Goat Meat

As-Suyuti in "Medicine of the Prophet" advised that the best part of the goat was the forequarter, that the neck is delicious and quickly digested and that the Prophet (pbuh) said one should be kind to goats because they are one of the animals of paradise.

Sheep's Tail and Sciatica

Ibn Qayyim in "Medicine of the Prophet" 

Ibn Qayyim said

• Ibn Majah narrated in his Sunan (collection of Hadith) that Anas bin Malik said, I heard the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, saying: "Curing sciatica is accomplished by melting the fat from the tail of a nomad's ewe. Then, the fat is divided into three parts and one part per day is drunk on an empty stomach.
• Sciatica is an ailment that starts from the hip's joint, then descends to the thigh from the backside of the body. Sometimes, sciatica reaches the ankles and the longer the ailment remains, the lower it descends and the weaker the legs and thighs become.

As-Suyuti in "Medicine of the Prophet" 

As-Suyuti said

• Aliya — Sheep’s Tails are hot and damp.
• They damage the stomach but soothe the nerves.
• Said Anas: The Prophet used to prescribe this for sciatica. He was wont to melt down the tails of four sheep. This he divided into three parts. These he would give to drink, on an empty stomach, every day one part.
• Said Anas: The Prophet recommended this for more than three hundred people and all were cured.
• This treatment is good only when the pain is due to dryness. In this case the tails of the sheep produce a relaxation and the smell will cause digestion.
• The Arabs of the desert improve their flocks by feeding them on wormwood and artemisia or on chamomile. The first two are the most effective for the pain of sciatica.

Beef

Ibn Qayyim in "Medicine of the Prophet" said

• Beef is cold and dry, heavy on the stomach and suitable for hard workers.
• The harm that this meat causes will be neutralized when one eats it with spices, garlic, ginger and cinnamon.
• The meat of fat calves is one of the best, mildest and tastiest types of food. It is warm and wet, and if fully digested, it provides good nutrition.

As-Suyuti in "Medicine of the Prophet" said

• Beef inclines to coldness and dryness and is hard to digest.
• The fat of beef is a medicine.
• It is best eaten with pepper and cinnamon.

Chicken

Ibn Qayyim in "Medicine of the Prophet" said

• Chicken meat strengthens the mind and increases the production of semen. It also makes the voice softer, the mind stronger and produces healthy blood.
• It was said that eating chicken meat on a regular basis causes gout, but this is not confirmed by fact. (cf as-Suyuti)

As-Suyuti in "Medicine of the Prophet" said

• Chicken is the best of bird-meats.
• It is hot and damp in the first degree. (cf Ibn Qayyim)
• It is light in the stomach, quickly digested, and good for the humours.
• It increases the brain and semen and renders beautiful the complexion.
• It strengthens the intelligence of anyone who eats regularly of it. But it causes gout. (cf Ibn Qayyim)

Lamb and Mutton

Ibn Qayyim in "Medicine of the Prophet" said

• The Prophet, peace be upon him, used to like eating meat, especially the arm and the upper parts of the sheep.
• The best type of roast is the meat of a one-year old sheep, then a fat sheep.
• This type of food is hot and wet, produces black bile, but is one of the most nutritious foods for healthy, ill and recovering persons alike.
• Cooked meat is better, lighter on the stomach and has more wetness. Fried meat is less beneficial while meat dried in the sun is the worst kind.

As-Suyuti in "Medicine of the Prophet" said

• Ibn Maja and Abu Harira report the tradition that the Prophet once said: The heart rejoices in the eating of meat.
• A tradition also says that whoever eats meat on forty consecutive days, his heart will harden. It is therefore recommended to eat meat on alternate days throughout the year and on the other days to abstain from it. I think that this advice comes from Umar.
• Physicians say that meat is the most nutritious of foods, making the body fruitful and strong.
• Fine rice with the fat of sheep’s’ kidneys is better than a large purge. This is a medical secret.

Cocoa and Type 2 Diabetes

An August 2017 study by Brigham Young University found that, “certain compounds found in cocoa can actually help your body release more insulin and respond to increased blood glucose better … [and that] beta cells work better and remain stronger with an increased presence of epicatechin monomers, compounds found naturally in cocoa.” (EurekAlert!, the online, global news service operated by AAAS, the science society.)

In terms of food qualities, chocolate (containing cocoa) is considered hot and moist in Tibb Medicine.

In Chinese Traditional Medicine, chocolate is considered to be warm, bittersweet and tonifying to the heart.

Everything in moderation ...

Avocados and cognitive health

An August 2017 study by Tufts University found that, “Consuming one fresh avocado per day may lead to improved cognitive function in healthy older adults due to increased lutein levels in the brain and eye.”

Source: EurekAlert!, the online, global news service operated by AAAS, the science society.

Rice - Aruz

As-Suyuti in "Medicine of the Prophet" said, "Rice is the most nourishing of grainfood after wheat and excellent in temperament. Some say it is hot and dry, others say cold and dry. It is binding for the bowels, but if cooked with milk is less constipating. If taken with sugar, it will dissolve swellings. Rice makes the body fertile and produces more semen. To eat of it causes pleasant dreams. Fine rice with the fat of sheeps’ kidneys is better than a large purge. This is a medical secret.

As-Suyuti also said, "There is a traditional saying that runs: The Master of your food is meat and rice comes second."

As-Suyuti also said, "From ‘Ayesha comes an apochryphal tradition: Rice has curative powers and contains no sickness within it.” Ibn Qayyim, however, in "Medicine of the Prophet" said that, “there are two spurious hadith [one of which is] ‘everything which the earth brings forth has both illness and healing, except rice; for it contains healing and no illness’. We have mentioned these simply to draw attention to them and give warning that they should not be attributed to [the Prophet, peace be upon him]”.

Ibn Qayyim also says that rice is hot and dry and that it, “gently firms the belly, it strengthens and tans the stomach and remains in it. The Physicians ofIndia claim that it is the most excellent and beneficial of foodstuffs when cooked with cow’s milk. It has an effect on fertility of the body and increases semen; it contains plenty of nourishment, and cleanses the complexion.”

Chishti in "The Traditional Healers Handbook" recommends basmati rice.

Breakfast for children

A King’s College London study in August 2017 found that, “children who skip breakfast regularly may not be consuming the daily amounts of key nutrients for growth and development that are recommended by the UK government.”  (Source: EurekAlert!, the online, global news service operated by AAAS, the science society.)

Chishti in "The Traditional Healers Handbook" said, "Breakfast can be a substantial meal of whole grain cereals and breads, fruits, eggs, cheese and tea. The best time for breakfast is shortly after rising from sleep but after performing ablution and any prayer or meditation practices.”

Camel's milk

Ibn Qayyim in "Medicine of the Prophet" said, "…the milk of the camel contains power to cleanse and soften, it is diuretic and emollient and opens obstructions …” and he said, quoting Al-Razi, “…milk of camels cures pains of the liver and corruption of the temperament.”

As-Suyuti in "Medicine of the Prophet" said that, "Said al-Shafi'i: There are three things which are a medicine of medicines: grapes, the milk of the she-camel three months delivered, and sugar-cane.”

As-Suyuti also said, “The milk of a camel is more glistening and less fatty and more inclined to cause loose stools. It does not curdle in the stomach. It is very good for sufferers from gastritis due to weakness of the liver.”

Fresh camel’s milk is available on line from Desert Farms.

Almonds and cholesterol

An August 2017 study by Penn State University found that, “Eating almonds on a regular basis may help boost levels of HDL cholesterol while simultaneously improving the way it removes cholesterol from the body.”

"There's a lot of research out there that shows a diet that includes almonds lowers low-density lipoprotein, or LDL cholesterol, which is a major risk factor for heart disease … But not as much was known about how almonds affect HDL cholesterol, which is considered good cholesterol and helps lower your risk of heart disease."

The researchers concluded, "If people incorporate almonds into their diet, they should expect multiple benefits, including ones that can improve heart health …They're not a cure-all, but when eaten in moderation -- and especially when eaten instead of a food of lower nutritional value -- they're a great addition to an already healthy diet."

Source: EurekAlert!, the online, global news service operated by AAAS, the science society.

Butter

As-Suyuti in "Medicine of the Prophet" said:

·        Butter is hot & wet in the first degree

·        The best butter is fresh butter

·        It is beneficial for constipation and a dry cough

·        It weakens the desire for food.

·        Abu Nu‘aim relates that the Prophet (pbuh) once said to ‘Ayesha: I love you more than I do butter with honey.

·        The Prophet (pbuh) used to like the species of date called ‘Ajwat. Says the writer of this book: Verily the ‘Ajwat is an excellent and sufficient food; and if to it is added some butter, then its sufficiency is completed.

Ibn Qayyim in "Medicine of the Prophet" said, "The fact that the Prophet, peace be upon him, combined butter and dates showed wisdom, for this means the rectification of one by the other.”

Rhubarb – Rawand – Da Huang

As-Suyuti in "Medicine of the Prophet" tells us that rhubarb

• is hot and dry
• dissolves blockages in the liver
• relieves chronic fevers.

Traditional Chinese Medicine calls it Da Huang and, again, it’s used for dissolving blockages.

Capsicum Pepper

An August 2017 study found that capsicum pepper can have an effect in increasing metabolism and may help to manage health weight.

Source: EurekAlert!, the online, global news service operated by AAAS, the science society.

Green tea: memory, insulin resistance and obesity

A July 2017 study (involving mice) by Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China suggests that, “The ancient habit of drinking green tea may be a more acceptable alternative to medicine when it comes to combating obesity, insulin resistance, and memory impairment."

Source: EurekAlert!, the online, global news service operated by AAAS, the science society.

Brain power: Spinach, Kale, Avocados and Eggs

A study published in July 2017 by Illinois University finds that, “middle-aged participants with higher levels of lutein - a nutrient found in green leafy vegetables such as spinach and kale, as well as avocados and eggs -- had neural responses that were more on par with younger individuals than with their peers.”

Professor Naiman Khan said. "We know these foods are related to other health benefits, but these data indicate that there may be cognitive benefits as well."

Source: EurekAlert!, the online, global news service operated by AAAS, the science society.

Walnuts and gut health

We’ve written about walnuts before.

A new July 2017 study (on animals) by Louisiana State University suggests that, “walnut consumption may be beneficial for digestive health by increasing the amount of good probiotic-type bacteria in the gut. Walnuts do this by acting as a prebiotic to help nourish and grow the bacteria that keeps the digestive system healthy.”

Source: EurekAlert!, the online, global news service operated by AAAS, the science society.

Sugar in drinks, protein and energy

According to a July 2017 study by the USDA-Agricultural Research Service Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center, “Having a sugar-sweetened drink with a high-protein meal may negatively affect energy balance, alter food preferences and cause the body to store more fat.” 

Source: EurekAlert!, the online, global news service operated by AAAS, the science society.

A link between artificial sweeteners, weight gain and heart disease

A study published in July 2017 by the University of Manitoba found that, “Consumption of artificial sweeteners, such as aspartame, sucralose and stevia, is widespread and increasing. Emerging data indicate that artificial, or non-nutritive, sweeteners may have negative effects on metabolism, gut bacteria and appetite, although the evidence is conflicting.”

“The longer observational studies showed a link between consumption of artificial sweeteners and relatively higher risks of weight gain and obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease and other health issues.”

We suggest honey or dates rather than sugar or sweetener.

Source: EurekAlert!, the online, global news service operated by AAAS, the science society.

Healthy eating patterns the best strategy

A July 2017 study by the Harvard Chan School of Public Health found that,

“Improving the quality of one's diet over time, even with modest changes, is associated with lower total and cardiovascular mortality. “

And that it is better to,

“Focus on overall healthy eating patterns, rather than on individual nutrients.”