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tibb nabawi
The signs of weak kidneys are, “white or colorless urine and pain, weakness of the body, loss of virility, backache and headache.” The remedy is, “by diet consisting of large amounts of pure water, kidney meats, parsley, leafy green vegetables, wheat germ, and fresh green peas. Avoid coffee … and other stimulants.”
Robert Thomson, in “Natural Medicine” (Wildwood House, London, 1981)
Hakim Chishti in "The Traditional Healers Handbook" said, "Behind every natural action of the human body is an inherent wisdom, a mechanism that allows the body to heal itself. In fact, no herb, no food or any other substance or procedure can do anything on its own to heal; it can only aid and assist the body in its own self-healing role. If your finger is cut, it is not the stitches or the bandage or the iodine that causes it to heal; it is the skin itself that performs this miracle.”
In Tibb (Islamic Medicine), sleep is classified as moistening.
In a recent study by the University of Pennsylvania it was found that, “Children who eat fish at least once a week sleep better and have IQ scores that are 4 points higher, on average, than those who consume fish less frequently or not at all, according to new findings from”
Source
EurekAlert!, the online, global news service operated by AAAS, the science society.
In Tibb (Islamic Medicine), sleep is classified as moistening.
In a recent study by Kings College London it was found that, ““Sleeping for longer each night is a simple lifestyle intervention that could help reduce intake of sugary foods and lead to a generally healthier diet”
“The fact that extending sleep led to a reduction in intake of free sugars, by which we mean the sugars that are added to foods by manufacturers or in cooking at home as well as sugars in honey, syrups and fruit juice, suggests that a simple change in lifestyle may really help people to consume healthier diets.”
Source
EurekAlert!, the online, global news service operated by AAAS, the science society.
The Tibb Institute of South African in its paper, “Tibb and body weight – different options” tell us that, “Tibbʼs approach is to deal with three aspects of lifestyle – food intake, physical activity, and sleep hygiene. For instance, dietary sugar and fructose syrup, now revealed as major culprits, need to be severely curtailed, together with most processed foods. In support of these changes, physical activity needs to be increased, and good sleeping patterns developed.”
In their paper, “Concept of Obesity and its management in Unani Medicine – A Review”, Ali and Naushin outline Tibb approaches for the management of obesity, noting, “there is treasure of plant origin drugs having highest diversity in their properties both in dieto- and herbal therapy, which can reduce body weight and prevent diet induced obesity.” And recording that Buqrat (Hippocrates) advised that obese people should,
Ali and Naushin set out 20 herbs with a hot/dry temperament useful in the management of obesity, a disease that is cold in temperament.
Ahmer, Khan, Jamil and Ali in “Research and Reviews: Journal of Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy Obesity (Siman-E-Mufrat) in Greeco-Arabic Perspective: A Review” outline dietary, exercise and regimental therapies for dealing with obesity, noting for example that, “One should consume at least eight large glasses of water every day. This ensures effective removal of any toxins present inside the tissues and blood vessels. After a meal, one should not drink so much water that it might cause the food to leave the stomach and float about … one should abstain from drinking water till the food has passed down from the stomach.”
Tabassum and Mohammad Nasar in, “Scope of Unani Herbal Medicine in the Management of Obesity - A Review” give details of several well-known foods, herbs and spices useful in dealing with obesity, including, for example, lemon juice which “…is cold in temperament. It is digestive and having the property of jali (detergent). Lemon juice is quite effective for obesity patients. 5-10 ml of lemon juice is mixed with one glass of water and should be taken on empty stomach in the morning. The mix is very useful for melting of adipose tissue from the body as well as weight loss. However, it is recommended to take the above mix [only] once a day, otherwise, the person may experience loose motion or some digestive problems.”
Asthma is a very challenging, chronic lung disease and globally the number of sufferers is increasing. The Unani Tibb Medicine approach to asthma is, as in other areas, different to allopathic medicine.
The Ibn Sina Tibb Institute identifies three main types of asthma: allergic asthma (breathing difficulties; itchy and red watery eyes; allergic rhinitis with post-nasal drip), phlegmatic asthma (coughing; wheezing; a feeling of tightness in the chest; difficulty in breathing), and melancholic asthma (marked breathing difficulty; mucus or phlegm expectorant is absent; coughing is rare). These are hot, cold and moist, cold and dry, respectively.
The National Health Portal of India says, “Asthma is described with different names in Unani literature as Rabu, Buhar, Zeeq-al- nafas, Dama and Intesab- al- nafas.” and provides useful advice on preventative measures, single and compound medications within the Tibb tradition.
A 2014 report discussed the link between balghami (cold and dry) temperaments, obesity and asthma.
Early treatment for asthma is always highly recommended.
Bhikha and Abdul Haq in “Tibb – Traditional Roots of Medicine in Modern Routes to Health” state, “Tibb could be defined as: “The art of serving, with respect, the physis of each person you meet”.” And, “…the complex inter-connectedness of ever-changing and mutually influencing parts requires something more sophisticated than balance. We prefer to describe homeostasis as ‘dynamic optimum functioning’. It is the active component of an ideal state. Dynamic optimum functioning does not always require equal measures of all contributing factors to health. Different personalities require different measures of different contributing factors. Some personalities need creative stress, others need more sleep and some people depend more on certain nutrients than others.”
Ibn Qayyim in "Medicine of the Prophet" said,
"[We are required] to seek and take the appropriate medicine, while indicating that this action does not contradict dependence on Allah alone for everything.
"Just as one satisfying his hunger, thirst or reacts to being hot or cold does not contradict the dependence on Allah.
"On the contrary, the belief in the Oneness of Allah can only be complete by pacifying and responding to the various harmful elements in the manner and method that Allah has commanded and that which will help in such cases.
"Furthermore, refraining from using these cures or antidotes is, in fact, contradictory to total dependence on Allah, along with contradicting the His Commandments and the Wisdom.
"Not using these cures will weaken reliance and dependence on Allah even though the person might be thinking that he is strengthening his reliance and dependence by abandoning seeking the cure.
"Abandoning the cure is in fact contradictory to the true reliance and dependence, in that, reliance and dependence in essence includes the heart relying on Allah in acquiring what benefits him in his life and his religious affairs, while fending off what harms his life and religion.
"The correct method of reliance and dependence includes seeking these benefits for the slave; otherwise one will not be implementing the Commandments and the Wisdom.
"[We] should not call [our] inability, dependence on Allah, nor consider [our] true reliance and dependence as an inability.”
The stomach
Ibn Qayyim in "Medicine of the Prophet" said, “The famous statement that: "Diet is the top medicine; and the stomach is the home of disease; give each person what he is used to [of food and medicine]," this is not a Hadith, according to the scholars of Hadith. Rather, it is the words of AI-Harith bin Kaladah, the renowned Arab doctor.
Ibn Qayyim in "Medicine of the Prophet" identified many causes of headaches. These include:
Ibn Qayyim in "Medicine of the Prophet" said, “There are many types of headaches that result from various conditions. Headaches usually start when the head becomes hot due to the pressure of a septic vapor that accumulates near the head and which seeks a way out of the body but fails. Then, the pressure of the vapor intensifies, just as a pot when it is heated but the steam is not able to escape from it. It is a fact that when moisture heats up, it seeks more space to expand. Similarly, the vapor accumulates near the head and then causes a headache in the entire head because it is unable to expand or escape from the body as it heats up. This condition causes a type of dizziness. There are various specific causes for headaches.”
Honey
Ibn Qayyim in "Medicine of the Prophet" said, “Honey will add softness and beauty to the hair while allowing it to grow longer. When honey is applied to the eye as a Kuhl, it will strengthen weak eyesight. Honey whitens the teeth, preserves their health and the health of the gums, opens the orifice of the veins along with causing the flow of menstruation. Furthermore, licking honey on an empty stomach will help the body get rid of mucus and phlegm.”
Ibn Qayyim in "Medicine of the Prophet" said, “Honey has tremendous medicinal value, because it washes away the harmful substances that might be collected in the veins and the intestines. Honey dissolves excess moisture, is beneficial as a drink and as an ointment, it is of great value for the elderly, and those suffering from phlegm and cold moods or condition (chills). Honey is nutritious, softens one's bowel movement and is a good preserving agent. In addition, honey reduces the bitter taste of other medicines, cleanses the liver and the chest, aids in producing urine, and dissolves the phlegm that is accompanied by coughing.”
Ibn Qayyim in "Medicine of the Prophet" said, "The hearts that are connected with the Lord of the Worlds - the Creator of the illness and its cure and He Who governs the affairs of everything and everyone - require special types of remedies that are nothing like those required for the hearts that are far away from their Lord … whenever the soul and the heart become stronger (spiritually), they will cooperate to defeat the illness. How can anyone deny that the most effective cure for the ailment that afflicts the heart and soul occurs by feeling delight and joy when drawing closer to the Lord, loving Him, remembering Him, being totally dedicated and attentive to Him, depending on Him and seeking His help?”
TKDL say, “… the diet of individuals should be planned accordingly e.g. people with Balghami Mizaj (Phlegmatic temperament) should take hot and dry foods like chicken, egg, onion, garlic, bitter gourd, fenugreek, grapes, walnuts, cloves, saffron, alcohol, etc, while those with Saudavi Mizaj (Melancholic temperament) should take hot and moist food items like mutton, liver, ginger, spinach, mangoes, almonds, pistachios, peaches, banana, wheat, milk, cheese, honey, sugar and salt. People with Damvi Mizaj (Sanguine temperament) should take cold and dry food items like cabbage, cauliflower, tomato, potato, beans, all sour fruits, apples, coconut, peanuts, maize, corn, peas, egg white, yogurt, tea, coffee, pickles, tamarind and vinegar. Safravi Mizaj (Choleretic temperament) people should take cold and moist foods like cucumber, ladyfinger, lettuce, beetroot, pear, fig, watermelon, litchi, rice, milk, coriander, cardamom, sugar cane juice, citrus fruits ice creams and milk shake.”
Ibn Qayyim in "Medicine of the Prophet" said, “Physical ailments attack and harm the body and alter its normal functions, because of an excess amount of a substance. This type constitutes the majority of diseases and occurs, because of overeating or consuming more than what the body needs, that which brings about little benefit or is not digested easily, or due to complex meals. When [a human] habitually fills his stomach with these types of foods, he will end up with various types of illnesses, some of which take a long time to remedy. On the other hand, when one consumes moderate amounts of food and eats sensibly, the body will get the maximum benefit from this diet, as opposed to when one overeats.”
Ibn Qayyim in "Medicine of the Prophet" said, "The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: "Allah has not sent down a disease except that He has In addition sent down its cure."”
Ibn Qayyim in "Medicine of the Prophet" said, "The most experienced doctors use medications that contain one ingredient. The medication should be similar or related to regular foods that the patient is used to eating. Cultures that consume one or only a few types of food in their regular diet, generally suffer from few illnesses, they should not use compound medicines. Those who live in cities and whose diets are complex need medicines that are a mixture of several substances or ingredients, as these are the types of medicines that most suit their illnesses. The ailments of the people who live in the deserts are usually simple and thus simple medications are suitable for them.”
Ibn Qayyim in "Medicine of the Prophet" said, "The medical authorities agree that whenever an illness could be fought with nourishment and diet, then medicine should be avoided. In addition, they agree that whenever it is possible to use only one substance or ingredient as a remedy, a compound remedy should not be used.”
Ibn Qayyim in "Medicine of the Prophet" said, "… there are three states that the body can be in: normal, abnormal and in the middle (between normal and abnormal). When the state of the body is normal, the body is healthy. The second state occurs when the body is ill, while the third is in the middle, as one extreme does not become the opposite extreme except after passing through a middle stage.”
