seminole survive and consist of about 2,600 members living on five reservations, one of these near Brighton, Florida.

Martina Watts is a qualified Nutritional Therapist at the Crescent Clinic of Complementary Medicine, Brighton (call 01273 202221), and the Dolphin House Clinic, Brighton (call 01273 324790), or visit www.thehealthbank.co.uk