Body Harmony
A balanced body, mind and spirit are often at the center of Chinese medicine approaches to health. To live healthy, harmony should exist between these three aspects of our beings. A balanced body does not mean living in a lean body, and living in a bigger body does not mean you are unbalanced or unhealthy. Every body is beautiful and everybody should feel good in their own skin.
In a Chinese medicine lens, weight gain is caused by a Qi (our energy life force) deficiency in the spleen, which leads to too much moisture being trapped inside the body, known as dampness. In this way, our digestive system becomes weak, which makes it harder for the body to absorb and transport food.
In addition to physiological functions, Chinese medicine philosophy also believes organs have emotional characteristics. When the spleen and stomach are not working in harmony, one might have feelings of overthinking and anxiety, and this affects our ability to properly metabolize food. Weight gain is many times associated with our emotions. Obsessive and unproductive thoughts can do damage to your spleen and stomach. Working on transforming your anxious energy with meditation, exercise and counseling can go a long way.
In Chinese medicine, weight loss often requires strengthening the spleen, disinhibiting dampness, and transforming phlegm (a more severe aspect of dampness). When struggling with unwanted weight, Chinese dietary guidelines suggest one should eat foods which are light and easy to digest, and mostly cooked. The spleen spends less energy to digest cooked foods, making our overall digestion easy. Soups and stews are very nourishing and great for digestion. Vegetables should only be lightly cooked, and grains, beans and meats should be cooked well.
The color yellow is associated with the stomach and spleen. In addition to eating lots of lightly cooked green leafy vegetables, add butternut squash, corn, yellow peppers, golden beets, and sweet potatoes to your meals. Eat foods high in fiber and complex carbohydrates, such as peas, beans and whole grains (brown rice, quinoa and oats). Eat small amounts of relatively dry animal protein, such as chicken, turkey and white fish, and a small amount of preferably cooked fruits.
To aid digestion, prepare foods and drinks with a moderate amount of drying and warming, spleen-strengthening spices and seasonings, such as cardamom, black pepper, ginger (both dry and fresh), cinnamon, and nutmeg.
Avoid drinking too many liquids with meals. Drinking one cup of green tea during meals aids digestion and can help with weight loss. Green tea strengthens the spleen, clears dampness and transforms phlegm. Job’s Tears Barley tea is also helpful in weight loss. This grain, when taken as a dilute soup or decoction, also strengthens the spleen, and promotes urination to relieve pathologic dampness.
Cold foods and drinks should be avoided. Cold foods and drinks cause the spleen and stomach to inadequately transport and transform food, and sludge tends to accumulate (i.e., dampness). Besides the temperature of cold foods, also avoid foods that have a cold nature, such as lettuce, celery, cucumbers, watermelon, mung beans, buckwheat, seaweed, mango, millet, pears, persimmon, spinach, tomatoes, and wheat.
Avoid concentrated sweets (sugars, molasses, honey, maple syrup, corn syrup, and high fructose corn syrup), dairy (milk, ice cream and cheese) and fats (oily and fried foods).
Chinese medicine dietary guidelines emphasize what we eat, but also how we eat. It is important to be relaxed when eating, and avoid eating when watching TV, reading, rushing, or upset. Take your time and sit down to savor your meal – eat slowly and mindfully. Chew foods thoroughly. Damp conditions are often created by inadequately digested foods. Chewing food well allows for proper digestion and facilitates absorption of nutrients.
Acupuncture and Chinese medicine can help reduced food cravings and facilitates the quick release of neurotransmitters in the body, which may improve mood and reduce stress and depression, and in turn help with cravings. Additionally, it can help reduce impulsive eating, prevent water retention, address weight gain related with menopause, relieve blood sugar and hormonal imbalances, and accelerate metabolism.
Our bodies are our vessels on this earth, and we should love them and care for them, in all their shapes and sizes.
*Please note these are general Chinese medicine dietary guidelines for weight loss. Please contact me if you need specific recommendations based on your specific healthcare requirements.