Dietary Therapy & Nutrition
Chinese Medicine offers much more than just acupuncture. In fact, dietary advice is perhaps the most important to long-term factor for people who are striving to recover quickly, stay healthy, remain in balance for a lifetime.
In Chinese Medicine thinking strong digestion is of primary importance. Without a healthy digestive tract, various systemic health problems may result. Specifically, we are concerned with the types and amounts of foods that are consumed, as well as the times at which meals are taken. All of these factors are important to healthy digestion and assimilation of food.
In Chinese medicine, the Spleen and Stomach are the organs of digestion and assimilation. In this model, the Stomach descends food energy into the body and the Spleen distributes it to the muscles and tissues. Therefore, anything that upsets the function of the Spleen & Stomach may injure the body as a whole.
Basic Advice for digestive health:
- Eat meals at regular times
- Eat predominantly cooked foods – cooked foods require less energy to digest. Cold and raw foods are injurious to the digestion, according to the traditional concepts, and should be eaten in limited amounts.
- Eat foods that are in season and local (if possible). There is more energy (qi) available from these foods, as they are fresher and have more food value.
- Herbs can be added to foods to increase their digestibility and nutrient values.
A basic food used for healing in Chinese medicine is rice “congee” (or porridge). Congee is a very therapeutic food and is often used traditionally during chronic weakness diseases and during recovery from illnesses. There are many varieties suitable for different conditions but it is usually made with a base of over-cooked rice. Your Chinese medicine practitioner can give you recipes that are specific for your health condition.
Although the traditional approach to diet still applies, new principles like glycemic index and others can be incorporated into dietary strategies in combination with Chinese medicine principles.
Additional Topics on Diet and Food:
- Basic Dietary Advice
- Elimination Diet Instructions
- Thyroid-Inhibiting Foods
- Liver Cleansing & Health
When you are ready for a personalized diet plan, get started with a consultation today:
