Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a holistic approach to health that emphasizes a balanced diet, regular exercise, and stress management. TCM is based on the belief that the body is a complex system and that imbalances in one area can affect other areas. The five main branches of TCM are acupuncture, herbal medicine, diet, movement, and lifestyle.
A nutritious diet consists of local, seasonal foods, including vegetables, fruits, complex carbohydrates, healthy fats, and proteins. TCM nutrition stands out from diet trends due to its personalized approach, encouraging individuals to eat according to their body constitution and health conditions. TCM has evolved over at least 3,000 years and includes elements such as acupuncture, herbal medicine, diet, movement therapy, meditation, food and diet, mental and emotional health, and organ systems.
TCM can be used for effective diabetes management, as it promotes weight loss, improve digestion, and improve overall health. Traditional Chinese medicine has divided food into three characteristics: cooling foods, warming foods, and balanced, neutral foods (neither cool nor warm).
The Chinese medicine diet is based on the view that the body is interconnected and requires avoiding cold and raw food and drink, eating small amounts regularly instead of large portions sporadically. A TCM diet can include vegetables, fruits, grains, seeds, nuts and legumes, meat, spices, herbs, and beverages. All plant and animal-based foods are assigned both a cooling and warming status.
In conclusion, TCM is a valuable approach to health that emphasizes a balanced diet, regular exercise, and stress management. By incorporating TCM principles and practices into our daily lives, we can achieve better health and overall well-being.
📹 Late Summer TCM Diet and Lifestyle Tips
In this video I teach you how to adjust your energy, diet, and lifestyle to the season of Late Summer to achieve holistic health and …
What are the 5 elements of TCM?
Canan Sanatkar discusses the Five Element Theory, which focuses on understanding patterns found in nature. The five elements are Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water, which are essential in daily life and are used in Feng Shui to achieve balance and healing. Each person has a dominant Five Element Type, which is the combination of all five elements in them. This theory is crucial in understanding the balance and harmony in our lives.
What diet is key to longevity?
The text suggests a vegan diet with a small amount of fish, limiting it to two or three meals per week. Choose fish with high omega-3, omega-6, and vitamin B12 content, such as salmon, anchovies, sardines, cod, sea bream, trout, clams, and shrimp. Keep protein intake low for individuals under 65, with 40 to 47 grams per day for 130 pounds and 60 to 70 grams for 200 to 220 pounds. Over 65, slightly increase protein intake but also increase consumption of fish, eggs, white meat, and goats and sheep products to preserve muscle mass.
Maintain a diet with high vitamin and mineral content, supplemented with a multivitamin buffer every three days. Select ingredients from your ancestors’ diet. Based on weight, age, and abdominal circumference, decide whether to have two or three meals per day. For overweight individuals, consume two meals a day, including breakfast, lunch, or dinner, and two low-sugar snacks with fewer than 100 calories each. For those at normal weight or over 65, eat three meals a day and one low-sugar snack with fewer than 100 calories.
Continue all eating to within a twelve-hour period, starting after 8 a. m. and ending before 8 p. m., and avoid eating anything within three to four hours of bedtime.
What are the Chinese dietary beliefs?
Chinese food is characterized by a balance of yin and yang, with emphasis on freshness and flavor. A typical Chinese meal typically includes rice, soup, and three to four side dishes, often featuring seasonal vegetables, fresh seafood, or bite-sized portions of meat or poultry. While it is not difficult for anemic Chinese patients to increase their intake of fruits and vegetables, it may be more challenging to add more meat to their diet.
Grains and carbohydrates are crucial in the Chinese diet, with rice and noodles being equivalent to potato and pasta in the western diet. Rice comes in different types, such as sweet, long, short, jasmine, and brown rice, and can be prepared in various ways, including steamed, rice soup, fried, and pot rice. People living in south China consume large amounts of rice, while those in the north consume more noodles or steam buns.
White rice, which contains 25 carbohydrates and small amounts of vitamins B, is treated with respect in China. Parents often tell their children to finish every grain of rice in the bowl, as it symbolizes labor hardship. Noodles come in different sizes and shapes and can be cooked in soup or stir-fried, known as “chow mien”. They are served for breakfast, lunch, or late snacks, and during birthday celebrations, they symbolize long life.
In Chinese cuisine, soup is the main course, followed by 3 to 5 main dishes of vegetables, seafood, and poultry.
Are eggs good in TCM?
Eggs are a significant source of nutrition, including essential nutrients for fertility, including cholesterol, minerals, and vitamins. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) suggests that eggs are a good source of building the Jing, or reproductive essence, and the Blood, which are essential for reproductive health. Eating chicken eggs, fish roe, or caviar is a good way to replenish both. Organic food is more important than conventional produce, as chickens fed pesticide and fertilizer-laden grains concentrate toxins in their eggs.
Pastured chickens, which are free to forage for insects, seeds, and grass, have a darker yellow or orange yolk, indicating more nutrition. Chickens fed grains like corn, soy, and wheat, which they didn’t evolve to eat, are less healthy and their eggs are less nutrient-dense. In summary, eggs are a valuable source of nutrition, especially for fertility and the reproductive system.
What are the five foods for longevity?
Cruciferous vegetables, such as salad greens, nuts, seeds, berries, pomegranate, beans, and mushrooms, are nutrient-dense foods that can help maintain a healthy weight and reduce the risk of illnesses like obesity, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes. These vegetables can modify human hormones, activate the body’s natural detoxification system, and inhibit the growth of cancerous cells. Consuming a variety of cruciferous vegetables in both raw and cooked forms daily can help restore health and vitality.
Raw, leafy green vegetables, including some cruciferous ones, contain less than 100 calories per pound, making them ideal for weight control. Scientific studies show that women who eat a large salad at the beginning of a meal eat fewer calories from the rest of the meal, and larger salads reduce calories more than smaller ones. A greater intake of salads, leafy greens, or raw vegetables is associated with reduced risk of heart attack, stroke, diabetes, and several cancers.
Leafy greens are rich in essential B-vitamin folate, lutein, and zeaxanthin, carotenoids that protect the eyes from light damage. To maximize the health benefits of leafy greens, it is essential to maximize the absorption of their fat-soluble phytochemicals, which requires fats, which is why salads or dressings should always contain nuts and/or seeds.
What are Chinese healthy habits?
Chinese people prefer warm water over cold ones, and the importance of digestion and mindful eating is deeply rooted in Chinese culture. The Chinese approach to food and health is complex and well-balanced, contrasting with Western approaches. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) views food as a powerful tool for maintaining health, advising matching food intake with body needs, health, and seasonality. This connection between human health and the natural world is a key concept in TCM.
Following the seasons and planning meals is crucial for a well-rounded and healthy lifestyle. Food is often considered’medicine’, or ‘Yao Shan,’ used to aid long-term recovery from illnesses. Western perspectives on health and nutrition are increasingly aligning with these ancient Chinese principles.
What are the daily habits of TCM?
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practitioners recommend starting the day with warm water and a substantial breakfast to keep the body energized. Light meals are advised at lunchtime and even lighter at night. After a long day, relax and reflect on the day’s business. Dinner should be eaten between 5 p. m. and 7 p. m., and chill out for two to three hours before bed. The “three heaters” approach helps you rest in bed by 11 pm. TCM can help break routine sleep and increase productivity by changing how you approach your day. Prioritizing TCM can help break the routine and improve your overall health.
What is the TCM diet for longevity?
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) diet is linked to longevity, as it promotes physiological functions, metabolism, immunity, and delay the aging process. Centenarians often follow TCM principles, such as reducing salt and oil intake, consuming vegetables and fruits, and drinking moderately. The diet has been shown to improve health and regulate the body.
Chinese Learning offers a unique learning experience by using technology to enhance the learning experience and providing personalized paths for each student. They focus on cultural understanding and practical application of the language, emphasizing the development of speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills. Modern teaching methods and materials, such as multimedia resources and interactive exercises, are also used.
Courses are designed to be flexible and adaptable, allowing students to learn at their own pace and according to their schedule. By following the TCM diet, individuals can improve their health and overall well-being.
What are the food according to TCM?
Food additives and preservatives are common in grocery stores, often used to enhance flavor and shelf life. In Chinese medicine, “wrecked food” refers to food that has been altered, which can cause illness. A healthy TCM diet should include fresh foods like recently picked fruits and vegetables, grains, and organic meats. Both Western and Eastern approaches to nutrition contribute to better health, and understanding both can help make informed decisions about food choices. Blending the best of both approaches can lead to the development of an effective integrative nutrition system, aiming to improve and maintain good health.
The Western approach is scientifically based, while Eastern approaches have evolved over thousands of years based on empirical evidence. Western research methods produce detailed analyses of isolated components, fragmenting the whole into individual parts for examination. This can result in information about substances without their contexts. On the other hand, the holistic approach of the East often fails to explain the mechanisms behind certain practices in a way that Western minds can comprehend.
Is TCM scientifically proven?
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is characterized as pseudoscientific, similar to Mediterranean humoral theory. Its model of the body and disease is characterized by a lack of histological or physiological evidence for traditional Chinese concepts such as qi, meridians, and acupuncture points. These concepts are believed to be special conduits for electrical signals within the acupuncture community, but no research has established any consistent anatomical structure or function for either.
TCM theory and practice are not based on widely accepted scientific knowledge related to health, disease, and healthcare. Practitioners disagree among themselves about how to diagnose patients and which treatments should go with which diagnoses. TCM theories are so nebulous that no amount of scientific study will enable TCM to offer rational care.
Qi, a polysemous word, is defined by five “cardinal functions”: actuation (all physical processes in the body, especially the circulation of body fluids), warming (body, especially the limbs), defense (Against Exogenous Pathogenic Factors), containment (of body fluids), and inter-transformationel (of food, drink, and breath into qi, xue (blood), and jinye (fluids), and/or transformation of all of the latter into each other).
In conclusion, TCM’s theories are characterized by pseudoscience and lack of scientific evidence, making it difficult to offer rational care.
What is the Chinese medicine lifestyle?
Traditional Chinese medicine emphasizes daily, gentle movement for improved mood and physical wellbeing. Practices like Tai chi, yoga, qigong, walking, stretching, and light jogging support this sustainable nature. Modern lifestyles often opt for high-intensity, strenuous movements, but Chinese medicine recommends sustainable daily movements. Eating seasonally is also crucial for health and the planet, as it provides vital energy and nutrients from the Earth, especially from the foods we consume. Living in harmony with the seasons is essential for overall well-being.
📹 The Traditional Chinese Medicine Diet
The 5 Elements relate to the earth and the ways that our organ system works according to Traditional Chinese Medicine. 1) Wood …
also we need to understand that eating an overabundance of foods related to any single element can cause disharmony in the associated organs so eating to much sweet foods will cause digestive issues like diarrhea, also remember eat according to the seasons so for example don’t eat cold raw foods in the autumn and winter those seasons are meant for you to eat warming cooked hearty meals. and every meal should have a balances of the 5 tastes sour, sweet, spicy/pungent, bitter, and salty balance is the key to your health. just some extra information for you guys from a 2nd year TCM student
I can tell you one thing..I was diagnosed with a spleen qi deficiency and rightly so, because I do over worry and over think and I have thyroid issues (a goiter), I was eating a diet more geared to hashimoto’s and was not feeling any better, until I met with a doctor that enforced and diagnosed me with my spleen condition and no lie, I feel great. I have my moments where I feel a flare up in my goiter, but all in all, never felt better. I know I am healing. It’s not the placebo, because it has been going on for a few months now.
As a medical social worker for the past 15+years, I’ve seen many Chinese elderly who have cancer refused to go for conventional medicine but TCM yielded better outcome and unnecessary sufferring from surgery and chemotherapy txt. Chinese has very different approaches when it comes to illness, as Dr. Axe said, TCM focuses on norishing the organs and balance, but not just removal of the bad cells and try to destroy it by harmful radiation…
I believe in Traditional Chinese Medicine Diet. Because I believe everyone’s body structure is different. Some people just eat a little but they easy to get fat even they do exercise. Some people eat a lot but they never get fat. However, the typical Traditional Chinese Medicine concept may just suitable for Asian or Chinese. You know the western people body structure are every different to us. Anyway, the element concept can help everyone know more about the food we eat and your body structure. Not just see the nutrition fact on the packagings.
I think I am a typical “earth element” woman with a little bit of “wood element”. Pumpkin and corn do a lot of good to me, so I incorporate them into my diet. I reduce my rice consumption for several months already and my candida problem gets better managed. Although sweet potato is also meant to be good but it produces a lot of gas so I ate less often as compared to pumpkin. Pumpkin is not very sticky to the teeth, so it is also good for health of the gum and teeth as compared to rice. For the “wood element”, I like sauekraut and in fact I like cabbage very very much!!! The more yellowish it is, the more benefits it will have on me. I tried dandelion (liquid form), but it did not work out well. I did not try milk thistle before, may be…I will try in future.
Hi Josh, congratulations on your journey! What path did you take to become a doctor of Chinese Medicine. Usually MD is offered in conventional Western Med system. Except few Asian countries, most of the world recognizes Chinese medicine doctor as a Chinese Medicine Practitioner. Would you be able to do a article for us please? 🙂
I am starting to be very passionate about veganism (started a week ago) but since of my liver qi deficiency, (cause by pregnancy) one of my Tcm teachers told me that I need to eat meat to be healthy because of not having enough blood (or my liver not working enough?) or else I will be unhealthy?. Can I nourish my liver from not eating meat just as fast?
I’m glad to see this being discussed as I’m a TCM student and practitioner. But this guy is a little bit scattered. He doesn’t say anything that is just blatantly wrong, but he does make some mistakes. Clearly, Chinese medicine is not his area of expertise. But, I’m glad to see that more healthcare providers are learning TCM.
I don’t buy this one, these conditions are things that happen to all people who don’t eat enough of all of those foods… if your not healthy in a specific aspect in one way or another (a large proportion of the western world), then you just need to eat more of ALL of that stuff, in balance, and exercise! (imho)
Do you know that at one point, Buddhists in China banned animal milks? Therefore, they clearly were used before they did. Was this ban successful among the Chinese who did drink it as far back as neolithic times? When, where, how, and how much milk was consumed before it was banned? How much milk and what kinds are used today? From all we could learn, milk never was popular among the Chinese, but it never disappeared either. Most of it was consumed by the affluent and the elite, and particularly sought after by women. There was a well known, popular, believed, and beloved Chinese poem that said something like: if one drinks milk one can live to be more than a hundred. Actually, the poem says drinking milk one can live to be two hundred and forty. The poem is not talking about soy milk nor nut milks, not even about fruit nor grain milks. It speaks about animal milks, mostly cow’s milk. More detail in this link: flavorandfortune.com/dataaccess/article.php?ID=808
I really enjoyed this article. Just spotted it and found out more information on TCM, that I didn’t know. But makes sense since they use the elements for almost everything. Since the Pandemic, I have missed some awesome needling by my DO. Can someone be dysfunctional in 2 elements or it’s just the one like your birth year, etc only one? Ayurvedic Medicine usually there’s the main Dosha, but a minor Dosa can be out of sync as well.
First of all your reference to “western” medicine is erroneous. The diet that is touted in America is a corporate diet or SAD, foods manufactured by corporations not small farms with real food. Also most of Europe does not eat this way, the food in Europe is far superior to that in America and they are much more open and in fact practice natural healing. There is a reason GMO’s are banned in most of Europe. Remember that 2 out of the top 3 countries with the healthiest living populations are located in America and Italy. China isn’t even on the list and has never been. Also some of the greatest healers have come from America and Europe.
Dear Dr. Josh, this is very confusing, when one has an autoimmune disease (M.E.) thanks to the horrible hpv-vaccine…which has fucked up loads things for me which puts me in all mentioned categories, so how do I act ? do I just mix up all the mentioned ? I hope will answer me as I know I am one of millions who have had their health ruined by the hpv-vaccine and now have an autoimmune disease.
Dr Walt. Please stick to you learned medicine instead of attempting to tackle TCM. In TCM we do not have any type of Diet, this is a Western notion. As I learned in China, Westerners attempt to Market things to their advantage for fame and money. TCM is easy to learn yet har to practice while Western Medicines are hard to learn but easy to practice. Also the Nutrition you learned is nothing like I learned in TCM. Your 5 Element explanation is very Western and not TCM. Thanks, Dr Walt AP Dipl NCCAOM, RN BSN, CSRN, BSMT, MHt