Lecture 4 food energy Flashcards
What pillar in chinese medicine is food?
5th pillar
Name 3 things that influence the energetics of food
Temperature, directionality, cooking methods
What would food be needed to do for blood, fluids, Yang or yin?
Build resources
What would food be needed to do for damp, heat or Qi?
Clear excess
What direction do warming food have?
Outwards and upwards
Examples of warming food
Ginger, cinnamon, cumin
Directionality of cooling food?
Inward and lower
Examples of cooling food?
Raw foods, salads, smoothies
Plants that are grown slowly (and rooted) are more …..
Warming
Examples of hot foods
Alcohol, chocolate, red meat, curries
Examples of warming food
Ginger, black pepper, rosemary, cumin
Examples of neutral
Boiled and steamed , chicken
Examples of cool
Fish fermented foods, bitter greens, veg juice, peppermint
Examples of cold
Raw foods, smoothies, sushi
Name hot foods that ascend -when should they be avoided?
Hot spices, alcohol, chocolate, garlic, coffee , sugar
Foods that ascend , doctrine of signature, examples and effect on yin organ?
Stalky vegetables that grow upwards, celery, asparagus, parsley.
Spleen
Cooling foods that descend, doctrine of signature and examples
Cucumber, peppermint, watermelon, strawberry,
Downwards pointing veg
What flavour as well as cool is decending?
Bitters such as rocket and spinach
Foods that centre? How are they cooked? Examples. When to use?
Boiled or streamed . Veg, porridges, stews , congees. Used when digestion is weak.
Name some whole grains that are cantering
Rice, quinoa, sweet potatoe, squash , herbal drinks
Foods that spread to the exterior are similar to what? What is the purpose of them?
Similar to stimulants. Linked to the liver and promote Qi and bloods to skin and muscles.
In what pathologies is spreading to the exterior needed?
Cases of chronic stagnation
What negative can effects can these spreading to the exterior herbs have? How can you support this?
They can be heating and dehydrating so choose foods to work alongside that nourish Yin for example ginger, honey water.
What yin organ links to the consolidating food?
Kidneys and supporting essence.
What do consolidating foods do? What two tastes are linked to consolidation? Any particular cooking way?
Support root and support life. Sour and salty. Roasting supports people who are particularly fragile.
What other foods support consolidating?
Nuts, seeds, and bone broth.
When should you use ascending foods?
Diarrhoea , depression, lethargy
When should you use descedning foods?
Headaches, high blood pressure, rage, eye infections
When should you use centering foods?
Weak digestion , exhaustion , feeling cold
When should you use spreading out to the exterior foods?
Cold, mucous, damp
When should you use consolidating foods?
Chronic fatigue, old age chronic illness.
What organ has an affinity with salty food? Examples
Kidneys - seaweed, soy sauce, miso
What organ has an affinity with sour food? Examples
Liver, due to astringents actions that bank blood. Saurkaut, apple, fermented foods
What organ has an affinity with sour food? Examples
Heart , drains dampness away. Kale, rocket,
What organ has an affinity with sweet food? Examples
Spleen including soups, stews, raw honey
Why will someone crave sugar?
Craving nourishment but can cause candida and damp
What organ has an affinity with pungent food? Examples
Lungs - ginger, black pepper, cumin
Foods to support spleen?
Naturally sweet foods, whole grains, roasted veg, squash, sweet potatoe
Foods to support spleen?
Pungent and honey and yoghurt
Foods to support liver?
Sour and dark and leafy
Foods to support emotional heart?
Pistachio, vanilla, rose
