1. As Traditional Arabic and Islamic Medicine (TAIM) Practitioner at Zulal Wellness Resort, Help Us Better Understand This School Of Wellness Therapy?

Traditional Arabic and Islamic Medicine or TAIM, encompasses a holistic approach to wellness based on the traditional principles derived from ancient physicians and focuses mainly on lifestyle wellness practices. It contains an abundant source of ancient healing wisdom and guidelines for healthy living, much of which has been forgotten over time.

Though some may not be familiar with the science behind it, it is inherent to the modern life in the Middle East. Knowing this, our aim at Zulal Wellness Resort is to build awareness of TAIM and bring it to the forefront of the wellness industry in Qatar, the region, and the world.

With renewed interest around holistic living, we at Zulal Wellness Resort have created bespoke wellness therapies with state-of-the-art facilities that incorporate TAIM medicine’s healing wisdom whilst showcasing Qatar’s rich and valuable medicinal resources.

2. Many Practices Of TAIM Are Evident In Various Aspects Of The Culture And Traditions in the Arab world. Could you share how Zulal Wellness Resort has incorporated these?

Tibb is a branch of knowledge that tackles the state of health and disease in the human body for the purpose of adopting suitable measures to preserve and restore health. Common misconception is its association to Hijama but in addition to providing the benefits of Hijama, Tibb uses food and herbs as medicine.

Tibb encompasses our way of life, our daily behavior and our personal habits which play a vital role in determining whether we are healthy, and aids to examine our likelihood to succumb to a disease and ultimately analyzes our rate of recovery from a disorder.

At Zulal Wellness Resort we believe wellness is a way of life, it is the essence of our being. Being the first wellness resort dedicated to TAIM, we have placed an integral focus on reconnecting all its elements to create a wide range of therapeutic and lifestyle enhancement treatments based on traditional Arabic and Islamic wellness principles. We are very excited to offer this to the region and the world, in hopes that these positive wellness experiences will inspire others to adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles.

3. As a TAIM practitioner, what are common health issues in the region, and how can a retreat at Zulal Wellness Resort help individuals?

Three very common health issues that surface in this region are high blood pressure, obesity and constipation.

Blood pressure

The TAIM system attributes two instances that contribute to a spike in an individual’s blood pressure:  

• The increased amount of blood in the vessels, which is caused by a hot, moist temperament or the sanguineous type.
• The dryness of the vessels (caused by narrowing) increases blood pressure, leading to the dry, cold melancholic type.

At Zulal Wellness Resort we recommend a diet rich in herbs like garlic, pepper, ginger, celery, lemon, hibiscus tea, olive leaf extract and saffron to naturally manage an individual’s blood pressure.

Obesity

Ibne Sina writings featured  the taqleel ghiza (decreasing food intake) as an important tool for weight management. At Zulal Wellness Resort we would share recommendations not immediately eating after a bath but rather wait and take a short nap instead. Also for example, consuming fenugreek seeds and black seeds on an empty stomach with warm water can help reduce obesity. These gems of wisdom will be shared with our guests to follow during their stay and beyond.

And Finally for Constipation

• To alleviate the symptoms of constipation, we would advise our guests to try aloe vera, pomegranate, figs, dates etc.