Whether or not medieval people made New Year\u2019s resolutions, they certainly would have understood our desires to get fit or stress less. This is because the contemporary obsession with lifestyle as a form of preventative medicine<\/a> is not a new phenomenon. Just as we read lifestyle books which promise us longer, healthier lives, medieval people followed regimens \u2013 books which told them what they needed to do to stay healthy. Like us, they worried about their diet, exercise, sleep patterns, and emotional health. So what would medieval people have made of some of our most popular New Year\u2019s resolutions?<\/p>\n Medieval people were less preoccupied by body size than us, but they did recognise obesity as a health problem. According to the French surgeon Guy de Chauliac (c1300-1368), fatness became an issue when an individual \u201ccould no longer walk normally, nor touch the ground, nor put on his shoes on account of the girth of his stomach, nor even breathe without difficulty\u201d. Towards the end of the Middle Ages, some wealthy people commissioned regimens to help them lose weight: physician Conrad Heingarter\u2019s recommendations for Jean de la Goutte (c1430) included eating and drinking less, sleeping on his back (to prevent stagnation of the humours, which would turn into fat), and using laxatives.<\/p>\n Our ancestors also shared our belief in the power of a balanced diet, although they classified foods in humoral terms<\/a>, as hot or cold, and wet or dry. The best foods (such as chicken) were warm and moist, but some surprising things (including uncooked fruit) were considered unhealthy.<\/p>\n Also, overeating was frowned upon for both for both medical and spiritual reasons: not only did it produce humoral excesses which could cause disease, but to eat too much (or to enjoy one\u2019s food too much) was to commit gluttony, one of the Seven Deadly Sins.<\/p>\n Very restricted diets (including plant-based diets<\/a>) were usually motivated by piety rather than health concerns. Weight loss was a likely side-effect, but the central purpose was to subdue the flesh and to bring Christians closer to God.<\/p>\n Contrary to popular belief, medieval people drank water, and were not constantly drunk. Ale and beer were also popular beverages, but physicians had a low opinion of them: they were cold, and caused problems with the head, stomach, and nerves. Plus, they were more intoxicating than wine \u2013 a costlier drink, but also a healthier one.<\/p>\n Physicians praised it for its warm, dry nature, claiming that it strengthened the body, promoted digestion, corrected humoral imbalances, produced healthy blood, and improved the drinker\u2019s mood. They saw wine as part of a healthy diet, and recommended it for those who needed strengthening, including pregnant women<\/a> and the elderly. And medieval wine buffs were often preoccupied with the humoral properties and health benefits of their favourite drink. The Italian lawyer Lapo Mazzei\u2019s letters to his merchant friend Francesco Datini (d1410) include numerous tips about the best types of wine to drink during the hot summer months.<\/p>\n But wine\u2019s medicinal properties didn\u2019t justify unlimited indulgence. Doctors recommended watered-down wine, and warned that excessive drinking could cause clumsiness, trembling, and even brain damage. It was particularly dangerous for the young, who were naturally hot, and thus prone to overheating if they drank too much alcohol. Drunkenness was a sin, and it led to other sins, particularly lust. So, whilst it is unlikely that medieval people would have embraced \u2018Dry January\u2019, they would certainly have agreed that some people ought to drink less.<\/p>\n Just like us, medieval people believed that exercise would improve their physical and mental health and help them to live longer. Perceived benefits included improved digestion, the elimination of bodily wastes, and better sleep \u2013 plus all the delights of the great outdoors, including pleasant sights and fresh air. Most regimens focused on moderate exercise, such as walking and riding.<\/p>\n In 1315, the Valencian physician Peter Fagarola reminded his student sons to go for a walk morning and evening. If it was cold, they should run; if it was wet, they should exercise at home by jumping, climbing the stairs, and lifting \u201ca big heavy stick like a sword.\u201d He also recommended ball games, although concerns about dignity meant that public exercise was not suitable for everyone. John Mirfield (a priest living in 14th-century London) suggested that clergymen should lift weights and climb ropes in the privacy of their own chamber.<\/p>\n Worrying that you don\u2019t get enough sleep is not a new phenomenon: medieval people shared our concerns that chronic sleep deprivation could make a person ill, and even shorten their life. It was widely believed that sleep facilitated digestion, rested the sensory functions, and sharpened the mind. It also helped the sick to recover, and could ward off negative emotions. Medieval doctors agreed with their modern counterparts that about eight hours sleep was best.<\/p>\nImprove diet<\/h3>\n
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<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>Drink less alcohol<\/h3>\n
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<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>Do more exercise<\/h3>\n
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<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>Get more sleep<\/h3>\n
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