Principles of Chinese Nutrition is the theory behind nutrition counseling at Vermont Chinese Acupuncture. Along with acupuncture, Chinese massage and essential oils, Chinese nutrition is an important part of a holistic approach to therapy. The use of foods for healing purposes is common to many cultures especially Chinese culture. Foods have qualities or ‘energies’ such as warming, cooling, moving or detoxifying and building or nourishing. How we eat, as well as what we eat, can influence our health. Diet and food recommendations are done on an individual basis based on a person’s unique constitution, age, medical problems, culture and tastes.
Seasonal Recipes
Recipes to strengthen muscles & tendons and calm the mind
Strengthening muscles and tendons is the job of the ‘blood’ according to Chinese medicine. Blood also has another important function, it helps to calm the mind. The Chinese believe that there is no separation between the physical and non -physical. The non physical benefit of having ‘strong blood’ is a calmer mind. The following recipes contain foods whose energies tonify (strengthen) blood. Enjoy!
Spinach and Beet Salad
Ingredients:
- Spinach
- Beets
- Lemon
- Salt
- Pepper
- Grated tumeric as garnish
- Wilt spinach in broth or oil,
- Cook beets in salted water until soft. Save beet water for soups or tea,
- Combine and sprinkle with lemon salt and pepper to taste.
Food Energetics: Spinach builds the blood, is cool in nature and has an affinity for the liver. Beets have an affinity for the uterus where they promote circulation and encourage the menstrual cycle. Tumeric is a wonderful spice that moves Qi & Blood (circulation). Moving the circulation is especially important if there is pain.
Beef Stir Fry with Tumeric
Ingredients:
- Grass fed beef cut in thin slices for stir frying
- Vegetables cut for stir frying
- Soy sauce
- Broth
Important: the proportion of beef to vegetables should be small (beef), large (vegetables).
- Stir fry at high heat, adding broth as needed and stirring constantly. This is a stir fry not a stare fry!
- Stir fry veggies in a small amount of oil and broth,
- Cook on high, add more broth as needed,
- Add soy sauce to taste,
- Serve over rice.
Food Energetics: Beef is builds the blood and is warm/hot in nature. To get the medicinal energy of beef in a vegetarian diet you usually need an herbal formula called Si Wu Tang. Added to vegetable broth this formula gives great results especially with menstrual problems. Vegetables build the Qi and are cool in nature. Tumeric moves the blood and is warm in nature. Moves the Blood is an Eastern term that is close to the concept of improving circulation. ‘Moving’ is important when there is pain. A good example of this is dysmennorhea (menstrual cramps).