Honoring the health legacy of ancient africa
In previous blogs, we introduced the ancient Kemet civilization, a place where renowned Greek physicians, philosophers, and scientists studied. Today, we dive deeper into Kemets contributions to medicine, long before the time of Hippocrates and Pythagoras. Paying homage to ancient traditional medicine acknowledges the foundations of how we perceive health today, with society increasingly turning to natural interventions.
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines traditional medicine as “indigenous knowledge-based remedies used for prevention, treatment and general management of diseases including herbal infusion and extracts with minerals, animals, birds and reptiles.”
African medical cosmology and its global parallels
Ancient African medical cosmology shares many parallels to Chinese Taoist and Indian Tantric healing arts:
Energetic life force: Ra or iSithunzi (african) = qi or prana (asian)
Natural principle of polarized duality aka “opposites attract & match”: Shu and Tefnut = yin and yang or purusha and prakriti
The 5 elements: jing or oojas = wu xing or pancha tattras
Higher consciousness: Ma’at (african) = Ren (chinese)
These cultures, connected through the Indian Ocean Trade, offer insight into the shared knowledge systems that developed across continents. Although, there are no records to show whether these beliefs system came before or after the existence of trade.
Ancient African health systems and practices
There is evidence of over 4,500 year old medicine and healing arts and over 8,000 years of recorded civilization in Africa. Organized systems of government, community, knowledge systems, cities, agriculture, medicine and writing existed long before modern western medical practices took shape.
The Metu and Uxedo framework
The heart was considered the body’s center in ancient Kemet. Metu, the network of vessels, is distributed as nerves, arteries, muscles, tendons and ligaments. The strength and weakness of one’s Metu determined their general health status. Metu is also considered to be connected to one’s breath of life and circulation through vital organs: intestines, kidney, stomach, spleen, lungs and rectum.
Uxedo is considered the main cause of disease and all forms of imbalances, which lives within Metu. Uxedo is the corruption of bowel contents, such as metastic ulcers, tumors, lesions or abscesses that result in inflammation, pain, fever or phlegm.
This concept highlights how organ harmony were prioritized to strengthen one’s immune balance.
The law of cause & effect or opposites and harmony
Ancient African medical theory classified diseases using elements and temperatures (elements are used to determine biochemical/ pharmacological attribute of herbs are):
Natural temperatures: Moist, Cold, Dry, Hot
Elements: Aliphatic (sour), Alkaloid (bitter), Neutral, Flavonoid (sweet), Halogenic (salty)
These categories were related to the senses — hearing, taste, neutral, sight, touch and smell — and were key to understanding diseases. Through this framework, food, energy and environment (pestilence or microorganisms) are the major causes of disease and progression. It also affects one’s internal health, emotions, psych and spiritual diseases. Superstition was not apart of the system.
Diagnosing illness: the correct method process
The Kemetic people followed a structured seven-step process to diagnose illnesses:
Identify the problem
Form a hypothesis
Conduct a systematic inquiry
Examine evidence
Apply known solutions
Evaluate all proofs
Determine perfection
This method laid the groundwork for a thorough understanding of the disease before treatment, often relying on precise herbal dosages as the main form of treatment to heal, cure and manage diseases.
Patients were examined thoroughly by finger probing, hand pulse and feeling heart palpitation with 3 possible outcomes (possible, probable and untreatable) and 3 prognosis (favorable, uncertain or unfavorable). Formulas and dosages of herbs were derived from doubling volumes using fractions drawn from the Eye of Heru.
“let food be your medicine”
Aim-Hetep, one of Kemet’s most influential figures in medical cosmology, is quotes as saying, “let food be your medicine and your medicine be your food.” A phrase later used by the Greeks. This profound connection between diet and health formed the basis for many of their healing practices.
Conclusion
Ancient African medical systems laid the foundation for modern medicine and holistic health approaches. By acknowledging these contributions, we honor a rich history that continues to influence contemporary health practices. From structured diagnostics to the healing power of food, African health antiquity remains a guiding force in today’s wellness trends.
