Everyday Food Therapy - Using Food for Health Preservation

Author: Hanzi
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2007-01-01
Features: Since ancient times, people have attached great importance to the role of diet on the human body. The renowned Tang Dynasty physician Sun Simiao pointed out, "The foundation of life lies in food. Those who do not know the principles of proper diet are not fit to survive. When food is consumed, the grain qi is replenished; when the grain qi is abundant, the qi and blood flourish; when qi and blood flourish, the sinews and muscles become strong. If illness occurs, the method of 'food medicine' should be applied first. Examine the condition of the illness and treat it with diet. If dietary treatment is not effective, then prescribe medicine, prioritizing methods that do not harm the organs." Ancient Chinese dietary theory includes the concept of "Four Seasons and Five Supplements" for health preservation. Traditional Chinese Medicine studies the Yin-Yang theory and the Five Elements, placing great emphasis on the relationship between climate changes and the human body, dividing the seasons into spring, summer, autumn, and winter. Since summer is longer, the period between summer and autumn is divided into the "Long Summer" season, giving rise to the theory of "Four Seasons and Five Supplements." Specifically, spring belongs to wood, characterized by warmth; summer belongs to fire, characterized by heat; long summer belongs to earth, characterized by dampness; autumn belongs to metal, characterized by dryness; and winter belongs to water, characterized by cold. This forms the connection between the "Four Seasons and Five Supplements" theory, the Five Elements, and the five organs—liver, heart, spleen, lungs, and kidneys. The ancients used this theory to guide people's dietary practices.