Eastern Nutrition and Diet Recommendations
Eat in season, local grown food and a wholesome diet at least 90% of the time.
Eat according to your constitution: if you're from an Asian background, you probably won't do well on dairy because it's not part of that continent's diet. If you're from a Scandinavian background, you probably won't do well with very spicy foods, as again it isn't part of the northern Europe's diet.
Eat according to where you are in your life and adapt to changes. If you're a menopausal woman and are hot all the time, even though, you used to be cold most of your life, it's time to adapt and avoid warming foods such as hot spices, alcohol or lamb. If you have a constant stuffy nose and allergies in the spring, you need to avoid mucus forming foods such as dairy, wheat, sugar and beer.
For a complete diet assessment: talk to your acupuncturist.
Eat according to your constitution: if you're from an Asian background, you probably won't do well on dairy because it's not part of that continent's diet. If you're from a Scandinavian background, you probably won't do well with very spicy foods, as again it isn't part of the northern Europe's diet.
Eat according to where you are in your life and adapt to changes. If you're a menopausal woman and are hot all the time, even though, you used to be cold most of your life, it's time to adapt and avoid warming foods such as hot spices, alcohol or lamb. If you have a constant stuffy nose and allergies in the spring, you need to avoid mucus forming foods such as dairy, wheat, sugar and beer.
For a complete diet assessment: talk to your acupuncturist.
The 5 flavours of foods and their influence on our health
According to Chinese Medicine, there are 5 main food flavours: Pungent (spicy), Sour, Sweet, Salty & Bitter.
It is important to have a balance diet with all flavours. If a person has not reached optimum health, then some foods with certain flavours may help restore a healthy body and mind. Here are the 5 flavours and their healing properties, as well as their cautions. Now you can incorporate more or less of these foods depending on your health and condition.
It is important to have a balance diet with all flavours. If a person has not reached optimum health, then some foods with certain flavours may help restore a healthy body and mind. Here are the 5 flavours and their healing properties, as well as their cautions. Now you can incorporate more or less of these foods depending on your health and condition.
Sour
Properties Cooling, contracting, astringent, prevent fluid leakage, dry & firm tissues
Uses Incontinence, excess sweating, hemorrhage, diarrhea, flaccid skin, prolapse, hemorrhoids
Organs Liver & Gallbladder, helps in digestion & strengthen weak Lung
Season Best used in Fall
Caution Limit if there is dampness, constipation, or tendons & joints problems
Sour foods: Lemon, lime, pickles, rose hip, sauerkraut, sour plum, Granny smith apple
Sour & Bitter Vinegar
Sour & pungent Leek
Sour & Sweet Adzuki bean, blackberries, cheese, grape, mango, olive, raspberry, sourdough bread, tomato, yogurt
Uses Incontinence, excess sweating, hemorrhage, diarrhea, flaccid skin, prolapse, hemorrhoids
Organs Liver & Gallbladder, helps in digestion & strengthen weak Lung
Season Best used in Fall
Caution Limit if there is dampness, constipation, or tendons & joints problems
Sour foods: Lemon, lime, pickles, rose hip, sauerkraut, sour plum, Granny smith apple
Sour & Bitter Vinegar
Sour & pungent Leek
Sour & Sweet Adzuki bean, blackberries, cheese, grape, mango, olive, raspberry, sourdough bread, tomato, yogurt
Bitter
Properties Cooling, descending, clears & reduces, lower fever, dry fluid, drain dampness, induce bowel movement
Uses Inflammation, infection, high cholesterol, overweight, high blood pressure, yeast candida, mucus, swelling, skin eruption, cysts, edema, swelling, constipation
Organs Heart & Small intestine, remove lung mucus & help strengthen kidney
Season Best used in winter, at any time if heat symptoms
Caution Osteoporosis people, weak, thin, deficient, dry, cold people
Bitter foodsDandelion, valerian, chamomile, burdock, Echinacea, alfalfa, romaine lettuce, rye
Bitter & Pungent Radish, scallion, turnip
Bitter & Sweet Amaranth, asparagus, celery, lettuce, papaya, quinoa
Uses Inflammation, infection, high cholesterol, overweight, high blood pressure, yeast candida, mucus, swelling, skin eruption, cysts, edema, swelling, constipation
Organs Heart & Small intestine, remove lung mucus & help strengthen kidney
Season Best used in winter, at any time if heat symptoms
Caution Osteoporosis people, weak, thin, deficient, dry, cold people
Bitter foodsDandelion, valerian, chamomile, burdock, Echinacea, alfalfa, romaine lettuce, rye
Bitter & Pungent Radish, scallion, turnip
Bitter & Sweet Amaranth, asparagus, celery, lettuce, papaya, quinoa
Sweet
Properties Ascending, goes outward, harmonizing, slowing, relaxing, build fluids tonifying thin-dry weak people.
Uses Slows acute disease (common cold, flu), stress, tension, nervousness, older people especially frail ones.
Organs Spleen & Stomach, soothe Liver, calm Heart mind
Season Best used in between seasons but may be used in all seasons
Caution Overweight & sluggish people & those with lots of damp signs
Sweet Beans, peas, lentils, all meat, date, apricot, cherry, fig, carrot, cucumber, eggplant, potato, sweet potato, yam, almond, walnut, sesame & sunflower seed, all sugars, most dairies
Sweet & Sour Grape, peach, pear, strawberry, Tomato, olive
Sweet & Bitter Papaya, lettuce, celery
Sweet & Pungent Spearmint, cabbage
Uses Slows acute disease (common cold, flu), stress, tension, nervousness, older people especially frail ones.
Organs Spleen & Stomach, soothe Liver, calm Heart mind
Season Best used in between seasons but may be used in all seasons
Caution Overweight & sluggish people & those with lots of damp signs
Sweet Beans, peas, lentils, all meat, date, apricot, cherry, fig, carrot, cucumber, eggplant, potato, sweet potato, yam, almond, walnut, sesame & sunflower seed, all sugars, most dairies
Sweet & Sour Grape, peach, pear, strawberry, Tomato, olive
Sweet & Bitter Papaya, lettuce, celery
Sweet & Pungent Spearmint, cabbage
Spicy
Properties Disperse, expand, stimulate circulation, ascending & outward direction
Uses Help in digestion, protect against common cold, induce sweat, increase energy, kill parasites.
Organs Lung & Large intestine, clear lung mucus, reduce gas from intestine, moves the Liver & improve Heart circulation
Season Best used in the spring
Caution Avoid all pungent warm food if heat signs in body, not for weak thin dry people
Pungent warm Spearmint, rosemary, scallion, garlic, onion, cinnamon, ginger, hot peppers, cayenne, dill, anise, cloves, fennel
Pungent cool Peppermint, marjoram, white pepper, radish
Pungent neutral Turnip, Taro, kohlrabi
Uses Help in digestion, protect against common cold, induce sweat, increase energy, kill parasites.
Organs Lung & Large intestine, clear lung mucus, reduce gas from intestine, moves the Liver & improve Heart circulation
Season Best used in the spring
Caution Avoid all pungent warm food if heat signs in body, not for weak thin dry people
Pungent warm Spearmint, rosemary, scallion, garlic, onion, cinnamon, ginger, hot peppers, cayenne, dill, anise, cloves, fennel
Pungent cool Peppermint, marjoram, white pepper, radish
Pungent neutral Turnip, Taro, kohlrabi
Salty
Properties Cooling, descending, moistens, soften hard lumps, reduce stiffness, detoxify, purge bowel
Uses Lymph nodes, cataract, constipation, abdomen swelling, skin problems, sore throat, no appetite
Organs Kidney & Bladder. Strengthen Spleen, fortify the mind
Season Best used in the Fall & winter
Caution Overweight, sluggish people, edema, high blood pressure, signs of damp
SaltySeaweed, kelp, salt iodine, pickles, miso, soy sauce
Salty & Sweet Barley, Millet
Uses Lymph nodes, cataract, constipation, abdomen swelling, skin problems, sore throat, no appetite
Organs Kidney & Bladder. Strengthen Spleen, fortify the mind
Season Best used in the Fall & winter
Caution Overweight, sluggish people, edema, high blood pressure, signs of damp
SaltySeaweed, kelp, salt iodine, pickles, miso, soy sauce
Salty & Sweet Barley, Millet
