Oliva Sabuco de Nantes Barrera (2 December 1562 in Alcaraz – c. 1646) was a Spanish writer in holistic medical philosophy in the late 16th – early 17th century.

[3] Luisa Oliva Sabuco de Nantes Barrera was born in Alcaraz, Spain in 1562 and was baptized in the Holy Trinity church on December 2 of that same year.

[7] Sabuco combined ancient Greek and Christian philosophies, along with Aristotelian views in order to explain how the mind and body interact in a holistic manner.

Self-knowledge and ethical decisions allowed hope, health, strength and a natural life span to be placed on the human body while free will directed the passions and emotions.

[11] The balance between the four humors, hot, cold, wet, and dry must also be in harmony in order for the human organ system to be in a healthy state.

[11] Although her ideas originated from Hippocrates's four bodily humors, Sabuco denied the importance of his theory and insisted the focus lie on the severity of temperature and humidity.

[11] Sabuco also coined the term chilo, which was a white liquid energizing force that traveled through a complex network of anatomical channels from one organ system to another.

[12] Chilo maintained the proper temperature and humidity within the body; nonetheless, an imbalance could lead to negative states of health.

[14] Sabuco promoted moderation and temperance to control emotions and passions; her theory originated from Plato's concept of sophrosyne, where self-understanding is used to obtain wisdom and virtue.

Temperance and wisdom were then labeled as the answers to evil because they sustained human life and provided peace, happiness, and content between emotions and the soul.

Sabuco advocated for the creation of legislative, judicial and social reforms in the welfare rights of the powerless, people such as peasants, workers and householders.

[23] Sabuco disagreed with the traditional medical theory and thought its failure to control medicine was due to people's ignorance on the impact of emotions on physical health.

[26] Words and deeds that generated joy and hope and taking care of the stomach were the three pillars of health that could comfort the brain.

[20] The book, published in Madrid in 1587, was called Nueva Filosofia de la Naturaleza del Hombre (New Philosophy of Human Nature).

[28] The first treatise within Sabuco's most famous book, New Philosophy of Human Nature, introduces a discussion between three peasants, whom she identified as shepherds and who critique the views of others.

The identity of her characters represents the significance of remaining in close contact with nature and staying isolated from society so societal views will not sully the mind.

[30] It is in the brain, like in the root of a tree, that all diseases begin and it is possible to cure them through various methods amongst which are words of cheerfulness, sound thought, and even to the hearing of music.

[27] In addition to this, the famous French physician Charles le Pois cited Sabuco's influence on his own views regarding diseases such as hysteria.

[35] His letter and a promissory note written by Sabuco's husband and brother were implemented a year following the publication of the book.