Da Vinci’s Prescription for Life
May 22, 2007 by Liz Lewis
Filed under Diets and Dieting, Drink, Medical History, Prevention
I think, modern fiction and Christ-childs aside, it’s almost universally understood that Leonardo Da Vinci was one of the smartest humans to walk the Earth, as of yet. His talents with a brush are widely touted, but he always considered himself a man of science first and foremost. In fact, the reason he was such a fantastic painter was his understanding of anatomy. He studied human bone structure and musculature under the skin, allowing him to produce stunningly convincing human forms on canvas. This is all not to mention his prolific inventions. He had detailed schematics for things like helicopters and tanks in his diaries. The technology of the era was unable to produce all his inventions, but to simply say this man was ahead of his time would be an understatement.
So what would such a great mind have to say about our health? 16 lines:
Prescription for Life
If you want to be healthy observe this regime.
Do not eat when you have no appetite, and dine lightly,
Chew well, and whatever you take into you
Should be well-cooked and of simple ingredients
He who takes medicine is ill advised.
Beware anger and avoid stuffy air.
Stay standing a while when you get up from a meal.
Make sure you do not sleep at midday.
Let your wine be mixed with water, take little and often,
Not between meals, not on an empty stomach.
Neither delay nor prolong your visit to the toilet.
If you take exercise, let it not be too strenuous.
Do not lie with your stomach upward and your head
Downward. Be well covered at night,
And rest your head and keep your mind cheerful.
Avoid wantonness and keep to this diet.
(reprinted from Dave Dewitt’s Da Vinci’s Kitchen: A Secret History of Italian Cuisine)
With the “take no medicine” line adjusted for modern times to say “take the medicine your doctor, not your TV, tells you to take”. It sounds like a plan.
I agree with the original. Don’t take medicine. The human body is capable of completely healing itself as long as it is treated with respect and a healthy lifestyle (like the one prescribed by Da Vinci). I am not saying stop taking all your medicine now that would be drastic. To take something away from a dependent body requires gentleness and much attention.