Guest guest Posted March 24, 2007 Report Share Posted March 24, 2007 Zev and Yehuda, I've been a vegetarian for some 16 years. Have you and other vegetarians noticed a distinctive lack of Yang Qi in your bodies? I'm convinced that my Yang Qi is weaker, almost passive, when compared to most meat eaters. I'm sure this is due to a lack of eating meat, which is predominately Yang in nature and a good source of protein. I try and get protein from alternative sources, but it's not easy. Have other vegetarians noticed the same thing? How do you deal with it? Kind regards, Attilio D'Alberto Doctor of (Beijing, China) BSc (Hons) TCM MBAcC MATCM Editor Times +44 (0) 1189 612512 enquiries <http://www.chinesemedicinetimes.com/> www.chinesemedicinetimes.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 24, 2007 Report Share Posted March 24, 2007 Dear Attilio, I would more accurately say that I've been practicing a 'modified' macrobiotic approach to dietetics (with applications from Li Dong-yuan's spleen-stomach school) for the last 37 years. I do eat fish several times a week, but I've gone long periods in the past where I was totally vegan with no ill effects. I've never had any trouble with this approach, I work very hard and practice yoga daily. I would say that selective and conscious cooking is the key to maintaining yang qi, and that has worked for me as well. I am careful with cold and raw foods, and try to eat with the season, activity level, and other concerns. If you want more details, I am at your service. Take care, On Mar 23, 2007, at 4:15 PM, Attilio D'Alberto wrote: > Zev and Yehuda, > > I've been a vegetarian for some 16 years. > > Have you and other vegetarians noticed a distinctive lack of Yang > Qi in your > bodies? > > I'm convinced that my Yang Qi is weaker, almost passive, when > compared to > most meat eaters. I'm sure this is due to a lack of eating meat, > which is > predominately Yang in nature and a good source of protein. I try > and get > protein from alternative sources, but it's not easy. > > Have other vegetarians noticed the same thing? How do you deal with > it? > > Kind regards, > > Attilio D'Alberto > Doctor of (Beijing, China) > BSc (Hons) TCM MBAcC MATCM > Editor > Times > +44 (0) 1189 612512 > enquiries > <http://www.chinesemedicinetimes.com/> www.chinesemedicinetimes.com > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 24, 2007 Report Share Posted March 24, 2007 Hi Attilio, Hard to say in my case. I'm been a vegetarian for 20 years, more or less strictly so. I had no knowledge of TCM back then, and it's hard to compare taking out the " being 20 years older " factor. Haven't noticed any differences during the periods where I was allowing more " exceptions " . My protein sources are pulses, tofu, Quorn (I know, processed stuff), eggs and cheese (yes, not good for my Spleen Qi deficiency). Artemis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 24, 2007 Report Share Posted March 24, 2007 I am no longer a vegetarian. But I was vegetarian, vegan, macrobiotic for 12 years. I now eat small amounts of meat, chicken and eggs. My other vegetarian sources of protein are from Seitan, tempeh, and tofu which I find delicious! Some New York restaurants prepare these foods real well if you are not into cooking. I think the yang qi lacking in me the most is the feeling of cold and hating the winter. I know a lot of people don't like tempeh, but if you are looking for more protein, it's worth a try...I love it! Elie http://www.tcmdirectory.com Chinese Medicine , " Attilio D'Alberto " <attiliodalberto wrote: > > Zev and Yehuda, > > I've been a vegetarian for some 16 years. > > Have you and other vegetarians noticed a distinctive lack of Yang Qi in your > bodies? > > I'm convinced that my Yang Qi is weaker, almost passive, when compared to > most meat eaters. I'm sure this is due to a lack of eating meat, which is > predominately Yang in nature and a good source of protein. I try and get > protein from alternative sources, but it's not easy. > > Have other vegetarians noticed the same thing? How do you deal with it? > > Kind regards, > > Attilio D'Alberto > Doctor of (Beijing, China) > BSc (Hons) TCM MBAcC MATCM > Editor > Times > +44 (0) 1189 612512 > enquiries > <http://www.chinesemedicinetimes.com/> www.chinesemedicinetimes.com > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 24, 2007 Report Share Posted March 24, 2007 >I think the yang qi lacking in me the most is the feeling of cold and >hating the winter. > I don't have any problems with the cold and I hate the summer! Artemis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 24, 2007 Report Share Posted March 24, 2007 Hi Attilio. As you probably know, one of the reasons that low/no - meat diets are prescribed by various spiritual traditions is to lower " excitement " in the body, i.e., " Yang " . Even herbs like ginger and garlic are commonly prohibited for their spicy (i.e. " saucy " ) properties. So it's perfectly natural and expected that one's yang qi will diminish with this type of diet. These diets are supposed to help us be calmer. This is, however, different from saying that one will become yang deficient, i.e. cold hands and feet, lots of shivering, low appetite, loose stools, and so on. However, I have found, in my experience as well as helping others with vegetarian / vegan diets, that it does take discipline to maintain one's balance and not slide into cold / deficiency - the same as it takes discipline when eating meats to not slide into heat / excess. Some of the most important factors in my experience are below: 1. regular, deep sleep starting at 10pm, most nights. 2. a warming breakfast, i.e. whole grains, pulses, cooked vegetables 3. high caution on sweets (incl. carbs), raw veggies and fruits, refined / processed foods (i.e. low qi foods) 4. high caution on burning the candle at both ends + cold and damp weather 5. constant practice of qi gong / dao yin / as appropriate for your diet + goals Hope that's useful, Hugo (15 year vegetarian, no dairy) _________ To help you stay safe and secure online, we've developed the all new Security Centre. http://uk.security. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 25, 2007 Report Share Posted March 25, 2007 One thing to add to what Hugo said below: the yang you are discussing below, that meat and spices like garlic and onions evoke; is not the pure yang we need in order to thrive. They work more on the lower chakras, if you know what I mean. The best yang that we can obtain cannot be found in any foodstuff, imo. The pure yang comes from Heaven and that is where we should be looking for it - through gentle meditation and cultivation of the Shen, which is pure yang. I believe that there are many reasons to eat vegetarian; health being one of them. It takes effort to compose a balanced veg*n diet, but it can be done, as have many already showed through their lives and examples. Ecological reasons are very compelling - not many people know that it takes 19.000 litres of water to produce one pound of beef as compared to 190 litres to produce a pound of wheat; or that the world's cattle now consume a quantity of food equal to the caloric need of 8.7 billion people (more than the world population). If everyone went veg*n, there would be enough food to feed the entire population of the world. There's deforestation, there's pollution,... But I believe that the most important reason lies in spiritual cultivation; meat is yin when it comes to cultivation of the spirit and keeps us here when we want to go there. Tom, happy yogi and veg*n for 10 years ---- Hugo Ramiro 03/24/07 19:40:01 Chinese Medicine Re: Vegetarianism Hi Attilio. As you probably know, one of the reasons that low/no - meat diets are prescribed by various spiritual traditions is to lower " excitement " in the body, i.e., " Yang " . Even herbs like ginger and garlic are commonly prohibited for their spicy (i.e. " saucy " ) properties. So it's perfectly natural and expected that one's yang qi will diminish with this type of diet These diets are supposed to help us be calmer. This is, however, different from saying that one will become yang deficient, i.e. cold hands and feet, lots of shivering, low appetite, loose stools, and so on. However, I have found, in my experience as well as helping others with vegetarian / vegan diets, that it does take discipline to maintain one's balance and not slide into cold / deficiency - the same as it takes discipline when eating meats to not slide into heat / excess. Some of the most important factors in my experience are below: 1. regular, deep sleep starting at 10pm, most nights. 2. a warming breakfast, i.e. whole grains, pulses, cooked vegetables 3. high caution on sweets (incl. carbs), raw veggies and fruits, refined / processed foods (i.e. low qi foods) 4. high caution on burning the candle at both ends + cold and damp weather 5. constant practice of qi gong / dao yin / as appropriate for your diet + goals Hope that's useful, Hugo (15 year vegetarian, no dairy) ________ To help you stay safe and secure online, we've developed the all new Security Centre. http://uk.security. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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