Médecine alternative et intégrative

A Temperamental Approach in Promotion of Health

Abstract

Malik Itrat and Mohd Zulkifle

The Unani system of medicine is a comprehensive medical system, which meticulously deals with the states of health and disease. Its holistic approach considers individual in relation to his environment and stresses on health of body, mind and soul. Temperament of a person is given great importance for identifying the most suitable diet and lifestyle for promoting the health of a particular individual. On the basis of Mizaj human beings have been categorized into four qualitative types: Damvi (sanguinous), Safravi (bilious), Balghami (phlegmatic), Saudavi (melancholic). They were supposed to result from predominant humor in the body. Any change in the temperament of person brings about change in person’s state of health. There are some factors like age, place, season, diet and occupation, which are responsible for influencing the temperament of an individual and predispose them to a particular group of diseases similar to the temperament of that individual. Thus, the person of specific temperament becomes prone to a particular group of diseases in different phases of their life and under different climatic conditions. In Unani medicine, different guidelines for different temperaments have been mentioned for promotion and preservation of health. Thus, in this paper authors have highlighted the importance of temperamental approach for the promotion of health and prevention of diseases.