Tables of health in medicine relating the six things necessary, and the benefits and harm of food, drinks and attire and likewise the remedy for the harm as advised by the finest of the ancients.
Tables of health of the six things necessary for a man to preserve his daily health, with their usages and treatments.
- The first is the regulation of the air in contact with the heart.
- The second, the correct use of food and drink.
- The third, the correct use of movement and rest.
- The fourth, the body’s rejection of excessive sleep and wakefulness.
- The fifth, the correct elimination and retention of humours.
- The sixth, the regulation of the person by moderating joy, anger, fear and anxiety.
The conservation of health lies in their balance, whilst their disturbance causes illness, if glorious God in the highest so permits. Within these six categories are more and very necessary types, so we shall, God permitting, state their nature. We will mention the choices advisable for anyone according to their constitution and age and we will set all this out in tables, since the complicated words of the wise sometimes weary listeners, as do the differences in many contradictory books. Men seek from science nothing more than help, not demonstrations or definitions. Hence our aim in this book is to abbreviate lengthy discussions and, particularly, not to add inconsistent terms. Nevertheless, our aim is to stray not from the true advice of the predecessors.
We, for our part, put order and compilations in this book, summaries of interpretations and deductions of demonstrations that strengthen the virtue of words. And we do not wish to follow men’s will according to the different conceptions of their opinions.
So we pray God will correct our intellect, since human nature can barely avoid errors and our entire exposition serves our modest intention, therefore we ask Lord God to comfort and help us with his blessing.
