Fundamentals of good nutrition have been around longer than you think

I’ve been vacationing in the lovely medieval town of Cordoba in southern Spain. And in front of my hotel is a statue of an early nutritionist named Maimonides. This 12th century sage was also a rabbi, researcher, doctor, philosopher and court physician to the Egyptian sultan.

Maimonides published 10 medical books. His writings had a strong focus on preventative medicine and physical activity. If only we listened. A look at his recommendations that still ring true.

Maimonides wrote to only eat when we are hungry and to stop eating when we feel full. I’ve repeated these wise words to countless patients, and never knew I was quoting this amazing physician. He believed that physical activity was an important factor for maintaining health and emphasized that a person’s duty was to maintain one’s health before illness ever occurred.

Sounds like preventative medicine to me.

He advised limiting salty and processed meats, something we still recommend. Salting was the primary method for preserving meat by drawing out moisture to kill bacteria. Salted meats were then either smoked or dried and sometimes seasoned with spices.

He wrote about avoiding polluted air, although I can’t imagine how air was polluted in the 12th century. The interesting fact is he made the association between what we breathe and how it impacts our health. And I won’t go into all the details, but he acknowledged and wrote about the importance of regular bowel movements as prevention of many disorders. He said, “Whenever one suffers from constipation or has difficulty moving his bowels, serious diseases will beset him.”

Maimonides, a 12th century rabbi provided the recommendation for Jewish penicillin. In his treatise “On the Causes of Symptoms” he recommends chicken soup be used for whatever might ail you. An article in Chest published in 2000 supports this. They report that chicken soup has mild anti-inflammatory properties that inhibit the white blood cells that caused congestion and sore throat. In addition, the heat and vapors from chicken soup increase nasal mucus flow, which clears out the virus faster than other hot liquids.

Sheah Rarback MS is a dietitian nutritionist in private practice in Miami.