The article describes people`s attitude to health, illness and death in the individual periods of the development of the human mind. In the course of time health culture was influenced by contemporary historical, economic, political, and other factors. In Prekmurje as elsewhere people protected themselves (and continue to do so) against illness using incantations, empirical, magic, mystical or religious medicine, and finally also modern medicine. Folk medicine has a long tradition in Prekmurje and was especially important for the health of people in the past.