Energetics and Nutrition: Life-stages and Energetics

Question 1

Life stages energetics

Answer 1

Energetic qualities change across a life-cycle, which adds an extra dimension to the diet and lifestyle advice we give at different life stages

Question 2

Childhood

Answer 2

Childhood is dominated by moisture.
* Children often have runny noses, ‘wet’ productive coughs and allergies
Reduce (as much as possible):
* Dairy
* Sweet or high-water content fruit and vegetables
* Refined sugars and carbohydrates
Increase:
* Light, crunchy and dry foods
* Whole grains
* Vegetables and aromatic spices such as peppermint (if tolerated)

Question 3

Teenage years and adult hood

Answer 3

Teenage years and adulthood are dominated by heat
* Teenagers have ‘hot’ Red acne and angry outbursts.
* In adult years, hot symptoms such as inflammation, stress, high blood pressure are more common
Reduce:
* Very hot food and drink
* Pungent spices such as Chile, dry ginger
* Red meat
* Oily foods
* Stimulants such as coffee and alcohol
Increase:
* Salads
* Raw food
* Green smoothies
* BItter vegetables
* Detoxifying herbs
For acute heat problems such as fevers, use warm teas and mild spices to promote sweating which cools the body

Question 4

Mature years

Answer 4

Mature years are dominated by drying
* After the age of 50, we start to get dry signs such as wrinkles, joint stiffness, decreasing physical strength and stamina
Reduce:
* Light foods such as biscuits
* Legumes that increase gas
* Starchy grains
* Astringent herbs such as green tea
* Too many hot spices

Question 5

Old age

Answer 5

Old age is dominated by coldness
* In our senior years digestive power weakens, circulation reduces, we feel colder, and there is declining mobility, exhaustion and withdrawal
Reduce:
* Frozen and refrigerated foods and drinks
* Too many cold, raw and bitter leafy foods
* Code smoothies
* Sushi
Increase:
* Warm, cooked and mildly spiced food and drinks that increase body temperature, digestive power and circulation