Autumn Suggestions from Master Liu He

Food is your best medicine when you seek to heal yourself.

Medication and herbs address one side of the healing process not a whole or complete healing. Ingesting medication or herbs for a prolonged period of time could damage the stomach and experience side effects. Food is a safe way of healing as you eat food every day of your entire life. Food therapy is considered whole healing. When you eat “right” for yourself, you can maintain good health and heal. Eating in this manner will also help you support and maintain a healthy metabolism. When your metabolism is healthy and functioning well, the body absorbs the nutrients better. Medication & herbs could weaken your digestive system and slow down your metabolism.

Due to many reasons, 7 out of 10 people today have a weak stomach and digestive problems. People consuming too many cold, raw, fatty, and/or processed foods along with our modern style life stresses creates a slow metabolism leading to weight gain, high cholesterol, and many diseases.

With a weak digestive system and slow metabolism, which kinds of foods should you primarily choose?

Western medicine looks at food as essential while Daoist medicine looks at the person as essential. Western nutrition speaks about “superfood” and everyone should eat this or that. The problem arises when the testing on these foods is outside the body and not tested after consumption. Daoist nutrition addresses the individual person and which food they will be able to digest and obtain nourishment.

How do you know if you have a weak and damp stomach/digestive system?

  • After you eat, your stomach feels uneasy.
  • In the morning, when you wake up, check your tongue and the sides of the mouth for teeth marks.
  • After a bowel movement, do you need to wipe with toilet paper more than once?

If you experience any of the above signs, follow the following suggestions.

  1. Cut down on cold drinks/cold foods
  2. Eat more cooked foods versus raw foods
  3. Drink tea with a full stomach (after you eat) not on an empty stomach
  4. Avoid eating cooling (energetic) foods by nature

If you don’t cook the food outside the body you will have to cook the food with your stomach and that utilizes your entire body Qi!

These are not meant for diagnosis. Please check with your healthcare practitioner if you have specific health concerns.