Episode 06: Energetics of Food

Chinese Medicine is a big umbrella term that encompasses not only acupuncture, but also Chinese Herbal medicine, bodywork, lifestyle and diet counseling, and “energy exercise” like qi gong, tai chi and meditation. As practitioners of Chinese Medicine, once we make a diagnosis, any of these branches can be used to help restore the energy in the body.

Just like Chinese herbs, which are essentially very powerful food that you only need a small quantity of to get a powerful effect, anything we put in our bodies can keep us alive, move us towards greater health and balance, or do the opposite and move us farther away from it. Because most people eat at least 3x/ day, that’s multiple opportunities to keep steering in the direction of health.

Listen as Brodie and fellow Chinese Medicine expert Ellen Goldsmith, L.Ac., explore the dietary branch of Chinese Medicine. Ellen teaches on this very topic: Chinese Dietetics and its application in western society and in the Masters of Nutrition program and in the Classical Chinese Medicine Department at National University of Natural Medicine. She’s a Licensed Acupuncturist, has been in the field for over 25 years, is a recognized educator, health advocate, and practitioner of all the branches of Chinese medicine. Ellen Goldsmith is a co-founder of Pearl Natural Health in Portland, Oregon. In addition, she’s also the creator and host of Health Currents Radio.

On Today’s Episode of A Healthy Curiosity, we explore:

  • Intuitive eating
  • How Chinese Medicine conceives of food differently than the West
  • Yin and Yang as related to food and body type
  • Bioindividuality
  • Respecting the energy of digestion
  • Warming vs. Cooling foods
  • The importance of rhythm in our diets
  • Eating on the go vs. at the table
  • Trying new foods in new ways
  • Like increases like and what you’re craving isn’t necessarily what you need
  • Balanced taste = balanced meal

Resources:

Babette’s Feast

Rouxbe Cooking School

www.cookwithwhatyouhave.com

To contact Ellen, you can e-mail her at elleng@pearlnaturalhealth.com, find her on the Pearl Natural Health Facebook Page, or on Twitter @goldsmith_ellen.

For a deep-dive into Chinese Medical theory including the energetics of food, check out the Basics of Chinese Medicine course.

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