Dr. Ahmed Farhaan Hashmi

It is very vital to prevent the onset of disease, before it can turn your life upside down. One of the most popular forms of alternative medicine, Unani stresses on the importance of prevention of diseases. Here are the six essential prerequisites that have been laid down by the Unani system for promotion of good health and overall well-being:

1. Air: Good and clean air is vital in order to maintain good health. Today, many people are affected with several diseases due to excessive levels of pollution in our environment. A famous Arab physician named Avicenna once stated that a change in environment relieves the patients of many diseases. Unani medicine emphasizes the need for open and airy houses with a proper system of ventilation to keep diseases at bay.
2. Food and drinks: You are what you eat and drink. So, make healthy choices in your diet to stay disease-free. The Unani system recommends intake of freshly prepared food, free from putrefaction. It specializes in prescribing diets according to the health condition of the individual.
3. Bodily movement and repose: Physical movement and staying active is also very important to maintain good health. Unani medicine continuously stresses on the importance of exercise that helps the growth of muscles, increases blood supply, and maintains proper functioning of the excretory system.
4. Psychic movement and repose: The Unani system has extensively documented the impact of psychological factors on our well-being. Happiness, sorrow, anger and stress play a key role in the treatment and prevention of disease. In fact, there is a separate branch of psychological treatment in Unani medicine that helps to deal with it.
5. Sleep and wakefulness: Sleep provides rest, both physically and mentally. Lack of it can cause fatigue, digestive disturbances and mental weakness. A normal sleep time and active time of wakefulness are advocated for good health.
6. Evacuation and retention: The waste products of the body must be properly excreted and all the essential nutrients should be retained in the blood flow. Without proper functioning of the excretory system, toxins build up in the body, leading to sickness and disease.

These essential prerequisites, referred to as Asbab-e-Sitta Zarooriya, are given utmost importance in Unani medicine. This system employs these basic principles in their therapy, which constitutes of the following:

• Diet therapy – Regulation of quantity or quality of food
• Regimental therapy – Takes care of evacuation of waste material from the body using various means
• Pharmacotherapy – Use of natural drugs and combinations in their formulations with minimal side effects

Unani, the system of traditional medicine, has been practiced in India for a long time now. Originated in Greece and pioneered by Hippocrates, it came to India through Arabs and Persians during the 11th century. Even though it has foreign roots, it has been practiced widely and adopted in India.

Core of Unani
The Unani system of medicine believes that disease is a natural process and their symptoms are reactions of the body to the disease. The proper functioning of the body is dependent on seven key factors or Umoor-E-Tabaiya - elements, temperament, humours, organs, vital forces, faculties and functions. Also, it emphasizes the presence of four humours in the body. These are the essential fluids, which the human body obtains from food and constitutes of various hormones and enzymes.

Each of these humours carry a temperament:

• Blood – Dam: It is hot and moist.
• Phlegm – Balgham: It is cold and moist.
• Yellow bile – Safra: It is hot and dry.
• Black bile – Sauda: It is cold and dry.

A person is considered to be healthy if these four humours and their corresponding temperaments are in a state of mutual equilibrium. Every individual has their own humoural composition, which represents their state of health. An imbalance in the humours leads to diseases and ailments in the body.

Diagnosis of Unani
The balance of the humours and the overall health of the body is assessed through the pulse or nabz, urine and stool. Also the functioning of the entire body and mental health is determined with the help of the pulse, urine and stool.

The Unani Therapy
Unani takes into account the whole personality of the individual and employs the following techniques:

1. Regimental therapy – It is a special technique that uses detoxification methods to remove waste materials and improve the defence mechanism of the body. Some of the commonly used therapies under this section are as follows:
2. Venesection – This corrects blood-related problems and relieves high blood pressure.
3. Cupping – This cleans the skin and gets rid of waste matters
4. Sweating – Dry or wet fomentation, massage, warm water bath are used to remove waste through the natural process of sweating.
5. Diuresis – Waste products are excreted through urine and used as cure for certain diseases of heart, liver and lungs.
6. Turkish bath - Hot or cold bath is taken to eradicate waste and increase nutrition.
7. Massage – It improves the blood supply and relaxes muscles.

Pharmacotherapy
Important components used in Unani medicine are as follows:
• Hibiscus
• Haritaki
• Saunf
• Ashwagandha
• Almonds
• Kasni or chicory

Diet therapy: Proper monitoring of the diet in accordance with the individual is prescribed. This age-old alternate form of medicine is noteworthy for its remarkable benefits. In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

Unani treatment is a very ancient form of curing diseases. In the old times, it was practiced in Greece and Arabian countries. According to Unani practitioners, our body is an amalgamation of the four major elements: fire, water, air, and earth. These components remain present in our bodies in equal proportion but when the balance is somehow disturbed we develop certain conditions that distort our lifestyle. However, the condition can be improved if natural products are used to restore the balance. It is almost like rectifying a natural discrepancy with a measure that is in turn, natural.

Diabetes is a condition that is accompanied by frequent urination, excessive pressure on the urinary bladder, weight fluctuation, increased intensity of thirst and hunger, tiredness and loss of sexual drive. According to Unani a person becomes diabetic when one of these disorders takes place:

• If the normal temperament of the kidneys is disoriented.
• Renal inadequateness
• Widening of kidneys and urinary tract.

Here are some of the natural treatments to help you fight diabetes. The products that we are going to talk about are easily available and using them does not require much hassle.

1. Jamun Seeds: Jamun seeds have anti-diabetes qualities. Dried and ground jamun seeds can be had, twice, daily mixed along with water. A diabetic person can also chew jamun leaves to control diabetes.
2. Bitter Melon or Karela: Karela is a vegetable rich in plant insulin-polypeptide-p. The extract of the vegetable can be consumed daily to reduce blood sugar level. The Karela juice needs to be drunk, twice to thrice per day for better benefits.
3. Neem: When it comes to Unani or Ayurvedic medications, Neem tops the list. One can grind around 50 grams of neem and then soak the paste in 100 ml of water. After keeping it overnight the solution needs to be strained and drunk. Neem extract not only administers blood-sugar level, it also purifies the body. Add neem to your diet and get rid of numerous ailments.
4. Cotton Seeds: Cotton seeds contain antioxidants, which are the foremost components to fight diabetes. 2 grams of cotton seeds need to be boiled in 1000 ml of water and the process should be continued until the water level comes down to 300 ml. After this, you need to strain the solution and drink the extract at least twice a day.
5. Falsa Berry: It is another natural product that regulates diabetes. Take 10 grams of Falsa berry and soak it in water. Leave it overnight. In the morning strain the solution and drink the extract on an empty stomach for the best results.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

Hypertension is one of the most common diseases of the modern days. About 33% urban and 25% rural Indians are hypertensive. Of these, 25% rural and 42% urban Indians are aware of their hypertensive status. Hypertension is termed as a Silent Killer of modern days. 90% of the cases have no symptom of Hypertension and hence are unaware of the ailment. 

Uncontrolled high blood pressure can lead to complications including:

• Heart attack or stroke.
• Aneurysm. (Weakening of the artery)
• Heart failure.
• Weakened and narrowed blood vessels in your kidneys.
• Thickened, narrowed or torn blood vessels in the eyes.
• Metabolic syndrome.
• Trouble with memory or understanding.
• Dementia. (Memory loss)

Hypertension gradually damages the blood vessels and in a span of 8 to 10 years, the damage done becomes irreversible, increasing the chances of Heart Failure by 50%, Stroke by 40% and Heart attack (Myocardial Infarction) by 20-25%.

Adding up the misery are other 3 factors that are common in today's lifestyle. Namely,

• Alcoholism
• Diabetes
• High-Cholesterol (Hyperlipidemia)

 Management of Hypertension at Home:

1. Losing Weight: Losing 1Kg of weight will reduce the blood pressure approximately ≈ 5mmHg.
2. Diet: Cut down on Salt, Take Low-fat dairy products, Whole grain food, Fish, Olive oil.
3. Say No to Red-Meat
4. Increase your Physical Activity:  Exercise for 5 days a week, 30 minutes a day.
5. Quit/Reduce Alcohol and Smoking.
6.  High Potassium food: Table salt contains Sodium[Na] and Chlorine[Cl]. Sodium is a Vasoconstrictor (Constricts the blood vessels) hence it increases the Arterial pressure. Reducing Sodium and increasing Potassium intake will help reduce Blood pressure. Potassium-rich foods are: 
   • Avocado
   • Acorn squash
   • Spinach
   • Sweet potato
   • Wild-caught salmon
   • Dried apricots
   • Pomegranate
   • Coconut water
   • White beans
   • Banana