An entirely new relationship with food.
Often when we eat we do so out of habit, to soothe emotions or stress, or according to beliefs about what is “good” or “bad.” Eating for healing is the practice of eating intuitively for YOUR body.
Level 1: Your Stomach, the receiver
The Stomach must process EVERYTHING: food, information, emotions, your ongoing physical/emotional issues. You want to provide the best conditions to allow your Stomach to do what it does best: receive, digest, process and transform.
WARM! The Stomach lives at our core temp and loves to be warm. When we repeatedly take in cold temperature drinks and foods we shock the Stomach energy and it has to work to recover. Switching to room temperature or warm drinks is an easy way to help support your Stomach.
NO RAW VEGGIES! When the Stomach receives raw vegetables including leafy greens (even if they are juiced), it must use its precious energy to “cook” them so they can be absorbed. Cooking your veggies even for a short time: blanche, boil, steam, bake, saute, whatever will take the “cold edge” off and make them easier to process. Fruit has a warm essence and does not have to be cooked.
Listen to your Stomach. Identify the physical signals of being hungry and being full. Try to eat to 75% full so you do not overfill the Stomach and waste energy.
Eat the largest meal earlier in the day and try to not eat after 8 PM. At night our energy needs to turn in to restore deep function. If you have eaten late, your Stomach will be stuck working the night shift and may even keep you up with insomnia!
Level 2: Cravings, your body’s wisdom (really!)
Every organ system is associated with a taste or flavor. When you crave certain foods it is a sign that organ is asking for energetic attention. When you understand this message, you can make healing snack choices and explore other ways to support your energy through The Dragon’s Way®.
- Stomach/Spleen: Sweet
- Lung/Large Intestine: Spicy
- Kidney/Bladder: Salty
- Liver/Gallbladder: Sour
- Heart/Small Intestine: Bitter
Level 3: Healing Foods according to The Dragon’s Way® and Five Element Theory
When I speak of healing foods, I am not referring to carbohydrates, fats, proteins, or nutrients. I am referring to the energy or essence of the foods.
Specific foods by organ system
Learn more about the specific organs through The Dragon’s Way® book and tcmworld.org: In general choosing from this list will help you with picking the highest energy foods. This list is not limited! The more you practice the more you will discover for yourself.
Kidney/Bladder Foods: cauliflower, fennel, walnuts, black sesame seeds, bee pollen, cinnamon, bone soup, pine nuts, black beans, sesame oil, walnut oil, seafood (especially shellfish such as shrimp/squid/lobster/clams), goji berry, daikon radish: black, salty foods
Liver/Gall Bladder Foods: eggplant, lemon, bamboo shoots, vinegar, bee pollen, lotus, broccoli rabe, garlic, safflower oil, dandelion greens, ginger, scallions, green pepper, fennel, strawberries, mint, goji berry, green apples: green, sour foods
Stomach/Spleen Foods: ginger, tomatoes, mushrooms, scallions, celery, zucchini, Chinese red dates, watermelon, red grapefruit, bamboo shoots, fennel, lotus seed, bee pollen, cinnamon, peanuts, Chinese barley, yellow mung beans, beets, red apples, hawthorn berry, papaya, soy bean curd, sweet potato, butternut squash, Chinese pumpkin (aka butter cup squash): yellow/orange, sweet foods
Heart/Small Intestine Foods: plum tomatoes, bee pollen, broccoli, broccoli rabe, escarole, licorice, watermelon, beets, red apples, red grapes: red, bitter foods
Lung/Large Intestine Foods: mushrooms, pears, almonds, honey, ginger, lily bulb, white sesame seeds, mint, chili, chestnuts, scallions, bamboo shoots: white, spicy foods
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