The following is based on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and the questioning and counseling of 10,000+. TCM is based on the theory, observation that everything, including the body is an ongoing balance of opposites, many of which we control through diet, herbs, exercise, thought, etc. Learn the whole before attempting to diagnose and or treat the part (structure, function) as all the parts work together and many times share similar symptoms, diseases.
The body builds up and breaks down, cleanses, largely according to food, nutrients. There are only two kinds of food, nutrients: building and cleansing. Building nutrients, foods (protein, fat, meat, eggs, chicken, cheese, beans, etc.) build, thicken and fuel. Cleansing foods, nutrients (water, sugar, minerals, fruit, vegetables, etc.) reduce, cleanse, cool and moisten. The correct amount of building and cleansing builds the correct amount of blood, structure and function, where the body mind can thrive. Any amounts, greater (too much) or less (too little), in the extreme, tend to cause disease via too much or too little blood, structure and function.
Digestion, acid, enzymes and bile, reduces food into its smallest component parts: nutrients and non-nutrients (includes fiber). Nutrients are absorbed into the bloodstream via the small intestine. Whatever food, fluids not digested, absorbed, becomes waste and is sent moved down to the large intestine for temporary storage and eventual elimination. Strong digestion not only digests, transforms and transports food, nutrients into blood, but also burns excess protein, fat, cholesterol, sugar, water, etc.
Too little protein and fat, in the extreme weakens digestion. Protein and fat are the only two nutrients that build and fuel. Too many carbohydrates (raw vegetables, salads, tropical fruits, juices, shakes, smoothies, cold drinks, etc.), especially at the beginning of the meal, tend to dilute and weaken digestion, enzymes and acids, reducing nutrient absorption, blood, elimination, etc., while increasing watery waste, weight, especially in combination with cold, damp, low protein, low fat foods (milk, yogurt, ice cream, etc.).
Weak digestion burns, metabolizes less fat, cholesterol, etc. More tends to collect in the liver (congestion), blood (high cholesterol), arteries (plaque, atherosclerosis, arteriosclerosis and high blood pressure), thighs (cellulite), waist, etc.
Weak digestion burns, metabolizes less water. It also tends to cool and dampen the body. More water tends to collect in the stools (loose, diarrhea), lungs, throat, nose and sinuses (mucous, phlegm, snoring), ears (inner ear infection, loss of hearing), thighs (cellulite), breasts (lumps, cysts, fibroids), ankles and arms, (edema) and or reproductive organs (discharges).
Weak digestion burns, metabolizes less sugar. More tends to collect in the blood, which in turn overworks and weakens the pancreas (regulates blood sugar and digestion, produces, secretes insulin, glucagon and digestive enzymes) producing hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia, indigestion, etc.
Many women tend to eat cold, damp diets: low protein, low fat (milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, beans, etc.) and high carbohydrate (pasta, bread, salads, tropical fruit, juices, shakes, cold drinks, etc.) diets. They also menstruate, lose blood three to seven days every month, thirty plus years from the first to last menses, menopause, predisposing them to blood deficiency, weak digestion and consequently excess water weight (includes cellulite), etc.
Water weight: For deficient, cold and damp conditions, the hotter, middle diet meal plan (Chapter 2) is recommended. Protein, fat, cooked foods, spices and exercise increases digestion, metabolism, burning of excess weight, water. Decrease cold, damp foods, drinks. Be consistent with eating times. Dinner is the lightest, smallest meal.
Too much protein and fat tends to cause excess fatty weight, obesity, overbuilt conditions, diseases (liver congestion, high cholesterol, plaque, atherosclerosis, arteriosclerosis, high blood pressure, tumors, psoriasis, cancer, etc.). The colder middle diet, meal plan is recommended. Eat less protein and fat (especially red meat, pork, veal, chicken, etc.), and more beans, nuts and seeds, Space and or skip meals, especially dinner. Eat more fruits and vegetables (raw cabbage, celery). Snack on carrots, celery, fruit and yogurt instead of candy, cookies, pretzels, ice cream, etc. Bitter herbs (golden seal, gentian, aloe vera, etc.) also help reduce excess fat, cholesterol. Take before meals. Do not take if your digestion is weak (cold, damp). Check with your doctor before making any changes.
Poor diet tends to cause most weight problems. The best advice is simple diet in addition to patience, knowledge, humility and commitment. Here are six simple steps:
1. A wise man, woman controls the future. Control your refrigerator, kitchen cabinets by only stocking, storing healthy foods: eggs, cheese, yogurt, beans, nuts, rice, noodles, bread, vegetables, fruit, spices, etc. It is very hard to get fat on healthy foods, unlike junk foods, which are instantaneous weight. If you must eat junk, then go out and buy small amounts. Sometime you need a little junk to counter the junk of life.
2. Eat more cooked foods: lightly cooked vegetables, soups, stews, spices, etc. to stimulate, increase digestion, metabolism of excess fat, water, sugar, etc. Cold, damp, raw foods (salads, fruit, juices, etc.), in excess, dilute, cool and reduce digestion, burning, metabolizing less fat, water, sugar, etc. but are helpful when you are too hot, overbuilt and or living in a hot climate. In a cold climate, they make you colder and damper.
3. Eat more during the day. Digestion is naturally stronger during the day, morning and early afternoon and weaker during the night, which is why most ancient cultures advised big breakfast (protein and fat), big lunch and small dinner (little or no protein and fat). Eat like a king for breakfast, a prince for lunch and a pauper for dinner. The hardest foods, nutrients to digest are protein and fat, which is why they are generally consumed at the beginning of the meal, day, not the end. Whatever foods, nutrients not digested, absorbed becomes waste that not only ends up in your intestines but also in your waist, thighs, arteries, liver, etc. If you eat a big meal at night (after 6-7 P.M.), you will most likely wear it in the morning in your intestines, thighs, abdomen, arteries, etc.
4. Eat from hot (building) to cold (cleansing). Building foods, cooked foods, soups, etc. stimulate digestion. Cleansing foods (salads, fruit) cool, dilute and cleanup (fiber) digestion, wastes left behind by undigested building foods, flour products, etc., which is why they are generally eaten at the end of the meal.
5. If you crave sweets, eat fruit (fresh, canned), vegetables (raw carrots, celery) and yogurt instead of doughnuts, cookies, ice cream, etc. Eat until you are satisfied. Sweet is sweet. Just because you crave sweets does not mean that you have to eat the worst sweet. If you crave sweets, eat good sweets. Trade up. You are worth it.
6. Make up your mind to lose weight, to eat less. Think and write down all the stuff you do not like about being overweight, then read it every day. Resolve to be different, better, more disciplined, one meal, day at a time. Enjoy an empty stomach. You do not have to eat all the time, especially if you are not hungry.
Author Resource:-
Web: http://www.wordpress.com/richardheft, Acupuncture Physician (FL 1992- 2002), owner, operator, Food and Thought health food store, Hollywood, FL (1984- 2001), Questioned and counseled 10,000+, author, Hot and Cold Health (c) 2003, revised 2009; Questions? email: rgheft@netzero.com
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.massagebyben.com/articles/images/icon_Rss.png "XML Feed For RSS"){kind=icon}
Category Rss Feed
Print This Article
Add To Favorites 