History of Medicine

One of the key elements of yoga is breathing exercises; in fact, many claim breathing techniques called pranayama form the foundation of yoga as one of its eight pillars, along with asanas (exercises), meditation.  Pranayama is derived from Sanskrit words,  prana meaning "life force" and yama meaning "control." So essentially it means controlling your life force. (More on the life force concept to follow, but I also covered it in a previous post which can be found at https://ancientmedicina.blogspot.com/2020/09/vital-energy-in-ancient-medicine.html)  One of the pranayama exercises used in yoga is called  Nadi Shodhana  which means purification of the channel or flow in Sanskrit. It requires timed deep inhaling and exhaling from alternate nostrils repeatedly. While pranayama is common practice for anyone with knowledge of yoga (including my family), what is not widely known is the real medical benefits of this breathing technique. Many people do it because it is p

While on the topic of exercise and health, one cannot ignore the growing popularity of yoga in medicine. Its health benefits have been touted in alternative medicine for many years, but yoga is finally being embraced by clinical western medicine. Consisting of a series of "asanas" or stretching exercises, deep breathing, and mental focus, yoga is known to release stress and relax the body and mind. Researchers have now found direct evidence that yoga can indeed have a quantifiable effect to treat a number of diseases. The biggest benefit yoga has is on cardiovascular health. The ability of yoga to reduce stress has a direct correlation to heart health because stress releases hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, which narrow the arteries and increase blood pressure. Yoga also increases blood circulation, which further helps cardiovascular health. And there is data to prove this. A 2014 controlled group study showed that the group practicing yoga had lower total cholesterol a

Belated Happy Valentine's Day and Happy Lupercalia today! Lupercalia is the equivalent of Valentine's Day in Classical times. Celebrated on February 15 during the ancient Roman days, as far back as the 6th century BC, the feast of Lupercalia marked the arrival of spring. The celebrations entailed fertility celebrations and coupling with the traditional animal sacrifices and feasting.  Mosaic depicting Lupercalia ritual of hitting woman with goat skin for fertility The celebration involved a sacrificial goat whose hide was cut into strips (called thongs!) which were then taken by the luperci (priests) around town whipping women (naked no less) with them. The symbolic beating was thought to enhance fertility in women. Because it focused on couples, Lupercalia is thought to have served as the inspiration for the modern Valentine's Day. Valentines' Day became an official celebration when Pope Gelasius I of Rome, in A.D. 496, banned Lupercalia as a pagan ritual and declared

Feeling happy causes you to smile, but is the opposite also true? Apparently so. Smiling (even forced) can trick the brain into feeling happy! This is because a smile and the resulting contraction of the facial muscles have a neurobiological effect on the brain by triggering a chemical reaction that releases certain hormones like dopamine and serotonin, both of which are associated with mental health. A low level of either hormone can cause depression, and conversely releasing these hormones can reduce depression. Dopamine specifically increases the feeling of happiness, while serotonin reduces stress and anxiety. While the effect of smiling on mental health is perhaps not that surprising, what is even more interesting is that a simple smile can also improve physical health in several ways:  Boosts the immune system Reduces blood pressure  Lowers heart rate Releases endorphins, which are natural pain relievers And all this is simply from the physical act of smiling; the brain cannot di

Today is National Women Physicians Day. It commemorates the birthday of Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell, who was the first woman to receive a medical degree in the United States, back in 1869. Today is a celebration in honor of not just her but all the terrific women that have paved the way for women like me to consider a future in medicine.  Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell Although we now have women representing over 35% of the physicians in the U.S. and growing steadily, it was a difficult path paved with prejudice and opposition. It took great fortitude on her part to gain admission to a medical college (she was rejected by 10 schools and accepted by the college she attended only because they thought it was a joke!) and later practice medicine. As hard as it was for women in recent history to become doctors, the practice was not so shocking in ancient times. The first female physician in western medicine was Metrodora, a Greek doctor who lived around 200-400 CE. She not only treated patients and pi

Chinese New Year (CNY) is the most important holiday celebrated in China and other East and Southeast Asian countries including Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Indonesia, Mongolia, Brunei, Phillippines, and East Timor.  Also known as the "Spring Festival," it is the start of the new year according to the lunar calendar. The holiday began as a time for celebration and feasting and to honor heavenly deities and ancestors. Although it is the coldest time of the year, it marks a turning point in the seasons, when people begin to look forward to spring, which symbolizes new beginnings and fresh starts.  The Chinese believe that what you do on this day will have an effect on your life in the coming year, so here are a few traditions that are followed on Lunar New Year.  Avoid taking medicine or visiting the hospital: It is considered taboo to take any medicine or see a doctor on the first day of the new year, because it will bring bad hea

The medicine ball or fitness ball is such a common sight in gyms that we take it for granted. For those who don't frequent gyms, a medicine ball is a slightly heavy (weighted) ball used for strength training. It is also used in sports medicine and physical therapy to improve strength and neuromuscular coordination. Modern exercise with a medicine ball While it looks like a modern concept, its origin can actually be traced back to ancient Greece and Hippocrates who used such balls to help injured people regain mobility. Of course, the original version differed from the modern medicine ball -- the balls Hippocrates gave his patients were made from stuffed animal skins or bladders filled with sand. Galen also wrote extensively about them in the self-explanatorily named treatise,  On Exercise with a Small Ball, noting: The form of exercise most deserving of our attention is therefore that  which has the  capacity  to provide health of the body, harmony of the parts, and virtue in the s