Galen on Food and Diet by Galen and Mark Grant - Book Report/Review Example

Galen on food and diet Galen on Food and Diet is one of the most essential works in English which provides numerous entrancing insights into the ancient understanding of food and health from the knowledge base of Galen, the voluminous author to survive from antiquity and the greatest doctor of late antiquity. The book is an important collection of Galen's writings on medicine which are an indispensable source for the modern man's knowledge of ancient medical theory and practice. In the introductory section of this volume, the editor offers a lucid introduction of Galen, the great doctor of late antiquity, and connects to diet and medicine and dietetics according to Galen.

Interacting with the humors were the four qualities to whose operation was attributed to the birth and decay of all living things." (Galen and Grant, 9) In the following chapters of the book, the author incorporates Galen's discussions on the humors, on the black bile, on uneven bad temperament, on the causes of disease, on barley soup, and on the powers of foods in three books. According to Galen, a considerable number of the most outstanding physicians have written about the powers of foods and it is reasonable that the majority of the best physicians should determine to ascertain the powers in nutrition.