Look back ahead - oriental medicine is modern again!

Learning from the past for the future: If you look at traditional Persian medicine today, this is much more than just a phrase. Oriental medicine has a history stretching back thousands of years - the first teaching hospitals in history were established here, and the scholars from the Orient are also considered pioneers of modern medicine in the Occident. Today, traditional Persian medicine is experiencing a renaissance: Developed further and adapted to modern research standards, it is increasingly complementing conventional medicine of western style in its cultural area, which is of course used there every day as it is in Europe.

Modern traditional Persian medicine is also based in its basic features on historical approaches, which the patient understands more as a holistic unit for a balanced therapy, and traditional recipes are also checked for their effect. The scientific studies of recognized universities at home and abroad have long been in line with the strict western standards, so perhaps it is could also mean in Germany and Europe to supplement conventional medicine: Open sesame!

Popular East-West story - when Avicenna was required reading ...   

The story of one  Medicus and his adventures in the Orient has become a modern book bestseller. Far less known is that centuries earlier and centuries later a work succeeded in making oriental healing art compulsory reading. “Canon of Medicine” is the sober title of Ibn Sina's collection of writings, better known in this country as Avicenna. His remarks could not be missing at any university in the Middle Ages and early modern times. Generations of medical professionals in Europe meticulously studied his words by candlelight. The author's epoch-making achievements include, for example, the discovery of blood circulation and the knowledge that diseases can be contagious. The individual personality of the patient was also taken into account in questions of diagnosis and therapy. Anatomical sketches, clinical examinations and rules for testing medicines also go back to Avicenna and scholars from the Orient.

The medical writings from the Orient, some of which were based on the ancient Greek teachings that were forgotten early in Europe, were considered standard works until the 19th century. It was only when western medicine began to define people more “by organ” that the more holistic view of the doctors of the caliphs faded into the background. But who knows? Maybe the medical professionals in Europe will find Avicenna again and it will get another place on the bestseller list.

Like yoga and reggae - Traditional Persian Medicine as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO?

Yoga from India, acupuncture from China, Mediterranean cuisine: like many others, these three human achievements have already made it onto the official list of the “Intangible World Cultural Heritage” by UNESCO. Such an appreciation may also be given to the ancient oriental health teachings, which have existed for millennia and which have been gaining popularity again in recent years in the form of traditional Persian medicine. UNESCO is currently examining inclusion in the World Heritage Catalog. A listing would underscore the reputation and value of the historic oriental medicine - and yet it continues to develop in its modern form. A legacy of humanity that will be further built on.