Healing Metabolism Imbalance with Food.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the concept of balance is key to maintaining optimal health. They talk about food in different terms than we do in the West. They look at color, shape, density and seasonality.

Cold and Hot foods, while tempting to the taste buds, can sometimes tip the balance, leading to various health issues. Let’s look at what is cold and hot to learn more.

Cold & Damp Foods: Best in Moderation

1. Ice Cream:
   • Cold Nature: Excess consumption can lead to digestive issues.
2. Raw Seafood:
   • Cold and Damp Nature: May contribute to dampness in the body.
3. Iced Drinks:
   • Cold Nature: Disrupts the digestive fire.
4. Cucumbers:
   • Cold Nature: Can weaken the digestive system.
5. Melons:
   • Cold and Damp Nature: Best consumed in moderation.
6. Sushi:
   • Raw and Cold Nature: May impact digestive function.
7. Milkshakes:
   • Cold Nature: Can create excess dampness.
8. Salads with Cold Dressings: 
   • Cold Nature: May hinder digestion.
9. Tofu:
   • Cold and Damp Nature: Best eaten in moderation. I don’t recommend at all.
10. Cold Noodles:
    • Cold Nature: Prefer warmer alternatives for digestion. Consider gluten free as well.

Common Illnesses from Cold Raw Foods

1. Digestive Issues: Think bloating, indigestion, or even diarrhea. Cold foods can slow down the digestive process, making it hard for your stomach to break everything down properly.
2. Metabolism Slowdown: Your body needs to work harder to warm up and digest these foods, which can slow down your metabolism over time. This might lead to feelings of sluggishness or fatigue.
3. Weakened Immune System: If your body is constantly channeling energy into warming up and digesting these cold foods, it might have less energy to fend off illnesses.

TCM Syndromes from Too Many Cold Raw Foods

1. Spleen Yang Deficiency

• Why: The spleen in TCM is pivotal for digestion and transforming food into energy. Cold raw foods can dampen the spleen’s yang energy, leading to inefficiency.
• Signs and Symptoms: Feeling cold, tiredness, bloating after eating, loose stools, and a desire for warm foods or drinks.
• Acupuncture Points: SP6 (Sanyinjiao), ST36 (Zusanli), and SP9 (Yinlingquan) can help warm the spleen and improve digestion.
• Chinese Herbal Formulas: Li Zhong Wan (Regulate the Middle Pill) is commonly used to warm the middle and strengthen the spleen and stomach.

2. Kidney Yang Deficiency

• Why: Kidneys in TCM are the foundation of yin and yang for the whole body. Cold foods can stress the kidneys, weakening their yang aspect.
• Signs and Symptoms: Feeling cold, weak lower back and knees, frequent urination, possibly reproductive issues.
• Acupuncture Points: BL23 (Shenshu), KI3 (Taixi), and DU4 (Mingmen) can help to warm and support kidney yang.
• Chinese Herbal Formulas: Jin Gui Shen Qi Wan (Kidney Qi Pill from the Golden Cabinet) is great for warming and tonifying the kidneys.

3. Liver Qi Stagnation

• Why: Though not directly caused by cold foods, the imbalance they create can affect liver qi flow. Cold foods can lead to a buildup of cold in the liver, leading to blood stagnation and pain. Reproductive issues can happen with this syndrome as well.
• Signs and Symptoms: Feeling of fullness or discomfort in the chest or sides, depression, mood swings, PMS, menstrual irregularities, and bloating type digestive issues.
• Acupuncture Points: LV3 (Taichong), GB34 (Yanglingquan), and SP6 (Sanyinjiao) can help smooth liver qi and alleviate stagnation.
• Chinese Herbal Formulas: Xiao Yao Wan (Free and Easy Wanderer) is excellent for moving liver qi and addressing stagnation.

When is comes to cold and damp foods, they are best eaten in moderation and by themselves. Balance their intake with some of the warming foods or herbs listed toward the end of this blog.

For good health, balancing cold and damp foods with their warmer counterparts is crucial for overall well-being. While occasional indulgence is natural, if you eat a lot of cold, raw food regularly, countering with some warming foods, helps maintain the delicate equilibrium our bodies need for homeostasis.

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Eating Too Much Hot & Spicy Food

Eating too many hot or spicy foods can help liven up your dinner plate, clear your sinus’ and help your metabolism, but over indulgence can cause some issues. What are hot foods?

Warming Foods

1. Ginger or Peppers:
   • Warming Nature: Improves circulation and digestion.
2. Cinnamon:
   • Warming Nature: Adds warmth and aids digestion.
3. Garlic:
   • Warming Nature: Boosts the immune system.
4. Turmeric:
   • Warming Nature: Anti-inflammatory and digestive benefits.
5. Quinoa:
   • Neutral to Warming Nature: A healthier alternative to cold grains.
6. Root Vegetables (Carrots, Sweet Potatoes):
   • Warming Nature: Grounding and nourishing.
7. Warm Soups and Stews:
   • Warming Nature: Easier on digestion.
8. Oats:
   • Warming Nature: Great for breakfast, promoting sustained energy.
9. Green Tea (Warm):
   • Warming Nature: Moderation is key for balance.
10. Cooked Chicken or Turkey:
    • Warming Nature: Provides protein and warmth.

Common Illnesses from Too much Hot or Spicy Foods

1. Digestive Irritation: This one’s pretty straightforward. Spicy foods can irritate the lining of your stomach, leading to heartburn, acid reflux, or gastritis, eventually leading to loose, smelly, burning stools!!
2. Dehydration: Spicy foods can make you sweat and might even speed up your breathing, which can lead to dehydration, hot flashes and skin rashes if you’re not careful.
3. Hemorrhoids: Yep, too much spice can exacerbate hemorrhoids due to increased irritation and inflammation in the digestive tract.

TCM Syndromes from Too Many Hot or Spicy Foods

1. Stomach Fire

• Why: In TCM, the stomach likes moisture and dislikes dryness. Too many hot or spicy foods can lead to an excess of stomach fire, which burns up the stomach’s yin (moisture), causing symptoms.
• Signs and Symptoms: Burning sensation in the stomach, thirst with a preference for cold drinks, bad breath, possibly constipation, acid reflux, GERD, IBS.
• Acupuncture Points: ST44 (Neiting) can cool down stomach fire, and PC6 (Neiguan) can help soothe the stomach.
• Chinese Herbal Formulas: Bai Hu Tang (White Tiger Decoction) is often used to clear stomach fire and generate fluids.

2. Yin Deficiency

• Why: Hot foods can deplete the body’s yin, which is cooling and moistening. This can lead to a relative excess of yang, causing heat symptoms.
• Signs and Symptoms: Night sweats, hot flashes, dry mouth and throat at night, skin issues like itchy rashes and dryness.
• Acupuncture Points: KI3 (Taixi) and SP6 (Sanyinjiao) and LG7 are great for nourishing yin and clearing heat.
• Chinese Herbal Formulas: Zhi Bai Di Huang Wan (Anemarrhena, Phellodendron, and Rehmannia Pill) is commonly used to nourish yin and clear deficiency heat.

3. Liver Fire Blazing

• Why: The liver in TCM is responsible for the smooth flow of Qi (energy) throughout the body. Too much heat can cause liver fire to flare up, leading to a disruption in the flow of Qi.
• Signs and Symptoms: Irritability, red eyes, dizziness, and a bitter taste in the mouth, tension headaches, migraines.
• Acupuncture Points: LV2 (Xingjian) is the go-to point to extinguish liver fire, and GB20 (Fengchi) can help alleviate headache and dizziness.
• Chinese Herbal Formulas: Long Dan Xie Gan Tang (Gentiana Longdancao Decoction to Drain the Liver) is effective for clearing excess liver fire.

If you find yourself eating more warming than cold foods, or have any of the symptoms of eating too much hot, spicy food, consider balancing your diet with some of the above listed cold foods to rebalance your body.

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As with any health concern, consulting with a TCM practitioner or healthcare provider is a good idea, especially before starting any new treatment. They can offer personalized advice based on your individual constitution and health needs.