30/01/2025
Did you know that Chinese and Japanese medicine is based on nature?
Did you know that Chinese and Japanese medicine is based on nature? Even though we think that with our technology we are way above it, only the opposite is true. In the old days when people did more farming, winter was less hard work. The nights were longer and the days shorter. Winter was a time to turn inward. A reflection on what you had planted and harvested last year and what you were going to plant with spring when the season was about to start back. Now we do the opposite, we work hard in winter when the days are shorter and we have less energy and we go on holiday in summer when we are at our full potential.
The principles of yin and yang form the basis of Eastern medicine. This is about finding the right balance in everything. Everything in life has its cycles.
Yin wouldn't be yin without its opposite yang. We say yin is the feminine, the moon, soft, cool, shadow, dark, but it is only these things in comparison to their opposites: the bigger, brighter, warmer, sun, energy, movement, masculine. Of course the moon can also be bright. But her brightness is not that of the sun when he shines.
Finding balance does not begin and end on our yoga mat. What we choose to eat (and how it is prepared) has a tremendous impact on our general health along with our mood. Inherently, our bodies crave balance. The Balance Chart (see photo) is one clear way to realise what effects different categories of food have on us.
Since our body wants to be in balance, if we tend to consume from one end of the food spectrum, we will crave something from the opposite end. Yin foods are lighter, have sweet, sour or bitter tastes. They give a quality of relaxation and expansiveness to the eater. Yang foods are contractive. They are dense and heavy. Their tastes are salty, bland or meaty. Yang foods give focus and can cause tension. If you tend to eat at one end of the spectrum, (consuming lots of meat for example) you may notice that you crave things at the opposite end (desserts and alcohol for example). This is your body’s way of searching for balance. If you tend towards these extremes in your diet, you may notice mood swings and a general feeling of ill-health. Now you understand why they serve you salty chips and nuts with a beer, for example.
An alternative approach is to focus most of your diet on the foods in the centre. These foods include whole grains, beans, fish, vegetables and fruits. The more you can include these types of food into your daily diet, the more you can feel energised, clear and less stressed. Over time, you will see reduced cravings for those extreme foods. Use these tips to help bring you back to your centre. I would say 60% grains, 30% vegetables and 5% 10% fish or meat.
Would you like to learn more about this, I have a course, My Health and self-care. I would love to share it with you. www.ro-ki.net and for more information feel free to contact Robert 655 25 04 02
