While medicine has come a long way since his time, we can still learn many things from Hippocrates, the father of medicine.

Hippocrates

Keep learning and growing by reading the 28 life-changing lessons to learn from the great Hippocrates, a man definitely ahead of his time.

28 Life-Changing Lessons to Learn from The Great Hippocrates

1. If someone wishes for good health he must be ready to do away with the reasons for his illness.

“If someone wishes for good health, one must first ask oneself if he is ready to do away with the reasons for his illness. Only then is it possible to help him.” ~ Hippocrates

2. Illnesses do not come upon us out of the blue.

“Illnesses do not come upon us out of the blue. They are developed from small daily sins against Nature. When enough sins have accumulated, illnesses will suddenly appear.” ~ Hippocrates

3. The natural healing force within each one of us is the greatest force in getting well

“Everyone has a doctor in him or her; we just have to help it in its work. The natural healing force within each one of us is the greatest force in getting well. Our food should be our medicine. Our medicine should be our food. But to eat when you are sick, is to feed your sickness.” ~ Hippocrates

4. If you are not your own doctor, you are a fool.

“If you are not your own doctor, you are a fool.” ~ Hippocrates

5. Positive health requires a knowledge a balance in food or exercise. If there is any deficiency in these, the body will fall sick.

“Positive health requires a knowledge of man’s primary constitution and of the powers of various foods, both those natural to them and those resulting from human skill. But eating alone is not enough for health.

There must also be exercise, of which the effects must likewise be known. The combination of these two things makes regimen, when proper attention is given to the season of the year, the changes of the wind, the age of the individual, and the situation of his home. If there is any deficiency in food or exercise, the body will fall sick.” ~ Hippocrates

6. If we could give every individual the right amount of nourishment and exercise, we would have found the safest way to health.

“If we could give every individual the right amount of nourishment and exercise, not too little and not too much, we would have found the safest way to health.” ~ Hippocrates

7. Everything in excess is opposed to nature.

“Everything in excess is opposed to nature.” ~ Hippocrates

8. We must turn to nature itself, to the observations of the body in health and in disease to learn the truth.

“We must turn to nature itself, to the observations of the body in health and in disease to learn the truth.” ~ Hippocrates

9. Health is the greatest of human blessings.

“A wise man should consider that health is the greatest of human blessings, and learn how by his own thought to derive benefit from his illnesses.” ~ Hippocrates

10. Disease is a battle between substance of disease and the natural self-healing tendency of the body.

“Disease [is] not an entity, but a fluctuating condition of the patient’s body, a battle between the substance of disease and the natural self-healing tendency of the body.” ~ Hippocrates

11. If you in a bad mood, go for a walk. If you are still in a bad mood, go for another walk.

“If you are in a bad mood, go for a walk. If you are still in a bad mood, go for another walk.”

12. We must turn to nature itself, to the observations of the body in health and in disease to learn the truth.

“We must turn to nature itself, to the observations of the body in health and in disease to learn the truth.” ~ Hippocrates

13. Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.

“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” ~ Hippocrates

14. As to diseases, make a habit of two things — to help, or at least, to do no harm.

“As to diseases, make a habit of two things — to help, or at least, to do no harm.”~ Hippocrates

15. To do nothing is sometimes a good remedy.

“To do nothing is sometimes a good remedy.” ~ Hippocrates

16. From nothing else but the brain come joys, delights, laughter and sports, and sorrows, griefs, despondency, and lamentations.

“From nothing else but the brain come joys, delights, laughter and sports, and sorrows, griefs, despondency, and lamentations.” ~ Hippocrates

17. Men ought to know that from the brain and from the brain only arise our pleasures, joys, laughter, and jests as well as our sorrows, pains, griefs and tears

“Men ought to know that from the brain and from the brain only arise our pleasures, joys, laughter, and jests as well as our sorrows, pains, griefs and tears. … It is the same thing which makes us mad or delirious, inspires us with dread and fear, whether by night or by day, brings us sleeplessness, inopportune mistakes, aimless anxieties, absent-mindedness and acts that are contrary to habit…” ~ Hippocrates

18.He will manage the cure best who has foreseen what is to happen from the present state of matters.

“He will manage the cure best who has foreseen what is to happen from the present state of matters.” ~ Hippocrates

19. The function of protecting and developing health must rank even above that of restoring it when it is impaired.

“The function of protecting and developing health must rank even above that of restoring it when it is impaired.” ~ Hippocrates

20. The dignity of a physician requires that he should look healthy, and as plump as nature intended him to be.

“The dignity of a physician requires that he should look healthy, and as plump as nature intended him to be; for the common crowd considers those who are not of this excellent bodily condition to be unable to take care of themselves.” ~ Hippocrates

21. Into whatsoever houses I enter, I will enter to help the sick, and I will abstain from all intentional wrong-doing and harm.

“Into whatsoever houses I enter, I will enter to help the sick, and I will abstain from all intentional wrong-doing and harm, especially from abusing the bodies of man or woman, bond or free. And whatsoever I shall see or hear in the course of my profession, as well as outside my profession in my intercourse with men, if it be what should not be published abroad, I will never divulge holding such things to be holy secrets.” ~ Hippocrates

22. Medicine is of all the Arts the noblest.

“Medicine is of all the Arts the noblest; but, owing to the ignorance of those who practice it, and of those who, inconsiderately, form a judgment of them, it is at present behind all the arts.”~ Hippocrates

23. Healing is a matter of time, but it is sometimes also a matter of opportunity.

“Healing is a matter of time, but it is sometimes also a matter of opportunity.”~ Hippocrates

24. There are in fact two things, science and opinion; the former begets knowledge, the latter ignorance.

“There are in fact two things, science and opinion; the former begets knowledge, the latter ignorance.”~ Hippocrates

25. To really know is science; to merely believe you know is ignorance.

“To really know is science; to merely believe you know is ignorance.”

26. The soul is the same in all living creatures, although the body of each is different.

“The soul is the same in all living creatures, although the body of each is different.”

27. One can learn good lessons also from what has been tried but clearly has not succeeded.

“I have clearly recorded this: for one can learn good lessons also from what has been tried but clearly has not succeeded when it is clear why it has not succeeded.”

28. Any man who is intelligent must have the personal understanding necessary to help himself in diseases.

“Any man who is intelligent must, on considering that health is of the utmost value to human beings, have the personal understanding necessary to help himself in diseases and be able to understand and to judge what physicians say and what they administer to his body, being versed in each of these matters to a degree reasonable for a layman.”

And these are the 28 life-changing lessons to learn from Hippocrates. I hope you will use these lessons to do and be better in all areas of your life, not just your health, but also the relationship you have with yourself and those around you.

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