In the Middle Ages, a broken heart was not merely a poetic metaphor. Lovesickness was treated as a serious ailment requiring medical intervention and specialist therapy. Doctors prescribed detailed diets designed to restore the patient’s emotional and physical balance. The treatment system was based on the theory of humours and the belief that proper nutrition could cure almost any disease.
Love as Medical Diagnosis
Medieval physicians treated lovesickness with the seriousness reserved for the most serious illnesses. Symptoms recognized by doctors included melancholy, chronic insomnia, loss of appetite, and physical pain. These symptoms were not considered a temporary emotional breakdown. Doctors believed that suffering from love actually destroys the body at a physiological level.
The theory of humours dominating medieval medicine assumed that body and mind are inseparably connected. The four humours, or bodily fluids, had to remain in perfect balance. Unhappy love disrupted this delicate harmony leading to illness. Doctors believed that lack of reciprocity in feelings physically destabilized the patient’s humoral system.
Diagnosis of lovesickness was not a simple process. It required the doctor to conduct an in-depth analysis of symptoms and patient history. Specialists had to distinguish genuine lovesickness from other forms of melancholy. This was essential because each disease required a different therapeutic approach according to the principles of contemporary medicine.
The approach to lovesickness was holistic and comprehensive. Doctors did not limit themselves to a single symptom but analyzed the patient’s overall condition. Recommendations included lifestyle changes, diet modification, and sometimes the use of specific foods. The entire process aimed to restore the lost humoral balance.
Diet as Foundation of Therapy
In the 12th century, the great medical theorist Maimonides formulated a principle that dominated the approach to treatment. He argued that any disease that could be cured by diet alone should not be treated by other methods. Doctors ignoring this principle were considered irresponsible and incompetent. Diet constituted the first line of defense against disease, and only after its failure were medicines or surgery employed.
Patients suffering from lovesickness received detailed dietary recommendations. Typical therapy included consuming lamb, fish, fresh salads, and ripe fruits. These products were supposed to restore the balance of humours and support the nervous system. Doctors believed that appropriate foods strengthened the heart not only in a physical sense but also emotionally.
Preparation for surgical procedures also required a special diet. Before an operation, the patient had to adhere to a specific nutritional regimen. This was meant to prepare the body for the upcoming stress and increase chances of survival. After surgery, diet was equally important as it accelerated wound healing and body regeneration.
The importance of diet in medieval medicine was so enormous that it found reflection in law. A patient who did not receive appropriate dietary recommendations could sue a doctor for negligence. Improper dietary care constituted grounds for accusation of malpractice in the medical art. This shows how seriously nutrition issues were treated in the context of health.
Hygiene Books and Dietary Knowledge
Medieval medical textbooks and hygiene books always devoted an extensive portion to nutrition issues. A text that did not describe the effects of foods on external appearance and physiognomy was considered defective. Such a textbook could not be treated as a credible source of medical knowledge. Doctors relied on these compilations in daily practice.
These books served a dual purpose as guides for maintaining health and restoring it. They were not written solely for satisfying basic nutritional needs or for ceremonial purposes. They constituted comprehensive instructions for preserving good bodily condition. They also contained guidelines regarding disease prevention and treatment.
The influence of diet on physiognomy was a particularly important topic for medieval doctors. It was believed that proper nutrition shaped not only internal humours but also external appearance. Food had the power to transform both the body and a person’s character. This concept stemmed from the belief in the integrity of all aspects of human nature.
The medical philosophy of the era assumed that the body possesses a natural ability for self-healing. Good diet supported these innate regenerative mechanisms of the organism. Doctors did not see themselves as those who directly heal but as helpers of nature. Their task was to create appropriate conditions in which the body could repair itself.
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY
- https://theconversation.com/being-lovesick-was-a-real-disease-in-the-middle-ages-70919
- https://leigheas.maynoothuniversity.ie/lovesickness-and-medieval-irish-medical-tradition/
- https://www.grunge.com/880894/being-lovesick-was-considered-an-actual-disease-in-the-middle-ages/
- https://retrospectjournal.com/2021/05/02/the-four-humours-understandings-of-the-body-in-medieval-medicine/
- https://becker.wustl.edu/news/humors-and-you/
Margot Cleverly
Margot's journey into women's history began with a box of forgotten letters in a Cambridge archive – suffragettes whose voices had been silenced for over a century. Since then, she's been on a mission to uncover the stories history overlooked.
What she writes about: Queens who ruled from the shadows. Scientists whose male colleagues took credit. Revolutionaries who risked everything. But also ordinary women – those who survived wars, raised families through upheaval, and shaped their communities in ways no one bothered to record.
Margot turns historical figures into real people. She writes with warmth and detail, making centuries-old stories feel surprisingly relevant. Rigorous research meets accessible storytelling – no dusty academic jargon, just compelling narratives backed by solid facts.
When she's not writing, you'll find her in regional archives, collecting oral histories, or visiting sites connected to the women she writes about.