when food really is medicine
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is a holistic perspective and system of health. In TCM, there’s no boundary between food and medicine – food itself can sometimes be all the medicine you need. It is perceived as a poignant tool to help develop and maintain wellness.
According to TCM, each food has a nature, flavor, and organ system (meridian) associated with it. The nature of the food describes the effect on the temperature of the body –the flavor describes the taste.
Rather than seeing food as simply proteins, carbohydrates, and fats, TCM therapy focuses on the flavors and natures of foods to guide a well-balanced meal.
traditional chinese medicine diet guidelines:
Nature
The nature of foods describes how they effect temperature in the body. For instance, warming foods help move the blood and qi of the body to the surface and cause sweating. The nature of food is broken down into the following categories:Hot
Warm
Neutral
Cool
Cold
Flavor
In TCM there are five flavors. The refer to a specific organ system or meridian and have inherent qualities with powerful impact upon each organ. The flavors help to build balance in the body. They are:Sour
Bitter
Sweet
Acrid (spicy/pungent)
Salty
Organ System Association
The five flavors are linked to a specific organ system while each flavor aids its related organ system – but over consumption of a specific flavor can cause harm as well.Sour- liver/gallbladder
Bitter- heart/small intestine
Sweet- spleen/stomach
Acrid- lung/large intestine
Salty- kidneys/bladder
Learn more about TCM for dietary therapy here.
