Diet For Prevention, Food As Medicine

Mon, May 13, 2019

Enjoy our weekly wellness tip from Licensed Acupuncturist, Michael Savalli, from the office of Elizabeth Martin.

Diet for Prevention, and Food as Medicine

In TCM medicine, we use herbal remedies; but the same theories allow us to use food as medicine.  Foods are a more mild form of herbs. They promote and maintain wellness over time. A proper, balanced diet will prevent many diseases, and prevention is the best medicine.

What makes for good food?  It should be fresh and clean (no additives, preservatives, etc.)  Cooking techniques matter too. For example, lightly cooking vegetables preserves more of their qi, than cooking them for a long time.  Raw foods have the most nutrients, however, they are harder to digest. That’s why steaming, or lightly cooking is a nice compromise. In addition; boiling, frying, and grilling will each change how your body reacts to food.

In TCM the most important aspects of foods, are their Nature and Flavor.  Nature refers to being warm or cool. Foods can be cold, cool, neutral, warm or hot.  Flavor has to do with the food’s taste, and how the food will affect your qi, or energy function.  It determines what organs and meridians the food targets. The flavor is also how we balance with the seasons.  

The Nature of foods refers to its energetic temperature, not it’s actual temperature.  For example, peppermint tea is often drank heated, but the Nature of peppermint is cooling.  Even though the drink is warm, the effect on the body will be to cool. How the food is prepared also matters (for example, roasted, boiled, raw, etc.) and can modify its Nature.  Warm Natured foods move qi and blood to the body surface and can cause sweating. Foods that take longer to grow, (carrots), tend to be warmer than fast-growing foods, (cucumber).  Too many hot foods can overstimulate, and too much cold can slow digestion. The key again is a balance.

Next week we will talk Flavor.

Meet Michael Savalli, MSOM, L.Ac

Michael is a board certified NY State Licensed Acupuncturist, who received his Masters Degree in Oriental Medicine from New York College of Health Professions.  While in this program, he also specialized in Chinese Herbal Medicine. If you or anyone you know is interested in staying healthy this season, schedule your appointment and learn how Acupuncture and herbs can boost your immunity. 

631-601-6491

Click to learn more about Michael Savalli, MSOM, L.Ac

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Group Meditation

Sound healing is a form of meditation that is performed in a group where you lay on a yoga mat and let the sound transport you. 
Sound healing has many benefits including:

• reducing stress and anxiety
• improves circulation
• deepens relaxation
• increases mental & emotional clarity. 
• restores balance

Vibrational sound healing can be traced back from present-day trends to many ancient civilizations including India, Africa, Europe, and the Orient. The idea is to restore balance to the chakra system and clearing the blocked energy within ourselves. Sound healing is similar to reiki healing; It is a form of energy healing that allows your body to self-regulate and self heal.

Let the sounds vibrate through you to feel the power of self-preservation and healing.
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To enhance your healthy lifestyle experience we sell all forms of Chinese herbal linaments, to pain patches and liquids that help the pain, enhance healing, and promote wellness. Each product has been carefully selected and tested. We only sell high-quality medicinal grade products. Ask your practitioner what products would be right for you!

631-601-6491

Staples of TCM diet are Nature and Flavor.

With Love,

Liz

Elizabeth M. Martin, MSOM, L.Ac, LMT and the Staff at Hands on Acupuncture and Massage Therapy, P.C.