Impact of Modern Lifestyle on Su-E-Mizaj and Development of Lifestyle Diseases

In the 21st century, the rising prevalence of lifestyle diseases—such as obesity, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and cardiovascular disorders—has emerged as a major global health concern. These conditions are primarily linked to poor dietary habits, physical inactivity, emotional stress, environmental pollution, and disrupted sleep cycles. From the perspective of Unani medicine, these deviations from natural living are considered direct disturbances of the six essential causes of life (Asbab-e-Sitta Zaruriyya), leading to the alteration of temperament (Su-e-Mizaj) and ultimately resulting in pathological states. According to Unani scholars like Ibn Sina (in Al-Qanoon fi al-Ṭibb), Jurjani (Zakhira Khawarizm shahi), and Nafis bin Awwali (Kulliyat-e-Nafisi), health is the outcome of a well-balanced Mizaj and the equilibrium of the four humours (Akhlaṭ Arba). Any persistent lifestyle imbalance disrupts this equilibrium, causing a shift in the natural temperament of organs or the entire body, referred to as Su-e-Mizaj, which is the root cause of disease manifestation. This review paper explores how modern lifestyle factors contribute to Su-e-Mizaj and consequently to the development of lifestyle diseases, through the lens of classical Unani philosophy. It examines the etiopathogenesis of diseases in terms of humoral imbalance, derangement of innate faculties (Quwa Tabaiyya), and disturbance in vital forces like Rooh and Hararat Ghariziyya. By critically analysing authentic Unani texts and correlating them with contemporary research on lifestyle-related morbidities, the paper highlights the relevance of Tanẓim-e-Maishat (lifestyle regulation) and Ilaj bil Ghidha (dietotherapy) as foundational strategies for both prevention and management of these conditions.Through this classical-modern interface, the study calls for the revival of Unani preventive doctrines and Mizaj-based individualized care in combating the global epidemic of lifestyle diseases.