Dietotherapy the Chinese Way
What is dietotherapy?
Dietotherapy is an important aspect of traditional Chinese way of life of using foods to prevent and treat illness.
The foundation of a healthy body is the balance of Yin and Yang. Foods are the basis to balancing the Yin and Yang. It really means YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT!
Ancient Chinese physicians termed medicines as "toxic" substances. They believed medicine which is "toxic" actually attack pathogens to restore the body. The toxicity of the medicine may also cause certain degree of harm to the host cells. Doctors should first understand the disease and treat it with proper diet. Drugs should only be used if diet fails.
Dietotherapy does not have shortcomings. It cures disease by adjusting body functions and strengthening immune system through proper nutritional supplements.
Another important aspect of dietotherapy is food prohibition. There are foods like fish, raw, cold, spicy or windy foods should be avoided in certain diseases. By not observing these prohibitions would result in worsening or relapse of the disease.
A Yang disease should avoid Yang food and a Yin disease should avoid Yin food. For example if one has fever, the digestive system is weak and any foods of meat, fish or greasy food could worsen the disease.
Modern medicines rarely observe food prohibitions.
I have seen how a viral infected patient with fever was given chocolate drink. Chocolate is a Yang food. Giving Yang food to a Yang disease will cause relapse. A person with sore throat drinking chocolate will have his problem worsen. A person who is affected by skin problem, rashes and boils should not take shrimps, nuts and high protein and greasy foods.
Theoretical Basis For Dietotherapy
- Irregular eating and drinking can cause disease.
- Greasy and fatty diets are not readily digestible.
- Too much eating will over burden the gastro intestinal tract that results in disease.
Some Suggested Dietotherapeutic Prescriptions
- Milk to treat diabetes.
- Carp porridge and black bean syrup to treat edema.
- Fewer greasy foods for benefiting the blood and energy.
- Well cooked and warm foods for the elderly.
- Less hot and dry natured foods for women.
- More plain and tonic foods for women.
- Deficient in blood and semen should build themselves up with tonic food.
[ Top ]
