The Spiritual Axis

The Ling Shu or ‘The Spiritual Axis,’ an ancient classical document in TCM attributed to the Yellow Emperor and his ministers, circa 2600 BC,  gave the first explanation of the effects of the five dietary tastes as they affect the body.

1. Sour taste adjusts the liver

The sour taste goes to the sinews and nerves. An over abundance of sour flavor can upset the liver it so should be used sparingly especially if a person suffers from chronic pain. 

Foods with inherent sourness are heating and can complicate patterns from excessive damp heat and will consequently exhaust spleen chi.  

If the Liver is in a state of imbalance and disease one should limit or eliminate sour and pungent foods (controlling cycle of metal in the 5 elements).

2. Bitter taste adjusts the heart   

Bitter taste goes to the bones, and an excess of it should be avoided in bone diseases.  Bitter flavor is the most drying and so is the prominent choice to rid damp heat. 

In excess and for certain constitutional types, bitter dries the valuable moisture of the spleen and stomach.  

If the Heart is diseased one should limit or eliminate foods with an inherent salty taste (control cycle of water).

 

3. Sweet taste adjusts the spleen

  Sweet taste adjusts the energy and function of  the spleen which affects the fat and muscles. 

A modest or small amount can accent the spleen and stomach earth energy and function. 

Whereas, an excess of inherently sweet food can weaken the spleen causing plumpness of the flesh and tissues, and weakness of the muscles. 

An excess of sweet food cools, engenders moisture and causes stuffiness in the heart chi.  

If the Spleen is diseased one should eat little or no sour foods (control cycle of wood).

4. Pungent taste adjusts the lungs

   Medicinally, a conscientious usage of hot, pungent spice can open and benefit the energy of the lung (and large intestine) by dispersing mucus that afflicts them. 

Too much pungent taste however opens and scatters the chi and should be avoided if chi is deficient or if yin fluids are already dry.

 An excess of spice in the diet desiccates yin/vital fluids in the body, but it can be useful in drying excessive dampness in the body, so tuning in and striking a balance is important.  

Pungent foods can create heat and repletion in the vessels, dry fluids that nourish the tendons, and typically result in tendonitis.  

If the Lung is imbalanced one should not consume bitter taste in food (control cycle of fire).

5. Salty taste adjusts the kidneys

   Medicinally, a conscientious usage of salty flavored foods can supplement the energy of the kidney. 

However, salty flavor is drying to the blood and should be avoided in significant amounts in conditions where there is blood and essence deficiency. 

Too much salty flavor taxes and stagnates the heart chi, and it taxes the chi of the bones and withers the flesh due to its heating nature.  

If the Kidney is diseased one should limit or eliminate foods with an inherently sweet flavor (control cycle of earth).

Elementals of food

 

In TCM, the 5 elements is considered to reflect both organ as well as energetic inter-play.

 Everything in nature, including food is classified by their intrinsic thermal properties and by their correspondent 5 element tastes.

This interplay of energetics guides the individual in selecting foods that can influence one's state of health.

 This inherent thermal nature and tastes of foods (food humours) determines the organs and body systems that is adjusted and influenced.

The therapeutic actions of foods as it is digested and assimilated are distinguished by which of the 5 flavors it possesses.

Small amount of the flavor penetrates to nourish the body and therapeutically revives physiological functions.

TCM and dietary practices

Choosing the foods we eat is simple.

It is our approach and choice that can be complicated and misleading. 

Simple means choosing what your body needs and not what is convenient or what we are craving. 

Philosophy or food fads and theories cannot sustain the health of one's body and mind. 

Sustenance for the body needs to be nourishing as well as tasty but most importantly it must enhance our health and wellness, not just catering to our taste buds and habits.

Food is our first line of defence, cure and antidote against a multitude of ailments and diseases.

In TCM vitality and good health is dependant on healthy, strong Chi and blood.

The basic and critical elements for sustenance is in food choices, quality of food and preparation methods.

In most non-Western cultures, food is considered medicine. 

Food has the most far reaching extent, if diet fails to correct a health condition only then is a doctor consulted and further treatments are implemented.

Food Cures

3 main aspects:

1. eat with the Qi

2. eat with the time

3. eat with flavour

1. Try to eat local and in season food.
2. Follow your body type needs and listen to what your body tells you about what you are eating.
3. If you use your muscles more - like athletes and hard labor workers, the labor is hard on the tendons, recommended diet is to support the liver, stay away from too much pungent food (dry tendons).
4. If you have a weak Spleen and Stomach ( s/s are puffy tongue, loose stools, poor appetite, bloating) do not eat foods that are too cold in the morning (e.g. orange juice, banana, cold yogurt, fruit smoothies, etc).This type of breakfast is more suitable for the person that shows Heat signs.
5. Women have more taste buds than men - food with more diversity in flavors are best. 
6. Men use their sense of smell more therefore food that stimulates the sense of smell is recommended because frangrance helps to dissipate liver stagnation chi that are more predominant in men.
7. Have variety in your meals - at different times of the day foods affect you differently, just like we know not to drink coffee just before we go to bed!
8. Listen to what your body wants, eat it (within reason), connect the mind and body, the body will tell you what it likes and what it needs, all you have to do is listen.
9. Understand that what your body needs can change from time to time (after illness, season, time of day, etc) find techniques to listen regularly, i.e. daily meditation, silence, yoga, qigong.
10. Be sure to not give people blanket statements about what to eat and what not to eat, as said above, things change.
11. Do not give into research, it can only find physical elements within the food, experiment with foods and listen to what your body tells you about it.
12. Tonify the Blood: carrots (liver, Spleen), beets, cherries, spinach, dark grapes, marrow, easily digestable grains, raspberries
13. Tonify Kidney Qi: animal kidneys, lobster, lamb, seeds, dry nuts, rosehips, beans, turnip, raspberry, sprouts, blueberry
14. Tonify Lung: almond, dry apricots
15. Tonify Liver: cranberry, blueberry, mulberry, raspberry

Recipe: Artichoke and Pandan Tea

2-3 whole artichokes
1 small bunch of fresh pandan leaves, tied together with twine (frozen can be substituted if fresh is not available)
1 gallon of water
sugar (honey, rock sugar, palm sugar)

Directions:
In large pot bring water to boil. Add pandan leaves and artichoke and reduce heat to a gentle simmer and cover for about 1.5-2 hrs or until the artichokes are completely soft. 

Remove pandan and artichokes 

Eat the artichokes

While water is still hot, add desired amount of sugar to taste and stir until dissolved. 

Allow to cool before siphoning to serving container. 

Served chilled or hot

Benefits of Artichoke Tea

When you drink this tea, you will be ingesting a drink that is rich in folate, vitamins A, B₁ and C, and minerals such as magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, iron, potassium, zinc and dietary fiber.

These are some benefits of drinking artichoke tea;

•  Helps to protect the liver and treat related diseases. It stimulates the liver function and the production of bile. Overall, it helps with liver insufficiency.
• Because of its beneficial action on the liver, it may help to fight the consequences of alcoholism, through faster liver recovery.
• This tea is diuretic, easing elimination of urea. It also contains inulin, which is important as a hypoglycemic, recommended to diabetics as it helps to regulate the levels of sugar in the blood.
• Also as a diuretic, artichoke tea is indicated as one of the great weight loss teas, helping to rid the body of excess body fat and preventing water retention, through the urine.
• It may help to treat bad digestion. It is gentle and soothing for your stomach, even promoting the recovery of your appetite. It provides healthy bacteria for your stomach and essential nutrients for you.
•  With a tea made from dried or fresh leaves and stems of artichoke, you can recover better from nausea, abdominal pains, constipation, diarrhea, bloating sensation, as well as being a natural remedy for heartburn. 
It may also have preventive action against these ailments; so if you are prone to bad digestion, make this tea a part of your daily diet.
• It’s a caffeine free tea. So if you are watching your anxiety levels, this tea is safe for you.
• Artichoke tea helps to reduce cholesterol levels as well as helping to prevent future increase.
• This tea helps in the prevention of heart diseases and strokes.
• Finally, by eliminating toxins in your body, an artichoke tea will not only promote all the benefits mentioned above, but you will also have the added bonus of clear skin.

Happy Valentine's Day