Contributions of Traditional Persian Medicine Lifestyle Principles in Primary Health Care: An Evidence-Based Review

Abstract

Context: Traditional medicine (TM) is widely used and holds significant potential for increasing Primary Health Care (PHC) coverage and achieving universal health coverage (UHC), especially in developing countries. Persian medicine (PM), an ancient form of TM, encompasses lifestyle principles known as "Hifz-o-Siha," which aim to maintain and improve health. This study seeks to explore whether lifestyle modifications based on PM can effectively promote health within the framework of PHC. Methods: We conducted searches across various databases, including Science Direct, Scopus, PubMed, and Google Scholar. Our search terms included Traditional medicine, Persian, Iranian, Health maintenance, Education, and Primary health care. Results: Three randomized clinical trials conducted between 2017 and 2019 examined the impact of educating individuals about PM's lifestyle principles on their quality of life and healthcare utilization. The results indicated significant improvements in all measured outcomes. Furthermore, six clinical trials focused on PM dietary modifications in the treatment of conditions such as obesity, infertility, nephrotic syndrome, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. In all these studies, PM diets demonstrated significant efficacy compared to conventional medicine. Conclusions: Lifestyle modifications based on PM recommendations have the potential to positively influence PHC and promote overall health. However, the incorporation of PM into national health systems faces challenges, primarily due to the limited availability of supporting evidence.