ILAJ BIL GHIZA (DIETOTHERAPY): CLASSICAL UNANI MODE OF TREATMENT

Abstract

The physical and mental health of a human being is largely dependent upon good nutrition. The carbohydrates,
lipids, proteins, vitamins and minerals are considered as nutrients that are consumed from vegetable, animal and
mineral sources. A well-balanced diet with adequate intake of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and
minerals, is necessary for good nutrition and for maintaining health and preventing diseases. Many Unani
physicians such as Hippocrates, Galen, Rhazes, Ibn Zohar, Ibn Sina etc have compiled several books on
dietetics. The makool va mashroob (food and drink) is one of the vital factors among the six essential
prerequisites for preservation of life as described in Unani medicine. All the forms of diet have been classified
according to the nutritional value and chyme viz. light and soft diet, attenuated highly nutritious, attenuated less
nutritious, attenuated highly nutritious and good chyme forming diets etc. Some modified diets viz. barley
water, mutton soup, whey, honey water, nabeez, vinegar, aabkama, murabba, halwa, gulqand etc are
recommended alone or as adjuvant for the treatment of several body ailments. Selective diets are also advised
according to the diseases viz. massor dal (red lentil) along with vinegar in headache, mutton of young sheep in
melancholia, goat’s milk in tuberculosis etc. The dietotherapy is widely acceptable, accessible and above all
affordable to the patients with near nil adverse reactions. In present scenario, several life style disorders viz.
hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidaemia and other diseases viz. anaemia, malnutrition, vitamin deficiency etc can
be managed by selectisng appropriate diet either alone or as adjuvant with pharmacotherapy. Therefore, the
study of clinical nutrition and dietetics is in vogue since centuries and the same is now scientifically validated
with precision. This mode of treatment is widely prescribed by Unani physicians in various disorders
successfully provided the basic fundamental principles of Unani medicine is judiciously followed, i.e. Ilaj biz
Zid (antagonistic treatment). Hence the dietotherapy an integral mode of Unani treatment if adopted prudently
will go a long way in alleviating the suffering of humanity