Prof. Altıntaş: Nutrition lies at the heart of ancient medicine

Istanbul Medipol University School of Health Sciences Department of Nutrition and Dietetics organized an event titled “Another Look at Nutrition and Diet: What Does Ancient Medicine Say?” At the event held in South Campus, School of Medicine faculty member Prof. Ayten Altıntaş shared important information about ancient medicine. Stating that nutrition was the basis of ancient medicine, Altıntaş stated that nutrition is ignored today. Noting that ancient medicine has come to this day with its 40 thousand years of reality, Altıntaş said: “While contemporary medicine is constantly updated depending on technological developments, ancient medicine has not changed until today. Ancient medicine considered humans not only physically but also spiritually and placed nutrition at the core. If we look at the Ottoman period, the most important goal of doctors was to ensure that the public did not get sick. Physicians were examining the geography of the region they were in, deciding what the people could and should not eat, and preventing diseases. Physicians’ priority was the healthy living of the people, and when they failed, they were dismissed.”