264
15.3 Concept of Functional Food in Unani System
of Medicine
In Unani System of Medicine, there is a unique concept of Food Medicine (Dawā’
Ghidhā’ī) and Medicinal Food (Ghidhā’ Dawā’ī). Substances used primarily for
their medicinal properties but also having nutritional value are called Food Medicine.
They not only treat a disease but also nourish the patient e.g. Almond (Prunus
amygdalus), Fig (Ficus carica), Halwa-e- magzsarkunjashk, Halwae Salab, Maul
shaeer etc. The substances which are used primarily as food but also have some
medicinal properties are known as Medicinal Food like e.g. Egg, Bengal gram etc.
They have the advantage of being very safe. Unani System of Medicine lays great
stress on treating certain ailments by administration of specific diets or by regulating the quality and quantity of food. In addition to nutritional properties, various
foods have pharmacological actions too (Central Council for Research in Unani
Medicine: http://ccrum.res.in/writereaddata/UploadFile/Dossier_1325.pdf accessed
on 30/02/2019). Mizaj (Temperament: A quality that is produced by action and reaction of opposite qualities of elements which are broken up in small particles in order
to facilitate their mixing. When these components interact among themselves, a
condition is produced, which is found in equal proportion in all the particles of the
compound) is one of the fundamental components of Unani system of medicine.
The Mizaj of drugs have been expressed in terms of four kaifiyat (qualities) viz. har
(hot), barid (cold), yabis (dry) and ratab (moist) (Makbul et al. 2018).
15.4 Brief Description of Cereals and Grains in Unani
System of Medicine
Diettherapy involves recommending a specific diet, which is the simplest and most
natural course of treatment by a Hakim (traditional healer). For example, in fever
Unani medicine stresses a nutrient rich, low roughage diet that might include Dalia
(porridge) and kheer (a milk broth), as such type of diets are found to be very effective. Before initiation of treatment through drugs, Unani physicians as per their
belief, advice restriction or alteration in daily diets, as this pattern should be adjusted
according to disease. Sometimes they wait for few days, because some diseases can
be cured even by diet so advised, and even during the drug therapy, specific diets are
advised according to disease (National Health portal, India: https://www.nhp.gov.
in/ilaj-bil-ghiza-dietotherapy-_mtl accessed on 14-12-2018). There are many classical books (literature) in Unani system of medicine that describe cereals, grains and
millets such as Al qanoon fit Tib, Kitabul Mansuri, Kamilu Sana, Al Jami lil
Mufradatwal Advia wal Aghzia (Ibn Sina 2007; Al Razi 1991; Ibn al Baitar 1999;
Majoosi 2010).
S. A. A. Makbul et al.
15.3 Concept of Functional Food in Unani System
of Medicine
In Unani System of Medicine, there is a unique concept of Food Medicine (Dawā’
Ghidhā’ī) and Medicinal Food (Ghidhā’ Dawā’ī). Substances used primarily for
their medicinal properties but also having nutritional value are called Food Medicine.
They not only treat a disease but also nourish the patient e.g. Almond (Prunus
amygdalus), Fig (Ficus carica), Halwa-e- magzsarkunjashk, Halwae Salab, Maul
shaeer etc. The substances which are used primarily as food but also have some
medicinal properties are known as Medicinal Food like e.g. Egg, Bengal gram etc.
They have the advantage of being very safe. Unani System of Medicine lays great
stress on treating certain ailments by administration of specific diets or by regulating the quality and quantity of food. In addition to nutritional properties, various
foods have pharmacological actions too (Central Council for Research in Unani
Medicine: http://ccrum.res.in/writereaddata/UploadFile/Dossier_1325.pdf accessed
on 30/02/2019). Mizaj (Temperament: A quality that is produced by action and reaction of opposite qualities of elements which are broken up in small particles in order
to facilitate their mixing. When these components interact among themselves, a
condition is produced, which is found in equal proportion in all the particles of the
compound) is one of the fundamental components of Unani system of medicine.
The Mizaj of drugs have been expressed in terms of four kaifiyat (qualities) viz. har
(hot), barid (cold), yabis (dry) and ratab (moist) (Makbul et al. 2018).
15.4 Brief Description of Cereals and Grains in Unani
System of Medicine
Diettherapy involves recommending a specific diet, which is the simplest and most
natural course of treatment by a Hakim (traditional healer). For example, in fever
Unani medicine stresses a nutrient rich, low roughage diet that might include Dalia
(porridge) and kheer (a milk broth), as such type of diets are found to be very effective. Before initiation of treatment through drugs, Unani physicians as per their
belief, advice restriction or alteration in daily diets, as this pattern should be adjusted
according to disease. Sometimes they wait for few days, because some diseases can
be cured even by diet so advised, and even during the drug therapy, specific diets are
advised according to disease (National Health portal, India: https://www.nhp.gov.
in/ilaj-bil-ghiza-dietotherapy-_mtl accessed on 14-12-2018). There are many classical books (literature) in Unani system of medicine that describe cereals, grains and
millets such as Al qanoon fit Tib, Kitabul Mansuri, Kamilu Sana, Al Jami lil
Mufradatwal Advia wal Aghzia (Ibn Sina 2007; Al Razi 1991; Ibn al Baitar 1999;
Majoosi 2010).
S. A. A. Makbul et al.