It is relatively easy for people to follow dogmatic diets, routines, and lifestyles, be it veganism, “paleo-ism,” gluten free, resolutions like never skipping a day of running or their yoga practice no matter the weather. Any of these can be beneficial in certain ways, though rarely are any a one-size fits all magic bullet for long term, full-body health.
As is the case with environmental consciousness, most of us must constantly make small decisions each day, determine what is best for us in the present moment based on what we did or consumed the day before. For example:
If you spend the day sitting at work, obviously it makes sense to stand on the train, take the stairs, and/or walk as much as possible. Physicians wrote in our classical medical texts that “excessive sitting harms the spleen,” which translates as a sedentary lifestyle weakens our digestion. No news there (except how brilliant the ancient Chinese were sans technology)!
Conversely, if you’re incredibly active for a day or two or twenty in a row, as go the lives of parents of young children, you might get more benefit the next day from prioritizing a mid-day siesta instead of a workout.
If your friend cooked a lovely, carnivorous dinner for you over the weekend of grass-fed beef and sausage, as did mine, it makes sense to be vegan or pescatarian for the following 1-2 days after. By all means reap the benefits of the red meat, but give your organs and arteries a reprieve from beef’s heaviness. Hot green tea is also advisable the following day.
On the other hand, if your diet is omnivorous and you haven’t had any red meat during the week you should probably do so, especially if you are a woman on her menses, ideally alongside steamed or sauteed vegetables.
If you eat a bunch of raw, uncooked foods have it with hot tea. If you have a bunch of cooked, spicy foods, STILL have it with hot tea, because hot tea just generally aids digestion, and is therefore perfect, thereby nullifying my one size cannot fit all maxim. Green tea is generally preferable if you tend towards constipation. Black (Pu-Erh) tea highly preferable if you tend towards diarrhea. If caffeine causes excessive urination, it probably means your “yang qi,” or capacity for fluid transformation is failing to descend into the bladder and kidneys. This can often be rectified with some Paleo meals, Chinese herbs, and/or just a good night’s sleep.
Get to bed by 11pm, when the body and brain shift entirely into restoration and repair mode.
Don’t eat (much) after 7pm, and especially not after 9pm, when we are more insulin resistant. If you must drink alcohol do so less nights than not, so as to let your organs recuperate. Sweat from exercise, but not too much, as sweat contains within it vital neurotransmitters and substances that are necessary for metabolism andcirculation.
Socialize. Community is to modern society what food was to the ancient Chinese at the inception of our medicine. For the most part we are figuratively starving, for connection, so make it a priority to meet up with friends, even if you feel awkward reaching out 🙂
