Nutrition
The Chinese Medicine diet is similar to the Mediterranean diet, with 1 major distinction: We encourage that most foods be cooked and consumed warm. Eastern medicines do not believe that steaming, sauteeing or boiling food cooks out its nutrients, but instead that cooked foods are more easily digestible and compatible with humans’ warm body temperatures.
Smoothies, fruits, bars, salads, or yogurts are okay in moderation, and preferably for lunch when digestive energy is at its height. Otherwise, cold (food) constricts metabolic vessels, which inhibits circulation and turns food into an inflammatory ball of undigested phlegm.
We condone lots of vegetables, but an omnivorous diet, with varying frequency and quantities of animal protein, depending on your individual body type and the season. For example, in the summertime a man who is prone to cardiovascular disease should eat WAY LESS meat than a woman in winter prone to anemia.
- Minimize processed foods, fried food, sugar, dairy, and white flour. If your sweet tooth is strong look into healthier alternatives, such as nut butters, nuts, dark chocolates, yogurts (as a snack), hummus, etc.
- Minimize especially rich, spicy, or heavily seasoned foods. Eat bland when possible. If you’re accustomed to eating lots of rich spices we recommend gradually weaning your palette back to appreciating foods’ inherent flavors. Spices are more difficult to digest.
- Avoid plastic and microwaves. For work get a HOT-LOGIC!
- Cook with organic butter or Avocado Oil if on high heat, otherwise Olive Oil. Click HERE to ensure you’re purchasing brands that offer its true health benefits.
- BREAKFAST can be any kind of porridge or organic eggs with a cooked vegetable. If you truly don’t have time, do what you can and eat big, healthy breakfasts on non-commute days.
- Lunch can be difficult for busy people with limited time. Best recommendations are leftovers from dinner, otherwise organic soups or canned fish.
- INTERMITTENT FASTING can be beneficial, but to different extents for each individual. 14 hour gaps are generally safe, but there are certain cases who do better with 12, others who do better with 16. In Eastern medicine we recommend skipping dinner instead of breakfast, as morning is when we are most sensitive to insulin to optimize digestion.
- Caffeine is OK until 11am, but limited to 2 cups. Tea is most advisable, but if the tea comes as powder in a bag it is not real tea, and you’re not getting the medicinal benefits. Favorite brands are ARBOR, Mariage Freres, or Harney and Sons.
- Exercise 3-5x/week, depending on the season, your age, and body type. Important to sweat mildly and raise heart rates, but also to not over-do it. Over-exercise depletes vital body fluids can negate its benefit. Yoga, Qi Gong, & moderate resistance training is best.
