The Rambam's Timeless Health Tips You Can't Ignore

There's no doubt that the greatest physician of all time, Rabbi Moses Maimonides, who lived in the Middle Ages, still lives among us today through his wonderful advice that, quite literally, brings life to all who implement it.

The Rambam not only instructed what to eat (limiting meat and animal proteins in favor of what the Creator has provided, like vegetables, fruits, seeds, and nuts) but also gave incredible advice that modern, hectic, and busy living proves time and again how necessary they are.

All these tips, when combined together, work their magic in keeping illnesses away from us. However, if a person chooses to adopt just one advice and neglects the others, they might find that their efforts are counterproductive.

Let's start with the first advice - Strengthening bonds with friends and family:

Why is it so beneficial to maintain good relationships with everyone? Quite simply: when social ties weaken and become 'vulnerable', our health is impacted. A lack of 'environmental' peace affects our health. How is this possible? The Rambam explains it through the idea of 'a healthy body in a healthy spirit' - meaning he does not ignore the soul as part of overall health. Harmonious and loving relationships empower our spirit and make us healthier (a holistic approach). Furthermore, the Rambam believed a person needs to be community-connected, as there is a link between the soul, body, and environment.

Another piece of advice from the Rambam is maintaining a healthy mind

This piece of advice is essentially a continuation of the previous section.

The Rambam studied not only the physical state of the body but also the condition of the soul, concluding that the soul affects the body just as much as the body affects the soul. Hence, it is a person's duty to invest in mental and emotional health, perhaps even more so than physical health.

How does one achieve this? One of Judaism's most important ways is through prayer - a method to achieve mental and emotional healing and balance, and to keep negative thoughts and emotions at bay.

Tell us how much you sleep, and we’ll tell you how healthy you are

You might think there's no harm in going to sleep at 1 AM when you have to wake up by 6 AM or earlier, but this advice from the Rambam doesn’t agree. Not only does the Rambam recommend eight hours of sleep, but he also emphasizes that the quality of sleep is just as crucial - with no 'external' disturbances.