Nourishing Your Inner Harmony: Exploring Food Energetics

A lesser known part of being an Acupuncturist is that we provide diet and lifestyle advice to support people outside of the clinic in their healing. This advice is rooted in the ancient Chinese philosophy of Wu Xing, or the Five Elements. These 5 Elements consists of Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water. This philosophy has profound implications for understanding the dynamics of the natural world, the human body, and even social interactions. There are 5 elements, the organs and Channels of the body all fit into these, there are 5 seasons, 5 Energies of Food and 5 Flavours, the list goes on. These factors are considered to all be connected and reflective of each other giving context to each other, ourselves, the world and our place in it.

This is a very different angle on diet compared to the typical Western mindset where food is usually assessed based on its nutritional value and structure, taking into account how much protein, fat and calories it contains. Advice is often given as a broad brush approach to everyone, although the tide on this is turning with acknowledgement and research into individual biology influencing optimum dietary recommendations for example the Zoe project.

It's my experience the concept of food energetics plays a pivotal role in maintaining balance and promoting well-being. With this system foods are categorised based on their energetic properties these are; hot, warm, neutral, cool, or cold. The nature of food describes the temperature changes that they cause within the body.  It’s worth noting that this observation of thermal nature also exists within other holistic medical systems like Western herbalism, ancient Greek medicine and Ayurveda.

Food energetics influence the body's internal environment and are crucial in maintaining balance supporting a holistic approach to nourishing the body and mind. These energetic properties work in a continuum relating to each individual, not only do foods have energetic properties but we are all energetic beings and our natural constitution combined with the state of our health will influence our personal energetic pattern. Perhaps you run hot, have a red face and sweat easily? Or Maybe you are the first person in the room to feel a breeze and your hands are always cold? You’re your own energetic pattern, and what you consume is going to influence how you feel, so why not tune in and become conscious of what your body is telling you and how you can best nourish it? This way of living creates an individualised holistic approach. Having not grown up with this system it can feel a bit confusing - what does food energetics really mean? Well although it takes a little time to re-frame how we think about food it soon becomes quite natural, for example we all know a chilli is hot and ice cream is obviously cold (and to mostly be avoided!).

1. Hot:  Hot foods bring warmth and stimulates circulation. This category is dominated by spices like hot chillis, ginger, garlic and pepper. They promote energy and dispel cold. Lamb and trout are hot proteins. Hard liquor is also considered hot. Hot foods are beneficial in winter and for those with cold patterns for example a seasonal cold. They should be used in moderation and with caution.If you suffer with symptoms of heat take a rest from hot foods.

2. Warm: Warm foods maintain balance by supporting the body's digestive functions, dispelling cold, improving circulation, decreasing impact of the colder seasons. Foods in this category include most meats (chicken, beef, ham , turkey), butter,  various herbs and spices such as cinnamon, turmeric, dill, lavender. Plants that take longer to grow such as carrots, ginseng, cabbage, leeks, basil, dates, cherries, raspberries, peaches, coconut, pumpkin and walnuts. These foods are excellent for individuals with cold constitutions i.e. those who run on the chilly side, who dislike cold, those with a desire to drink warm liquids & have a bright white complexion and/or a runny nose

3. Neutral: Neutral foods neither heat nor cool the body. They provide stability and include grains like rice and oats, protein such as eggs, white fish, tuna and duck. Neutral vegetables include; cauliflower, potatoes and turnips, fruits such as apricots, figs & plums. Black tea is neutral. Most nuts and seeds bar a few exceptions are neutral, as is Honey. These food are versatile and well tolerated choices. Neutral options are generally easier on digestion and can be a gentle source of nourishment. Neutral foods are suitable for maintaining balance. Neutral foods are particularly suitable during transitional seasons like spring and autumn. These seasons often exhibit fluctuating temperatures, and neutral foods help the body adapt without contributing to temperature extremes. For those experiencing stress, emotional fluctuations, or physical instability, neutral foods can provide a grounding effect.

4. Cool: Cool foods help clear heat and detoxify the body. Cucumbers and mint exemplify cool foods, promoting a refreshing and cleansing effect. Other cool foods include celery, broccoli, spinach, avocado, blueberry, strawberry, tangerine, green tea, soy sauce, elderflower and chamomile. Individuals with minor heat patterns or during hot seasons benefit from consuming cool foods. For examples imbalances such as inflammation, temporary overheating, or conditions associated with excessive energy such as ADHD. People with skin rashes, eczema, or certain inflammatory disorders, may find relief by including cool foods in their diet. Menopausal women experiencing hot flushes, night sweats, or other symptoms associated with hormonal changes may find relief by including cool foods in their diet to balance the body's internal heat.

5. Cold: Cold foods can clear excess heat and cool the blood they can help clear toxins and nourish your yin. Watermelon and bamboo shoots fall into this category, offering a cooling effect. Other cold foods include lemon, lime, grapefruit, melon, tomatoes, seaweeds, tofu, octopus, crab and yoghurt. Cold foods are best suited for individuals with heat constitutions include: feeling hot, disliking heat hot, bright red tongue with yellow coat, red face or eyes, nosebleeds, ulcers or cankers, a bitter taste in mouth, high blood pressure, fast pulse, inflammation, constipation, dark yellow urine and desire to drink cold liquids. For other people it is best to limit consumption of these foods to the times of the year when there is hot weather.

The energetic properties of food isn't fixed it can change based on how foods are prepared and cooked. Raw foods are naturally cooler while steaming cools or causes food to remain neutral. Stewed, fried or baked foods become warm. Deep fried and roasted foods create hot energies such a fried fish & chips is hot when the same ingredients steamed would be Neutral.

In addition to the energetic qualities, foods are classified into the five flavours: sweet, sour, bitter, salty, and pungent. Each flavour is associated with a seasonal element and acupuncture channels / organs. There is an ancient saying in China "If people pay attention to the five flavours and blend them well, Qi and Xue (Blood) will circulate freely, and breath and bones will be filled with the essence of life." Out of the five flavours, pungent and sweet are generally more warming, upward and outward moving, and sour, salty, and bitter are generally more cooling, downward and inward moving.

1. Sweet (Earth): Corresponding to late summer, sweet flavours support the Earth element, the spleen organ, and harmonise emotions. Foods like sweet potatoes and dates nourish and strengthen the spleen, making them beneficial for those with spleen deficiencies.

2. Sour (Wood): Aligned with spring, sour flavours benefit the Wood element and the liver organ. Examples include lemons and vinegar, which help promote liver function and relieve liver stagnation which is characterised by the emotions of frustration and anger.

3. Bitter (Fire): Associated with summer, bitter flavours support the Fire element and the heart organ. Foods like bitter leaves and dandelion greens help clear heat and dampness, making them suitable for individuals with excess heat patterns.

4. Salty (Water): Linked to winter, salty flavours correspond to the Water element and the kidneys. Seaweed and miso are examples of salty foods that nourish the kidneys and support the body's fluid balance.

5. Pungent (Metal): Tied to autumn, pungent flavours benefit the Metal element and the lungs. Garlic and onions, with their pungent nature, help disperse lung congestion and promote respiratory health. Pungent foods are very good at moving stagnation, and increasing circulation. Some also cause sweating. These foods are great for sluggishness and to stimulate digestion. Many are also used for external pathogens like the common cold. Too much pungent flavoured food / herbs can cause damage, specifically causing heat and dryness, so use caution if you tend toward feeling hot, or experience restlessness, insomnia, itchiness, or constipation then avoid these food.

Traditional Chinese Medicine's approach to food energetics and flavours provides a comprehensive guide to maintaining balance and promoting well-being. I have integrated these principles into my own life and extend the benefits to my family and patients to great positive effect. Incorporating food energetics may seem daunting at first, but it's easier than you think. Start by considering how many of the cold/cool and warm/hot foods you consume do you vary this through the year to align with the seasonal temperatures? During colder months, incorporating more warm foods like soups and stews and experiment with warmer spices like turmeric and cinnamon to support digestion and circulation. Save those refreshing cool salads and fruits for the summer to help clear heat during warmer months.

By harmonising our diet with seasonal changes, we can better adapt to our environment. The next stage is to tune into your own personal energetics, do you run hot, is your face often red, do you sweat easily or are you always cold and pale? You can use foods to help find balance. Tune into how you feel after eating certain food, especially those hot and cold extremes, adjust what you consume to help you feel well balanced, don’t be afraid to play around.

Specific dietary recommendations from a practitioner will be specific based on individuals constitutions and conditions however there are some general rules of thumb in Chinese food energetics that are useful for everyone to consider.

• Joy – often our relationship to food is as important as what the food we are eating, if we are happy when we eat and value the nourishment then our bodies will accept the food more readily into our system.

• Become more grounded – being outdoors, working with plants being aware of the natural seasonal cycles attends to our relationship with the earth helping build connection and gratitude nourishing our bodies and minds.

• Don’t flood the digestive system – minimise fluid taken with food a little warm fluid with most fluid consumed between meals.

• Don’t chill the digestive system – Too much raw or cold food weakens digestion. The digestive process needs warmth so having warm food takes an energetic strain off the digestive system. Make food easy to digest by warming it.

• Relaxation – Acupuncture advice is to not mix food and work, our digestion works best when we focus on the enjoyment of the meal – not trying to read, work, watch a screen. Helpful to take time to relax our posture and sit without being twisted to allow the digestive system to be open.

• Stop before you are full – Acupuncture recommends looking for 80% fullness to avoid creating stagnation with a queue of food waiting to be digested straining our spleen.

• Eat main meal early – Eating late in the evening creates stagnation in the system so better to eat your main meal early for example by 6pm.

• Eat food with strong life force – Local organic fresh food. Avoid chemical preservation, irradiation and genetic manipulation which alters the food energetics.

• Positive attitude – we can develop beliefs of good and bad foods. Our common sense tells us there is some truth in this, however once we have decided to eat something its better to accept it lovingly to get the most out of it.

• Trust your body – what makes you feel good at the deepest level, cultivate the skill of separating cravings from deeper guidance. Tune in to yourself during an after eating listen to your own body’s wisdom.

Remember it's essential to consult with a qualified practitioner to receive personalised advice. Incorporating these dietary adjustments, along with other modalities like acupuncture, can contribute to restoring balance and promoting overall well-being. If you are interested in re-connecting with yourself, the seasons and improving your wellbeing don’t hesitate to get in contact with me.