Energetics and Nutrition; Energetic imbalance - dry and moist

Question 1

Dry

Answer 1

Dryness and moisture increase in the body and mind due to environmental, dietary and lifestyle influences

• Dryness increases in:
  o Dry, windy climates and seasons
  o Lights, crunchy foods such as biscuits
  o Starchy grains
  o Gas-forming legumes
  o Astringent herbs (Green tea, cinnamon)
  Astringent = has a binding and toning effect on tissues

Question 2

Moist:

Answer 2

Dryness and moisture increase in the body and mind due to environmental, dietary and lifestyle influences

• Moisture increases in:
  o Wet climates and seasons
  o Moist foods such as porridge, soup, high water content fruit and vegetables (melon, cucumber)
  o Slimy new mucilaginous foods and herbs such as okra, linseeds, aloe vera gel and slippery elm
  o N/B: dairy, refined carbs and gluten are very ‘damp’ foods and highly likely to cause ‘damp’ problems

Question 3

Restoration of balance:
Dryness

Answer 3

Understanding the energetic qualities ‘dry’ and ‘moist’ helps the practitioner to recommend attire that will restore balance

• For a person showing signs of DRYNESS dehydration:
  o Avoid; energetically dry foods e.g. starchy grains, legumes, astringent herbs
  o Increase; and and Listening and hydrating foods, e.g. porridge, soup, watery fruit and vegetables

Question 4

Restoration of balance:
Moisture

Answer 4

Understanding the energetic qualities ‘dry’ and ‘moist’ helps the practitioner to recommend attire that will restore balance

• For a person showing signs of MOISTURE or damp:
  o Avoid; energetically moist / damp foods e.g. dairy, gluten, soups, watery fruit and vegetables
  o Increase; drying / damp clearing foods e.g. dry foods, legumes, astringent herbs

Question 5

Excess Dryness Signs

Answer 5

Excess Dryness:
* Signs
o Weight loss
o Dry skin and mucous membranes
o Gas, Bloating
o Hyperactivity
o Feelings of fear and anxiety

Question 6

Excess Dryness Conditions

Answer 6

Excess Dryness
* Conditions
o Osteoarthritis (Stiff, rubbing and clicking joints)
o Dry, flaky, itchy skin conditions
o Dandruff
o Wrinkled skin
o Dry mouth, sinuses and throat
o Dry (non-productive) cough
o Gas
o Bloating
o IBS with constipation
o Gall / kidney stones
o Tremors
o Anxiety disorders
o Insomnia (waking early hours)

Question 7

Balancing excess Dryness:
Reduce

Answer 7

Balancing dryness
* Reduce:
o Light, dry foods such as biscuits, rice cakes, popcorn, starchy grains, legumes that increase gas
o Astringent herbs such as green tea and cinnamon
o Too many hot spices

Question 8

Balancing excess dryness: Increase

Answer 8

Balancing dryness
* Increase:
o Fluids – soups, broths, high water-content fruit and vegetables
o Root vegetables
o Nut milks
o Live yoghurt
o Mucilaginous foods such as okra, chia, linseeds
o Sweet herbs such as licorice
o Most herbal teas
o Aloe vera and slippery elm

Question 9

Excess Moisture Signs

Answer 9

Excess Moisture:
* Signs:
o Weight gain
o Fluid retention
o Watery discharge
o Mucus
o Lethargy
o Nausea
o Lumps and cysts
o Feelings of over-sentimentality and possessiveness

Question 10

Excess Moisture Conditions

Answer 10

Excess Moisture (damp):
* Conditions:
o Obesity
o Oedema
o Benign tumours
o Cysts
o Candida
o Lymphoedema following surgery
o Hayfever (watery nose and eyes)
o Thich phlegm
o Allergies
o Wet (productive) cough
o Weeping skin lesions
o Excess sweating

Question 11

Balancing excess moisture:
Reduce

Answer 11

Balancing excess moisture (damp):
* Reduce
o Dairy
o Sweet or high water-content fruit & veg e.g. cucumber & melon
o Refined sugars and carbs
o Cold smoothies
o Slimy mucilaginous foods e.g ripe banana, okra, gluten, chia, linseeds

Question 12

Balancing excess Moisture:
Increase

Answer 12

Balancing excess moisture (damp):
* Increase:
o Dry, light, crunchy food
o Whole non-gluten grains (Oats, Buckwheat, millet)
o Astringent herbs such as green tea
o Warming, drying spices such as cinnamon, ginger, horseradish, most culinary herbs and spices

Question 13

Combinations:
Excess hot and wet

Answer 13

Energetic qualities is often combine into mixed presentations, and therefore, manifest mixed excesses. For example:
* Excess hot and wet:
o Bleeding, weeping lesions
o Hot red using skin diseases
o Sweating
o Irritability
* To restore balance: reduce both hot and moist foods, whilst increasing both cold and dry foods

Question 14

Combinations:
Excess cold and dry

Answer 14

• Excess cold and dry:
  o IBS with weak digestion
  o Spasms, Gas, Bloating
  o Constipation
  o Anxiety
• To restore balance: reduce both cold and dry foods, whilst increasing hot and moist foods