Hippocrates Quotes on Health and Modern Medicine



Hippocrates, the father of western medicine (ca. 460 BC – ca. 370 BC)

It is said that Hippocrates, the father of Western medicine, once said:

"Let your food be your medicine, and

let your medicine be your food."

Such wisdom in a small quote!  (Quick History) Although, there have been claims that Imhotep of ancient Egypt was the first physician, Hippocrates is credited nonetheless.  He was a wise soul, before his time during his era where many questioned his practices.  He believed that the body had the ability to heal itself abut when the body was off balance, the physician should intervene by making a correction to bring balance back to the body.  Here are some additional quotes from Hippocrates, who is considered the father of Western medicine. It seems to me that Western medicine and many western lifestyles have strayed a bit from what the father of western Medicine's core belief's were.  Here are some more amazing quotes by Hippocrates:

"Everything in excess is opposed to nature."

"If we could give every individual the right amount of nourishment and exercise, not too little and not too much, we would have found the safest way to health."

"Natural forces within us are the true healers of disease."

"Walking is man's best medicine."

"It's far more important to know what person the disease has than what disease the person has."

To me, living a balanced lifestyle and understanding the healing power of nature is more reflective of what Hippocrates beliefs signified and is far removed from what western medicine has become today with the many pills and chemical solutions based on the demands of changing lifestyles and the dependence on care from physicians as opposed to the necessity for them to intervene. Often times, once disease inflicts our bodies we then pray for our healing, as oppose to being proactive and practicing preventive measures to care for the bodies that God has blessed us with.  Of course there are certain inevitable situations in life, because of fallen man.  But for the things that are in our control, it is our duty to keep balance in our bodies! 

Many schools of holistic thought believe in the same intrinsic philosophy of Hippocrates.  Everything in life calls for balance.  I believe in balance Spiritually, Mentally as well as Physically-- Spirit, Mind and Body.  Now, don't get me wrong, I am in no way discounting the years of knowledge and discoveries of our great medical practitioners as we are blessed to live in a time where surgeons and advancements in technology are available to us.  However, at the same time, we should not rely on such knowledge to cure us as a result of abuse or overindulgence and neglect to seek balance in our own person and assist others in their balance as well. 

Thoughts?

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