When treating an illness, the first step should be dietary therapy. Only when this is unsuccessful should you resort to Acupuncture or herbal medicinals.
Sun Si Miao (581 – 682 CE)
In Chinese medicine diet therapy, a healthful diet is so much more than what we eat, it is also largely how we eat. I’ve put this helpful guide to help you get more out of the food you eat without taxing the digestion.
The below tools are excellent to start practicing immediately and will end up being self care tools that will serve you and your loved ones for a very long time.
Please do not disregard these tools because they seem too basic.
Warm food and drink.
The simplest explanation is to show it like this:
Your body ~37C
Room temperature ~20–22C
Fridge ~4C
Ice 0C
Body temperature or warmer food and drink protects the integrity of the digestive organs, the Spleen (Yin) and Stomach (Yang) and works with the natural flow of energy reducing digestive function burden.
Always eat breakfast.
In addition to a warm, “wet” breakfast – which helps digestibility – we want a something to help provide us with the energy for the day’s activity without making us feel tired and sluggish for eating. Nowadays, we tend to save the most nourishing, vegetable-filled meal for dinner…when we’re about to go to bed and res
Breakfast like a King, Lunch like a Prince, Dinner like a Pauper.
Traditionally we would Lunch like a King and siesta, however in today’s work culture it is preferable to switch the larger meal to earlier in the day reserving the light meals for evening.
Regular meal times.
Eating at regular times help boost the energetics of the Spleen and Stomach. Our digestive organs are like little children, they like routine.
Chew your food.
Chewing well for best digestion, chew your food well to loose weight, chew your food for good health. Enzymes present only in your saliva aid digestion – especially the ones that break down fats. As the Chinese Medicine saying goes “drink your food and eat your drink”.
Energy in stomach, not in the head.
Eating while distracted, arguing, having a meeting or on the run diverts much needed energy “Qi” to the head and elsewhere and not in the stomach where it is needed to transform nutrients and transport them around the body. We call this T & T.
Avoid sitting down straight after eating.
The Chinese have a saying: take 100 steps after eating, the Italians take a passagatta, the Marathi people of India practice shatapawali, and Hippocrates spoke about the health-promoting effects of a gentle walk after eating.
Simple food combinations are best.
Eating a diet that has a maximum of five ingredients is the best kind of meal for the body in order for efficient and proper digestion to get the nutrients we need and not feel bogged down by the draining digestive process.
Avoid cold food and limit raw and ‘damp’ foods.
These foods slow down the digestive process, and drain Spleen Qi which is responsible for our overall feeling of wellbeing and zest for life. Salads should be consumed in moderation as a side, and taken out of the refrigerator at least half hour before consuming. They are best taken as a side to a cooked meal and highly limited in Winter time, introducing more raw foods during Spring and Summer.
Include fermented foods in daily diet.
Naturally fermented foods contain bountiful pre- and pro-biotics which undoubtedly is beneficial for digestion and overall health. Traditional cuisines have had fermented and cultured products as part of their diet for centuries.
Wash your mouth after eating.
Traditional Chinese medicine believes that many diseases enter the body through the mouth. So every time you eat a meal simply rinse (and spit) your mouth with green tea or natural water 2 or 3 times. This is especially important when you eat strong tasting foods such as garlic, spring onions or chili. Washing your mouth after eating will also help you to protect your teeth.
Massage your stomach.
After a meal you can stand, warm your hands and put your hand on you stomach (palms facing stomach) and rub your stomach clockwise ten times, and anti-clockwise ten times. Then from the middle of the stomach run your hands down to your umbilical area ten times.
Food of Origin 