Dietary advice and consultation according to TCM
Lifestyle and – above all – nutrition have an important therapeutic value in Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Foods are considered mild medicines.
Thus, like the latter, they are grouped according to energetic properties and effects. Correspondingly, dietary advice can be given exactly according to the individual disease and constitution. This determines which foods and preparations are good and which are less suitable. In addition, this also contains tips, tricks and small recipes. The daily intake of food has an influence on the body that is not be underestimated. Dietetics is therefore essential for achieving and maintaining a therapeutic success.
Preventive effects of a proper diet must not be underestimated. Through our individual constitution and energy-levels we all have different requirements for food, but also different information to process it. This explains why some people can eat a lot without ever getting fat while others do not. Healthy nutrition is therefore not the same for everyone, it’s best to see it individually. So it is important for certain people to refrain from raw food or dairy products, while for others this is specifically recommended.
Nutrition has great significance as a trigger of diseases, but also as a therapeutic measure. Dietary advice can therefore be important even for problems that are not primarily related to food. The health care (Yangsheng), which serves the preservation of health, is deeply rooted in Chinese culture. At the time of the Chinese emperors, the most important thing to do was to be healthy in order to stay in office as long as possible. The main task of the doctors was to maintain their health and then to treat illnesses. A central concern of TCM is therefore disease prevention.
Generally, the number 1 advice on food and eating is:
Enjoy eating. Take your time and dedicate your full attention to your meal.
My personal top 10 of advice on diet goes as follows:
- Enjoy eating. Take your time and dedicate your full attention to your meal.
- Chew your food more (chew it until it’s liquid)
- Start the day with lemon and 0.5-1 litre of warm water
- Incorporate broths and soups into your diet
- Eat fermented foods daily
- Breathe slowly through your nose into your stomach,
- Know your transit time (food to bowel-movement)
- have a daily bowel movement
- Exercise or atleasrt go for a 30 minute walk, every day.
- Drink plenty of water