The Ancient Greek physician Galen (circa 130 - 200 AD)
recorded many interesting ideas on the subject of health, and those ideas were later
expanded by other medics in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.
Although many centuries have passed, many discoveries of antiquity are
still adhered to by modern medicine.
Why health and philosophy are closely connected
Galen spent his youth
learning about sickness and treatments before he moved to Rome in the
year 162. He has gone down into History as much for his medical
discoveries as for his tremendous output as a writer. Even though a
great part of Galen's work has been lost, what remains fills more than
20 volumes.
His aphorisms, which condense medical truths in short
sentences, reflect fundamental aspects of physical and mental health.
One of the threads that runs through his writings is the search of
simplicity. His advocacy of straightforward methods to improve man's
well-being contrasted with the semi-magical medicine that was still
being practised by most of his contemporaries.
Galen maintained
that health and philosophy are closely connected. As a consequence, a
man who wishes to maintain his vitality will do well to act prudently
and respect ethical principles. Galen's prescriptions for
preserving health do not demand large financial resources and can be
followed by most individuals.
At the time of Galen's
writings, the biochemical properties of vitamins and minerals had not
yet been discovered. Nevertheless, what he had learned from other
physicians and his own observations led him to recommend vegetables,
fruits, and herbs on many occasions. Nowadays, those are items that most
people can afford to purchase without making extraordinary efforts.
The right combination of elements produces an optimal result
Ancient
medicine believed that each element in the universe had a purpose. This
conviction led Galen to experiment with different dietary treatments in
response to sickness. His goal was to find the right combination of
elements that fulfilled the purpose of health recovery. A balanced,
prudent diet was also advocated in the Middle Ages by Maimonides, a
famous physician who was familiar with Galen's work.
While modern times favour body building and other
forms of muscle training, Galen was an advocate of moderation. In his
own life, he gave example of this precept by avoiding strenuous
assignments. When he was offered a post of physician in the Roman army
marching against the barbarians in Northern Europe, he declined and
stayed in Rome.
The importance of avoiding excessive physical and mental strain
One of Galen's aphorisms says that sickness
caused by excessive strain should be cured by rest. In this sense, the
inordinate professional stress that many people endure in our age should
not be exacerbated by further tensions in their private life.
Spending
time with friends, cultivating hobbies, and enjoying art will do more
to re-establish balance in your life than watching television or
practising demanding sports. Galen also recommended walking as a
beneficial form of exercise.
Even
though bacteria and viruses had not yet been discovered in antiquity,
Galen's books show that he was conscious of the major role that external
influences play in human health. The purpose of medicine, he wrote, was
to re-establish the patient's health in relation to his environment,
taking also the seasons into account.
Galen's early training as
physician took place in Greece, which at that time comprised part of the
Middle East. Ancient Greeks considered thermal baths salutary and those
attracted far-away visitors seeking to cure physical or mental illness.
In
those days, a journey to a renowned thermal location involved
disproportionately high costs that few individuals could afford.
Luckily, modern plumbing, shampoo, and tooth brushes now allow
practically everybody to enjoy excellent levels of hygiene
inexpensively.
The large benefits of preventive measures
The need to preserve the natural limits of life is a theme
that permeates Galen's books. The best way to maintain our health, he
wrote, is to adopt preventive measures to counterbalance excesses.
He
warned against lack of moderation and advocated measures against
exaggerated eating as well as against insufficient food intake.
Similarly, he advised to avoid excessive immobility and immoderate
exercise. The purpose of prevention should be to maintain the natural
balance in all areas of our lives.
Galen's principles emphasize
the importance of preserving health at the same time as the need to do
it in a simple and straightforward manner. By all means, do elevate
health to your first priority, but make it a cheap and workable one.
Your goal should be to develop effective habits that maintain your
vitality with minimum effort and expense.
Text: http://johnvespasian.blogspot.com
Image by dannysullivan under Creative Commons Attribution License. See the license terms under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/us
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