While hundreds of thousands of girls are obsessing with the bloodsuckers in a fantasy world, many of them suffer from anemia in reality.  In fact, up to 10% of people have anemia in the US alone, and the rates are even higher in other countries.  Due to regular menstrual bleeding, young women are twice as likely to have anemia than young men.

“In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), there is no such term of ‘anemia;’ it is called ‘blood deficiency’ instead and not very much identical,” TCM Practitioner said.  “TCM regards our heart to govern, liver to store, and spleen to unite the blood.  As a result, when we treat blood deficiency, patient’s heart, liver, and spleen are to be modulated all together.”

Generally, blood deficiency is classified as either chronic or acute.  It is not defined as a illness itself and may not be easy being identified by the sufferers.  Not sure if you have blood deficiency?  Read on the symptoms.

• Dim skin color; pale lips and nails
• Dizziness often occurs
• Repeatedly have had palpitations recently
• Poor sleep; frequent insomnia without cause or reason
• Have numb limbs every so often
• Light menstrual blood color and fewer in volume than usual

“If you find three or more symptoms from the list that match your condition, you likely have blood deficiency,” said TCM Practitioner.  “For women who have blood deficiency not only always feel tired, but also age faster and even have premature menopause.”

Therefore, blood enrichment becomes so important for women who want to keep in good health.  Below are some what you should do.  Relax, you can still be a fanatic of vampires.

Be Happy

“Many people aren’t aware that feeling unhappy actually can lead to blood loss,” TCM Practitioner said.  “It is because if you often in a sulk or lose temper, you will develop a stagnation of the liver-Qi that contributes to blood consumption.” Now you have one more good reason for developing a cheerful and optimistic attitude, and stay in a good mood.

Take Good Care Of Your Eyes

According to TCM, the blood of the liver specifically takes care of nourishing the eyes and tendons.  “If you overwork your eyes such as often staring at a computer screen for too long, your liver will be harmed and affects its function of storing blood and regulating the volume of blood in the whole body,” TCM Practitioner said.  “Make sure to take the time to look away from the screen every 10 minutes for just a few seconds, and rest your eyes by closing them for a minute every half hour or so.”

Eat Black Fungus

“Blood deficiency and high blood pressure absolutely can occur at the same time, especially for many middle-age women,” TCM Practitioner said.  “Luckily, there is a common and inexpensive food to combat both, and that is black fungus.”  According to TCM, black fungus is “neutral” in nature.  It can enrich blood and replenish “Qi” (essential energy), fight tired body and numb limbs.  On the other hand, it is able to lower blood viscosity and cholesterol, as well as to prevent arteriosclerosis.

Why not let this simple recipe—Stew Black Fungus Red Date (Dried Jujube) Soup—to do the dual duty for you?

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“Unfortunately, herbal medicine is one of the core elements of TCM that you hardly can avoid when receiving TCM treatment,” TCM Practitioner said.  “Fortunately, there is a way to minimize the bitterness.”

There are about 10,000 taste buds on our tongue.  While the sides of the tongue tend to be sensitive to sour and salty taste, and the tip of the tongue to sweet, the sensitivity to bitter taste is highest at the base.  The lesser the contacts between food and taste buds, the weaker the flavor of food you sense.

So, how to reduce the contacts between the herbal medicine and the taste buds?  The answer is to use a straw to drink the medicine.  “Stick the straw way down deep.  In doing so, the medicine can travel through from the cup to your throat without contacting too many taste buds.” TCM Practitioner said.

Now you may ask how you are able to drink the medicine with a straw as the liquid is so hot.  “Well, you should know that when the temperature of food is close to that of our mouth (96.8-98.6 degree Fahrenheit / 36-37 degree Celsius), the sensitivity of our sense of taste is at its highest; whereas the sense will be less sensitive when food’s temperature is higher or lower than this level,” TCM Practitioner said.  “However, medicine with temperature higher than 100.4 degree Fahrenheit / 38 degree Celsius would be too hot to suck up; the best way is to wait until its temperature drops to between 68-86 degree Fahrenheit / 20-30 degree Celsius).”

No matter how much you hate bitterness, there is one worst thing that you should never do: To add sugar to your herbal medicine like you do to the coffee!  “This is because different flavor of herbal medicine produces different efficacy.  For instance, while medicine in bitter flavor drys dampness and purge fire; sweet, on the other hand, replenishes “Qi” (essential energy) and blood, and relieves pain,” TCM Practitioner explained.  “If sugar is added to the medicine, the property of the medicine will be altered.”

Furthermore, the chemical composition of herbal medicine is rather complicated.  When the protein and tannin that herbal medicine contains interact with the iron and calcium in sugar (especially brown sugar), a chemical reaction may occur, causing some effective components coagulate, and generating turbidity and precipitation.  As a result, not only the efficacy of the medicine is affected, it may also lead to diarrhea.

Last but not the least, some herbal medicines are administered to stimulate the release of secretion from digestive gland through the flavor of bitterness.  “The extremely bitter Rhizoma Coptidis, for example, is used for boosting the gastric secretion in order to invigorate the stomach,” TCM Practitioner said.  “If you add sugar in it, this function is destroyed and so is the treatment.”

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“The components of an effective herbal bath comprise not only the right ingredient (herb), but also the right water temperature,” TCM Practitioner said.  “The liquid is absorbed through the bather’s skin and respiratory system and takes effect by activating the potential life functions in his/her body.”

Today, herbal baths are commonly suggested for conditions such as arthritis, fever, fungus infections, itchiness, pain, skin sores, wounds, and even beauty treatment.  And the choice of herbs would be based on individual condition.

In fact, you can try it at your own home.  Here are some formulas provided by TCM Practitioner.

For Improving Skin Texture

Ingredients: Ginger juice (1 ounce / 30 ml), vinegar (0.5 ounce / 15 ml), wine (1.7 ounces / 50 ml)

Method: Pour all ingredients into warm water (around 100 degree Fahrenheit / 38 degree Celsius) and soak for 30 minutes.

For Enhancing Blood Circulation And Promoting Metabolism

Ingredients: [For 10 times use] Pilose asiabell root (1.2 ounces / 35 grams), angelica root (1.2 ounces / 35 grams), safflower (4.2 ounces / 120 grams) and rose (4.2 ounces / 120 grams)

Method: Grind all the ingredients into a powder mixture.  Pour 1 ounce / 30 grams into warm water (keep the water temperature between 102.2 - 107.6 degree Fahrenheit / 39 - 42 degree Celsius) directly and soak for 20 minutes.  Take the bath daily, 10 times as one cycle.

For Easing Tiredness And Preventing Common Cold

Ingredients: Dried tangerine peel (1.4 ounces / 40 grams); fresh tangerine (4 pieces)

Method: Use a gauze bag stuffed with the dried tangerine peels and put into warm water (around 100 degree Fahrenheit / 38 degree Celsius).  Cut the fresh tangerines into slices (with skin) and also put into water.  Soak for 20 minutes.

For Treating Insomnia

Ingredients: Jasmine (0.5 ounce / 15 grams), rose (0.3 ounce / 9 grams), processed poria (0.5 ounce / 15 grams),  nutgrass (0.5 ounce / 15 grams).

Method: Grind all the ingredients and pour into warm water (keep the water temperature between 100 - 107.6 degree Fahrenheit / 38 - 42 degree Celsius) directly and soak for 30 minutes. It can calm the mind and smooth the flow of “Qi” (essential energy).

When having herbal bath at home, a rule of thumb is to set the water temperature between 98.6 - 107.6 degree Fahrenheit / 37 - 42 degree Celsius.  Steep in the water for not more than half hour while slightly rub the body surface, then rinse the body with clean water.  Drink a glass of water to replenish body fluid after a 30-minute rest.

“Herbal baths are easy to use and generally safe.  They don’t carry the impacts that oral medicines usually bring to the oral cavity, mucous membrane, digestive canal, and stomach; they also reduce liver’s burden of its detox system.  However, they are not suitable for children, the aged, and seriously ill people,” TCM Practitioner noted.  “Also, for person who has heart, kidney, or lung problems; or a tendency to bleed easily, he/she should consult a Practitioner first.”

Image by Mikel.B

Having Fruit First In The Morning

The level of sugar in our blood normally would be at the lowest point after a long-night sleep.  So it is better to have low GI (Glycemic Index) fruits like apple, blackberry, cherry, grape, peach, pear, and raspberry.

However, we should avoid eating acid-type fruits as they may stimulate the stomach to secrete hydrochloric acid in gastric juice and upset our stomach.  Furthermore, in order to protect our spleen and stomach, it is always good to eat something warm beforehand.

Having Fruit Between Meals

An adult should eat two portions (a portion is about the size of a fist) of fruits every day.  The best time of eating them is before meal or in between meals, especially between lunch and dinner.  It is because the level of sugar (glucose) in our blood at this time usually is relatively low; to have a piece of fruit can help replenish the blood sugar.

Having Fruit After Meal

It definitely is not an ideal timing to have fruit right after a full meal.  The reason is since the foods such as meat, grain, vegetable, etc. in our stomach need longer time to be digested compared with fruits (nutrients of fruits are easily being broken down), the fruits that we eat after the meal would be easily fermented and could impair our health.

Yet, if you really want to have fruit after meal, you better wait for two hours.  In doing so, you also avoid having your blood sugar risen sharply.

Having Acid-type Fruit And Sweet-type Fruit Together

It is a bad idea to eat acid fruit and sweet fruit together.  In fact, due to chemical reactions, when you have both types of fruits at the same time, the respective nutrients would be degraded or canceled.  As a result, you may experience indigestion, flatulence, and wear out your pancreas in the long run.

Not sure which is which?  Read on.

Acid-type Fruit: Grapefruit, green apple, kiwi, lemon, orange,  pineapple,  strawberry, etc.

Sweet-type Fruit: Banana, custard apple (sugar apple), durian, fig, honey melon, longan (dragon eye), persimmon, etc.

Sub-acid-type Fruit: Apple, apricot, cherry, mango, papaya, peach, pear, etc.

For the sub-acid fruits, they can be eaten together with acid or sweet fruits.

Having Cooked Fruit

Although the most heat-sensitive nutrients in fruits such as the water-soluble B group vitamins and vitamin C are reduced by the effects of cooking, not all nutrients are lost in the heating process.

Take apple pie as an example.  When the apple is peeled for the pie, some fiber is gone.  Also, some vitamin C is lower too during baking.  Potassium, on the other hand, is a mineral and like calcium that will not be lost in cooking.  So, an apple pie should contain the majority of nutrients as a fresh apple does.

In Chinese culture, some dishes featured cooked fruits are purposely for preserving health and easing symptoms as some kinds of folk remedies.  Double-steamed Pear With Rock Sugar Soup to moisten the lungs and eliminate phlegm; Double-Steamed Papaya With Snow Fungus Soup to moisten the lungs, preserve beauty and “Yin” are two of them.  In fact, since water-soluble vitamins tend to leach into water, so when choosing double-steamed cooking method and use the water to make soup, you won’t just throw vitamin-enriched water down the sink.

 Image by ginnerobot

In general, four to five hours after eating, food will have been digested and enter small intestines from the stomach.  Afterwards, the waste will pass through the large intestine and excrete from the body as fast as six to seven hours and as slow as 24 hours.  “Although most of us take around one day to complete the process of digesting food, assimilating nutrients, and excreting wastes, healthy transit time can range anywhere between 24 to 48 hours,” Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Practitioner said.

However, the longer the waste or stool stays in the GI tract, the more fluid is re-absorbed into the body and the stool becomes harder and dryer.  As a result, the stools are even more difficult to be passed and can lead to constipation.

“If you have a problem with constipation, steer clear of products that claim to help relieve constipation as many of them contain artificial ingredients,” TCM Practitioner said.  “It is best to stick to all-natural methods of keeping you from experiencing constipation.”

The following are some DOs and DON’Ts of preventing constipation suggested by TCM Practitioner.

DOs

Eat Natural Laxative Foods

When we eat something, the acid in our stomach breaks it down into two parts: soluble fiber and insoluble fiber.  The soluble part quickly absorbs water and turns into gel-like sponge.  As it enters the bowel, it helps in softening the stool resulting in better and easier bowel movement.  Natural laxative foods are those rich in soluble fiber and bring the same result.  They include avocado, almond, aloe vera, cabbage, coconut, date, dried apricot, fig, grape, hot tea with lemon, mango, olive, papaya, peach/apricot, pear, pineapple, plum, prune/prune juice, soybean, walnut, etc.

Include Proper Amount Of Oil In Meals

Some health conscious people on one hand eat great amount of high-fiber food, but on the other hand stringently control their oil and fat intake or even cut them out.  “Unfortunately, this only makes defecation difficult,” TCM Practitioner said.  “The fact is, our intestinal canal does need some oil as a lubricant and we shouldn’t abstain from.”  The rule of thumb is to have total fat intake (mainly unsaturated fat) at 25–35 percent of our total calories each day.

Be Physically Active Every Day

“Regular physical exercise is important to a healthy excretory system,” TCM Practitioner said.  “If you are not physically active each day, you should have your lifestyle modified.”  Nonetheless, being physically active doesn’t mean you must hit the gym; alternatively, you can walk to work, park your car farther away, or get off the train/bus one or two stops early, take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator to increase your daily steps.

“In addition, there are two acupuncture spots that actually can facilitate the intestinal peristalsis,” TCM Practitioner said.  The first pair is Tian Shu Point, which is located two inches from the center of the navel on both sides.  The other one is Guan Yuan Point that locates three inches below the navel.  “To press both pair/point 30 times once a day with your thumb or index finger helps promote healthy bowel movements,” TCM Practitioner added.

DON’T

Eat Too Much Fiber

It may sound conflicting to us.  Are we supposed to have lots of fiber to maintain a healthy gastrointestinal system?  “Of course dietary fiber is very important to a healthy diet, but a balanced diet must contain carbohydrate, protein, fat, vitamins, mineral salts, and fiber AND in the correct proportions,” TCM Practitioner said.  “If you eat large amount of high-fiber foods in particular insoluble fiber but fail to drink enough water, you only increase the chance of developing constipation or worsening the condition.”

Over Consume Drug/Medicine

Even though they are legal and governed, some drugs/medicines do cause considerable side effects—constipation is one of them.  In fact, some slimming pills contain laxatives which lead to diarrhea.  Due to water loss through the stools, constant diarrhea not only disturbs the digestive process but also causes dehydration.  Some laxatives are even so strong that destroy the normal bowel movements.  If taken over a long period of time, slimming pills can prevent the ability to produce normal stools.  “Another medicine that can induce constipation is codeine based cough syrup,” TCM Practitioner said.  “In addition to relieving coughs, this kind of cough syrup also may make your body dependent on it with prolonged use, making your constipation a chronic problem.”

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While the 12 Standard Meridians go along the hands and the legs, six are related to hands connecting 23 relevant acupuncture points.  Moreover, there are additional 72 acupuncture points not connected by the 12 Standard Meridians.  “That is to say, our hands have 99 acupuncture points in total; to rub or press these points almost can improve any health condition,” TCM Practitioner said.

Followings are some acupuncture points that you can easily manage to promote health anytime, anywhere.

Laogong Point

It locates between the 2nd and 3rd metacarpal bones, proximal to the metacarpophalangeal joints (MCP), in a depression at the radial side of the third metacarpal bone.  It is the spot where the tip of your middle finger lands when you make a fist.  To massage this Laogong Point can treat epilepsy, vomiting, bad breath, hiccup, etc.

Yuji Point

You can find Yuji Point at the radial side of the midpoint of the first metacarpal bone, at the junction of the red and white skin, in the depression close to the first metacarpophalangeal joint.  To massage this point can treat sore throat, loss of voice, cough, hemoptysis; and relieve headache and fever.

Shaofu Point

It is located between the fourth and fifth metacarpal bones when your palm faces upward.  And when you make a fist, the point is where your tip of the little finger rests.  It can treat palpitations, chest pain, enuresis, and dysuria when Shaofu Point is being massaged.

“You shall use either your thumb or index finger when massaging the acupuncture points on your palm gently and slowly in circle motion,” TCM Practitioner said.  “However, if soreness, pain, or swelling occurs after the first massage, it indicates that you applied excessive force and should cut it down the next time.”

Since there are many acupuncture points on our hands as mentioned above, aside from massaging one or some points for specific health conditions with your finger, you actually can use a comb to “comb” your palm to overall enhance your health.  All you need to do is to prepare a round-teeth comb, and apply some body cream or lubricant on your palm.  First comb your palm from top to bottom, next from left to right, then clockwise.  Subsequently, do it from bottom to top, right to left, and finally anti-clockwise.

“Try to make this exercise as a daily habit.  After a period of time, you shall notice the results of having both your energy and health improved,” TCM Practitioner added.

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The abnormal taste we are talking here is a distorted sense of taste, or phantom taste perception.  That is a lingering taste— whether it is sweet or bitter, sour or salty—even though you have nothing in your mouth.

Taste, in fact, is a response to chemical stimulation that enables our tongue to detect flavors.  It is produced by the stimulation by various substances of the taste buds on the mucous membrane of the tongue, which eventually convey impulses to the taste center in the brain.

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), if abnormal taste occurs, it could be a signal of latent health problems (a symptom rather than a disorder) and should get our concerns if condition persists.

Sweetness

Even if you have a sweet tooth, you don’t always necessarily have a sweet taste in your mouth.  Nonetheless, if you have, it probably is caused by a disorder of the digestive system that disturbs the secretion.  “For instance, if the amylum in saliva increases, your taste buds will detect sweetness,” TCM Practitioner said.  “In addition, due to a high glucose levels in the blood, the sugar level in the saliva also increases accordingly, causing people who suffer from diabetes have sweet taste lingered in their mouth.”

Sourness

It’s like you are eating lime or lemon even though you are not having any sour food?  “If it happens to you, you might have chronic gastritis or peptic ulcer caused by an excessive amount of gastric acid output,” TCM Practitioner said.

Bitterness

“Our gall bladder is the only organ that can produce bitter taste.  If bitter taste lingers on your tongue, it indicates that the problem likely is from your gall bladder,” TCM Practitioner said.  “Often consume dry and heat foods such as fries and chips also induces “fire” from the liver, which will dry out the body fluid.  The result?  A bitter mouth.”

Saltiness

If your tongue keeps sensing a taste of saltiness, it may suggest that it comes from a rise of renal fluid caused by a weak function of kidneys.

Image by Colin Purrington

Not sure whether you really have bloating?  Find a plump area, push down with a finger.  If the spot rebounds very slowly, it indicates that besides fat, you have bloating.

“We should understand the cause of bloating so that we can get to the root of the problem,” Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Practitioner said.  “According to TCM, our spleen, kidneys, and lungs all play their own part in contributing bloating.”

In fact, spleen is like a fluid processor.  If it doesn’t operate well, the absorption of the fluid that you have taken will be affected, resulting in water retention in the body. As for kidneys, their function is to discharge water from the body.  Thus, if the kidney function is not strong enough, bloating may occur or deepens.  Lungs, similarly, discharge sweat from the body.  If the lung function is not in its best shape, bloating forms.

Many people suffer from bloating may seem lazy to us as they don’t like to move much.  As a matter of fact, their limbs are just too weary caused by the bloating.

“Thankfully there are a number of foods actually do a pretty good job on easing bloating.  Coix seed, vigna umbellata (rice bean), and winter melon are some of them,” TCM Practitioner said.  “However, you should consult a doctor if your bloating is serious and constant that may due to other medical problems.”

Following recipes will help you mitigate bloating while curbing your hunger.

Coix Seed Porridge 

Ingredients (1-person portion) :

• 30 grams coix seeds
• 50 grams rice

Method:

• Wash all ingredients and put them in a pot.
• Add water and bring it to a boil.  Then simmer over low heat until porridge forms.
• Eat twice a day, morning and night.

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Water Melon Soup

Ingredients (3-person portion) :

• 1,000 grams water melon
• 3 pieces dried scallops
• 3 pieces dried duck kidneys
• 150 grams lean pork
• 80 grams vigna umbellata (rice bean)
• 4 pieces preserved jujubes (Chinese date)
• 1 piece dried citrus peel
• 3 slices ginger
• Salt to taste

Method:

• Wash all ingredients.  Let dried scallops, dried duck kidneys, and vigna umbellata steep in water (just enough to cover)  for 1 hour.  Then drain.
• Tear dried scallops into shreds.  Cut dried duck kidneys into pieces.
• Skin winter melon, remove seeds, and cut into pieces.
• Put all ingredients in a pot.  Add 2,500 ml (10 cups) water.  Bring the water to a boil, then simmer over low-heat for 2 hours.
• Add salt and serve.

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While strength means the physical energy that one has or the quality of being physically strong, spirit means a person’s feelings or state of mind.  “So, when we talk about preserving health, we shall preserve ‘Shen’ as strength and spirit are interdependent,” TCM Practitioner said.

In fact,  according to TCM, “Shen” governs the human body’s life activities, including controlling and regulating our limbs, facial organs, organ meridians (distinct channels that circulate “Qi” [essential energy] and blood throughout the body), physical and mental activities that are closely related to the heart and brain.

“Observation of Shen” is one of the most common practices of “Observation Diagnosis” in TCM.  Practitioners are able to get an initial diagnosis of the disease by observing the patient’s complexion, coating on the tongue, expression, speech, consciousness, etc.

“There are many factors that can influence one’s ‘Shen,’” TCM Practitioner said.  “If our heart is disturbed, our ‘Shen’ wouldn’t be stable neither.”  In fact, aside from illness that weakens “Qi” (essential energy), blood, and organs; unemployment, love failure, pressure from job, insomnia, and overwork also affect our “Shen.”

So, how on earth can we preserve our “Shen?”  “I think you pretty much have the idea,” TCM Practitioner said.  “Adopt a healthy diet, get enough sleep and exercise, avoid having excessive emotions, and maintain an optimistic attitude all help.”

Of course you can always do more to preserve your “Shen,”  such as to do Tai Chi or Yoga, and make yourself a cup of Ginseng Dried Longan (Dragon Eye) Tea.

Image by Kevin Labianco

While extreme weather events brought economic losses to many communities, sudden drop in temperature might also increase cold and flu risk.  In fact, being cold, particularly shivering, depresses the immune system as our body’s resources go toward raising our temperature instead of warding off bacteria.

“That explains why focus on keeping warm is so important,” Traditional Chinese Practitioner (TCM) said.  “Also, make sure you have fresh ginger available at home throughout the cold season.”

Reasons? According to TCM, ginger is pungent in taste and relates to lungs, spleen, and stomach.  In general, it is able to promote circulation of blood, facilitate sweating, dispel cold, stop vomiting, disperse phlegm, and cease cough.  That’s why aside from delicacy and spice, ginger is commonly consumed by Chinese as a medicine in many forms.

“Following are three usages of ginger that can save you from a severe cold winter,” TCM Practitioner suggested.

DRINK to fight common cold/flu symptoms

Place a few ginger slices to a pot with water and bring it to a boil for a while, then drink it.  It can mitigate cold/flu symptoms, such as sneezing, sore throat, runny nose, nasal congestion, muscle aches, shivering, and coughing by facilitating sweating and dispelling cold.

SOAK IN to simulate the circulation of blood

Since our blood is shunted to the body’s core in cold weather, our extremities (especially the feet) get cold first.  For people who have a weak “Yang Qi” [the energy being expended in order to create a manifest action] or have a poor circulation of blood and “Qi,” their limbs not only get cold first, but also stay cold all the time.

“Soak the feet in warm-to-hot water can improve the flow of blood and promote metabolism,” TCM Practitioner said.  “But if you can add a few large slices of ginger into the water, the result will be even more obvious and lasting.”

RINSE to cease coughing

Due to dry air, common cold, or flu, winter is the time of year to produce more coughs than summertime.  “For relief of cough, make a rinse by mixing water with a few pieces of ginger, then rinse your mouth with your head upward,” TCM Practitioner said.  “Alternatively, you can peel a small piece of ginger and chew on it slowly; your impulse to cough should disappear in either way.”

Ginger, before being brought back from the Middle East to the Westerns that eventually became gingerbread cookies, was originally used as preservatives and medicine, like those in China.  Although gingerbread cookies evoke pleasant holiday feelings, we hardly gain the health benefits of ginger by munching on a few pieces of them.  So, let’s continue to enjoy the refined bites, and at the same time, appreciate and utilize the raw side of ginger.

Image by FotoosVanRobin

The Food Pyramid basically has four levels:

• At the lowest and widest (4th) tier, it is the foundation of a healthy diet, or the largest percentage of what we should consume.  It comprises bread, grains, and cereals.
• At the third tier of the Pyramid, we can find two food groups—vegetables and fruits—combined together.
• There are also two food groups: milk and meat occupy the second tier.
• At the top and the smallest tier of the Pyramid, there are fats, oils, and sugars.

In fact, the Food Pyramid represents what the nutritionists regard as the most certain and dependable healthy diet recommendation that has been gone through substantial researches and studies.

Over the years, the Food Pyramid has been adapted for ethnic preferences, such as Latin American diet, Mediterranean diet, and even Asian diet.  In China, based on the Food Pyramid, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Practitioners and nutritionists have designed a “Numeric Diet” as a healthy diet advice according to Chinese physique and eating customs.

Here is what the numbers guide us:

1 Tablespoon of vegetable oil.  Its unsaturated fat has been shown to reduce cholesterol levels, which in turn may reduce risk of cardiovascular disease.

2 Pieces / portions of fruit that provide fiber and vitamin C.  Fiber not only helps reduce blood cholesterol levels and may lower risk of heart disease, it also is crucial for proper bowel function.  As for vitamin C, it is important for growth and repair of body tissues that helps heal cuts and wounds.

3 Bowls of grains including rice, noodles, and bread.  Grains provide many important nutrients, such as dietary fiber, vitamin B, and minerals like iron and magnesium.

4 Plates of vegetables.  The more variety they are, the more nutrients you will get.  Also, the darker green the leaves, the more nutritious.

5 Servings of proteins.  The best combination is 50 grams of lean meat, 50 grams of fish, 200 grams of tofu or bean products, 1 egg, and 1 cup of milk or yogurt.  Not only this mixture is more economical, but also is healthier with larger amount of proteins come from vegetables and smaller amount from animals.

6 Grams of salt (not to exceed six grams).  While a small amount of salt is crucial for health which helps to maintain the correct volume of circulating blood and tissue fluids in the body, too much of them can cause high blood pressure and many other health conditions.

7 Kinds of seasoning plants, such as green onion, ginger, garlic, pepper, anise, etc.  In addition to adding flavor to dishes that improves appetite, these plants can also detoxify and kill bacteria.

8 Cups of water to prevent dehydration, clean out the body, and promote metabolism.

Although this “Numeric Diet” is designed for Chinese according to their physique and eating customs, you may find the principle is similar to the Food Pyramid.  “Healthiness to a large degree is universal; what’s bad for me often would not be good for you,” TCM Practitioner said.  “So, feel free to follow this ‘Numeric Diet’ if you look for an alternative to the Food Pyramid; it is fun and so easy to remember.”

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In Western Medicine, it tends to isolate physical factors as the cause of disease: bacteria, viruses, and chemical compounds are blamed for most illnesses, such as flu.  TCM, on the other hand, regards many of the causes only are the triggers.  It is because if a certain organ is weak and incapable of resisting outside invasion, it will be therefore prone to be attacked and the body eventually gets sick.

Aside from internal emotional factors (also read That’s When Emotional Is Too Emotional), TCM attributes the cause of most diseases to external cosmological, a.k.a. “Six Evils” that are governed by the meteorological conditions of season and climate.  The “Six Evils” are wind, cold, summer-heat, dampness, dryness, and fire.

Back to flu, TCM believes that there are three types of flu.  The first one is caused by a chill (evils of wind and cold).  Symptoms include light fever without sweating, headache, body aches and pains, stuffy and runny nose without sore throat, and feeling very cold even though body temperature rises.  “In addition to herbal medicine, to combat this kind of flu, we must keep the body warm while bringing down the fever,” TCM Practitioner said.  “To cover the body with layers of blankets, soak the feet in hot water, and use hot-water bag also help bring down the fever by means of sweating.”

The second kind is caused by “wind-heat” (evils of heat and wind).  “Patients with this type of flu usually have higher degree of fever along with sweating, headache, thirst, and sore throat,” TCM Practitioner noted.  “Apart from using sweating as a medium to bring down the fever, patients should also replenish their body with a lot of water.”

The last one is caused by summer wetness (evils of summer-heat and dampness).  This flu often happens in summer time when the weather is hot and humid and attacks people who are generally prone to edema.  “Patients will have symptoms of heavy head, lack of strength, as well as vomiting and diarrhea,” TCM Practitioner added.  “It is of utmost importance for the patients to restore a normal gastrointestinal function.  To do so, the patients should have diets that are easy to digest.  Also, in order to expel the dampness from the body, patients can eat more food like bitter melon, water melon, green bean (mung bean), and mint that promote the circulation of body fluid.”

Image by Leo Reynolds

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), there are two factors contribute to cold limbs.  The first one is having a weak “Yang Qi” [the energy being expended in order to create a manifest action] that is not capable of warming the whole body.  As our feet and hands locate at the farthest part of the body, a weak “Yang Qi” just won’t be able to create enough heat to reach these extremities.

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For people who have this condition, they should pay attention to keeping warm, especially the legs and feet.  “If the lower part of the body is warm, the whole body feels warm,” TCM Practitioner said.  “Soak the feet in warm-to-hot water before bed usually makes a good night’s sleep so achievable.”

In order to boost the ability to withstand the cold, people can eat more foods in “hot” nature, such as beef, lamb, chicken, garlic, chili, and ginger.  “Also, to massage an acupoint—’Yongquan’ (where it is located at the center of the sole)—helps, too,” TCM Practitioner suggested.  “Use the thumb to massage this acupoint in quick motion 100 times every morning and night and the feet as well as hands should get warm immediately.”

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On the other hand, there are people who don’t suffer from a weak “Yang Qi;” instead, they have a poor circulation of blood and “Qi,” which causes a stagnation of “Yang Qi” that cannot pass through to the limbs.  Consequently, they have unusually cold feet and hands even though their body feels very warm, particularly after standing or sitting for some time.  For this people, they should do more exercises to boost the blood circulation.  Furthermore, they can eat more foods that facilitate the flow of blood and “Qi,” like hawthorn, citrus, etc.  “Last but not the least, don’t wear clothes that are too tight; they hinder you from having a smooth circulation of blood before you know it,” TCM Practitioner added.

Although we might only perceive sweet potato as a festive food or a seasonal snack, it deserves more of our attention and should be included in our regular diet.  In fact, eating sweet potatoes every day has been inferred as one of the reasons for the people living in Okinawa, Japan to have the longest average life expectancy in the world.

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), sweet potato is “neutral” in nature and has sweet taste.  It can tranquilize mind; preserve youthful skin; nourish spleen, stomach, kidneys; and relieve constipation; not to mention stave off hunger.

From western nutritional point of view, sweet potatoes contain vitamin B6 that can soothe mind as well as boost immunity.  While rich in linoleic acid and fiber, sweet potatoes not only mitigate constipation, but also eliminate the cholesterol inside blood vessel that help prevents arteriosclerosis and thrombosis.

“Unfortunately, since sweet potato also contains abundant of carbohydrate, which has been excluded from many people’s diets completely,” Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Practitioner said. “But if you can take a deeper look at the content of sweet potato, you will realize that sweet potato actually can assist dieters keep in shape.”

Here’s why:  Sweet potato is highly nutritious.  It is rich in sugar, fat, protein, carbohydrate, starch, vitamin A and C, calcium, phosphorus, zinc, iron, magnesium, and potassium.  Although its vitamin B1 and B2 content is six and three times higher than that of rice respectively, 100 grams (3.5 ounces) of sweet potatoes produce only 99 calories, a one-third of rice does.  Furthermore, as sweet potato is an alkaline food, it can help decrease body fat versus acid foods lead to deposit of fat in our body as fat facilitates acidity reduction.

Once called “food for poor people” and “war food” for its inexpensiveness and full feeling in Chinese culture, sweet potato has won a new title—The healthiest vegetable (ranked by World Health Organization in 2008)—that it had deserved for long.

Look for a last-minute easy sweet potato recipe for this Thanksgiving?  Try this super natural one: Hot Sweet Potato Milk.  It has no sugar, butter, or cream cheese added; guarantee healthy yet yummy!

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In this article, we will elaborate more on this concept and introduce what Five-Color Diet is and how it works.

According to the theory of Five Elements in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the colors of foods do correspond with our internal organs, i.e., green corresponds with liver, red with heart, yellow with spleen, white with lungs, and black with kidneys.  “If any of our body function is inferior, we can eat more food in particular color to strengthen that function,” TCM Practitioner says.

Not only internal organs, in TCM, seasons also associate with “Five Colors.”  Take winter as an example: Winter corresponds with kidneys (internal organ) as well as black (color).  That means to nourish kidneys is our priority throughout the winter season.  How?  To eat more foods in black color, such as black mushrooms, woodear, sea cucumber, seaweed, black sesame, and black rice.

“During cold weather, the principle of keeping in good health is to preserve ‘Yang Qi’ (the energy being expended in order to create a manifest action),” says TCM Practitioner.  “Since ‘Yang Qi’ is stored in our kidneys, to improve the functions of kidneys therefore stands to reason.”

In fact, a color-rich diet also is recognized by western nutritionists as having tremendous benefits to health and well being.  From nutritional point of view, foods in white color like daikon/radish, onion, and winter melon not only contain allicin that can help lower blood sugar, but also have anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties.  They also have high level of antioxidants which are able to fight against heart disease and cancer.  As for the green group like broccoli, lettuce, and spinach, they contain high level of phytochemicals and are a good source of calcium; iron; and vitamins A, C, and K.

Foods in red color, such as carrot, tomato, and strawberry have been known containing an antioxidant called lycopene that is capable of controlling high blood pressure, as well as preventing cancer.  While rich in beta carotene, vitamin A and C, the yellow group provides plentiful antioxidants that counteract free radicals.  Examples of yellow foods include corn, pineapple, and pumpkin.

While the idea of color-rich diet is relatively new to the western culture, the Chinese have been practicing it over 3,000 years.  After all, in TCM theory, attaining harmony with the nature is as crucial as reaching a balance within oneself.  And the best part is?  It is simple and everyone can practice it.

Here is the association between Seasons / Colors / Internal organs:

• Spring / Green / Liver
• Early summer / Red / Heart
• Late summer / Yellow / Spleen
• Fall / White / Lungs
• Winter / Black / Kidneys

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Five-Element Diet was invented by Dr. Tateishi Kazu, an expert in cytology in Japan.  He first suffered from cancer of the duodenum and spreading.  Although his stomach was removed, the cancer cells already had spread to his lungs.  To fight for his life, he researched, studied, and tested over 1,500 types of herbs and plants.  Finally, he discovered the right combination of ingredients and formulated a unique healing soup—Five-Element Vegetable Soup—with its own molecular powers.

In fact, this soup is based on the principle of Chinese Five Elements, the harmonizing balance of the forces “Yin” (the energy being accumulated, assimilated and stored for later use) and “Yang” (the energy being expended in order to create a manifest action), supplemented by the theory of acid and alkaline diet.  In short, balance is the key to health as opposed to the imbalance that leads to illnesses.

The theory of Five Elements has long existed in China.  It suggests that foods, seasons, human organs, and state of minds all connect with each other.  To elaborate, the Five Elements in our environment (metal, wood, water, fire, earth) correspond to different aspects of the natural world and the body.  For instance, wood corresponds to spring and wind in the natural world and to the liver, gall bladder, eyes, and tendons in the body.  And for foods, bitter taste corresponds to heart, sourness corresponds to livers, sweetness corresponds to stomach and spleen, saltiness corresponds to kidneys and bladder.  We need to adjust and balance their intake subject to our body conditions to retain healthy.

The specific vegetables that Dr. Kazu used are based on the individual color essence of the five elements: daikon/radish of white (metal), daikon/radish leaves of green (wood), dried black mushroom of black (water), carrot of red (fire), and burdock of yellow (earth), which also relate to the corresponding internal organs: lungs, heart, kidneys, liver, and spleen.

All in a natural form, these vegetables are rich in amino acids, calcium, chlorophyll, iron, and phosphorous.  After all, plants grow in an active and vibrant environment in a balanced soil, which make them an excellent source of health supplements and even natural remedies for diseases.

“From which, we shall appreciate that the gospel of health is not to keep ourselves off the nutrients from the nature,” Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Practitioner said.

Some food examples of Five Element Diet are:

• Foods in Metal group and pungent in taste:  Daikon/radish, ginger, etc.
• Foods in Wood group and sour in taste:  Mature vinegar, vigna umbellata/rice bean, etc.
• Foods in Water group and salty in taste:  Dried black mushroom, kelp, etc.
• Foods in Fire group and bittersweet in taste:  Lotus seed, spinach, sweet potato, water chestnut, walnut, chestnut, pine nut, etc.

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“A change in weather may stress out our immune system, which gives the bacteria an opportunistic chance to invade our body,” Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Practitioner said.  “In addition, as many people are prone to not wear enough clothing during sudden changes in the weather, their body temperature drops and will be more susceptible to cold.”

In TCM, a draught (one of disease-causing substances) most likely attacks our body through an acupuncture point called “Dazhui,” which is located under the spinous process of the seventh cervical.  In fact, this is the place where the “Yang Qi” (vital energy; TCM regards that if our “Yang Qi” is weak, it won’t be able to defend the body against disease-causing substance like wind, coldness, or dampness and will get sick) congregates in.  So, it is important to always keep our neck warm, such as wearing a scarf.

At the same time, there are other simple ways to fight against a cold with this “Dazhui.”  “When having a shower, pour hot water from faucet onto that spot repeatedly,” said TCM Practitioner.  “Alternatively, you can use index finger, middle finger, and ring finger to gently massage “Dazhui” in circle motion.”

After all, according to TCM, “Dazhui” is the intersection of “Governing Vessel” and all six “Yang Meridians” in human body.  To apply moderate pressure and heat on it can energize our “Yang Qi,” expel the draught, and make the “Qi” and blood circulate smoothly, which ultimately protects us from catching a cold, or even helps us to defeat one.

Image by ElizabethGreen

What’s more, we will debunk some remedy myths and facts of dark eye circles.

Foods That Work:

• Sesame:  Rich in vitamin E, sesame can nourish eye bulb as well as eye muscle.
• Kelp:  Containing high amount of iron, the main component of hemoglobin, kelp promotes the increase of hemoglobin, which is beneficial to the oxygen and nutrients transportation.
• Black Fungus:  According to TCM practitioner, thanks to the high content of iron, black fungus can replenish “Qi” (essential energy), enrich and activate blood.  It also is very good at inhibiting platelet aggregation and lowering viscosity of blood, therefore can reduce dark eye circles effectively.
• Carrot:   Carrot contains plenty of vitamin A that can maintain a normal function of epithelial tissue.  It also is able to nourish eye bulb and eye muscle as well.
• Water:  Water not only helps to discharge waste from our body, it also diminishes dark eye circles.

Myths That Fail:

• Freeze an after-brewing tea bag, and then use it as an eye mask:  First, the vitamin C contained in tea has long been dissolved after brewing.  Second, the phytic acid and other substances will have a great chance to produce bacteria if handle improperly.  Third, when our skin makes a long contact with the pigment effused in tea, pigment aggregates and does more harm than good.
• Drink coffee in the morning:  Since coffee contains diuretic that causes an increase in the flow of urine, it helps reduce edema in the short term.  With constant heavy coffee intake, however, may lead to an over-acidic body due to coffee’s high acidity.  In fact, coffee (caffeine) breaks down into uric acid, which the body excretes through the kidneys.  An excess of uric acid only lays pressure on the kidneys and worsens dark eye circles in the long run.
• Use apple slices to lay on eyes:   Rich in vitamin A, apple promotes the increase of hemoglobin that can facilitate the transportation of oxygen and nutrients.  Apple indeed is capable of removing dark eye circles, but only applicable to “internal use,” not “external.”

Pandas are cute, yet you never would want to look like them.  “Panda eyes” can be hereditary or inborn; however, diets and lifestyles also play their big part in causing them, or fixing them.

Image by R*18

But first, let’s acquire more information from TCM Practitioner about these eye-catching yet unflattering circles.

Q1:  Are dark eye circles inborn?

As said by TCM, when we are born with a relatively weak function of liver and kidneys, we are inclined to develop dark eye circles.  On the other hand, if we can’t maintain a healthy lifestyle, our liver and kidneys will be hurt and results in dark eye circles, too.

Q2:  What causes dark eye circles and how do they get darkened?

Liver:  According to TCM, an imbalance of liver function will induce dark eye circles.  Also, if we let our emotions going too strong/too extreme, the flow of “Qi” (essential energy) in the liver will be obstructed, disrupting the circulation of “Qi” and blood in the eye area.  Consequently, dark eye circles form or darken.

Kidneys:  In TCM theory, the kidneys not only are the internal organ system that is responsible for reproduction, growth, and aging, but also control the bones and the bone marrow including the brain and spinal cord.  Thus, when loss of kidney energy occurs over time, our facial organs will not get as much sustenance as they are supposed to.  Besides, the human brain has 12 pairs of special nerves.  Among them, the optic nerve is where the eye connects to the brain.  When kidney energy is low, dark eye circles emerge or become darkened.

Fatigue:  If we are over exhausted and leads to autonomic imbalance, circulation of blood will be obstructed, causing the blood flow in veins of orbicularis muscle and eyelid skin clogged.  Since the color of the blood in veins appears to be dimmer, dark eye circles surface as a result.

Q3:  Is medicine for external application more effective than oral administration?

External application only enhances the blood circulation temporarily; dark eye circles return afterwards. Whilst proper oral administration is able to modulate microcirculation, internal secretion, as well as cerebral reflex, which can overall improve health and cure dark eye circles effectively.

And for cures to combat dark eye circles, read on Leave Dark Eye Circles To Pandas.

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In fact, during these months, as low relative humidity leads to a fast evaporation of body water, we are inclined to suffer from canker sores and aphthous ulcers, nose and skin dryness, swelling and sore throat, coughing, constipation, etc. In the perspective of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), these symptoms reflect that the “Qi” (essential energy) of lungs (metal) is getting too strong and is hurting the liver (wood).

Not have a clue?  According to TCM, The Five Elements (metal, wood, water, fire, and earth) are the aspects of “Qi” and health is a harmonious balance of all the elements.  To elaborate, each organ is associated with one of the elements: lungs link with metal, liver with wood, kidneys with water, heart with fire, and stomach/spleen with earth.

Since fall is also associated with the element metal, and the metal element corresponds with the lungs, we should therefore follow a less-pungent-more-sour diet in fall to stay healthy.

In fact, tannins, organic acids, and dietary fiber in some sour-taste fruits and vegetables can stimulate digestive juices/bile production, which helps break down complex molecules into simple structures and speeds up the whole digestion process.  On the contrary, eating foods in pungent taste will only increase perspiration. That explains why it’s not a good idea to consume pungent food in fall.

When speaking of health, one tremendously important concept that we should realize is the importance of the digestive and intestinal systems.  The digestive tract is the first line of immune defense, and the liver (also considered part of the digestive system) is the second. Which means if we want to maintain good health, we must take care of the digestive tract and the liver.

Once we have a healthy digestive system, our body will be able to extract nutrients and other important substances from food that we need to fight off diseases!

Tips:

• Foods in Pungent Taste include: Leeks, garlic, green onion, ginger, fennel (aniseed), cassia (Chinese cinnamon), etc.
• Foods in Sour Taste include: Hawthorn, grapes, grapefruit, pomegranate, apple, spinach, cauliflower, etc.

Image by sean dreilinger