The fundamental of the
Unani System of medicine is based upon:
The four elements : earth, air, water, and fire.
The four natures : cold, hot, wet, and dry.
The four humors : Dam-Blood (which is hot / wet), Balgham-Phlegm
(cold / wet), Safra-Yellow bile (hot / dry), and Sauda-Black bile
(cold / dry).
Each person's unique mixture of these humors determines his
temperament (Mizaj):
A predominance of blood gives a sanguine (confidently optimistic and
cheerful) temperament; a predominance of phlegm makes one phlegmatic
(showing little emotion); a predominance of phlegm yellow bile gives
a bilious or choleric (quickly aroused to anger and irritable)
temperament; and black bile gives a melancholic (sadness)
temperament. When the balance of the four humors is disturbed, it
can result in diseases. Every individual has inherent powers of
self-preservation, called quwat-e-modabira. In the Unani system, the
physician's job is to aid these natural forces of the body in
combating a disease. In short, Unanipathy aims at maintaining proper
health by conserving symmetry in the different spheres of a man's
life.
As long as these humors are in normal balance in normal quantities
and in the normal regions of the body the human body works normally
and is healthy. Imbalances to the humored construction result in
disease. A Unani Physician attempts to diagnose the disturbance and
to restore the normal working by use of Unani herbal medicines, diet
control and by regulating living habits.