Guest guest Posted March 31, 2001 Report Share Posted March 31, 2001 >_____ > >LETTER FROM CHINA >March '01 >A newsletter on and modern China > >by Dagmar Riley >______ > >In this issue: > >THE 5 ELEMENTS >...(A) Short Revision >...(B) Balancing Lung Disharmonies - 2 > >BEIJING MEMOIRS OF MY CANADIAN FRIEND ROBIN >...Spring > >DISCLAIMER >SUBSCRIBE/UNSUBSCRIBE information >______ > >Please feel free to FORWARD this newsletter to friends. >______ > >THE 5 ELEMENTS >A) SHORT REVISION: > >The 5 Elements are a symbol for the 5 basic energies of >the Universe. >The 5 Elements are: Wood - Fire - Earth - Metal - Water. > >The Element METAL is associated with: >Autumn - withdrawal - sadness/grief - dryness - lung >- large intestine - nose - pungent. > >For BACK ISSUES of this series, please visit >http://www.topica.com/lists/Letter-from-China/read > >B) BALANCING LUNG DISHARMONIES - 2 > >Balancing metal disharmonies with nutrition. >[A detailed introduction into nutrition within the 5 Element >theory was given in Letter from China, March 2000 issue at >http://www.topica.com/lists/Letter-from-China/read] > >The typical body-shape of the metal type is the shape of an >inverted triangle - broad shoulders and a narrow waist. This >is the opposite from the earth type, whose body is also >triangular, but with the hips/thighs being the broad side of >the triangle and the narrow shoulders the tip. > >The metal type usually has a fast metabolism and can eat a >lot without putting on any weight. Eating is not important >for the metal type (as opposed to the earth type who can >spend all day thinking about food), he eats whatever is >around and often forgets about eating altogether. > >You want to watch that habit, though, because skipped meals >weaken the earth element. Earth is the mother element of >metal and provides its child element with energy. Regular >meals are thus important to guarantee a steady flow of energy >from the mother element, to provide a healthy basis for a >harmonious metal element. > >Although digestion does not seem to be a problem with the >metal type at first sight, he/she tends to have allergies >towards certain foods, and this is where you need to pay >attention as a metal type: >Whenever you experience indigestion like feeling bloated, >constipation or soft stools, gas, no appetite, nausea, or cramps, >these can be signs of a food intolerance. Other symptoms of >food intolerance are chronic fatigue, depression, mucus in >the nose/throat/sinuses, or eczema and other skin problems. > >If you are a metal type and you are experiencing any of >these symptoms, consider a food intolerance. It is >importance to test out which foods you react to, since >intolerances can grow stronger and develop stronger symptoms, >and because they are often the cause for considerable energy >depletion (fatigue, feeling depressed, frequent colds). > >Most foods that cause allergies are foods that Chinese >Medicine advises you to avoid anyway, since they are harmful >to the spleen. The spleen is, together with the stomach, >responsible for proper digestion of food and absorption of >the nutrients within this food. > >Foods that harm the spleen (digestive function) and tend to >cause food allergies are: >- Dairy products, especially if they are consumed cold: >Cow milk, cheese, ice-cream, butter etc. >- White sugar, and sweets made with white sugar >- Yeast products >- Citrus fruits and their juices, especially if consumed cold. > >There are many more foods you could be allergic to, like nuts >or seafood, but the above foods are the most common causes of >food allergies. They should be avoided by anyone, not only the >metal type, due to their harmful effect on digestion, or >consumed in small doses and at room temperature, not straight out >of the fridge. White bread is easier to digest if it is toasted >(but not burnt). > >The Element Metal is associated with dryness and the pungent >taste. The organs associated with metal are the lungs and the >large intestine. > >According to the lungs control the functions >of the skin, such as the opening and closing of the pores, >sweating, the amount of moisture, and skin temperature in the following >way: > >A part of the energy absorbed by breathing is used to produce > " defensive qi " , the energy circulating at the surface of the >body which protects us from external pathogenic factors - in >short, the body's immune system. It is this defensive qi that >also controls the opening and closing of the pores of the skin, >sweating, and the temperature of the skin. > >The lungs also spread body fluids to the skin and hair. If >this function is impaired, the skin and hair will lack >moisture and be too dry. > >If the element metal is imbalanced within the body, problems >with body temperature and body fluids are common. The metal >type tends to have problems with dryness, like dry skin and dry >mucous membranes, or, on the other hand, too much mucus in >the lungs. Impaired distribution of body fluids may also >cause stiff joints. > >The other metal-organ, the large intestine, is also easily >affected by the impaired distribution of body fluids, >resulting in dry stool and constipation. According to Chinese >Medicine, if the large intestine cannot properly expel toxins >from the body, the toxins have to be expelled through the skin, >resulting in skin problems. > >The pungent taste associated with metal moves qi upwards and >outwards and removes stagnation in the lungs and in the large >intestine. Just try by eating something very spicy and see >what happens: Your face will get red and you will start to >sweat - because qi has moved upwards and outwards. > >If you suffer from too much white mucus in the lungs and >tend to be cold, consume more warming pungent foods, like: >Garlic, onions, chilli, fennel, horseradish, aniseed, dill, >mustard, cinnamon, nutmeg, basil, rosemary, cloves, ginger, >black pepper, cayenne. > >Cooling pungent foods moisten the lungs, intestine and skin. >In cases of dryness and heat symptoms, or too much yellow >mucus, consume more of the following: >Radish, white pepper, marjoram, cress, kohlrabi, peppermint >(e.g. peppermint tea). > >Most roots and tubers that grow downwards into the earth >pertain to the element Metal. Most of these roots are also >pungent. Examples are spring onion, onion, radish, leek. > >Meats pertaining to Metal are game like deer, wild goose, >wild boar, rabbit etc. > >The metal-type should beware of bitter-warming foods that >tend to cause dryness, like coffee, red wine and (although >not a food) cigarettes. >____ > >BEIJING MEMOIRS OF MY CANADIAN FRIEND ROBIN > >[i had the opportunity, over the past year, to visit China. >My husband is a refrigeration mechanic who was sent to >Beijing to build an ice rink in a shopping plaza so that >you can skate and shop. Since I love to travel, I quit my >job to follow him. This is the story as it unfolds.] > >Hello to all. The guilt over not writing has finally got me >to the computer. We are now proud grandparents of a new baby >boy and I managed to get to Toronto in time for the event. > >During that time Michael went to a function for the Special >Olympics and met Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Schriver. >He ended up dancing with one of the kids who conducted the >orchestra and apparently is quite famous. It was a great >success and really introduced the Chinese people to the >whole concept of the Special Olympics. Traditionally the >handicapped have not had the opportunities in China that >they have in North America and that is now hopefully changing. > >Since that time we have been enjoying a sunny spring. >On one of those lovely warm spring weekends we went to the >G & D (Goose and Duck Bar) ranch and spent the day watching >volleyball and badminton, not to mention the barbeque that >was ready just in time for the deluge of rain 10 min after >putting all the food out. We made a mad dash to get the food >under cover and everyone still managed to enjoy lunch. > >In spring Beijing people start to slowly live their lives >outside again. Families take up a space on the sidewalks to >chat with their friends, play cards and watch the kids play >until it is bedtime. Somehow there is always someone around >even at 3 AM. > >We have been getting stuff for the apartment and went to >IKEA the other day to buy a feather duvet and other household >items. The duvet cost less than $100 CDN and we got a king >sized one so that it will fit whatever size bed we happen to >have. > >We also invested in a DVD player and have been watching all >the latest movies including the Stalingrad, Get Carter, Snatch, >and any new releases that someone has managed to copy. We now >have a collection of about 60 movies at about $3 CDN per copy >- less than video rental at home. To purchase them is a tradition >in itself. People go to Sanlitun Bar Road and spend their >afternoons flipping through the selections that are brought to >your table at the outside cafes. There is a constant barrage >of CD? VCD? DVD? -as you sit sipping your refreshment and after >you choose what you want the next barrage is " DVD Boxes? >CD binders? " It is a real trip. > >Across the street from our apartment is Chaoyang Park which >has an amusement park on the east side, bars and restaurants >on the south side, and gardens and a lake on the west side >(which is where we are). They even have a bungee jump - although >it hasn't been too busy since the Beijing wind blew a jumper >into the tower, killing him. Somehow I don't think I will be >trying that one too soon. It is great to stroll around the >lake in an evening, watching the paddleboats and families >enjoying the activities. > >Last night we were at a going away party for Malcolm, our >CTV friend who did the news story on Michael last year. He >is returning to Toronto to take up the position of Executive >Producer for W5.We will now have to visit them in Toronto when >we go home. That is the difficulty with being in a transient >lifestyle - you are always missing someone. > >**************** **************************** >Looking for Chinese herbs? >Go to www.1stchineseherbs.com/ for a wide selection of >Chinese herbs. >*****************END ************************ > >_____ >DISCLAIMER >The material in this newsletter is intended for >informational purposes only. I do not prescribe and I >do not diagnose. If you use the information in this >newsletter without the approval of a health professional, >you prescribe for yourself, which remains your constitutional >right, but the author assumes no responsibility. >_______ > >SUBSCRIBE/UNSUBSCRIBE > >The Letter from China is published every last Friday >of the month. >New rs will be forwarded the current issue. > > >by sending a BLANK email to: >Letter-from-China- > > >by sending a BLANK email to: >Letter-from-China- > >for back issues visit >http://www.topica.com/lists/Letter-from-China/read >_______ > 2001 by Dagmar Riley. All rights reserved >worldwide. > > >==^================================================================ >EASY UNSUBSCRIBE http://topica.com/u/?bz8Rt9.bApIuY >Or send an email Letter-from-China- >This email was sent to: victoria_dragon > >T O P I C A -- Learn More. Surf Less. >Newsletters, Tips and Discussions on Topics You Choose. >http://www.topica.com/partner/tag01 >==^================================================================ > _______________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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