First, I have three stories for you,
 
Story I: SMON [1]
 
Back in the 1950s, a frightening epidemic struck Japan. The mysterious neurological disease affected middle-aged individuals, mainly women, causing progressive paralysis and in some cases led to slow agonizing death. Due to the symptomatic resemblance with polio, doctors suspected that the disease is caused by a similar virus. Still, nothing could be done to stop the epidemic and the annual number of cases was steadily on the rise.
 
In 1964, the Japanese Society of Internal Medicine assigned a formal name and standardized diagnosis to the newly born -yet still mysterious- disease, Subacute MyeloOptico-Neuropathy (SMON). With time, evidences started piling up against the virus theory: for instance, some researchers noticed that the disease did not cause any detectable change in biological fluids, almost never affected children, wasn’t accompanied by rash, fever, or inflammation (the usual signs that the immune system is fighting an invading pathogen), and most intriguingly, a survey showed that all patients were prescribed some form of anti-diarrheal medication before the appearance of their symptoms. Nevertheless, this information and collected data were brushed aside, simply because they did not fit into the agreed-upon “theory.”
 
It took years for researchers to finally investigate the possibility that SMON symptoms are the side effect of Clioquinol, a medication commonly used mainly by Japanese women to control diarrhea. They found that the epidemic started shortly after the approval of the drug production in Japan.
 
I believe that what saved the day was the humility of the people in charge. Reisaku Kono, the doctor assigned for the investigation of the disease, although a virologist himself, he wasn’t reluctant to investigate alternative hypotheses. And, in early 1970, the Japanese Ministry of Health took the prompt action of releasing the newly found information to the press causing many physicians to stop prescribing Clioquinol even before the drug could be officially banned in Japan by a later date this same year. The number of cases dropped drastically henceforth and by 1973, the epidemic was over.
 
 
Story II: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome[2]
 
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) first appeared as an outbreak in mid 1930s. It affected 198 hospital staff (surprisingly not patients) at the Los Angeles County General Hospital. For years, it remained a mysterious illness and was given the name Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME), which was later, despite the objection of the sufferers, changed to CFS. Labeling it “fatigue” somehow carried an underlying blame suggesting that the patients are lazy and ultimately referring them to psychiatrists.
 
In 2009, Judy Mikovits and Frank Ruscetti isolated a newly discovered retrovirus XMRV (Xenotropic Murine Leukemia Virus-Related Virus), and demonstrated its association with ME/CFS. Their research showed that the retrovirus, which is originally found in mice, made its way into the human population. But, how? Animal virus has been there for years and humans have been in contact with mice forever. Why did this jump happen now? And, how?
 
Other curious researchers started digging deeper into early data only to reveal that the entire medical staff at the Los Angeles County Hospital where ME/CFS first appeared had received polio vaccination just prior to the outbreak. What was different, though, was that, for the first time, the polio vaccine preparation used mice brain tissues to grow the virus. Additionally, the hospital staffs were injected with an immune booster carrying a mercury-containing preservative.
 
Dr. Mikovits suggests that the jump to human happened through the contaminated vaccines. And, if this is the case, then by now more than 10 million Americans are carrying the virus… a dormant ticking bomb that could be activated at any time by an immune system disruptor such as stress, inflammation, infections, immune boosters, toxicity (mercury, lead, Asbestos, pesticides…) or, guess what, more vaccinations. Additionally, most retroviruses (like HIV – the virus linked to AIDS) are known to affect the immune functions increasing susceptibility to various diseases including cancer.
And, there is more. Dr. Mikovits’ subsequent research suggested that mothers affected by ME/CFS are at an increased risk of having their children falling on the autistic spectrum. In one of her studies, fourteen of the seventeen children with Autism whose mothers suffered from ME/CFS tested positive for the virus (XMRV). Dr. Mikovits sees that, “those findings dovetailed with parental reports of autistic regression following vaccination [which might have activated the dormant virus that was passed from mother to child]. Subsequent studies linked XMRV to epidemics in leukemia, prostate cancer, autoimmune disease, and the explosion of Alzheimer’s disease.”
 
 
Story III: HIV[3]
 
Scientists agree that Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), the virus that is currently linked to AIDS, originated from the Simian Immunodeficiency Virus (SIV), a monkey or chimpanzee virus. But, again, the question remains how did SIV made its way into the human population? The theory that we have been told (or sold) is that the virus jumped into human through Africans eating under-cooked chimpanzees.  But, Africans have been cooking and eating monkeys and chimpanzees for thousands of years. Why now?
 
Another theory was popularized by Edward Hooper in his book, The River: A Journey to the Source of HIV and AIDS. Hooper research led him to an incident back in 1957 when scientists used chimpanzees’ kidney cells and sera to grow polio vaccine. The produced vaccine was then administered orally to nearly one million Africans in Belgian Congo.  Could this be the route through which SIV found its way into human population? This definitely sounds like a more probable theory, but one that would cost pharmaceutical companies and medical establishment billions of dollars in lost revenues and law suits. AIDS epidemic went on to affect 60 million people worldwide claiming the life of at least 39 million victims.
 
____________________________
 
Ok, so now, let me put things straight. I am not against evidence-based science, pharmaceutical medications, or vaccines in general. And, I am not trying to convince anyone of anything, especially my fellow pharmacists who probably by now are calling me a crazy conspiracy theorist. Believe me, I know that the above stories, although totally genuine- are based on their own theories that bear their share of bias or speculations.  All I am trying to do is to show you that there is a whole world outside the tiny virus or vaccination box that we are squeezing ourselves into.
 
For instance,

• It has already been established that population at high risk of contacting the COVID-19 are those having other health conditions, which most probably means that they have already been on other medications. Did anyone survey those conditions and those medications?
• We know that ACE (Angiotensin Converting Enzyme) receptors are somehow involved in COVID access to the cells which raises the flag about ACE Inhibitors, the famous medications used for hypertension.  Accumulated data is showing that the people at highest risk are the ones suffering from hypertension and cardiovascular conditions. Did anyone investigate how many of the COVID victims were on ACE inhibitors?
• There are some studies concerning the role of vitamin D and the mitochondrial involvement. Did we test vitamin D deficiency in victims? And, what about Co-enzyme Q10 deficiency caused by the famous cholesterol lowering medications?
• Also, are diabetic patients more susceptible and immuno-compromised because of their medical condition or because of vitamin B12 depletion caused by the anti-diabetic medications they are receiving? As it is well known that vitamin B12 plays an essential role in human immune function.
• Further, why is the disease rampant in Long Time Care facilities? Is it because of the old age or are the elderly more likely to follow ministry guidelines of receiving the flu vaccine every year? Are we even willing to go there?

 
Vaccination is based on the idea that we could “prime our immune system with weakened or dead pathogens in order to deal with any challenges that might come our way over the course of a lifetime.” But, Dr. Mikovits raises the question whether we are overkilling a good idea causing irreversible damage and catastrophic consequences. Two of the above stories involve the polio vaccine. Yet, mind you, “every vaccine has been grown in animal tissue, usually of several different species, including monkey, mouse, bird, and cow. Each one of these cross-species events has the potential to transfer a pathogen to humans, or to create some new strain that can cause harm. We have fired several billion bullets of biological ammunition at the human species, and it is the height of arrogance to believe we have cause zero damage.” [4] And, then, there is the added risk of the chemicals in the vaccines, like mercury (which is still added to the flu shot) and aluminum (which is added as immune booster to many of the current vaccines) and the other adjuvants and preservatives.
 
It is extremely difficult and even impossible to do proper research when the outliers are denied funding and their data is censored. It is extremely difficult and even impossible to do proper research when the whistle blowers are brutally silenced and the truth is lost among the loud noise of the propaganda spread by the money-making machines.
 
If we could learn anything from the SMON story (besides humility), it would be to never ignore the data that does not fit into our currently acceptable framework. I am not implying that there is no virus involved. But, what if the virus in itself is a weak, low-harm entity? What if it was a mere straw that broke the camel’s back? If the virus hadn’t put those patients at risk, 100s of other causes would have affected their already poor health and compromised immunity. Why, then, are we focusing on the straw and ignoring the whole load of sh*t that the camel has already been carrying for a long time?
 
Basically, this is what I am trying to say:

• There could be many causes for a disease or an illness – the virus is probably the straw that breaks the camel’s back.
• The disease model does not work – We need to shift our focus on a health and wellness model instead.
• Human system is way more complicated than Newtonian mechanics of cause and effect – we are not machines.

 
One thing we know for sure from all the years of virology studies: the ONLY conqueror of a virus – any virus- is our own immune system. Even a vaccine won’t do its job if you don’t have a healthy immune system. So, let’s do our part. Let’s focus on our health, on the load of sh*t we are carrying so that the straw would not break our backs, whether this straw is a virus, a bacterium, a UFO, or a genie from a lamp… It doesn’t matter! We need to deal with:

• The physical and environmental toxins (including the witch brew we are getting from vaccines)
• The emotional, spiritual, and mental toxins (including the fear-mongering propaganda)
• The nutrient deficiency and depletion (including the one caused by drug muggers, genetically engineered and empty-calories foods)

 
Scientists make mistakes sometimes. Good intentions does not prevent good scientists from erring and some of those errors cost us lives… Millions of lives.
 
During the past few decades, science has achieved amazing leaps in technology. Yet, we did not use this technology to build on the cosmological model of reality we inherited from thousands of years of traditional, religious, and cultural wisdom. Instead, we’ve torn down this colossal edifice and arrogantly replaced it with our newly born theories. We considered ourselves smarter than our predecessors and we placed human beings as the sole proprietors of this vast universe. Meanwhile, ironically, we denied these sole proprietors the dignity the Divine has bestowed upon them and we reduced them to mere animals on a Darwinian evolution chain with their only privilege being a frontal cortex that allows them to logically and analytically think and control nature. We robbed them off “The Rational Faculties of the Soul” that allows for imagination, estimation, abstraction, and reflection. Instead, we gave them a concrete, predictable, and linear Newtonian cosmos that further disconnected them from their Creator, from one another, and from their own souls.
 
All great traditional cultures and world religions bear a mystical, mythical component that takes human beings beyond the constraints of physicality and connect them to a Greater Power, a higher meaning, meanwhile grounding them in humility as they are constantly reminded of their human limitations and vulnerabilities. The Quran describes the believers as “those who believe in the unseen.” There will always be an “unseen.” There is a limit to our human knowledge. The idea that we are learning more and more everyday until we will reach “The Theory of Everything” is pure arrogance. The craving for learning is weaved into our DNA, it is part of being human. But, let us not forget the fact that we are mere human.
 
Being an advocate for tradition and for the restoration of the human “soul” does not make me less of a scientist. I am a scientist at heart. I am passionate about pharmaceutics, biochemistry, and human metabolic reactions. I’ve taught them for years. Holding on to tradition does not mean rejecting modern technology, evidence-based research, and scientific advancement. It means finding the balance. Restoring human position in the cosmos as guardians and vicegerents not as controllers and entitled dominators. It means restoring human dignity by reconnecting with “the breath of the Divine” we all carry within us … A breath that urges us to focus on “first do no harm” – no harm to human beings, to nature, to any of God’s creatures and creations … A breath that makes us set aside our political and economic agenda in order for us to be:

• Humble rather than arrogant
• Servants rather then entitled
• Compassionate rather than controlling
• Loving rather than destroyers.

 
Professor Albert Szent-Gyorgyi, the father of biochemistry and the Nobel prize winner for his isolation of vitamin C molecule, wrote in his autobiography: “Nature has no bottom. If Nature puts two things together she produces something new with new qualities, which cannot be expressed in terms of qualities of the components. […] At every level we find something new, a new breathtaking vista. So now, at 68, I am to work my way up again following electrons in their motion through more extensive systems, hoping to arrive, someday, at an understanding of the cellular level of organization.”  This is what I call humility! And, this is what I see missing from the modern-day approach to nature, medicine, and the human body. Modern science has given us so many amazingly sophisticated and advanced wonderful tools that weren’t meant to rob us off our humility (or humanity). They were meant to show us this “new breathtaking vista” that should have made us even more humble.
 
To find answers to our current health crisis, we need to set aside our personal interests and political and economic agendas… We need to be humble enough to look outside the constraints of been-there-done-that-I-am-the-expert box that we are squeezing ourselves into.
 
May God help and guide us all. Amen.

_____________________________
[1] Peter Duesberg. Inventing The AIDS Virus. Washigton, D. C. Regnery Publishing, 1996.
[2] Judy Mikovits and Kent Heckenlively. Plague of Corruption: Restoring Faith in the Promise of Science.  New York: Skyhorse Publishing, 2020.
[3] Ibid.
[4] Ibid.

​Many of the physical and pharmaceutical knowledge as we know it is built on theories, an estimated view of the world that we’ve been sold and naively embraced as “truth” while all who suggested it know for sure that these are mere theories.

• The neurotransmitters theory of mental illness -on which the whole biochemical treatment model is based- is a mere theory.
• Human Immune Virus (HIV) is the cause of AIDS is a mere theory
• Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) causes cervical cancer is a another theory
• Cholesterol medications lower the risk of heart attack is a theory (or maybe even a myth)
• And, PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) which is currently used to test and detect COVID-19 cases is yet another theory.

 
Since we started the so-called “War on Cancer”, cancer cases are on the rise. Since we launched into the technological and industrial era, chronic illnesses are booming. Our medical model managed to add years to our lives but robbed those years off quality and dignity. What’s the use of more years if we are crippled by chronic illnesses and pains, our identity erased by dementia and Alzheimer, or our life savings depleted by polypharmacy?
 
Does conflict of interest even mean anything when the World Health Organization (WHO), the medical research and physicians’ continuous education are funded by the companies that sell the drugs?  
Does conflict of interest even mean anything when no proper funding is available to research natural alternatives to the toxic pharmaceuticals because the fact that they are natural makes them un-patentable, and thus they are not money & power generating machine.
 
As we removed God from our Cosmos, we excluded the soul from healthcare and butchered morality out of medical and psychological interventions. We stripped meaning out of our lives, out of our conversations and we replaced our words with empty “plastic words” that sound smart and sophisticated but lack substance and ground.
We are feeding our bodies with empty calories and genetically modified toxins. We are disrupting our delicate human electromagnetic field with microwaves and 5G “technology.” We are feeding our minds on propaganda of fear-mongering pseudoscience. And, we are further depleting our souls with disconnection and addictions.
Our media and propaganda machine managed to silence all voices of reason and punish any whistle blower labeling any objections and freedom of speech as “conspiracy theory.”
 
Where are we heading as a society?
 
COVID-19 managed to bring the world to a halt and for a good reason. It is a scary and real health threat. I am not among those who are claiming that it is all a fear-mongering tactic. No. The disease is real. The death and loss and grief and pain are real. But are we still chasing ghosts? Are we still looking for answers in all the wrong places? Are we repeating the AIDS disaster?
 
Professor Kary B. Mullis, the receiver of Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1993 for his invention of PCR (the technique on which today’s COVID-19 testing is based), wrote “We have not been able to discover any good reasons why most of the people on earth believe that AIDS is a disease caused by a virus called HIV. There is simply no scientific evidence demonstrating that this is true.” Mullis goes on to describe his astonishment at how doctors still base their diagnosis and prescription of treatment on this now considered “fact.” In other words, we were faced with a real life threatening illness (AIDS), we hypothesized that a virus (HIV) is the cause of that illness and we based all our subsequent decisions and actions on that hypothesis so much so that, with time, we even forgot the fact that this was a mere hypothesis, a theory that still bears many flaws and raises lots of questions. No wonder scientists have never been able to develop a vaccine nor find a real treatment for AIDS.
 
The current tragedy brings to mind the words of Peter Duesburg, the professor of molecular and cell biology at the University of California, Berkeley, talking about the AIDS epidemic, he said, “The answers to the epidemic do not lie in increased funding or efforts to make science more productive. The answers will instead be found by reinterpreting existing information. Science's most important task, much more than unearthing new data, is to make sense of the data already in hand. Without going back to check its underlying assumptions, [we] will never make sense of its mountains of raw data.”
 
But, today, are we able and willing to “check the underlying assumption”? Are we able and willing to shake the status quo?
 
John Maddox, the editor of Nature, the world's oldest scientific journal, wrote, “Is there a danger, in molecular biology, that the accumulation of data will get so far ahead of its assimilation into a conceptual framework that the data will eventually prove an encumbrance? Part of the trouble is that excitement of the chase leaves little room for reflection. And there are grants for producing data, but hardly any for standing back in contemplation.”
 
I hope that after this acute phase of the COVID-19 pandemic passes, we would take the time “for standing back in contemplation.” I hope that as this pandemic was an invitation for all of us, on the individual level, to reorganize our life and recheck our priorities, it would also be an invitation for our scrupulous conscientious scientists, researchers, pharmacists, and physicians to reflect, contemplate, and “check the underlying assumptions.”
 
May God help and guide us all. Amen.

It took a global pandemic to force us to pause our fast-paced life, slow down the mad pursuit for ever more, and to replace our FOMO (Fear of Missing out) with a legitimate fear for our simple ability to breathe… a priceless luxury that we all took for granted.
It took a global pandemic to make us realize how lonely and empty our modern lifestyle really is…
It took a global pandemic to make us face this dark lifeless spot that lurked deep beneath the surface of our hearts and lay at the core of our being perfectly camouflaged that we failed to see it for what it really is… Depression!
 
Depression, loneliness, and emptiness became the “modern maladies of the soul.”[1] Studies show that when we are depressed, being alone exasperates the feelings of vulnerability, helplessness, and powerlessness. While, as we progress in healing our depression, we start viewing loneliness as a sign of autonomy, self-worth, and independence.[2] Yet, in this time of social/physical distancing and social isolation we are forced to face the question: are loneliness and emptiness causing our depression, or are they caused by it?
 
We might be tempted to think that we need to treat depression for those feelings to resolve. Yet, how can we treat depression without resolving such feelings of emptiness, vulnerability, and loneliness?
 
Paul Gilbert, the British clinical psychologist, identifies powerlessness and lack of belonging as two basic social constructs that pave the way for depression.[3] Powerlessness, in our context, could be defined as the loss of control and the inability to achieve significant goals, to form meaningful relationships, to escape unacceptable social situations, and/or to prove our value and worth.[4] Holly Nelson-Becker, the Professor at Department of Clinical Sciences at Brunel University London, invites us to look at powerlessness in itself as a part of the learning journey that requires deep reflection; “perhaps a part of the learning is that [we] must wait in powerlessness,” she suggests.[5] Sometimes, down periods in life are periods of spiritual transformation and opportunities for growth. Could COVID-19 pandemic present us with such opportunity?
 
Even before this pandemic, our modern lifestyle had sentenced many, or even most, of us to a meaningless lonely life. It forced us to be largely disconnected: disconnected from our family members who may be living under the same roof…  disconnected from our own self, our passions and true purposes… disconnected from the Bigger Picture, bigger life meaning… disconnected from our environment and our earth… disconnected from our community and society… disconnected from the Divine source of energy and love… We were living on an autopilot, running all day long like a lonely hamster on a wheel. In this whirlwind of loneliness, no wonder we feel excluded from active participation and engagement in a meaningful life experience. Sebastian Junger, in his book Tribe, notes how history has never witnessed such high rates of depression and mental illnesses. As opposed to the traditional tribal culture where everyone is involved in a meaningful community role and purpose, modern Western culture, makes us feel un-necessary and unimportant.[6]
 
Loneliness is radically different from solitude. Loneliness is not about being alone; it is rather about the lack of belonging and the feeling of unworthiness.[7] As human beings, we need to feel that we belong to a family and a community that respect our needs and acknowledge our contribution.[8] Yet, our self-image and self-worth determine how we perceive and interact with such family and community. Our sense of belonging thus starts within ourselves, within our own hearts, by clearly defining and acknowledging our own aspirations, expectations, drives, and vulnerabilities.
Avicenna (d. 428/1037), the famous Muslim physician, teaches that healing depression should start by healing the heart, physically, emotionally, and spiritually,[9] an opinion that reflects the teachings of Prophet Muhammad: “In the body, there is a morsel which if healthy, causes the health of the whole body; and if it sickens, it causes the sickness of the whole body; this is the heart”.[10]
 
James Fowler sees that some of us, as we advance in age, we might feel ready to move into an advanced stage of faith that takes us beyond the dualistic, reductionist mentality and causes us to start integrating meanings and signs, dialoguing with ourselves, and being at peace with our human limitations. Fowler sees trust as the central theme of this stage, which necessitates a paradigm shift whereupon we start to re-work our past and integrate all aspects of our identity. At this higher stage of faith, we are comfortable with ambiguity. We approach life with awe and reverence seeing the wisdom in every experience even the most tragic ones.[11] With this paradigm shift, we learn to relax expectations, to give greater weight on momentary joys, to experience life more deeply, and to balance healthy attachments with detachments and engagement with relinquishing.[12] Most importantly, this paradigm shift involves self-reflection inviting us to connect with our feelings on a much deeper level.
 
Henri Nouwen teaches that when we reach deeper into our hearts, we sit in deep reflection with our powerlessness and listen to “that place within us where our deepest desires align with God’s desire.”[13] And, following Avicenna’s advice, deep reflection eases our depression and loneliness by initiating a venture towards a sound heart, qalb salīm  (Qur’an, 26:89). A sound heart is one that is sincerely filled with the truth of Divine Oneness and free from doubts, desires, vice, ignorance, and arrogance; an empowered heart that has surrendered entirely to the Divine and that wishes for others all good that it wishes for itself.[14]
 
During this challenging time of physical distancing and self-isolation, as the human race is forced to face its powerlessness and helplessness, as we are forced to face the dark maladies of our souls, I pray that we make use of this compulsory pause to initiate our self-reflective healing journey and delve deeper into our souls searching for the meanings of true connections: connection with our true selves, with our family, with our community, with our earth, with our God and with all God’s creatures and creations. May God bless and guide us all. Amen.

-----------------------------------
[1] Nelson-Becker, H. (2016). Spirituality, religion and aging: Illuminations for therapeutic practice. London: Sage.
[2] Pierce, L. L., Wilkinson, L. K., & Anderson, J. (2003). Analysis of the Concept of Aloneness as Applied to Older Women Being Treated For Depression. Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 29 (7), 20-25.
[3] Gilbert, P. (2009). Depression and Powerlessness. New York: Routledge.
[4] Ibid.
[5] Nelson-Becker, 2016.
[6] Junger, S. (2016). Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging. New York: Harpercollins.
[7] Vanier, J. (2010). Becoming Human. Toronto: House of Anansi Press.
[8] Ramadan, T. (2012). The Quest For Meaning: Developing a Philosophy of Pluralism. London: Penguin Books
[9] Yousofpour, M., Kamalinejad, M., Esfahani, M. M., Shams, J., Tehrani, H. H., & Bahrami, M. (2015). Role of Heart and Its Diseases in the Etiology of Depression According to Avicenna's Point of View and Its Comparison With Views of Classic Medicine. International Journal of Preventative Medicine 6 (49).
[10] Related by Bukhārī and Muslim
[11] Fowler, J. (1995). Stages of Faith: The Psychology of Human Development And the Quest for meaning. New York: HarperOne.
[12] Nelson-Becker, 2016.
[13] Nouwen, H. (2013). Discernment: Reading The Signs of Daily Life. New York: HarperOne.
[14] Nasr, S. H. (2015). The Study Quran: A New Translation and Commentary. New York: HarperOne.

​His student asked his permission to treat his cataract. “You taught us,” he pleaded hoping that the great 10th  century physician would accept. But Rhazes denied, “I’ve seen enough of this world,“ he replied. Weeks later, Rhazes (Abu Bakr al-Razi) , the greatest physician of his time, passed away in his bed… Blind… and broke.
 
Could blindness be a choice? Blindness to the cruelty the world and suffering of the soul…
Blindness is not a mere loss of eyesight. Many of us unconsciously live blind... looking yet not seeing… And, others choose to deliberately live blind. Their world is too harsh to endure otherwise. Our heroine is one of them. For years, she chose to live blind. She turned off the light, put down the blinds, and closed her eyes. She lived in her tiny cocoon isolated from the world. She felt safer this way… warmer in a cold-hearted world… richer in a poor-spirited community… peaceful in a violent surrounding… But, soon the darkness seeped into her soul… eroded her body and sucked the life out of her… She was dead inside. Every morning, she drew the most beautiful smile on her face and went on with her daily duties…
 
Joseph Campbell, in his Hero’s Journey, would call this phase the Innermost Cave… Christian mystics call it the dark night of the soul… and the Sufis call it contraction… Yet, in all those traditions, this phase is not the end of the journey. It is just the beginning. It is “God’s silence and our own – working as an entryway into an unmediated experience of the Divine.” It is this “wondrous night that beckons us all into a fuller, more intimate experience of the Divine. So much that sustains our lives and souls can only happen in the dark of night.”[1]
Campbell’s hero’s transformation only take place after the hero acknowledges his vulnerability taking all the time he needs in his Innermost Cave. Like herbs releasing their medicine only after percolating for weeks into the dark cold menstruum, our soul finds its elixir into the darkest contraction of our hearts.

​The ancient Yin and Yang symbol holds a light dot in its dark swirl – reminding us of the ever presence of hope in the midst of suffering. It also depicts a dark dot in its light swirl – reminding us to remain humble in times of brightness and growth… “In order that you do not despair over what has eluded you and not over-exult in pride over what God has given you” (Q. 57: 23). ​

​Our suffering requires courage to keep going. It requires patience, flexibility, and trust. Our darkest moments help us slow down, reflect at, and absorb life lessons, challenges, and trials.  It helps us find the perfect rhythm that sets in coherence our inner-self with our outer reality… that synchronizes our heart with the delicate flow of life, with all its ups and downs, joys and sorrows. Yet, to reach this heart coherence, we need to mollify our brain endless chatter… We need the silence of our Innermost Cave in order for us to hear the whispers of our soul… we need to be willing to open our heart to receive the subtle grace that the Divine offers us every step along your way.
 
Yes, blindness is a choice… but our heroine does not have to choose it… We do not have to choose it… We can choose, instead, to shut our eyes and retreat in our Innermost Cave for as long as we need to… We’re not turning blind eyes… We’re closed for restoration!
_______________________
[1] Robert H. Hopcke, “Spiritual direction and mystical experience,” in Sharing Sacred Stories.

It is estimated that nearly one quarter of Canadians suffer from hypertension, a leading risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. But, it is interesting to know that most cases of hypertension are classified as primary or essential hypertension, which means that the exact reason for blood pressure rise is not known.
 
Although conventional medicine attribute the cause of hypertension to dietary choices, sedentary lifestyle and stress, traditional medicines have always added a deeper mystical understanding. In traditional medicine, blood is our lifeline. The smooth flow of blood in our blood vessels represent a smooth, harmonious, and joyful life flow. When the flow of life is constricted/restricted, so would be the blood inside its vessels.
 
According to ancient Indian medicine, at least one of the first four main chakras are associated with hypertension problems: the root chakra, the sacral chakra, the solar plexus, and the heart chakra.

• The first chakra is your root, your foundation. It holds your primary sense of belonging – belonging to a family in its larger sense including the feeling of safety, home, peace, and harmony. The first chakra regulates musculoskeletal health along with the adrenal function, which determines our tolerance/response to stress – the adrenaline secretion that, when activated, prepare the body to fight or flee (raising heart rate, increasing blood pressure and slowing down digestion). Furthermore, chronic stress sustain the release of cortisol, a hormone that raises blood pressure, blood sugar level, causes muscle tension, and suppresses immune function.

 

• The second chakra It is the centre of creativity, joy, passion, physical and emotional intimacy, and life flow. It mainly controls sexual organs and to a large extent body fluids, a main player in the blood pressure regulation.  Our kidneys regulate water and electrolyte balances – managing blood pressure.

 

• The third chakra is the seat of your emotions. Those deep feelings of love and hate, courage and fear, acceptance and anger,... all are lodged here in your solar plexus, stored in your liver, gall bladder, and stomach. Many -or maybe most- of the malfunctions at this centre arise from repressed, unregulated or uncontrolled emotions and unmanaged life stresses. Poor digestion and nervous stomach are common disorders associated with the third chakra malfunctions. Worry, anxiety, and unmanaged daily life stresses are early signs of “gut feeling” that need to be addressed. And, stress is the main culprit in cardiovascular problems including hypertension.

 

• The fourth is the heart chakra, the centre of love with all its meanings - romantic and spiritual, physical and metaphysical. Your heart is the link between your physical realm and your spiritual one, that’s why balancing your heart energy is essential in achieving holistic balance. And, balance means taking care of whole of you: body, mind, heart & soul. The heart chakra regulates heart function and blood circulation in addition to lungs and breathing.

 
As you can see, more than one chakra is always involved in any health challenge—especially in chronic physical disorders like hypertension. Restoring your health entails managing all aspects of your life (physical, mental , emotional , and spiritual).[1]

 
Energy Restoration:
 
If you find it hard to control your blood pressure, it is time to listen closely to your own body… What is your body trying to tell you? What message is it trying to deliver? Which of the four Chakras is/are out of balance?
 
 
First Chakra

• Strengthen your support. Family support is an essential element in your foundation’s health. Think about the house you live in. How could your feel more “at home”?
• Connect with Nature.
• Be aware of your movements, especially your daily routine activities. Movement is a powerful energizer of our first chakra.
• Prepare Food for Your Family.
• Clear the Clutter. Living in a clean, orderly, and uncluttered environment is a first chakra energizer.
• Get a Foot Massage.
• Support your adrenals – Your adrenals need coenzyme Q10, vitamin C, B vitamins, and omega 3 oils.

 
Second chakra

• Water has a powerful cleansing effect on all of the energy system. You can restore your second chakra balance through bubble baths or warm showers. You can energize it by standing under the rain, going to the beach or practicing water sports like swimming and water skiing.
• Live with passion. The second chakra is the centre of creativity and life enjoyment. To energize it, you need to find pleasures, meanings and values in everyday experience. You need to step out of your comfort zone and try new stuff that makes you happy and bring you material, spiritual, mental, and emotional satisfaction.
• Adopt a New Hobby. Learning a new skill or adopting a new hobby is about adding gratification to your life and also about boosting your creative powers, the two main sides of your second chakra.
• Engage Your Senses. Let your sensual indulgence flow naturally and spontaneously throughout your daily experiences by cultivating awareness of your five senses (sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch). Although your life should be structured, planned, and organized (functions of the first chakra), it should be far from rigid. Flexibility, harmony, and flow are essential for a healthy second chakra.
• Simplify and beautify your Surrounding.

 
 
Third Chakra

• The sun is a major third chakra booster. UV rays of sunlight help lowering blood pressure, reducing cholesterol, increasing heart efficiency, boosting metabolism, increasing sex hormones levels, and sustaining the health of the eye retina.
• Finding your path, your true vocation and life calling is essential for establishing health, vitality and happiness. The journey starts here at your solar plexus by re-evaluating your resources, your strengths, your talents and potentials; by boosting your self-confidence, self-worth and self-esteem; and by committing to your true values and vocations.
• Love who you are, acknowledge your human limitations and be less critical and judgmental of yourself. Surround yourself with a loving, caring, and compassionate community. Connect with your family and friends and receive and give support. A healthy support system is essential in a stressful world.
• Breathing Exercises adjust, synchronize, and harmonize the diaphragm movement thus restoring balance not only at the third chakra level but also at whole body levels.

 
Fourth Chakra

• Awareness. The first step in restoring heart balance is actually recognizing that we are tumbling out of balance. Awareness is the key in every aspect of your life. Ironically, the more we struggle to stay in control, the less balanced we become.
• Perform a Random Acts of Kindness. Serving others feed your heart.
• Keep smiling. Studies in the field of positive psychology show that pessimism is very strongly associated with poor health and heart problems. Research has proven over and over again that the feeling of optimism, having a life meaning, mastery of your conditions and experiences, and having positive attitudes and emotions towards life are major indicators of your susceptibility to heart and cardiovascular diseases. These findings were more indicative of predicted death from heart attacks and cardiovascular problems than more conventionally stated risk factors like high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, diet and lifestyle habits, obesity, smoking, and personality types.
• Learn your love language. Love, the essential food for the heart, is a very important asset in relationship building. Dr. Gary Chapman, the author of The Five Love Languages, sees that each person understands and communicates love in his/her own language – be it gifts, acts of service, words of appreciation, physical touch… To restore your heart energy, you need to understand, receive, and deliver the right messages of love. 

 
Now, it is your turn to reflect. Which aspect(s) of those chakra energy is missing from your life?
What do you need to change/ add/ eliminate?
Listen to your body… What does it need in order to heal?
Write your own healing prescription…

________________________________
[1] It is very important to note here that if the malfunction reaches a stage where it is manifested physically, an experienced physician should be consulted. The advice given here can in no way compensate for a proper medical intervention or treatment, when such is required. 

I knew Samira for years before her breast cancer diagnosis. When she was first diagnosed, Samira was a single mother of three school-aged children. She was a hard-working janitor with no other source of income and no relatives or close friends to rely on. All she had was the tiny wage she was earning cleaning schools all week. With no medical insurance, Samira could not afford conventional medical treatment. “Either I pay for my chemotherapy or feed and educate my kids. This is not a hard choice to make, is it?” She told me with the usual serene smile on her face.   Samira quickly set her priorities straight. Her primary role, she decided, is to take care of her children and provide them with a good education so that they won’t face the same difficult life she was leading; and that she would do so until her last breath. As a religious person, Samira felt she had a mission to live for and placed her total trust in God. She believed that “God does not burden any soul with more than it can handle” (Q. 2:286). She drew on her sincere faith to gain an incredible determination and strength that enabled her to carry on with her mission with a deep meaning and purpose. Although she couldn’t afford medication, Samira assumed responsibility for her health by getting the best nutritional and alternative help she could afford. She lived in the moment and carried on with her life in total satisfaction and surrender to the Divine. Today, ten years later, Samira is a grandmother, her daughter is happily married; her elder son is a successful accountant working to support her and his younger college-student brother. No sign left of her cancer.
Life or health challenges can open the door for spiritual growth and life transformation. For many people, those physical challenges can change the way they approach and appreciate life, draw them closer to God and to their community, give them feeling of safety and peace, and boost their sense of self-esteem, strength, and worthiness. For others, facing such crisis may precipitate emotional trauma, lead them to question their faith, fall into helplessness and self-blame, or succumb to anger and resentment.[1] It is your choice! I am not saying it is an easy one, though. Nevertheless, it is a conscious intentional path that we need to embark on. Our first step is that conscious choice!


[1] Ellen G. Levine et. al. Ethnicity and Spirituality in Breast Cancer Survivors. Journal of cancer survivorship. Volume  1: 3   2007/ Pages 212-225.

“God defends those who believe, God does not love the unfaithful, ungrateful” (Quran, 22: 38)
 
After a tough event I was going through in my life, my sheikh, a wise man of few words, advised me to recite this verse everyday. As I started my daily recitation, all what I was thinking about was that I’m the good one, I’m among “those who believe” so God will defend me and my oppressors fall under “the unfaithful, ungrateful” and thus God does not love them. Yet, as the days went by and as I kept repeating the verse over and over again, I found myself delving deeper into the meaning… I realized that the verse wasn’t about the oppressors and the oppressive event… it wasn’t about them… it was all about me… It is about the choice I have to make, do I choose to be among “those who believe” or among “the unfaithful ungrateful”? Do I choose to be among those who God defends or among those who lose His love? The recitation my sheikh instructed me to perform was a daily heart-cleansing exercise, a compass that re-orients my intentions, my thoughts and actions towards Him alone, exalted be He.
​It is that change in perspective that makes all the difference. It’s all about me and my relationship to God, exalted be He. It’s all about the choices I make, the worldview I choose to adopt and the lens through which I choose to see my world. It’s all about me… about my heart and how hard I work at purifying and cleansing it, how diligent I am in the pursuit of ihsān, spiritual excellence, in all my acts and thoughts… It is about how I choose to worship God as if I see Him, although I do not see Him, but He sees me… how I choose to walk the Path of Love and Service with the intention of only seeking God’s love and being His servant. It is not about whoever wronged me. I can’t judge them… I don’t know their motives, their intentions, their hearts… I simply don’t know… What I know, though, is that they were sent my way for a reason… they were here to teach me a lesson that, if I choose, will draw me closer to my Lord, exalted be He.

When I asked my sheikh about forgiveness, he told me that I’m not obliged to forgive; he told me that it was my choice. Forgiveness is a praised value in our Islamic teachings, he explained, but still, it’s optional not obligatory… I could choose not to forgive, that’s my right… My wise sheikh paused for a moment, and then added, “Yet, at a certain point on our spiritual journey, we can go no further if we do not forgive.” It is then that I realized, that again, it is not about “them,” it’s not about whoever wronged me… it’s all about me and my relationship with God, exalted be He. Choosing to forgive clears the heart so it’s exclusively His, exalted be He… Choosing to forgive frees me from the chains of worldly gains… I’m seeking Him, and only Him, exalted be He… choosing to forgive shows me that I learned my lesson, I’ve grasped the wisdom embedded in my exhausting tribulation… choosing to forgive is choosing to believe that, as our Prophet teaches, “if all people gather to benefit you, they will not be able to benefit you except with that which God has fore-ordained for you; and, if all of them gather to harm you, they will not be able to afflict you with anything other than that which God has pre-destined against you… The pens had been lifted and the ink had dried up.”
 
It’s the fine work of surrendering to the Divine decree and striving to change your life and your heart for the better… It is the heart that balances every thing; “God does not change the condition of a people until -and unless- they change what is in their soul,” (Q. 13: 11)… until we change what is in our souls… what is in our hearts… See, we’re back to “it’s all about me” it’s all about my heart… it’s not about them… it’s not about retribution… it’s not about waiting for Divine punishment to befall the oppressors… they are simply out of the picture… I need to zoom in… on me… on my heart… on its connection to the Divine, exalted be He… How is this connection? How sincere am I? How free am I?
 
It’s a life-long struggle… a struggle for a wholesome sound heart, qalb salīm  (Qur’an, 26:89). Returning to God at the end of our life with this sound heart is our ultimate aim... A sound heart is one, like Prophet Abraham’s, that is sincerely filled with the truth of Divine Oneness and free from worldly attachments, free from judgements, free from doubts, free from fears, worries, and vain; an empowered heart that has surrendered entirely to its Creator, exalted be He; and that wishes for others all good that it wishes for itself.  ​

For early Muslims, knowledge was a treasure they would eagerly seek. Medical science and pharmacy were no exceptions. Muslim physicians’ early practice emphasized the importance of preserving health through natural gentle interventions. The Hippocratic philosophy of ‘Premium non nocera’ (first don’t harm) was a well kept notion in their minds as it reflected the teaching of their religion. Prophet Muhammad’s words, “Your body has rights over you” (agreed upon – Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī) paved their way to amazing advancement in the medical, pharmaceutical, and health fields.

Studying history, we can see that medicine within the Islamic civilization passed through three main stages (Abouleish, n.d.). The first stage started in the early 7th century by collecting and translating the medical knowledge of the Greeks, Persians, Assyrian Syriacs, Indians and Byzantines. (Nagamia, 1998)
Soon enough, Muslim physicians started to elaborate on the collected body of knowledge and largely expanded it through experience, exploration, experimentations, testing, and practice. This was during the Golden Age of the Islamic civilization that brought the original contributions of Muslim physicians in the medical, pharmaceutical, herbal, nutritional and botanical fields. This second stage extended during the ninth through thirteenth centuries. During the last stage, however, decline occurred which reflected the stagnation and gradual deterioration of the whole Islamic nation. During the second stage, many physicians, Arabs as well as non-Arabs, contributed to the flourishing of the medicine. Physicians like Al-Razi, or Razes (841 – 926 AD), and Ibn-Sina, known as Avicenna (980 – 1037 AD) were pioneers in the medical fields. Their books and teachings were used as bases for medical study in Europe for centuries to come.
Al-Razi’s fame started with the establishment of a hospital in Baghdad in the 9th century which included a special ward for mental illness. He also pioneered in holistic and spiritual medicine, advocating healing and caring for the whole patient. This idea was well reflected in his book ‘Al-Tibb al-Rawhani’ (Spiritual Medicine) where he emphasized the importance of heart purification and ethical and virtuous conducts in achieving total healing.
In his famous book, Al-Qanun fi al-Tibb (The Law in Medicine), Ibn-Sina laid the foundation of medical practice, compiled a complete Materia Medica, described diseases and malfunctions  and gave a full formulary of remedies, suggestions and recipes for treatment.
As early as the 10th century, Muslim physicians were treating eye diseases and even performing cataract surgery. Al-Mawsili, an Iraqi ophthalmologist and physician, designed a special needle to remove cataract by suction. And, an amazingly complete text book on eye disease ‘Notebook of the Oculist’ was written by Ali Ibn Isa also in the 10th century Baghdad. On Ibn Isa’s valuable reference was based the European knowledge of modern ophthalmology. (Al-Hassani, 2006)
Ibn al-Nafis, the Syrian Muslim scholar, described in a treatise written in 1210 AC the role of the heart and lung in blood purification and elaborated on Ibn-Sina’s description of the pulmonary circulation. Ibn al-Nafis accurately described the anatomical structure of heart chambers and the fine structure of the circulatory system hundreds of years before Western discoveries.
Early Muslims also laid the foundation of modern day pharmacology through the early work of Sabur ibn Sahl, Al-Razi and Ibn-Sina in the early 9th century. Later on, in the 11th century, Al-Biruni wrote his famous master piece ‘The Book of Pharmacology’ compiling an amazing work on drugs and remedies. Al-Zahrawi’s writings ‘Al-Tasrif’ (Dispensing) further taught methods of drug preparations and formulation starting from simple remedies all the way to complex compounding. (Al-Hassani, 2006)

The principal concepts embodying medicine as practiced during this period were based on the essential meaning of balance. They presented the physician’s role as one of balancing and harmonizing overall bodily functions while restoring health and healing on the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual planes.
Physical ailments were thought to arise mainly as a result of accumulation of excess waste substance in the body. Overeating, improper food choice and other unhealthy habits were regarded as the source of the accumulated morbid matter, and a disease’s symptoms appears when the digestive process becomes overwhelmed. (Al-Jauziyah, 2003)
More importantly, however, it was the fundamental belief of a Muslim physician that the physical body should never be the sole interest of the physician. It is the Ruh, or soul, which gives this body its vitality and true essence. (Nagamia, 1998) It was thus essential for a Muslim physician to be well aware of the diseases of the heart and soul and how to treat them along with managing physical symptoms.

During the third stage of this thriving medical history within the Islamic world, and around the fourteenth century, a new type of medical writing emerged. The authors were religious scholars, rather than physicians. Their aim was to preserve the wealth of knowledge and heritage compiled and practiced by Muslims over the years from fading away before the rapidly rising Western society. (National Library of Medicine, 1998)
Their writings all carried the same title: Al-Tibb Al-Nabawi (Prophetic Medicine) and was intended as an alternative to the Greek-based medical science. Most famous among them were the writings of Al-Jauziyah, As-Suyuti, and Az-Zahabi which are considered as the base for what is today referred to as ‘Islamic Medicine.’
Al-Jauziyah’s recommendations for approaching the patient reflected the preserved notion of balance and holistic approach taught by early Muslim physicians. He advised physicians to investigate all areas of their patient’s life, research the real cause behind the disease, examine the patient’s feelings, mood and life style and consider dietary options before resorting to drugs. (Al Jauziyah, 2003)
The physicians were knowledgeable about the ‘sickness of the heart and soul’ and took great care when approaching them in a professional yet caring manner. They realized the effects of stress, emotions and mental state, and used positive affirmations from Qur’an and Prophetic teachings to increase hope and strengthen the will for healing.

Moral values, love, courage, patience, kindness, and altruism were prescribed as the best remedies for the inner self, and prayer was practiced for maintaining the connection with God, preserving the health of the body and soul, strengthening faith, bringing happiness and energizing the body against acute ailments. (Ayad, 2008)

The six primary channels that should be balanced to avoid contacting diseases, as stated by As-Suyuti, further reflected the wisdom of early Muslim knowledge. He emphasized the importance of the quality of air we breathe, food and drink we consume, physical exercise and movements, our emotional state and feelings, our sleep and waking cycles, and our body’s ability to excrete toxins, get rid of accumulated morbid matter and retain valuable nutrients. “Whenever it is possible to use gentle remedy, do not use something powerful instead,” he wrote, advising a physician to be “gentle in his speech, kind in his words and close to God” (As-Suyuti, 2009). Az-Zahabi, on his side, recommended using only medicines that are similar or related to regular food and that contained no noxious or harmful substances. (Az-Zahabi, 2004)

Starting from the beginnings of the seventeenth century, Islamic Medicine was challenged by rapidly spreading science of conventional modern medicine, which eventually replaced the core of the health care systems in most of the Islamic countries (Nagamia, 1998).
Contemporary practice of Islamic Medicine is restricted to India, Pakistan and Bangladesh where one can find established medical schools teaching this type of medicine, certified and supervised by the Indian Medical Council. (Nagamia, 1998) And while these schools do teach such medical approach while being highly influenced by the teachings of the old Greek practice, it is also common to find conventional physicians in Middle Eastern countries and Malaysia giving medical advice and some treatment while making use of the Islamic approach. Some believe that this mixing of the old and the new, the eastern and the western, makes their patients benefit from ‘the best of both worlds.’


​
References:

• Abouleish, E. (n.d). Contributions of Islam to medicine. In S. Athar (Ed.), Islamic medicine. Retrieved May 16, 2007.
• Al Jauziyah, I. Healing with the medicine of the Prophet (2nd ed.) (J. Abual Rub, Trans.). KSA: Darussalam. 2003.
• Al-Hassani, S. (Editor). 1001 Inventions: Muslim Heritage in Our World. UK: Foundation for Science Technology and civilization. 2006.
• As-Suyuti, J, A. Medicine of the Prophet [Ahmed Thomson, translator]. UK: Ta-Ha publishers. 2009.
• Ayad, A.. Healing Body & Soul. KSA: IIPH. 2008.
• Az-Zahabi, S. الطب النبوي [Prophetic medicine]. (M.A. Al-Merashly, Ed.). Lebanon: Dar An-nafaes. 2004.
• Nagamia, H. F. (October 1, 1998). Islamic medicine: History and current practice. Retrieved May 16, 2007.
• National Library of Medicine. Islamic Culture and the Medical Arts: Prophetic Medicine. Retrieved June 6, 2007. April 5, 1998.

Around the 8th century, one man took it upon himself to dig deeper into this amazing world of chemistry. A long forgotten historical figure, Khaled Ibn Yazeed came from the house of the Umayyad Caliphate. It was very unusual for a man in his social and economical stature to adopt such an unrecognized profession. However, his decision was a turning point in the history of chemistry.

Ibn Yazeed started his journey by translating Greek and Roman references in the field. He studied chemical reactions and started his pioneering experimentations in synthesizing drugs and remedies.
Just as the Greeks and Romans had acquired their learning from ancient Egyptian and Sumerian breakthroughs, Ibn Yazeed set the foundation upon which chemistry and pharmacy could be studied which was later built upon by his successor Jabir Ibn Hayyan.

By the beginning of the 9th century, pharmacy was already a well established, independent profession with well regulated rules and laws. In fact, pharmacists were knowledgeable about drug use, compounding, preparation, and dispensing. At that time, pharmacists mastered dosage adjustment, drug interaction, and prevention of drug adulteration. Muslim physicians have further developed the field of pharmacy. Being the most knowledgeable about body ailments and diseases, physicians were the most suited to develop and prescribe the cure. Famous physicians like Al-Razi, Ibn Sina and Al-Kindi, contributed much in the advancement of this field of science. Furthermore, they combined their knowledge about medicine with herbal remedies, chemistry, and philosophy to develop an amazing body of work describing disease diagnosis, description of appropriate remedies, and the required dosages. Al-Biruni’s book, ‘The Book of Pharmacology,’ Al-Zahrawy’s 30 volumes ‘Al-Tasrif’ (Dispensing), Al-Razi’s ‘Al-Hawi’ (The Comprehensive Book on Medicine), ‘The Secret in Chemistry’, Al-Mansur Muwaffaq’s ‘The Foundations of the True Properties of Remedies’ and Ibn al-Wafid’s work ‘The Book of Simple Drugs,’ were some of many outstanding references in pharmacology at the time.
As a result, upon the work of these great Muslim scientists, the modern Western World has founded its pharmaceutical knowledge.

The most important aspect of Muslims’ development to the pharmaceutical profession, though, was their honoring of the Islamic teachings. They believed in the Hadeeth that states, “God created the disease and the cure, and made a cure for every ailment; so seek healing but do not seek treatment with haram (unlawful means.)” (Abu-Dawood and al-Bayhaqi). Consequently, Muslim pharmacists and physicians didn’t delve into any unlawful treatments or quackery. They based their knowledge and studies on scientific experimentations and practical experiences. Additionally, they honored the whole human being, body and soul, and sincerely and ethically pursued their mission in easing people’s pain and relieving their sufferings. Physicians, like Al-Razi, advocated resorting to diet and herbs for treatment before referring to chemical drugs. His one-of-a-kind book, ‘Tibb Al-Fuqara’a’ (Medicine of the Poor), described ways of treating diseases using affordable foods and herbs rather than expensive preparations and formulations.

While delving into this great history, I can’t help but feel awed by such wisdom, knowledge and honor. And, I can’t also help but wonder when the achievements of modern-day Muslims will match that great era of human advancement.


References:As-Sergany, R.. Khaled Ibn Yazeed. Retrieved from: www.islamstory.com. 2008.
As-Sergany, R.. العلم وبناء الأمم [Science and the building of nations]. Egypt: Iqraa. 2007.
Al-Hassani, S. (Editor). 1001 Inventions: Muslim Heritage in Our World. UK: Foundation for Science Technology and civilization. 2006.
National Library of Medicine. Islamic Culture and the Medical Arts: Prophetic medicine. April 5, 1998. Retrieved June 6, 2007.

When young adult prisoners’ diet was supplemented with multivitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids, researchers noticed a striking reduction in their anti-social behavior, violence and aggression [1].

When school children with ADHD showing no improvement on standard drug treatment, received essential fatty acids daily for six months, parents reported significant improvement in “restlessness, aggressiveness, completing work, and academic performance”[2].

And, when 95 British middle managers were given dietary supplements to compensate for missing nutrients in their diet, after eight weeks, significant improvement in activity, mood, cognitive and behavioral strain, and stress management was recorded[3].

A closer look at those above examples shows us a staggering pattern that is recurrent in our everyday life: teenager and young adult violence and aggressiveness; school children hyperactivity, restlessness and poor academic performance; and, managers and employees stress, mood disturbance and lack of motivation. No one can deny that those behaviors are complex psychological and social problems that should be addressed from more than one perspective. Yet sometimes, the answer, or at least an important part of it, is closer than we could imagine: Our diet!

More and more studies are pointing at the importance of proper nutrients consumption for mental, social and cognitive behaviors and a simple look at our dinner table show us the damage we are inflecting upon ourselves and our loved ones. Typical modern-day diet is very poor in nutritional value, vitamins, minerals and fibers, yet very high in calories, refined carbohydrates and the wrong types of fats. This diet, studies show, is not only directly related to cardiovascular problems, inflammatory and chronic diseases, but it is also directly related to stress, mood disturbance, irritability, lack of motivation, inappropriate social behaviors, low cognitive performance and poor memory.

Studies show a significant correlation between the type of food we choose to eat and our mental health. Increased consumption of processed and refined foods is linked to anxiety [4]. Low intake of fruits, vegetable, and good quality meat is linked to increased stress levels [5]. Daily consumption of sweets and candy at the age of ten is linked to increased violent behavior in adulthood [6]. Eating junk food at the young age of 4 is associated with hyperactivity and behavior problems in childhood as well as later in life [7]. Omega-3 fatty acids deficiency is linked to depression and dementia, and omega-3 supplements are shown to prevent aggression and hostility, control anger and improve social behavior.

How Does it Work?

To understand the mechanism behind food effect on our mental health and social behavior, bare with me as we take a closer look at our biochemistry and physiological reactions.

Blood sugar level:
When we look at our mood swings, anxiety and irritability, the first culprit that comes to mind is erratic blood sugar level (BSL). Both hypoglycemia (low BSL) and hyperglycemia (high BSL) are detrimental to our health. The first drains our energy and depresses our mood and vitality; the later predisposes us to obesity, diabetes and uncomfortable mood swings.
When our blood sugar is low, our body sends us a signal usually by making us more fidgety, anxious, and stressed or by making us crave sweets and stimulants. Since we are always ‘on the run’, we fetch a quick fix. We resort to a chocolate bar, candy or cake to supply us with the required sugar ‘dose’; we get a cup of coffee, can of coke or smoke a cigarette to give us a boost of adrenaline, the well known fight-and-flight neurotransmitter that raises our BSL.
Eating instant refined sweets, although life saving in some cases, can start a vicious cycle of swinging blood levels of insulin and sugar which further disturbs our mood, increases our stress, and predisposes us to diabetes. Also raising our adrenaline through caffeine or nicotine aggravates our stress and anxiety, and, on the long run, affects our blood pressure, heart, and immunity.

Nutritional needs:
An erratic BSL is not the only mechanism by which out modern diet wrecks havoc with our mental and social health, a diet lacking in many essential nutritional values is another major disruptive mechanism.
Amino acids, the building blocks of protein, are also the building blocks of our neurotransmitters; these are what Candace Pert, the famous neuroscientist, calls ‘molecules of emotion’. From the amino acid tryptophan for instance, serotonin, our mood boosting neurotransmitter, is synthesized. Low serotonin levels are linked to suicidal tendency, depression, violence and aggressive behaviors [8].
The amino acids phenyl alanine and tyrosine are the building blocks for dopamine and nor adrenaline, our motivational and feeling-good neurotransmitters. Dopamine also plays an essential role in controlling the reward and punishment processes in our brain [9]. We need a constant supply of essential amino acids to keep our mood and emotions in check. The right balance, amount and type of the amino acids are determined by the composition and quality of our dietary protein.
B vitamins are other missing essentials. They play an important role in metabolism and nervous system health. They are also directly involved in the synthesis of many neurotransmitters. Besides, vitamin B6 is known to reduce risk and even treat premenstrual depression, and vitamin B12 deficiency is linked to dementia [10].
Omega-3 fatty acids deficiency is linked to depression and dementia[11], and omega-3 supplements are shown to prevent aggression and hostility[12], control anger and improve social behavior[13].
Essential minerals, especially zinc, manganese, chromium, copper and iron also contribute their share. Chromium helps controlling BSL and iron is an important factor in neurotransmitters synthesis [14]. Iron deficiency is linked to depression and depleted energy [15].
Other vitamins are involved in our complex behavioral adjustment. Vitamin C, E and A are essential for nerve cell health, vitamin D deficiency is linked to depression and neurodegenerative diseases and vitamin K plays its role in nervous tissue biochemistry[16].

What Should we Eat?

Research performed in British and US prisons showed that aggressive and anti-social behaviors even in criminals could be corrected, at least in part, through dietary intervention [17]. And, needless to say, the natural and synergistic effects achieved by consuming whole natural food in a balanced diet is far better than administering individual nutrients in capsules and pills.
For an optimum performance and optimum state of mind, we need first and foremost to balance our BSL.
The safest and most effective way to do that is balancing our diet quality, quantity and timing.

• We need to eat healthy diet with whole grains, lots of fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, and legumes.
• Choose high quality lean animal protein and remember that a little goes a long way; these are great compact protein source, so you do not need much.
• Eat fish at least once or twice a week and consume 1-2 tablespoons of flaxseeds or chia seeds daily to supply your need for omega-3 fatty acids.
• Eating balanced healthy three meals a day with two snacks in between supply us with the needed energy and nutrients to sustain our health and adjust our mood.
• Don’t skip meals and don’t forget your salad bowl along with your lunch and dinner.
• Take your time, enjoy the setting and feast your eyes before your palate.
• Avoid refined carbohydrates, simple sugars, over processed goods, energy drinks and caffeine.
• Reduce your intake of food with high Glycemic Index and avoid all foods with added preservatives, colors or flavors.
• Do not consume Trans-fats, the un-natural fat found in margarine and fried foods.

Talbinah: Our Traditional Soothing Food
Traditional Books of Prophetic medicine talked about one of our best mood soothing foods: Talbinah. Talbinah is a thin barley soup made with barley flour and adjusted to a milky consistency (and hence its name Talbinah, from the Arabic word, laban– meaning milk). It could be sweetened with honey or served as savory soup with added spices. Aisha, The Prophet's wife, narrated, “If any of the Messenger’s family became ill, the Messenger would recommend Talbinah to be prepared. He says: ‘It soothes the grief and cleanses the ailing heart just as one of you cleans dirt off her face with water.’ “(Related by Ibn Maajah). Recent studies on the effect of Talbinah showed its significant effect in boosting mental health, relieving depression and anxiety and balancing the mood [18].




References:
[1] Gesch, B. et. Al. (2002). Influence of supplementary vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids on the antisocial behaviour of young adult prisoners Randomised, placebo-controlled trial. The British Journal of Psychiatry . 181: 22-28

[2] Perera, H. et. Al. (2012). Combined ω3 and ω6 Supplementation in Children With Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Refractory to Methylphenidate Treatment A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study. J Child Neurol: vol. 27 no. 6 747-753

[3] Ussher, J. (1995). The relationship between health related quality of life and dietary supplementation in British middle managers: A double blind placebo controlled study. Psychology & Health Volume 10, Issue 2

[4] Bakhtiyari, M.et. al. (2013). Anxiety as a consequence of modern dietary pattern in adults in Tehran-Iran. Eat Behav.: 14(2):107-12.

[5] Roohafza, H. et. Al. (2013). The association between stress levels and food consumption among Iranian population. Arch Iran Med. 2013 Mar;16(3):145-8.

[6] Moore, S., Carter, L. & van Gooze, S. (2009). Confectionery consumption in childhood and adult violence. The British Journal of Psychiatry:195: 366-367

[7] Wiles, N.J., Northstone, K., Emmett, P. & Lewis, G. (2009). ‘Junk food’ diet and childhood behavioural problems: results from the ALSPAC cohort. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2009 Apr;63(4):491-8.

[8] Lawrence, F. (2006).

[9] Lawrence, F. (2006).

[10] Bourre,  J. M. (2006). Effects of nutrients (in food) on the structure and function of the nervous system: update on dietary requirements for brain. Part 1: micronutrients. J. Nutr Health Aging. ;10(5):377-85.

[11] Bourre J.M. (2004). The role of nutritional factors on the structure and function of the brain: an update on dietary requirements. Rev Neurol. ;160(8-9):767-92

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[15] Bourre,2006

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