CHRISTMAS DINNER – MORE THAN JUST FOOD
“He that takes medicine and neglects diet, wastes the skills of the physician.”
(Chinese proverb)
This old Chinese proverb reflects the very important role that food plays in Oriental medicine. As early as 770 BC a scientific theory of what constituted balanced nutrition had been developed in China. The ideal diet consisted of: 5 staple grains, 5 domestic animals, 5 fruits and 5 vegetables – with grains and vegetables making up most of the meal. Statistics have shown that the Chinese eat more than 600 different vegetables compared with only 100 in the West. Whereas in the West large pieces of meat are often eaten as a main meal, in Oriental cuisine meat is usually cut into small pieces and cooked with vegetables.
According to Confucius, a person with an evolved character does not overeat. Everything in Oriental cooking is used in moderation and a harmonious diet is directly connected to good health. This principle of harmony is the central theme of Oriental holistic philosophy. Harmony signifies accord, balance and moderation in all things to produce a unified whole. It gives rise to the two main theories of Yin and Yang: two primal forces which oppose each other yet interact in an interdependent way; and the Five Elements: everything in the world can be classified into five categories (metal, fire, water, earth and wood). Both these theories have had a major influence on Oriental cuisine. All foods are seen in terms of their energy (yin and yang qi) and their flavors (hot, bitter, salty, sweet and sour). Each flavor corresponds to one of the Five Elements, which in turn directly relates to a vital organ in the body (lungs, heart, kidneys, spleen and liver). In Western medicine the body is seen like a machine running on efficient fuel nourished by vitamins, minerals, proteins, carbs, etc, with specific biological effects. In contrast, Oriental nutrition is guided by the character of the individual whole foods. Do they warm (with yang qi) or cool (with yin qi), do they strengthen or tonify, how does their flavor affect the individual’s state of health and are they in harmony with the season and place in which they are grown? The focus in Oriental cuisine is on keeping everything in balance and eating in moderation to provide perfect health.
|
Five Elements |
Water |
Wood |
Fire |
Earth |
Metal |
|
Five Flavors |
Salty |
Sour |
Bitter |
Sweet |
hot |
|
Five organs |
Kidneys |
Liver |
Heart |
Spleen |
lungs |
Although we know that Eastern and Western cultures differ in many ways, even in how we eat our food, they do have one belief in common: Food is medicine, the only one that is taken every day of the year for our whole life. That makes it more powerful than any drug. So perhaps we can benefit from thinking a little differently about the food we prepare for our Christmas meal this year: turkey or tofurkey: both nutritious and healthy in moderation!
Leave a reply →