Energetics and Nutrition: Energetic imbalance - hot and cold Flashcards
Energetic Imbalance:
Imbalance of the qualities leads to characteristic patterns of physical disease and mental disharmony
* This happens when our environment, diet and lifestyle choices lean excessively towards some qualities at the expense of others, causing aspects of physiology and character to become ‘excessive’ or ‘aggravated’ and others ‘deficient’ or ‘weak’.
Imbalance = dis-ease
Heat (increased in…)
Heat and coldness increase in the body and mind due to environmental, dietary and lifestyle influences
- Heat increases in:
o Hot climate and seasons
o Hot food and drinks
o Herbs and spices such as chilli, ginger, garlic, rosemary and thyme, which stimulate circulation and digestion
o Oily foods
o Red meats
o Stimulant such as coffee
Cold
Heat and coldness increase in the body and mind due to environmental, dietary and lifestyle influences
- Cold increases in:
o Cold climates and seasons
o Cold food and drinks
o Bitter and leafy food such as lettuce and chicory
o Bitter ‘detoxifying’ herbs
Restoration of balance;
Heat (avoid and increase)
Understanding the energetic temperature of food helps the practitioner to recommend a diet that will restore energetic balance, in basic terms:
- For a person showing signs of HEAT;
o Avoid energetically hot foods (e.g. hot spices, chocolate, sugar, red meat)
o Increase cool foods (Salads, green smoothies, fruit)
Restoration of balance;
Cold
Understanding the energetic temperature of food helps the practitioner to recommend a diet that will restore energetic balance, in basic terms:
- For a person showing signs of COLD;
o Avoid energetically cold foods (e.g. raw foods, cold drinks or smoothies)
o Increase warm foods (e.g. soups, stews, porridges)
Excess Heat Signs
Excess Heat:
* Signs:
o Redness
o ‘Burning’ Sensations
o Inflammation
o Acute infection
o Yellow discharge
o Loose stool
o Over-excitement
o Competitiveness
o ‘Fiery emotions’ such as irritability and anger
Excess Heat Conditions
Excess Heat:
* Conditions:
o Cystitis, Sinusitis - Any condition ending in ‘-itis’
o Hypertension
o Autoimmunity (e.g. rheumatoid arthritis)
o Menopause
o Migraines
o Acid reflux
o Gastritis
o Ulcers
o Inflammatory bowel disease
o Inflammatory skin diseases
o Infected wounds
o Stress
o Mania
o Anger management problems
Balancing excess heat:
Reduce
Balancing excess heat:
* Reduce:
o Very hot foods/drinks
o Hot ‘pungent’ spices (chilli, dry ginger)
o Red meat
o Oily foods
o Chemical additives
o Stimulants (coffee, alcohol)
o Deep-fried, smoked, barbecued food
Balancing excess heat:
Increase
Balancing excess heat:
* Increase:
o Salads
o Raw food
o Green smoothies
o Bitter vegetables and herbs
o Fresh air
o Fasting
o Detoxification
Balancing excess heat – Warmth (acute situations)
Warmth balances heat in acute situations:
* Warm teas
* Spices
* Wraps
Promote sweating and treat fevers; warm applications reduce joint pain and inflammation
Excess cold Signs
Excess cold:
* Signs:
o Pale
o Cold
o Weak digestion
o Muscle spasm
o Tiredness
o Debility
o Low motivation
o Emotional withdrawal
Excess cold Conditions
Excess cold:
* Conditions:
o Poor circulation (cold hands and feet, Raynaud’s)
o Poor digestion (Low appetite, colicky pains, IBS)
o Menstrual cramps
o Hypothyroidism
o Weight gain
o Stiffness
o Poor memory and concentration
o Exhaustion
o Depression
Balancing excess cold: Reduce
Balancing excess cold:
* Reduce:
o Refrigerated and frozen foods
o Iced drinks
o Too many cold, raw and ‘bitter’ leafy foods such as chicory, cold smoothies, sushi
o Too many bitter ‘detoxifying’ the herbs
o Fasting
Balancing excess cold: Increase
Balancing excess cold:
* Increase:
o Warm food and drinks
o Herbs and spices such as fresh ginger, cumin, rosemary, thyme, black pepper and cinnamon to increase circulation and digestion
o Vigorous exercise
o Saunas
o Oil massages
Hot food temperature examples
Hot foods:
* Alcohol
* Coffee
* Chocolate
* Chilli
* Cayenne
* Dry ginger
* Garlic
* Grilled red meat
* Deep Fried food
* Hot spicy curry
