Guest guest Posted October 30, 2002 Report Share Posted October 30, 2002 Thanks to everyone for their helpful replies and clarifications. I have quite a bit to think about, it seems. This is the third time I have seen mention to the conditions of a plant or animal's growth as effecting their overall properties. Hopefully I will be able to find some more information on this. Sometimes it's hard to tell whether TCM is devilishly complex or ridiculously simple; I appreciate your tolerance and assistance. Mbanu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 30, 2002 Report Share Posted October 30, 2002 In a message dated 10/29/2002 4:09:14 PM Pacific Standard Time, jcc writes: << Sometimes it's hard to tell whether TCM is devilishly complex or ridiculously simple >> I'm leaning towards ridiculously simple. Amidst the plethora of all the contradictions ... lately I have been looking towards utilizing foods (according to signs, symptoms and constitution) based on what grows in what climate. No matter where I look I find controversy. For instance I have seen bananas listed by some as hot and some as cold. I have seen coconut listed by some as warm and some as cold. We could look at it from either perspective. These are both tropical foods that grow in warm climates. So a banana or coconut could be considered cold because it balances the heat of the region .... or they could be hot/warm ... because they align ones energies to the energies of the region. It makes the most sense to me that a food will take on the energies of the region it is grown. It also makes the most sense to me to follow mother nature with the seasons ... IE ... align ones energies ... not do the opposite. Why? Many reasons, but if you really take a look at the seasonal rules and compare it with foods indigenous to certain areas ... you will not see controversy or contradiction. For instance ... corn is a warm weather crop. Corn is a staple grain in the warm climates (Mexico, South America etc). Barley is a cold weather crop. Barley is a staple grain in cold climates ... like the Himalayas. We are to start adding salt to our diet as the cold weather of winter approaches and eat more substantial foods (fat, meat, roots). Salt is what keeps the ocean from freezing. TCM considers salt cold ... Ayurveda considers salt hot. Does it really matter that we get this distinction right? Winter is a Yin time. Yin is heavy and dense. Roots, fats, meats are heavy and dense. Fat creates the heat we need in the winter ... it appears like we should " go with the flow " . Summer is a Yang time. Yang although hot ... is light. We are to eat a lighter diet in the summer. I could go on and on. One still would want to eat in accordance with basic signs and symptoms. If one is overweight with health problems relating to too much fat in the diet .... naturally that person will not want to add more fat ... simply because it might be winter. I need more fat than the average person would need in the summer ... since I am always cold, skinny as a rail and light as a feather on my feet. Thus we still need to take all into account. I have been switching to cold weather crop grains for the fall and winter but I live in an area where the seasons change. If one lives in an area that is always warm ... one would want to continue to eat warm weather crops. The cold weather crop grains are barley, wheat, oats, rye, spelt, quinoa. My dog is Cold and Damp so I would not want to choose wheat, spelt or cooked oats as all of these would aggravate Damp. For him I will use roasted barley (roasting imparts a bit more warmth), rye and dry oats (as in granola). All of these are drying. I am cold and dry but can create conditions of Damp (mucus, runny nose etc) if I eat too many moistening foods and I can create conditions of Heat if I eat too many drying foods. Thus, I can pretty much utilize all of them. When I eat the moist grains like wheat, cooked oats and spelt ... I'll be careful not to overdo or eat them with something slightly diuretic like lentils (lentils are a cold weather crop). When I eat the drying grains like barley, quinoa and rye ... I'll be careful to eat something moistening as well. I seem to fare best with some of each (moist and dry). Below is a list I started yesterday as a matter of fact, in case anyone might find it useful ... I need to do far more searching with oils, nuts, seeds, beans etc. This list is incomplete ... just a start. Cool-season crops: Lettuce, leafy greens, beets, carrot, cauliflower, celery, Irish potatoes, radishes, rutabagas ... can withstand temperatures in the 24-28 degree range Broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, collards, garlic, kale, mustard, onion, English pea, radish, spinach and turnip .... are even more cold-tolerant and can withstand temperatures as low as 24 degrees without serious injury Warm-season vegetables cucumbers, okra, eggplant, snap, pole and lima beans, melons, squash, pumpkins, corn, southern peas, sweet potatoes, and tomatoes, peppers Cool-season grains: wheat, barley, rye, oats, quinoa, spelt Warm-season grains: corn, sorghum, rice Cool-season beans/legumes/seeds: Lentil Chickpea Pea Canola Flaxseed Warm-season beans/legumes/seeds Mung bean Soybean Aduki Cowpea Lynn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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