unani medicine History

Unani medicine is ancient Greek medicine that has evolved within the Muslim world for the past 13 centuries (Unani is an Arabic spelling of Ionian, meaning Greek). Greek medicine, greatly simplified for presentation here, was based on the concept of balancing body humors. They either fell out of balance, which might yield diseases (depending on circumstances), or were restored to balance to heal diseases. The system involved four elements, thus differing from the Ayurvedic system of three doshas and the Chinese system of five elements. The original Greek and the resulting Unani systems involve these four elements: earth, air, water, and fire; along with four natures: cold, hot, wet, and dry; and four humors: blood (which is hot/wet), phlegm (cold/wet), yellow bile (hot/dry), and black bile (cold/dry). Unani medicine, like Western medicine (which also arose from the Greek background) owes its origination to Hippocrates (460-377 B.C.) and his numerous followers. Other Greek medical masters, such as Dioscorides and Galen, who we recognize as the forerunners of Western herbal medicine, are also considered founders of Unani medicine. The adoption of Greek medicine into the Islamic culture was depicted by Husain F. Nagamia MD, Chairman International Institute of Islamic Medicine, and former President of the Islamic Medical Association, as arising in the ancient city of Jundishapur (near Baghdad). The timing of events is described in relation to rule of caliphs, the civil and religious leaders of Muslim states, who are considered to be successors of Mohammed: Jundishapur (or 'Gondeshapur') was a city in Khuzistan founded by a Sasnid Emperor Shapur I (241-272 A.D.) before the advent of Islam. It was to settle Greek prisoners....The town was taken by Muslims during the caliphate of Hadrat Umar, by Abu Musa Al-Ashari in 738 A.D. At this time it already had a well established hospital and medical school. It was during the Abbasid Caliphate (754-775 A.D.) that Caliph al-Mansur, the founder of the city of Baghdad, invited the then head of the Jundishapur School to treat him. This physician was Jirjis Bukhtishu, a Christian whose name meant 'Jesus has saved.' He treated the Caliph successfully and got appointed to the court. He did not stay permanently in Baghdad, returning to Jundishapur before his death, but the migration to Baghdad had begun. Thus, his son Jibrail Bukhtishu established his practice in the city and became a prominent physician [he was invited to head the first Islamic hospital, built under direction of the Caliph]. Another family that migrated from Jundishapur to Baghdad was that of Masawayh, who went at the invitation of Caliph Harun-ul-Rashid (786-809 A.D.) and became a famous ophthalmologist. Most famous amongst his three sons who were all physicians was Yuhanna ibn Masawayh (known as Mesue Senior in the West). He wrote prolifically and 42 works are attributed to him [he also translated the Greek works into Arabic]. By this time (the 8th century A.D.) the fame of Baghdad began to rise as did the political power of the caliphate. Many hospitals and medical centers were established and tremendous intellectual activity was recorded. This culminated into the period of Islamic Renaissance and the golden era of Islamic Medicine….. One of the largest hospitals ever built was the Mansuri Hospital in Cairo, completed in 1248 AD under the rule of the Mameluke ruler of Egypt, Mansur Qalaun….The Mansuri Hospital had its own pharmacy, library and lecture halls. There was also a mosque for Muslim patients and a chapel for Christian patients. The most influential historical figure in this golden era of Unani medicine was Avicenna (980-1037 A.D.), born in Kharmaitan. He began studying medicine at the age of 13 and started treating patients three years later. He gained a very good reputation, such that the ruler of the Samanid Empire (in what is now Iran), Nuh ibn Mansur (reign: 976-997A.D.), sought him out to treat an illness that was unsuccessfully treated by his court physicians. Avicenna was successful and stayed on as court physician; however, the Empire soon fell, and Avicenna became a wandering physician and teacher. Eventually, he moved to Hamadan (in west-central Iran), where he worked as a court physician. He began writing several works on philosophy and medicine, and, through further political upheaval, ended up in Isfahan, where he was able to complete his books. He died soon after, while serving as a court physician on a military campaign back to Hamadan, suffering an illness he was unable to cure. His writings included diverse subjects such as mathematics, astronomy, geology, and logic. His most important medical work was The Canon of Medicine (Qunun), which remained a valued text throughout Europe and the mid-East for several centuries after his death.

Athletes Foot

Athlete’s foot, which is also known in medical terms as tinea pedis, is a fungal infection that affects your feet, especially the area between the toes where moisture is easily trapped. Once the infection happens you will experience an itching and burning sensation on the skin. You will also find that the infected area is covered with dry and flaky skin, which is rough to touch. As the infection advances you may also experience pain, swelling, and inflammation. Sometimes, if the skin is raw and exposed, you may also get a secondary infection in the same area. Athlete’s foot is a disease commonly experienced by people who have wear shoes for long periods in a day. The chances of infection further increase if a person does a lot of physical exercise resulting in a lot of sweating. The warm and moist environment of the shoes gives the fungus an ideal breeding ground. So, it is understandable that athletes (and other sportspersons), obviously, have a significant chance of contracting this type of infection; therefore, the name. However, athlete’s foot can also happen to people from different walks of life – basically, anyone who has to wear shoes for long hours, has a problem of unusually sweaty feet, or is not very careful about the hygiene of their feet. Athletes Foot Remedies Athlete’s foot can be remedied with proper medication and foot care. In severe cases, you may also have to get treatment from a doctor. However, there are several home remedies for athlete’s feet that you can try out. • The first remedy is to apply solutions like tea tree oil, vinegar, diluted hydrogen peroxide, or alcohol on the affected area. Take a cotton ball, soak it in the solution, and gently swab over the infected skin. • Apply crushed onion and/or garlic paste on the infected skin. You can apply them separately or together, as is suitable to you. One of the problems with this method, however, is that it can cause your feet to be very smelly. It is, therefore, important to wash off your feet properly after you apply onion or garlic on your feet. • Use boric powder or baking soda on the infected skin. They will help keep the feet dry by soaking up the extra moisture. • Mix Epsom salt in lukewarm water and soak your feet in it at the end of the day. Besides these, you should also maintain proper hygiene of your feet. Do not wear the same pair of shoes or socks every day; use alternate pairs of shoes and socks. Preferably, use cotton socks and shoes that have ventilation. Be careful and make sure to dry your feet after a bath or wash so that moisture is not trapped in the folds of your skin.

Dark Circles Under Eyes

Dark circles around the eyes, often ridiculed as the raccoon look, tend to make the person appear tired and sick and detracts from the over all appearance of the person. The main reason for dark circles is exhaustion and lack of sleep, but there are other factors as well that cause dark circles around the eyes. The veins around the eyes become more prominent with advancing age, making the skin around the eyes appear shaded and darker. Another reason for dark circles around the eyes is an imbalanced diet which can lead to various deficiencies causing the skin to lose its vitality. Hyper pigmentation caused by excessive exposure to the harmful ultra-violet rays of the sun can also cause the area around the eyes to become darker. Finally certain drugs and medications can lead to the side-effect of dark circles around the eyes. While the easiest fix for dark circles is applying make-up to disguise them, there are several simple home remedies that can help to gradually reduce the dark circles over a period of time. Home Remedies for Dark Circles under Eyes 1• The best and most popular home remedy for dark circles is application of cold and wet tea bags on the closed eyes. The tannin acid in the eyes is beneficial for the eyes, helping to relax them, reduce any swelling and also gets rid of the dark circles. Alternately cotton balls or a soft towel soaked in rose water can also be applied on the closed eyes to relax the eyes and rejuvenate them. 2• Another way to relax exhausted eyes and reduce the dark circles is to apply slices of cucumber on the closed eyes or wiping the area around the eyes with a cotton ball soaked in cucumber juice. 3• Massaging the skin around the eyes gently using a mixture of almond oil and lemon juice is beneficial for relaxing the eyes as well as reducing the dark circles. 4• Another effective way to reduce the dark circles around the eyes is by applying a mixture of honey and raw milk around the eyes and washing it off after an hour once it has dried completely. This helps to reduce the dark circles and also improves the skin complexion. 5• A mixture of lemon juice and tomato juice can be applied on the eye lids and around the eyes, using a cotton ball soaked in the mixture. Repeating this procedure twice a day is beneficial for reducing the dark circles. 6• A mixture of turmeric powder and lemon juice can also be applied on the eyes to lighten the dark circles. 7• In addition to this, it is important to include a healthy proportion of Vitamin C and Vitamin A in your diet to promote the health of the eyes and skin. It is also crucial to consume adequate liquids in the form of water and fresh fruit juices to keep the body and skin naturally hydrated and to get adequate exercise and at least eight hours of relaxed sleep daily.

Dark spots

Dark spots on any part of the body are unwanted, but they are of special concern when they appear on the face and people go to great extents to get rid of them by visiting dermatologists and investing in expensive medicated creams which can cause several side-effects and not always help to get rid of the dark spots. It is important to recognize the reason behind the dark spots before starting any treatment. The red or brown dots appearing on the skin can be caused due to some other skin condition such as acne and blemishes, but very often they are a natural reaction of the skin to prolonged exposure to the sun’s ultra-violet rays. Sometimes the brown spots that appear on the skin are a direct result of advancing age and are also known as age spots. Home Remedies For Spots There are several simple home remedies that can help to lighten these spots over time and also prevent further appearance of the dots. 1 Honey is known to have excellent antibacterial properties and it is beneficial for healing all kinds of skin conditions and leaving the skin soft, smooth and glowing. A simple method to lighten the dark spots on the face and obtain a glowing complexion is to gently warm 2 tbsp of honey and apply it evenly across the face, washing it off after 15 to 20 minutes using warm water. Since lemon is an excellent natural bleach, the face can be wiped daily using a cotton ball soaked in lemon juice. 2 Similarly cucumber juice can also be used to wipe the face since it not only helps to cleanse the skin, but also reduces dark spots and leaves the skin soft and smooth. 3 A mixture of lemon juice, cucumber juice and honey applied on the face and washed off after 15 to 20 minutes is highly recommended. Application of sour cream or plain yoghurt on the face is also said to be beneficial for reducing dark spots. 4 Apart from this a face-pack prepared using sandalwood powder or fuller’s earth and rose water can be applied regularly on the face and washed off after 15 minutes using cold water. This helps to treat and prevent acne, improves the complexion of the skin and gradually lightens all dots and dark spots on the face. 5 Daily application of aloe Vera juice, obtained by slicing the fleshy leaf of the aloe Vera plant is also beneficial for removing any dark spots and improving the skin tone and complexion. 6 Finally it is important to maintain a healthy, balanced diet and drink plenty of liquids in the form of water and fresh fruit juices in order to keep the body well hydrated.

Homemade Face Masks for Oily Skin

Homemade Face Masks for Oily Skin Oily skin can make your face constantly look shiny and embarrass you. It becomes difficult to apply make up on an oily skin. In addition oily skin is susceptible to boils and pimples and for this reason you should follow a regular skin care routine to keep your skin clean and blemish free. Try steaming your face once a week, allowing the steam rising out of a pot of hot water to blow across your face. This helps to remove the oiliness of your face. Homemade Face Mask for Oily Skin 1 You can also make it a regular practice to apply a mixture of gram flour, a pinch of turmeric and some milk on your face and neck. This helps reduce the oiliness of the skin. 2 A mixture of a tablespoon of oatmeal, a few drops of lemon juice and some milk can also be applied on the face. You can dry orange peel in the sun and grind the dried peel with some milk to make a very effective face mask. 3 The regular application of Aloe Vera gel will also remove excessive oiliness and keep your face looking clean and healthy.

Dark Lips Treatment

Dark Lips Dark lips can attract undue attention and cause embarrassment. Although you can cover this up with the application of lipstick, it makes more sense for you to use some simple home remedies to get rid of this problem so that you will have naturally pink lips. One of the most effective remedies for lightening the color of dark lips is by applying lemon juice. Lemon is known to possess bleaching qualities and this will help reduce the intensity of darkness. You can also use a mixture of cucumber juice and lemon juice. The best thing about both these treatments is that since neither of them stain they can be left on overnight. Home Remedies for Dark Lips You will find that applying Aloe Vera juice on your lips also helps reduce the darkness and keep your lips soft. You can mash a small piece of a ripe banana, add some drops of honey to it and mix in one teaspoon of sour cream. Mix in a spoon of sugar and use this as a nourishing lip scrub. Mix a few drops of honey with some lemon juice and apply this on your lips. You can also use milk cream to massage your lips. Adding a pinch of turmeric powder also helps to keep your lips healthy and blemish free. You should also accept the fact that heredity does play an important role in determining the color of our skin and lips. So, if you belong to a family that has dark lips then you should perhaps accept that your lips may never really become pink. If you have recently noticed the darkness of your lips then you should consider consulting your doctor since this could be caused by some illness. You can try using a lip stick which has sunscreen in it as this can help prevent your lips from becoming too dark. In addition you can try cutting down on your intake of tea and coffee.. Similarly increasing your intake of water can also influence the way the lips look. Make sure that you remove all traces of lipstick as soon as you get home and never leave it on overnight. Avoid using a lipstick that is past its expiration date since this could react badly with your skin. Also, if you have recently started using a new brand of lipstick and noticed the darkness after this, you should consider not using that particular brand. Sometimes your allergic reaction to the lip stick may be responsible for you lips becoming darker.

Ringworm

Ringworm Ringworm, medically known as tinea corpis, is a common skin disease caused by fungus infection. Though the name is ‘ringworm’ there is no worm involved here; it takes the name because of the characteristic circular ring that forms in this type of infection. Ringworm is not a serious disease, but it is a source of great annoyance and gives a rather unhygienic appearance. Symptoms The common symptoms of ringworm are: a round or oval rash on the skin with a healthy looking area at the center, slightly raised surface with pink scaly skin, itchiness and inflammation. Ringworm can attack any part of the body; a particular variety of ringworm affects the scalp as well. Causes The fungal infection happens when the parasitic fungus starts to live on the outer layer of the skin. The infection can be acquired through different mediums – human to human, animal to human, object to human, and soil to human. Ringworm is contagious in nature and care should be taken to avoid direct contact with an infected person or animal. Ringworm needs to be treated appropriately with proper medication. There are several anti-fungal medications available in the form of topical or oral medicine. Consult a dermatologist and get a suitable dose of medication for a speedy recovery. It is important to treat ringworm in time because untreated ringworm can spread over a large skin area and can become chronic. Chronic ringworm is increasingly difficult to get rid of. Ringworm Remedies and Home treatment There are also some common home remedies that you can try out to treat ringworm. • Apply raw turmeric juice on the infected area to get rid of ringworm. Additionally, you should also consume raw turmeric juice mixed with honey. If raw turmeric is not available, you can also use a paste of turmeric powder to apply on the skin. Wait till the paste dries up and then wash off the area with cold water. • Rub raw papaya slices on the ringworm patch and also apply a paste of dried papaya seeds on the infected skin. You may experience mild irritation while rubbing papaya on the skin, but it will cease after some time. • Soak mustard seeds overnight in water and then take out the soaked seeds in the morning to grind and make a paste. Apply this paste on the infected skin and leave till it dries up. Once the paste has dried, wash off the skin with cold water. Use this method regularly each day to get rid of ringworms.