an ancient guide to wellness Galen creator author. Van Schaik, Katherine D. editor, translator, writer of introduction. text monographic eng

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xlix, 217 pages ; 18 cm. "A selection of texts from the ancient physician and medical writer Galen, focused on what he can still teach us today about being healthy in body and mind"-- "Timeless wisdom about how to be healthy in body and mind from one of the greatest physicians of the ancient worldThe second-century Greek physician Galen-the most famous doctor in antiquity after Hippocrates-is a central figure in Western medicine. A talented doctor, surgeon, writer, philosopher, teacher, pharmacologist, and inventor, Galen attended the court of Marcus Aurelius, living through outbreaks of plague (likely smallpox) that devastated the Roman Empire. He also served as physician for professional gladiators, boasting that only two fighters died during his first year (his predecessor had lost sixteen). In writings that provided the foundation of Western medicine up to the nineteenth century, Galen created a unified account of health and disease. In How to Be Healthy, practicing physician and classical historian Katherine Van Schaik presents a collection of Galen's enduring insights about how we can take care of our bodies and minds, prevent disease, and reach a healthy old age.Although we now know that many of Galen's ideas about physiology are wrong, How to Be Healthy shows that much of his advice remains sound. In these selections from his writings, presented in fresh translations, Galen discusses the art of medicine, exercise and diet, the mind-body connection, the difficulty of applying general medical principles to individuals, and much more. Featuring an introduction, brief commentaries that connect ancient medical practices to modern ones, and the original Greek on facing pages, How to Be Healthy offers an entertaining and enlightening new perspective on the age-old pursuit of wellness, from the importance of "the exercise with a small ball" to the benefits of "avoiding distress.""-- On the mind-body connection -- On exercising the body -- On individual physiologies -- On nourishing the body -- On definitions of health and disease. Galen ; selected, translated, and introduced by Katherine D. Van Schaik. Includes bibliographical references (pages 211-217). Includes bibliographical references. Galen Translations into English Medicine, Greek and Roman Early works to 1800 R126 .G4613 2024 9780691206271 260210 20260210132742.0