Designing Dietary Measures Based on Persian Medicine for Individuals with Cold and Dry Temperament

In spite of all scientific advances in the diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases, the increasing incidence and prevalence of non-communicable and chronic diseases are among the challenges of policymakers in the field of prevention and treatment in medicine, the main reason for which is modern lifestyle, especially regarding nutrition. Despite the existence of various strategies and methods in the field of nutrition in conventional medicine, human societies encounter many issues and problems in the field of prevention and treatment of diseases caused by malnutrition and improper diets. In this regard, Persian medicine has effective strategies and practical methods, one of which is the nutrition program based on temperament, which will be described in the present study.

In this descriptive review study, written sources of early and late Persian medicine scholars, Tebe Noor Comprehensive software (version 1.5), and PubMed and Google Scholar scientific databases were examined. Relevant data were extracted, filtered, categorized, and written.

Regarding food recommendations and beverages according to the diverse temperaments of human beings, there are several views and suggestions in the statements of Persian medicine scholars. By summarizing and reasoning and inference based on the sources of Persian medicine, a single, appropriate, and practical solution can be proposed to suggest dietary measures appropriate to various human temperaments in order to maintain and promote health and prevent and treat diseases.

Based on the principles of Persian medicine and conclusion drawn from the opinions of Persian medicine scholars, food is offered to individuals based on two important factors, including individual characteristics or temperament as well as food quality or temperament. Accordingly, for a cold and dry temperament in a healthy state, it is recommended to have foods or beverages with warmer and wetter temperament. Certainly, it does not mean that these individuals should not eat cold and dry foods in a healthy state. Rather, their general desire for daily or weekly foods is better to be toward warmth and wetness; the level of desire for warmth and wetness depends on the degree to which an individual’s temperament deviates toward cold and dryness. Likewise, appropriate dietary measures can be suggested for other temperaments.