Nutrition

8 CEUS/ PDAs

OPTIONS FOR WELLNESS, INC. 7059 SW 53 LN

MIAMI, FL 33155 305-665-0615

305-675-0117 fax www.myacupunctureceus.com

CEU PROVIDER

Florida BP 50-2489-1 NCCAOM ACHB-038 California CEP 722

Texas 300-306

initiator:admin@optionsforwellness-ceus.com;wfState:distributed;wfType:email;workflowId:4176256b974841c89628e5051bb482e0

2

I will present both the western standard of nutrition, which has changed dramatically for the better over the years, and the eastern view; which has remained the same for thousands of years. Please understand that I am not asking you to accept anything within these pages as dogma, but rather as a gateway to understanding in your own way what works for you. When you understand how food affects you, then you can help others to understand how it affects them. My experience with whole foods stretches over 40 years. Food is an important part of traditional medicine, alongside herbal medicine, acupuncture and bodywork. Knowledge of the actions of food can supplement a practitioner's ability to guide patients in the right direction. Hippocrates is known as the father of western medicine and most of us have heard this quote at one time or another in our lives, "Let food be your medicine and medicine be your food". This idea is beginning to be looked at more often in the western doctor's office, and has always been a part of traditional medicine. In ancient China it was believed that the most skilled doctor should first understand the pathogenesis of the disease, and then treat it with diet, using medicines only when food fails. Western Nutrition mainly focuses on calories, vitamins and protein. While this can be very helpful, it oftentimes gets lost in scientific information. Counting calories, vitamins, fat content, etc., is a complicated and impractical approach to eating. I believe that we can approach it in a very practical and simple way. First and foremost, we have to understand that food is what nourishes us. Food is something that is fresh and natural, not packaged and denatured. Fresh foods are grown and harvested seasonally. Because of mass production and marketing, and the availability of foods year round, we sometimes forget that. Pretty packaging doesnt mean that there is anything nutritious inside. Just because we can buy a watermelon in the winter doesnt mean its the right time to eat it. Foods have a variety of color and flavor, and choosing from that variety can insure balance. Oriental nutrition works in much the same way that Oriental medicine works. Using the five elements, we can make food choices that will be the most beneficial for the circumstance. Everything we find in our world can be categorized within yin and yang and belongs to one of the Five Elements. Each element lends a supportive and controlling relationship with the other elements. Remember that yin and yang are not static and that the five elements are considered to be phases of a cycle of change and transformations of influence. Just as you would consider herbs for their qualities, you can also consider foods for their flavors, energies, movements and actions. The flavor of a food can often times give us information about its action. We have learned that there are five basic flavors (sweet, pungent, salty, sour and bitter). And that each of these flavors benefits a particular organ system and carries out certain actions. As a general rule, you can follow this standard:

Sweet foods are moistening and nourishing, encouraging energy upward and outward Pungent foods are warming, dispersing stagnation and promoting flow, encouraging

energy outward Salty foods are cooling, softening and detoxifying, encouraging energy inward

(contraction) and downward Sour foods may be cooling and stimulate absorption and contraction Bitter foods will usually drain moisture and counteract dampness, encouraging energy

to descend

3

Five Elements Wood Fire Earth Metal Water

Yin / Zang Organ Liver Heart Spleen Lung Kidney

Yang / Fu Organ Gallbladder

Small Intestine Stomach Large Intestine

Urinary Bladder

Color Green Red Yellow to Orange White Blue/Black

Tastes Sour Bitter Sweet Pungent Salty

Seasons Spring Summer Late Summer Autumn Winter

Environment Wind Heat Damp Dry Cold

Directions East South Middle / Center West North

Tissues Tendons/Sinews Nails

Blood Vessel/ Pulse/

Complexion Muscle/ Lips Skin and Body Hair

Bone / Head Hair

Sense Organs Eye Sight Tongue Speech

Mouth Taste

Nose Smell

Ear Hearing

Body Fluid Tears Sweat Saliva Mucous Urine

Emotions Anger Joy Overthinking/ Worry Sadness/

Grief/Melancholy Fear

Mental Sensitivity Creativity Clarity Intuition Spontaneity

Sounds Shouting Laughing Singing Crying Groaning/ Mourning

Smell Rancid Burned Sweetish Rank Putrid

Cycle of Life Birth Youth Adulthood Old Age Death

Animals Fish Birds Human Mammals Shell-covered

Grains Wheat Beans Rice Hemp Millet

Nature Germinate Grow Transform Harvest Store

4

Our ability to absorb and process nourishment is the key to our health. The Spleen System is responsible for providing the nourishment which supports all aspects of healthy functioning. It is an Organ of transformation and nourishment, the center of the body, the earth element. In the history of Chinese medicine, whole schools have grown up around the idea that in the treatment of all illness we must first address the Spleen and its paired Organ, the Stomach. Without this central ability to transform food and experiences into nourishment, life lacks its central support.

The Physical Realm of the Spleen Transportation & Transformation The Spleen's ability for transformation and transportation is seen in the digestive process. The Spleen Channel refers to the whole digestive tract from mouth to anus and all of the enzymes, hormones and transforming agents that are released along the way. This includes the pancreas, which secretes necessary enzymes into the small intestine to assist in the assimilation of nutrients. The Spleen Opens Into the Mouth and Manifests Itself in the Lips Think about the important role the mouth has in preparing food for digestion, because of this it sense organ on charts showing the close relationship to the Spleen. So when we read, When the Spleen is healthy then the sense of taste will be sharp and the lips moist and rosy, we understand the root of this thinking. One measure of the Spleen's strength is the vitality of the digestive system. Its transformative action converts food into Qi and Blood. The strength of these substances are significantly dependent on the Spleen. The nourishment generated by the Spleen is transported and travels along the meridians, and through the soft tissues of the body. This invigorates the soft tissues and gives them tone, supporting the bodys structure and keeping everything in place. We can see how posture is reflected here and the shape of the body. One might have stooped posture, a dough boy look around the middle, poor muscle tone with saggy skin or in the worst case scenario prolapse of organs.

The Spleen is said to house 'Yi' or our thoughts, ideas and intentions. This can be viewed as the power to concentrate and apply our mind. These thoughts direct our movement and create our intention. Since the spleen controls the lifting of qi, clear energy is being sent to the head and brain. It also governs our feelings of concern and the instinct to nurture, both physically and emotionally. This well being and comfort that is developed within family, friends, and community, allowing us to enjoy life and feel in harmony. Nourishing the Spleen Through our Daily Food Intake If youre coming home from work and shoving a frozen dinner in a microwave, if you eat out every day, I am suggesting that you are not nourishing yourself. An eating style that nourishes the Spleen is one that is home-cooked with lots of color and flavor. Heres where we have to think about what food is, because our culture has shifted a great deal. Everyone is looking for packaged, quick meals. Eating on the run. We move too fast for our own good. Its not just about filling up when youre hungry, which is merely eating. We all have to balance what we do in life and if we eat for our health and to maintain it, then we will take the time to consider mealtime a time to nourish our bodies and our minds. The Spleen is said to be nourished by sweet food. This does not mean sweet cakes and candies, but rather the deep sweet taste that is naturally in foods like whole grains or root vegetables. Yellow/orange foods such as squash or carrot . If youve ever tried gardening, then you understand that some vegetables grow quicker than others. Root vegetables take longer to mature, they are gathering more qi and nutrients from the earth, they take a little longer to cook and the sweetness is brought out through cooking. Well-cooked food such as thick soups

5

or stews and are easily digested. If one has a weak stomach they will have more difficulty with raw and cold food. I have found that this will vary according to where you live and the weather conditions there. Keep in mind that the world is a melting pot of different cultures. The foods from different countries are rooted within their culture and are part of their traditional way of eating. Eating foods that grow locally and not imported from exotic places, foods in season are what we should be striving for. Chewing aids digestion, and warms chilled or raw food. In case its not obvious, drinking iced liquids or foods impairs digestion. Sitting upright with a relaxed posture and not slumped or twisted.

Aromatic flavors stimulate the digestion, cooking with cardamom, pepper, ginger, and fennel will move qi and reduce stagnation. Foods rich in complex carbohydrates, are used by the body to release energy steadily into the system. The majority of carbohydrates should come from complex carbohydrates and naturally occurring sugars, rather than processed or refined sugars. Foods found in nature will contain vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Refined sugars are often called "empty calories" because they have little to no nutritional value. Herbs that are known to increase the tonification of spleen qi, are jujube dates, codonopsis and dioscorea and can easily be added to soups or rice in recipes.

Reported in the Chinese Journal of Integrative Medicine, a combined Western medicine/TCM study that was done in China by Wang Jianhua yielded surprising results in the connection between the spleen in both medicines. In the study, a tiny camera was introduced into the mucosal lining of the stomach in both normal patients and those with the TCM symptoms of deficient Spleen Qi. The results of the study showed a marked correlation between the quantity and quality of mitochondria in the normal patients versus those with deficient Spleen Qi.

I believe that most of this information is hard wired into us. We know intuitively, we have just lost our way. Common Sense tells us, but the hustle of every day life sometimes stops us from remembering these things.

6

As we bring awareness to our eating, we can begin to feel what our true needs are, what truly nourishes us. How many times have you eaten too many sweets and felt sick, but repeated the same mistake again.

There are general guidelines but no absolute rules that govern what a food is classified as. With some foods it is obvious, with others more difficult. We can only go by what we have learned to be true through observation and use. Accepting knowledge we gain through books is our first step and then applying it helps us gain a deeper sense of what we learned.

Plants which take longer to grow (e.g. root vegetables like rhutabaga, carrots, parsnips) tend to be warmer than fast-growing foods (e.g. zucchini, eggplant, lettuce, cucumber, tomato)

Foods with a high water content tend to be more cooling (e.g. melons, cucumber, iceberg lettuce).

Dried foods tend to be more warming than fresh foods The cooking or preparation method will produce a different effect. So when you bake,

fry, boil, or roast the same item it will react differently in the body.

So in general:

Raw food is cooling - steamed food cooling or neutral - boiled is considered neutral

Stir-fried food is mildly warming - stewed food is warming - baked food is more warming

Deep-fried food is Heating - Bar-B-Q food is more heating - Grilling is more heating -

Roasted is Most heating

The style or cooking method will also create a different effect. So in general if you cook a soup all day slowly it will have a more warming effect.

Classifying food as Yin or Yang: Generally: This is Chinese theory:

If it grows in the air and sunshine, it is probably yang; If it grows in the earth or darkness, it is probably yin; If it is soft, wet and cool, it is more yin if it is hard, dry and spicy, or needs heating up (such as meat), it is more yang Yin cooling - Cucumber, apple, barley, tofu, egg whites, Chinese wax gourd, button mushroom, eggplant, lily flower, loquat, mandarin orange, marjoram, mung bean sprout, oyster, pear, peppermint, radish, sesame oil, spinach, strawberry, tangerine, wheat, cream, yogurt and cheese. Yin cold - Bamboo shoot, banana, bitter gourd, clam, crab, grapefruit, kelp, lettuce, muskmelon, persimmon, salt, sea grass, seaweed, star fruit/ carambola, sugar cane, water chestnut, watermelon and lotus root. Neutral - Corn, abalone, apricot, beef, beetroot, black fungus, black sesame seed, black soybean, Chinese cabbage, carp, carrot, castor bean, celery, egg yolk, cuttlefish, dry mandarin orange peel, duck, fig, grape, honey, kidney bean, kohlrabi, licorice, lotus fruit and seed, milk, olive, oyster, papaya, peanuts, pineapple, plum, rice, pork, potato, pumpkin, radish leaf, red bean, rice bran, Japanese mushroom, sour plum, sunflower seed, sweet rice, sweet potato, taro, white fungus, sugar, yellow soybean.

7

Yang warming - Chicken, apricot seed, brown sugar, caraway, carp, cherry, chestnut, chive, cinnamon twig, clove, coconut, coffee, coriander, date, dill, eel, fennel, garlic, fresh ginger (dried is hot), grapefruit peel, green onion, guava, ham, kumquat, leaf mustard, leek, litchi, longan, maltose, mutton, nutmeg, peach, raspberry, rosemary, shrimp, spearmint, squash, star anise, sweet basil, vinegar, walnut, wine. Yang Hot - Pepper, cinnamon bark, cottonseed, ginger (dried), soybean oil, red and green pepper.

There are five main flavors within the Chinese Medicine paradigm:

1. The salty flavor -water element - enters the Kidneys. 2. The sour flavor -wood element - enters the Liver. 3. The bitter flavor - the fire element - enters the Heart. 4. The sweet flavor - the earth element - enters the Spleen. 5. The pungent flavor - the metal element - enters the Lung

(Strictly speaking there are eight flavors, the extra ones being bland, astringent and oily. The bland flavor is diuretic and dries dampness, the astringent flavor tightens, decongests and slows down, the oily flavor moistens, thickens and warms.) I dont know how these fit in to the five element theory.

Most people have become more conscious of reading labels and taking more care with their food choices. Moderation is always a good choice. Small quantities of one flavor can benefit its related organ, while too much of that flavor can overwhelm and possibly damage it. There is a difference between what you eat on a daily basis and what you will choose as a healing diet. Just as you wouldnt administer an herbal formula indefinitely, foods can also cause change.

The salty flavor The salty flavor moves inward and downward. The salty flavor moistens, softens and detoxifies. It is said to regulate the moisture balance in the body through its strengthening action on the kidney. It will stimulate digestive function and improve concentration. An excess of the salty flavor can congeal the blood ,stressing the Heart. The sour flavor The sour flavor has a gathering or astringent effect, like schisandra. It stimulates contraction and absorption. It It can used for qi deficiency causing sweating, diarrhea and hemorrhage. It can counteract the negative effects of fatty foods. The sour flavor specifically stimulates secretions from the gallbladder and pancreas. Lemon juice has the sour flavor, and when it is digested it becomes alkaline, so is actually determined as an alkaline food. I mention this so that you can see that food changes internally, this is transmutation.

Sour foods will activate the blood and help to eliminate stagnation but in excess may cause over-contraction and over-retention of moisture. The bitter flavor The bitter flavor travels downward. It will improve appetite, stimulate digestion and draw out dampness and heat. It has a draining and drying effect. Used to reduce excess conditions and restricted in cold or deficiency conditions. In excess, the bitter flavor can deplete qi and moisture. The sweet flavor The sweet flavor harmonizes all other flavors. It has a mild effect on stimulating the circulation of Qi and Blood. It is considered tonifying and is used to treat deficiency. Sweet flavor moistens When used in excess, there is an excess formation of phlegm and heat, with a cloying effect. Excess of the sweet flavor should be avoided in damp conditions.

8

The pungent flavor The pungent flavor disperses stagnation and promotes the circulation of Qi and blood. It stimulates digestion and helps break through phlegm. Warm pungents produce longer lasting warming effects and will benefit cold conditions. Cool pungents can be used when heat is present. In excess the pungent flavor will over-stimulate and exhaust the qi and blood. Treating deficiencies and excess with food

Yin deficiency

Rest is the key to recovery and replenishment. Reduce stimulation and encourage calm, supported by a nourishing diet. Yin strengthening foods are generally cool, calming and moistening. Sweet, salty and sour flavors and lubricating foods. Reducing the use of drying bitter or stimulating pungent flavors as well as dry foods like crackers, dry cereals like granola.

Yang deficiency

Reduce cold foods and exposure to cold, increase warm foods. Food can be flavored with pungent spices as ginger, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg or cardamom or herbs such as basil, rosemary and thyme which are warming. Exercise and breathing.

Qi deficiency

Qi can be derived from food but also from air, and our environment. Fresh air and exercise and such foods as squash, lentils or chicken soup are good qi tonics. Oats, chicken and dates are well known qi tonics. Ginseng, codonopsis, ashwaganda, etc. Supplementation, however, is only recommended in the short term and the return to abundant energy needs to be supported by breathing, exercise and of discovering the root of why the qi is depleted.

Blood deficiency

It takes about 120 days for us to fully renew the blood in our body. A diet rich in fresh vegetables is essential, especially green leafy vegetables, chlorophyll-rich foods, and whole grains. Most meat, beans, and root vegetables will strengthen the blood. All food is converted into blood or qi. So it makes sense to give our bodies nourishment through the freshest and best foods available so that we can in turn have blood that will nourish our body and mind. Breathing exercises are also helpful.

Excess conditions Stagnation Overeating is probably a big factor. Not enough movement and exercise. Too much rich food and poorly combined food. The pungent flavor gives a little extra movement. Many traditions use fennel, ginger, anise, peppermint after a meal to aid in digestion/move the qi. Stagnant conditions need movement. The root of the stagnation could be food, but it may also be emotional. Exercise, a creative outlet like sewing, painting or gardening may help.

Cold and heat Cold conditions are improved by warming foods. Hot conditions are improved by cooling foods. Sometimes its difficult to classify a food or an herb and we will use knowledge that has been written and time tested. Michael Tierra has a book titled The Way of Chinese Herbs that has very good classifications and is most helpful.

9

Dampness and phlegm Some people are more prone to dampness than others. That tendency can be worsened with climates, ie living in damp conditions or by a being sedentary. It could be that their job has them sitting all day or they just dont exercise enough. Dampness is treated by strengthening the Spleen and recognizing that the Kidneys and the Lung may also need tonifying. These patients should avoid overeating, stop eating after 7 pm or at least three hours before bedtime. They may be eating too much raw food, cold or frozen food, cookies and candies or rich foods with lots of dairy, or consuming too much liquid.

Foods that are particularly dampening: dairy products (sheep and goat products are less dampening), pork and rich meat, roasted peanuts, concentrated juices especially orange and tomato, wheat, bread, yeast, beer, bananas, sugar and sweeteners, and saturated fats.

Foods that help resolve dampness: aduki bean, barley (a special type of barley known as hato mugi or jobs tears), celery, seaweed, shiitake mushroom, daikon radish, rye, parsley, dandelion, garlic, watermelon and lemon. Many of these have a diuretic effect. Barley and cabbage are used to reduce damp-heat in the Liver. Dandelion or chicory root coffee is an excellent transformer of lower burner dampness and is known in natural food stores under brand names like Pero, Yannoh and Roma. Jasmine tea will help a cold and damp Spleen. Dampness is deep seated. Your body gets wet and spongy inside and accumulates this stickiness. Until dampness can be transformed by the Spleen and the body's yang, it will continue to accumulate easily. All dietary change should be gradual and actively engage the client with their healing process.

Remember we are born with a constitution. That is our Kidney essence, what we received from our parents and ancestors. We also have a condition, and that is what we can change. It takes about 120 days for the blood to renew itself throughout the body, so if you change the way of eating you can change the condition. If a person continues to eat the same non nutritious non foods then herbs and acupuncture can only make certain changes. For furthering your education, these publications are available through Redwing Books or Amazon.com: Recipes for Self-Healing and Helping Ourselves. Daverick Leggett. Redwing carries his Food charts which are a great office tool. Chinese System of Food Cures Prevention & Remedies Henry C. Lu The New Whole Foods Encyclopedia: A Comprehensive Resource for Healthy Eating Rebecca Wood Food Governs Your Destiny: The Teachings of Namboku Mizuno, Michio & Aveline Kushi with Alex Jack

10

Now we can look at the western guidelines that are issued by the USDA. The food pyramid that was published in 1992 has been modified to MY PYRAMID and changed from a one size fits all type of generalization to one that is supposed to fit the individual. While the change is moving towards a more traditional way of eating, there is still a lot of confusion. I believe this stems from not really knowing what food is. There have been at least two generations that have been part of the fast food culture. People dont understand the difference between eating real whole foods for nourishment and eating anything to fill the stomach. While its not looking at the energetics of food it is a positive move forward. Here are the USDA published recommendations for everyone:

Choose a Diet with Plenty of Vegetables, Fruits, and Grain Products

This guideline recommends that adults eat at least three servings of vegetables and two servings of fruits daily. It recommends at least six servings of grain products, such as breads, cereals, pasta, and rice, with an emphasis on whole grains. Children should also be encouraged to eat plenty of these foods.

Vegetables, fruits, and grain products are important parts of the varied diet discussed in the first guideline. They are emphasized in this guideline especially for their complex carbohydrates, dietary fiber, and other food components linked to good health.

These foods are generally low in fats. By choosing the suggested amounts of them, you are likely to increase carbohydrates and decrease fats in your diet, as health authorities suggest. You will also get more dietary fiber.

Complex carbohydrates, such as starches, are in breads, cereals, pasta, rice, dry beans and peas, and other vegetables, such as potatoes and corn. Dietary fiber -- a part of plant foods is in whole-grain breads and cereals, dry beans and peas, vegetables, and fruits. It is best to eat a variety of these fiber-rich foods because they differ in the kinds of fiber they contain.

Eating foods with fiber is important for proper bowel function and can reduce symptoms of chronic constipation, and hemorrhoids. Populations like ours with diets low in dietary fiber and complex carbohydrates and high in fat, especially saturated fat, tend to have more heart disease, obesity, and some cancers. Just how dietary fiber is involved is not yet clear.

Some of the benefit from a higher fiber diet may be from the food that provides the fiber, not from fiber alone. For this reason, it's best to get fiber from foods rather than from supplements. In addition, excessive use of fiber supplements is associated with greater risk for intestinal problems and lower absorption of some minerals,

Advice for today: Eat more vegetables, including dry beans and peas; fruits; and breads, cereals, pasta, and rice. Increase your fiber intake by eating more of a variety of foods that contain fiber naturally.

FOR A DIET WITH PLENTY OF VEGETABLES, FRUITS, AND GRAIN PRODUCTS, HAVE DAILY --

Three or more servings of various vegetables. (Count as a serving: 1 cup of raw leafy greens, 1/2 cup of other kinds)

Have dark-green leafy and deep-yellow vegetables often. Eat dry beans and peas often. (Count 1/2 cup of cooked dry beans or peas as a serving

of vegetables or as 1 ounce of the meat group.) Also eat starchy vegetables, such as potatoes and corn.

11

Two or more servings of various fruits. (Count as a serving: 1 medium apple, orange, or banana; 1/2 cup of small or diced fruit; 3/4 cup of juice)

Have citrus fruits or juices, melons, or berries regularly. Choose fruits as desserts and fruit juices as beverages.

Six or more servings of grain products (breads, cereals, pasta, and rice) Eat products from a variety of grains, such as wheat, rice, oats, and corn.

Have several servings of whole-grain breads and cereals daily.

Eat a Variety of Foods

You need more than 40 different nutrients for good health. Essential nutrients include vitamins, minerals, amino acids from protein, certain fatty acids from fat, and sources of calories (protein, carbohydrates, and fat).

These nutrients should come from a variety of foods, not from a few highly fortified foods or supplements. Any food that supplies calories and nutrients can be part of a nutritious diet. The content of the total diet over a day or more is what counts.

Many foods are good sources of several nutrients. For example, vegetables and fruits are important for vitamins A and C, folic acid, minerals, and fiber. Breads and cereals supply B vitamins, iron, and protein; whole-grain types are also good sources of fiber. Milk provides protein, B vitamins, vitamins A and D, calcium, and phosphorus. Meat, poultry, and fish provide protein, B vitamins, iron, and zinc.

No single food can supply all nutrients in the amounts you need. For example, milk supplies calcium but little iron; meat supplies iron but little calcium. To have a nutritious diet, you must eat a variety of foods.

One way to assure variety -- and with it, an enjoyable and nutritious diet -- is to choose foods each day from five major food groups.

A DAILY FOOD GUIDE

Eat a variety of foods daily, choosing different foods from each group. Most people should have at least the lower number of servings suggested from each food group. Some people may need more because of their body size and activity level. Young children should have a variety of foods but may need small servings.

Food group Suggested servings Vegetables 3-5 servings Fruits 2-4 servings Breads, cereals, rice, and pasta 6-11 servings whole grain Milk, yogurt, and cheese 2-3 servings Meats, poultry, fish, eggs, and nuts 2-3 servings dry beans and peas

12

Vitamins and Minerals Below are food sources for vitamins and minerals that the body needs to maintain itself in healthy state.

13

Food Sources for the following Minerals: Calcium: Dairy Products, Green Leafy Vegetables, Salmon, Sardines Magnesium: Most dietary magnesium comes from vegetables, particularly dark green, leafy vegetables. Soy products, Legumes and seeds, Nuts, whole grains, bananas, dried apricots, avocado Phosphorus: Fruits and vegetables contain only small amounts of phosphorus The main food sources are the protein food groups of meat and milk. A meal plan that provides adequate amounts of calcium and protein also provides an adequate amount of phosphorus. Potassium: Fish such as salmon, cod, flounder, and sardines are good sources of potassium. Vegetables including broccoli, peas, lima beans, tomatoes, potatoes (especially their skins), and leafy green vegetables such as spinach, lettuce, and parsley contain potassium.Citrus fruits, apples, bananas, and apricots. Dried apricots contain more potassium than fresh apricots. Selenium: Fish, shellfish, red meat, grains, eggs, chicken, liver, and garlic are all good sources of selenium. The amount of selenium in vegetables is dependent on the selenium content of the soil. Brewer's yeast and wheat germ are also good sources of selenium.

FRUIT TEMP FLAVOR ROUTE TONIFIES REGULATES Apple cool sour, sweet H,L,St yin H Apricot neutral sour, sweet L yin, blood

Avocado cool sweet LI, Liv, L, S yin, blood

Banana cold sweet LI, L yin H, T Blackberry warm sour, sweet Liv, K Blackcurrant cool sour, sweet Liv, K Blueberry cool sour L, S, St D, H, T Cherry warm sweet H. S, St qi BC, C Coconut neutral sweet qi Cranberry cold sour, sweet B, K, LI D, H Date warm sweet Liv, LS, L qi, blood Fig neutral sweet LI, L, S qi, blood H, T

Grape neutral sour, sweet K, Liv, L, S qi, blood W

Grapefruit cold sour, sweet H, P, QC

Lemon/Lime cold sour GB, K, LI, Liv, S yin BC, H, QC, T

Longan warm sweet H, S qi, blood BC, C Lychee warm sour, sweet Liv BC, C Mango cold sour, sweet St yin H Melon cold sweet H Mulberry cold sweet K, Liv, L yin, blood Orange cool sour, sweet Liv Papaya neutral bitter, sweet L, St D Peach warm sour, sweet LI, SI, St BC, C, QC Pear cool sour, sweet L, St yin H, P Persimmon cold sweet H, LI, L, S yin H Pineapple neutral sour, sweet yin H Plum neutral sour, sweet Liv H Pomegranate neutral sour, sweet B yin Raspberry neutral sour, sweet Liv, K yang Rhubarb cold bitter LI BC, H, T

Srawberry cool sour, sweet K, Liv, L, S

Tangerine cool sour, sweet L, St yin QC Watermelon cold sweet B, H, St yin H, W

Route L Lung LI Large Intestine St Stomach S Spleen H Heart SI Small Intestine B Bladder K Kidney

Action QC promotes Qi Circulation BC promotes Blood Circulation H counteracts Heat C counteracts Cold D counteracts Damp W drains Water P resolves Phlegm T removes Toxins

Liv Liver U Uterus Pe Pericardium GB Gall Bladder Daverick Leggett, The Energetics of Food

VEGETABLE Temperature Flavor ROUTE TONIFIES REGULATES Alfalfa Sprout neutral bitter, salty K,LI yin, blood D, T, W

Artichoke cool bitter, salty, sweet GB, Liv yin, blood QC, T, W

Asparagus cold bitter, sweet K, L yin D, H Bamboo Shoot cold sweet LI, L, St D, H, W Beetroot neutral sweet H, Liv blood Black Fungus neutral sweet LI, St Broccoli cool bitter, pungent

Cabbage neutral pungent, sweet LI, St

Caper warm bitter, pungent BC, C, D Carrot neutral sweet Liv, L, S QC Cauliflower cool LI, S, SI Celery cool bitter, sweet Liv, St D, H, W Chicory cool bitter GB, Liv W Chinese Cabbage neutral sweet LI, St D, H, W

Coriander Leaf warm pungent L, S B, C Cucumber cool sweet LI, S, St H, T

Daikon Radish cool pungent, sweet D, P

Dandelion Leaf cold bitter, salty, sweet GB, Liv, S blood H, W

Kale warm bitter, sweet L, St

Kelp cool salty B, K, Liv, St yin, blood T, W

Kohlrabi neutral bitter, pungent, sweet

BC, C, D

Leek warm pungent, sweet Liv BC, C

Lettuce cool bitter, sweet LI, St L, H, W Mungbean Sprout cold sweet LI yin H, T

Mushroom (button) cool sweet LI, L, SI, St P, QC, T

Mustard Leaf warm pungent L, St BC, C, P Nori cold salty, sweet yin HP Olive neutral sour, sweet L, St T Onion warm pungent L BC, C, D, T

Parsnip warm pungent, sweet Liv, L

Pepper warm pungent St BC Plantain cold sweet LI, SI yin H, P

Potato neutral sweet K, S, St yin, qi H Pumpkin neutral sweet L, S D

Radish cool pungent, sweet L, St D, P, QC, T

Scallion warm bitter, pungent H, LI, L BC, C, D Seaweed cold salty K, St yin H, P, T, W Shiitake mushroom neutral sweet St qi P

Spinach cool sweet LI, St blood Sring Onion warm pungent L, St Squash warm sweet S, St qi C, QC String Bean neutral sweet K, S yin Sweet Potato warm sweet K, S yin, qi C Swiss Chard cool sweet LI, L, S, St H, T Tomato cold sour, sweet Liv, St yin

Turnip neutral bitter, pungent, sweet

St BC, C, D, H, T

Water Chestnut cold sweet L, St yin H, P Watercress warm bitter, pungent LI, L, S, St blood P, QC, T, W White Fungus neutral sweet D Yam neutral sweet K, L, S yin, qi

Route L Lung LI Large Intestine St Stomach S Spleen H Heart SI Small Intestine B Bladder K Kidney

Action QC promotes Qi Circulation BC promotes Blood Circulation H counteracts Heat C counteracts Cold D counteracts Damp W drains Water P resolves Phlegm T removes Toxins

Pe Pericardium GB Gall Bladder Liv Liver U Uterus Daverick Leggett, The Energetics of Food

NUTRITION IN TCM.pdfFruit ChartVEGETABLE CHART

SubmitButton1: Five Elements: