Healing with Whole Foods: Asian Traditions and Modern Nutrution
Used as a reference by students of acupuncture, this is a hefty, truly comprehensive guide to the theory and healing power of Chinese medicine. It's also a primer on nutrition—including facts about green foods, such as spirulina and blue-green algae, and the "regeneration diets" used by cancer patients and arthritics—along with an inspiring cookbook with more than 300 mostly vegetarian, nutrient-packed recipes.\ The information on Chinese medicine is useful for helping to diagnose health...
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Used as a reference by students of acupuncture, this is a hefty, truly comprehensive guide to the theory and healing power of Chinese medicine. It's also a primer on nutrition—including facts about green foods, such as spirulina and blue-green algae, and the "regeneration diets" used by cancer patients and arthritics—along with an inspiring cookbook with more than 300 mostly vegetarian, nutrient-packed recipes.The information on Chinese medicine is useful for helping to diagnose health imbalances, especially nascent illnesses. It's smartly paired with the whole-foods program because the Chinese have attributed various health-balancing properties to foods, so you can tailor your diet to help alleviate symptoms of illness. For example, Chinese medicine dictates that someone with low energy and a pale complexion (a yin deficiency) would benefit from avoiding bitter foods and increasing "sweet" foods such as soy, black sesame seeds, parsnips, rice, and oats. (Note that the Chinese definition of sweet foods is much different from the American one!)Pitchford says in his dedication that he hopes the reader finds "healing, awareness, and peace" from following his program. The diet is certainly acetic by American standards (no alcohol, caffeine, white flour, fried foods, or sugar, and a minimum of eggs and dairy) but the reasons he gives for avoiding these "negative energy" foods are compelling. From the adrenal damage imparted by coffee to immune dysfunction brought on by excess refined sugar, Pitchford spurs you to rethink every dietary choice and its ultimate influence on your health. Without being alarmist, he adds dietary tips for protecting yourself against the dangers of modern life, including neutralizing damage from water fluoridation (thyroid and immune-system problems may result; fluoride is a carcinogen). There's further reading on food combining, female health, heart disease, pregnancy, fasting, and weight loss. Overall, this is a wonderful book for anyone who's serious about strengthening his or her body from the inside out.
From Part I, Chapter 2: The Principle of ExtremesWhen the excessive principle reaches its limit, the extreme yin or yang transforms into its opposite. This is known as the “Principle of Extremes.” This principle is readily observed in warm-blooded animals, when a fever is produced in response to an exposure to cold, or when chills result from an excess of summer heat.Other examples: 1. Extreme activity, such as hard physical work, necessitates rest. 2. If activity is very fierce and yang (such as in war), death (which is very yin) can be the result. 3. People frequently become more child-like with extreme age. Also, with advancing years, a person gradually exhibits less physical strength but, if healthy, greater wisdom. This represents the loss of bodily attachment to earth and the shifting of focus toward heaven, an example of extreme yin changing to extreme yang. 4. As internal heat and blood pressure become higher (yang), a stroke resulting in paralysis (yin) becomes more likely. 5. Extremely energizing substances such as cocaine cause utter debility later. One also is eventually weakened by stimulants such as caffeine and refined sugar.6. In meditation, proper concentration on a single object ultimately results in universal awareness.The process by which phenomena change into their opposites may be described graphically with spirals, a very common pattern in the universe. These cycles of change are progressively quicker while contracting, slower while expanding. Such cycles are balanced by opposing cycles. For instance, when the national economy slows toward stagnation, cycles of emotional anxiety become ever more intense. Another pair of spirals illustrates the way in which metabolic cycles in the body take longer to fully repeat with age, with a simultaneously greater need for nutrients. For this reason, we need less quantity but more nutritionally concentrated food as we grow older.
1Origins1Pt. IThe Roots of Diagnosis and Treatment2Yin-Yang and Beyond493Qi Vitality56The Six Divisions of Yin and Yang574Heat/Cold: The Thermal Nature of Food and People585Interior/Exterior: Building Immunity676Excess and Deficiency89Pt. IIEssentials of Nutrition7Dietary Transition1058Water1229Protein and Vitamin B[subscript 12] - The Plant and Animal Kingdoms as Sources12910Oils and Fats15811Sweeteners18712Salt19613Condiments, Caffeine, and Spices20414Vitamins and Supplements21115Calcium21716Green Food Products22717Survival Simplified25018Enjoyment of Food25119Food Combinations26020Fasting and Purification27421Food for Children283Pt. IIIThe Five Element and Organ Systems22Five Elements: Seasonal Attunement and the Organs in Harmony and Disease30523Therapeutic Use of the Five Flavors30824Wood Element31625Fire Element33126Earth Element33927Metal Element34628Water Element354Pt. IVDiseases and their Dietary Treatment29Blood Sugar Imbalances37130The Stomach and Intestines37831Blood Disorders38732Cancer and the Regeneration Diets40533Other Degenerative Disorders424Pt. VRecipes and Properties of Vegetal Foods34Vibrational Cooking44735Grains45636Breads48937Legumes: Beans, Peas, and Lentils50638Nuts and Seeds53039Vegetables53540Sprouts56841Salads57142Seaweeds58043Soups59644Sauces60245Condiments60646Spreads and Pates60847Pickles60948Grain and Seed Milks61249Rejuvelac and Yogurt61350Fruit61451Desserts62452Summary640Epilogue653App. AParasite Purge Program654App. BThe Effect of Root Canals on Health667Bibliography670References and Notes681Resources704Index710
