Medieval Perspectives on Health

 Medieval Perspectives on Health

When it comes to being healthy or getting back on track after a setback, there have always been two schools of thought. This war has been going on since the beginning of time... and it will probably go on for a very long time still.

Good health, according to one "side," is the product of deliberate, external factors like medication and surgery. Living in accordance with natural law, proper nutrition, hygiene, etc., is what the other "side" thinks leads to good health.

Both of these categories had names in Greek mythology. A 'god' would typically unite several different communities in ancient days. There was the deity of medicine, "Asklepios," whose followers pushed for an interventional strategy. 'Asklepians' was the name given to these individuals. Hygeia was revered by those who held the belief that a healthy lifestyle was best achieved by harmonizing with nature. The term "Hygeian" applied to these individuals.

Questionnaires vs. Hygeians

Critics on both sides were common; clearly, not much has changed. The 'Asklepian' approach is used by modern mainstream western medicine. The Hygeian method, however, which has long formed the basis of Chinese traditional medicine, has recently made significant strides. There is little question that a number of reasons have contributed to the 'Hygeian' approach's' rising popularity:

Increasing instances of medical "misadventure" and dissatisfaction with conventional, mainstream medicine. (It is best to avoid hospitals at all costs.) * Realization that one's own health, and not the health of their overworked doctors, is crucial.
* A growing realization that pharmaceutical companies have a significant impact on healthcare policy and that there are frequently more effective, less expensive, and environmentally friendly alternatives to pharmaceuticals.

Although there has been a legitimate "swing" away from conventional medicine, it is still an important aspect of everyone's health plan (with the obvious exceptions of treating serious accidents or long-term illnesses). In your pursuit of optimal health and longevity, even if you identify as a "Hygeian," you should not discount the contributions of conventional medicine.

These advantages mostly manifest themselves in the form of early illness identification, of which you might not even be aware at this point!

As an illustration,

For the sake of argument, let's say you're above the age of 40 and in good health, not overweight. In addition to not smoking and not drinking too much, you have a healthy diet and rarely get sick. Surely you imagine that you will live to a ripe old age, if not forever! Am I correct? I don't know... maybe.

Think about this for a second. Is there anyone you know who was this age and whose unexpected death shocked you because you assumed they were doing fine? It is possible that this individual was even a competitive sportsman!

So, here's a real story for you.

A buddy of mine, who was in his forties at the time, was water skiing on a lake. He had been a professional bodybuilder and was in very good shape. What he thought were "tricks" were actually just a bunch of young water skiers.

"Now, I'll show you how to really do it," he said, descending to the water's edge, revealing his competitive nature. He waited for them to enter the building. His final words were those, and he lay on the ground, dead from a huge heart attack, a few minutes afterward.

Without warning, my friend passed away. It is also possible that he suffered a stroke, from which he might or might not have recovered—also a terrible outcome.

Tragedies are usually preventable.

Tragedies such as this occur frequently and have a profoundly negative impact on everyone involved, including the victims and their loved ones. If more people knew their risk factors and could fix any anomalies before it was too late, many of these tragedies may have been prevented!

Let us return to the story's main topic now. An arterial obstruction was the cause of my friend's death. It just takes one! My friend would have been teaching those young men water skiing stunts even if there had been technology available fifteen years ago to measure ALL the "predictors" that signal your likelihood of such an event—and if he had understood what they represented.

Thousands upon thousands of individuals are still losing their lives needlessly due to a lack of knowledge about how to utilize modern technology or, worse, a strong opposition to conventional treatment that prevents them from benefiting from its advantages.

Alright, what's your next move?

It is imperative that anyone above the age of 35 who has not had a blood test in the past several years get one immediately.

Obtain a generic one that checks for:The lipid cholesterol. Blood sugar levels, lipid profiles (LDL and HDL), homocysteine, lipoproteins, liver and renal function, and plasma glucose

Additionally, a PSA is required of all men over the age of 40. (Prostate Specific Antigen) test) A hint: New research shows that your PSA levels may be impacted if you've had sex in the past 72 hours.
Take it easy for two or three days leading up to your test.

Regardless of your gender, it's important to inquire with your doctor about any further testing they may recommend. Great news! You may relax knowing that there is probably no imminent danger to your health if all of the tests come back within the normal range. Your energy will be better spent on enhancing your mood and delaying the onset of old age.

In the event that any of your tests come back abnormal, you'll have to take action to get them inside the "normal" levels... and you might even have to undergo additional testing. Disagreement between "Askelepians" and "Hygeians" may arise over how to handle anomalies found in these blood tests.

An example of a possible dispute is this

'Mainstream' doctors often recommend cutting back on dietary cholesterol when patients' test results reveal abnormally high levels of the fat. Because dietary cholesterol accounts for such a little fraction of total blood cholesterol, it's highly improbable that this will work.

The prescribing of a statin, or medicine that lowers cholesterol, will likely follow. These medications prevent cholesterol synthesis in the liver by inhibiting an enzyme necessary for the process. The liver produces up to 80% of blood cholesterol, not the cholesterol you eat.

Extremely dangerous side effects, including death, have been reported from using these statin medications. The 'awful' levels of mortality caused Bayers to voluntarily remove its statin medicine off sale. Statins are widely prescribed despite the risks they pose, and their annual sales are in the billions of dollars.

Ironically, there are safe, all-natural alternatives to statin medications that can help reduce cholesterol levels. Because they cannot be patented and huge corporations do not stand to gain financially from promoting them, the public is mostly unaware of them.

For a wide variety of diseases, the same logic holds. A wide variety of effective therapies are available. It is crucial that you explore and implement natural alternatives before committing to the potentially harmful side effects of pharmaceutical drugs.

Natural cures are 'enablers,' whereas pharmaceutical pharmaceuticals are 'blocks.'

Medications with a pharmaceutical component act as "blockers" rather than cure the underlying disease. As I indicated before using the'statin' example, they often function by inhibiting natural processes, such as certain enzymes. This method generally yields 'immediate' results, which means these potent prescription meds have a place in extreme circumstances.

On the other hand, 'enablers' are natural things like herbs, vitamins, etc. They target the root of the problem, which is usually a lack of certain nutrients, in an effort to cure the illness. Weeks or even months will pass before you can see any results.

Collaborate with your doctor to find a cure for a serious illness, but consider natural therapies first. Do your own research and gather any necessary supporting materials if your healthcare provider is unfamiliar with the treatment you want to pursue. This will put you in a better position to have an informed discussion about your alternatives. It could be prudent to look for another competent doctor who is receptive to alternative treatments if your current one is skeptical about natural cures.

Location:

Share :