Controversial comment on Yin defeciency

[Guest guest]

Since I have recently been commenting on Yin defeciency I would like

to make a comment that many might find controversial. In my

experience many people who are vegetarians have difficulty rebuilding

and supporting the Yin without some animal products. This subject has

been discussed by many modern TCM practioners.

 

One very common experience for vegetarians is that they get weaker

and weaker on their diet. In fact many people who took up

vegetarianism later in life never adapt well to it. Many of these

people took up vegetarianism as a potential therapy for some health

crisis they were suffering - which means they were possibly already

facing many health challenges which had stressed the Yin. The

vegetarian diet they are now following is not appropriate for their

personal present needs. Please note that I am not making any

criticism against vegetarian diet. I actually advocate vegetarianism

for most people - but for ill people the needs may be for more Yin

building substances. One issue is that perhaps the body needs more

protein and or fat if it has been depleted - at least temporarily.

Animal products eaten by ill people should be organic and

unprocessed. If the digestion is very weak then meat and herbs can be

cooked for long time (crock pot is good for this)and the broth made

into soup or as a base for other dishes - in this case discard the

meat and only take the broth.

 

One of the most important things for hypometabolic people to remember

is that they must not eat cold foods!!! This means cold in

temperature or in energetics. This means that those suffering from

weak digestion - low body temps - chronic water retention -reduced

metabolism - phlegm disorders - etc. should not eat salads or raw

foods in general. They must reduce the amount of fruit in general and

be sure to only eat cooked fruit. Dr. Lu's and Paul Pitchfords books

give the enegetics of common foods that have cold energetics (celery,

cucumber and such)- there is some controversy on certain foods and on

those one has to experiment to see how one does with that particular

food. Raw food diet is contraindicated in hypometabolic people. Vegan

diet often is too cool and draining for hypometabolic people. These

cooling diets of course are further cooling to an already cold

person - but most importantly these diets do not have

suffecient 'substance' for weak and unstable people. There was a

famous Yogi in India who gave only one instruction to those ill

people of all catagories who consulted him 'Drink only warm water and

only eat hot food' - for many this may sound simplistic - but for one

who undestands the issues this advice is pure genius.

 

Mild - warm - nourishing - substantial - easy to digest foods are the

best way to stabalize an otherwise stressed body and nervous system.

 

Metabolic typing is a very big subject but one that should be

understood as it explains many difficult to understand issues.

Examples are those vegetarians who are not thriving on their diet or

meat eaters that also are not doing well no matter how 'good' they

eat - metabolic typing often gives the answer to this. Some bodies

need much more protein and purines than others - this is a genetic

issue and can not be overcome. Some people are easily poisoned by

fats some need more fats (including hydrogenated fats). Yet although

we might have different needs from others still it will be possible

for those with conflicting metabolisms to set down to a meal

together. I mentioned Bob Flaw's book 'Arisal of the Clear' - this

book gives guidelines for a diet that is almost universaly helpful

for ill people. A meal prepared according to these guidelines can be

eaten by most people.

 

My wife is a great cook and has developed her own personal style

of 'gourmet' mild diet. Many Chinese, Indian, and Japanese health

conscious people have made 'healthy' diet into an art form. I

recently returned from India, Thailand, and Japan where I ate sublime

meals prepared by master cooks and chefs. I have a friend who is a

Buddhist monk and eating in his monestary in Kyoto is a revelation in

eating healthily and esthetically. Many think that mild healthy diet

means boring diet - nothing could be further from the truth. My wife

says that well prepared healthy food is the proper foundation for a

happy and healthy life - I agree 100%. But will remind that diet is

a 'science' and an 'art'. For those who do not have huge energy to

prepare 'gourmet' meals then simple rice based diet with simple

easily digested vegetables and small amounts of animal proteins.

Beans and tofu are too gassy and cold - respectively - for

hypometabolic people. Tofu prepared with garlic and ginger are OK

unless one is too cold (under 97 degrees F). Do not forget small

quantaties of good quality fats. Also large percentage of severely

hypometabolic people have exhausted adrenals and should NOT!!!

severly restrict salt. If one craves salt one should take some.

 

So diet for severly hypometabolic people should be simple, warm, with

no excessive tastes (spicy, sweet, bitter, etc.) with small amounts

of good quality fats and some salt.

[Guest guest]

Dr. Kumar:

 

" For those who do not have huge energy to

prepare 'gourmet' meals then simple rice based diet

with simple easily digested vegetables and small

amounts of animal proteins. Beans and tofu are too

gassy and cold - respectively - for hypometabolic

people. Tofu prepared with garlic and ginger are OK. "

 

A few years ago in California someone led me to

understand that the mixture of rice and beans

comprises a complete protein. Would you recommend

against them?

 

As a result, I've been trying to maintain a diet based

on rice, beans, corn, tofu, vegetables and small

amounts of animal protein, especially shrimp.

 

Regards, Jack

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

Hi.

I agree with u. The problem is worse when people follows a vegan diet ( no

animal products at all), mostly women who naturally grows to a Yin and Xue Xu.

Chinese bias are not vegetarian or vegan.

Roberta

Terapias Orientais

www.robertablanco.com.br

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Beans are a good food for those that can digest them. If they cause

gas this means you are not digesting and or preparing them well. Gas

from beans is not a harmless thing it poisons the nervous system.

Historically humans have had a problem eating beans - but this is

actually most important for a small percentage of people.

Hypometabolic people generally have weak digestion and should avoid

all gas forming foods (meaning difficult for them to digest). Highly

sensitive people are often thrown off balance by excessive qualities

in foods - gas forming - acid forming - water retaining foods should

be cut from the diet until stability and improved digestion is

achieved. Foods that are universally used can become stressors for

ill people - these foods will inevitably be the catagories of food

that have been recognized as 'problem' foods since long past. This is

the real meaning of 'mild' diet - that diet that does not disturb or

cause symptoms.

 

If one can eat beans with no gas or other negative symptoms then by

all means include them in your diet. For vegetarians beans can be an

excellant source of protein. Traditional teachings reccomend

different beans and legumes for different people. The old traditions

used certain legumes as the safest and most harmless - such as mung

beans - Chinese red beans (Adzuki/Aduki)- and such. These legumes are

the easiest to digest for the largest percentage of people - they are

an excellent source of protein. However these catagory of legumes

have a cooling quality and must be used intelligently by people with

poor digestion - meaning used with warming herbs and spices - if

problems persist even with cautions and digestive support then leave

them off. This is one of the reasons why it becomes necessary for

some weakened people to eat animal proteins because they have

difficulty digesting plant proteins.

 

All such issues are very personal and each person must decide for

themselves if any particular food is compatable. Foods that cause gas

and or acidity and or coldness and or stagnations (heaviness in the

stomach that last for a few hours) - etc. Should be avoided

especially by highly reactive people. Many hypometabolic people

become Universal Reactors and have a very negative and complicated

relationship with many foods. Such people need the help of an

experienced person.

 

Someone asked in a private post how they can know if they have severe

Yin defeciencies. Anyone who is chronically fatigued - depressed -

unstable - full of symptoms - highly reactive - life challenged needs

Yin support.

 

One easy way to know if one has difficulty accepting Qi or Yang

substances is if one has difficulty drinking tea, coffee, or other

mild stimulants without symptoms (nervousness, overstimulation,

anxiety, or sleepiness) then one knows the body is unable to accept

very much stimulation and should avoid stronger stimulation such as

many Qi and Yang substances. This inability to accept stimulants is

Yin defeciency.

[Guest guest]

Chinese Traditional Medicine , " Vinod Kumar " <vinod3x3>

wrote:

 

> But will remind that diet is

> a 'science' and an 'art'. For those who do not have huge energy to

> prepare 'gourmet' meals then simple rice based diet with simple

> easily digested vegetables and small amounts of animal proteins.

> Beans and tofu are too gassy and cold - respectively - for

> hypometabolic people. Tofu prepared with garlic and ginger are OK

> unless one is too cold (under 97 degrees F). Do not forget small

> quantaties of good quality fats. Also large percentage of severely

> hypometabolic people have exhausted adrenals and should NOT!!!

> severly restrict salt. If one craves salt one should take some.

>

> So diet for severly hypometabolic people should be simple, warm,

with

> no excessive tastes (spicy, sweet, bitter, etc.) with small

amounts

> of good quality fats and some salt.

 

I wanted to emphasize this.

 

No matter how many people are helped by a particular diet, there are

other people who are not helped by it and who may even be hurt by

it. Cutting out salt is one example.

 

Once upon a time I cut way back on salt because my blood pressure

tended to be high at times. The thing is, sometimes it's below

normal. Often it doesn't maintain or rise when it should. Like when

I go from sitting to standing. (It turns out a lot of people with

CFIDS have this problem.) Cutting so far back on salt was a big

mistake for me. I also tend to lose various minerals faster than I

should in urine and in sweat.

 

A lot of people with CFIDS (Chrinic Fatigue Immune Dysfunction

Syndrome) have been diagnosed with Neurally Mediated Hypotension.

Their blood pressure doesn't maintain or rise when it should. It is

possible to have both NMH and high blood pressure. There are

prescription drugs for this, but there also is an herb which will

help with the problem of blood pressure not maintaining or rising

when it should and the excessive loss of certain minerals. Licorice.

 

I want to caution readers that it may not take the usual dose of an

herb to work best. A very, very small amount - much less than the

usual dosage can be the correct dose for some people. Also, some

varieties of licorice have a lower blood pressure raising potential

than others. I believe the Glycyrrhiza uralensis (used in TCM) has

less of a blood pressure raising effect than Glycyrrhiza glabra

(native to the Mediterranean area). BTW, the " licorice " candy sold

in the US has no licorice in it.

 

I started chewing a small amount of asparagus tuber and a sliver of

licorice because of breathing problems. I didn't get this formula

from a book (though I have since found references to the use of

asparagus tuber and a small amount of licorice for some breathing

problems). I reasoned it out. At the time I was living in a desert

area, and dryness in the lungs was a problem. Aspargus tuber has a

number of properties which makes it good for this. Also, licorice

has been used to successful treat some cases of chronic bronchial

asthma, and it has an anti-allergic effect. (I also was having a big

problem with allergies at the time.) But the deciding factor at the

time was that I needed something to help with the excessive loss of

minerals and the blood pressure not rising and maintaining when it

should. Plus I needed something that I could take as needed when

needed without waiting for a tea to cook. Asparagus tuber and

licorice are both chewable. BTW, it's been a very long time since I

have had to use this combination for breathing problems.

 

For the herbalism students on the list: As you learn more and more,

you'll get better and better at chosing which are the best herbs for

the particular individual. Also, when to substitute an herb in a

classical formula. At first it seems next to impossible. There is

so much to learn, so many possible factors that could be taken into

account. So you start with learning a little at a time about one

particular herb and situation. Licorice is NOT necessarily the best

herb for all people with CFIDS. However, if the person has problems

with blood pressure not rising and maintaining when it should and/or

the person has symptoms of adrenal exhaustion, licorice should be

considered.

 

BTW, licorice frequently is included in many classical formulas

because it has the effect of " smoothing " out the effects of other

herbs in the formula. It enters all 12 channels, but has a special

affinity for the Lung, Heart, Spleen, and Stomach channels.

 

" Raw " licorice has neutral thermal energy; licorice dry-fried or

prepared with honey is warming to the body.

 

Licorice is contraindicated when there is EXTREME Dampness (also

nausea or vomiting). The operative word is " extreme " . I'm talking

about a person who already doesn't go to the bathroom often and has

generalized edema. I had mixed Dampness and Dryness problems.

Cutting down on the number of times I went to the bathroom was not a

problem for me because I was having to go so often because of the

Kidney Yang Deficiency. During the worst times I was having to go

every 15 minutes or so. I not only didn't mind licorice cutting down

on the frequency of urination for me, I welcomed it. The licorice by

itself was not enough to correct the excessive urination problem

(Yang tonic herbs also were needed), but it did help that particular

problem some.

 

BTW, the cutting way down on salt definitely was not good for the

Kidney Yang Deficiency and the excessive urination.