Fostering holistic wellness and empowered aging through a therapeutic regimen (Ilaj-bit-Tadbir)

Abstract Aging is a multifaceted biological process that affects physical, mental, and emotional health. With the rise in the global elderly population, holistic and integrative approaches to wellness are gaining importance. Unani System of Medicine offers valuable, time-tested regimens, among which Ilāj-bit-Tadbīr (therapeutic regimen) plays a central role and emphasizes individualized, noninvasive therapies that combine lifestyle modification and dietary regulation tailored to individual Mizāj (temperament) to maintain balance and prevent age-related disorders. Classical Unani literature contains extensive guidance on geriatric management under Tadābīr al-Mashāyikh , highlighting preventive, holistic, and personalized approaches that address the complex needs of older adults. This review explores how Ilāj-bit-Tadbīr can empower the elderly and enhance their quality of life (QoL), offering both traditional and contemporary perspectives on healthy aging (Eugeria). A literature search was conducted across PubMed, Scopus, Medline, Google Scholar, and ScienceDirect using search terms such as “ Ilaj-bit-Tadbir ,” “ Tadabeer-e-Mashaikh ,” “Unani Medicine and Geriatrics,” “holistic wellness,” “aging,” and “elderly care.” Classical sources, including Ibn Sīnā’s Al-Qānūn fī’l-Ṭibb , Al-Rāzī’s Kitāb al-Ḥāwī , and al-Majūsī’s Kāmil al-Ṣanāʿa al-Ṭibbiyya , were also reviewed. These texts describe aging as a natural decline in quwwāt (vital faculties) and humoral equilibrium. To counter this decline, Unani scholars recommend gentle, preventive regimenal measures such as dalāk (massage), ḥammām (therapeutic bathing), riyāḍat (exercise), taqlīl-i-ghidhā (dietary moderation), tanqiya (detoxification), and taʿdīl-i-akhlāṭ (humoral correction). Integrating Ilāj-bit-Tadbīr into contemporary health care may promote active aging, improve QoL, and foster resilience and emotional well-being among older adults.