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Diet and Dietary Therapy |
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Chinese medicine is the oldest, continually practiced, literate,
professional medicine in the world. Practitioners of Chinese medicine use
such therapies as Acupuncture, Herbal Preparations and Dietary Therapy.
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Ancient Chinese texts indicate that the practitioner should first correct
the patient's diet and lifestyle, and only if these changes do not bring the
right results should acupuncture or herbal medicine be applied. Chinese
dietary therapy has been practised for more than 2000 years and was
established by highly literate scholar practitioners of the time who took
empirical folk remedies and arranged and explained them according to
abstract, rational theories of traditional Chinese medicine. By
understanding the basic principles of traditional Chinese medicine we are
therefore able to make use of dietary therapies. |
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In my practice it is important to understand your typical diet, as it may
have an influence on your particular dis-ease or treatment efficacy as well
as any excess, deficiency or stagnation of Chi within the body. |
The Food Pyramid
Apart from the traditional theories of Chinese medicine, we certainly know
today that different foods have different nutritional values, and eating too
much or too little will certainly affect our health. For many years people
have referred to and been guided by Food Pyramids that were produced by many
so-called authorities and health departments. It seems that as research and
understanding progresses that most of these pyramids are regarded as being
flawed. I have found this one published by Harvard School of Public Health
to be one of the better ones. |
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What is in the food that I eat?
The U.S.
department of Agriculture has a useful website where you can search for a
particular food to find out its nutrient profile.
Simply
click here to go to the site and search for yourself -
what's in the food you eat
If you're more
interested in cholesterol content of foods you may wish to
click here for a quick guide.
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What Fats Should I Be Eating? There is much to be said about the
subject of fats. I have had many people ask me about this subject. So
rather than a long story I have prepred the below chart which should give
you the information you need. |
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