Monday, August 30, 2010

Right Diet for Your Body

With summer winding down, our appetites cool with the weather, while our palates crave richer, warmer foods for the fall. It's important to remember that a part of being healthy is eating the right foods for your body, and your body alone.

In my practice, I often come across cases where food that may be considered “healthy” for one person may not be true for the next. Have you ever tried a diet that worked great for your friend, but when you followed it, you didn't see the same results? That's because you are not just physically, but internally different from your friend. You have a different stomach, metabolism, medical history, and physical makeup.

Being an advocate of eastern practices, I examine each patient as an entire individual—not just by pre-existing medical conditions. For example, if I had a patient with diabetes, I would consider what that individual is experiencing and assess his or her symptoms as a whole, not just blindly giving a treatment based on the diabetic condition alone.

Similarly, the result of food intake also varies per person. As you look toward the fall and winter months, examine your eating habits to learn about yourself. A food journal is a great way to track your eating routine, and teaches you a lot about items that work well with your body, as well as others that might not be the best for your system. You'll find below a few suggestions when starting your own journal.
Document Your Servings, Portion Sizes and Moderation

How many daily servings do you get of the different food groups? Track these items in particular to gain a clearer idea of what may be missing from your diet, or what could be affecting your energy levels.

• Overall daily food intake

• Fruits and vegetables

• Lean protein

• Raw foods

• Whole grain fiber

• Soluble fiber (e.g., oatmeal and bananas)

• Water

Pay Attention to Your Movements

Believe it or not, your bathroom habits can tell a lot about how your body accepts or rejects the food you eat.

• Describe urination and note in particular any sensitivity, colors, ease, or difficulty.

• Note when you have irregularity (and regularity) in your bowel movements.

• Consider the consistency of each movement and the presence of undigested foods. This could be an indication of food your body is rejecting.

Note Allergies and Pain

If you have a pre-existing health condition that dictates your diet (such as Crohn's, Diverticulitis, IBS, or Diabetes), pay attention to any particular foods that could be causing an adverse reaction. In the same vain, those with food allergies should be sure to note their current allergies, and document any time they feel similar symptoms when trying a food that they do not consider themselves allergic to. The below points can also tell you more about the possibility of certain ingredients or food groups that do not agree with your digestive tract:

• Bloating after eating green vegetables

• Abdominal pain after high-fat meals

• Abdominal pain after eating nuts

• Preferences/tendencies toward warm or cold drinks

With a little help from you, a practitioner of Chinese Medicine can help assess the right diet for your body. By keeping a unique balance created for you, maintaining your health over time becomes an easier task, giving you more time to focus on the things that you truly want to spend your time doing.

Eat consciously, know what you put in your mouth, and enjoy each bite!

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Food Therapy

Continuing with our theme of food as therapy, I would like to focus today on anti-inflammatory foods and herbs. Inflammation is part of your body’s natural immune response to infections and trauma, which is good.

Unfortunately, the overactive immune responses and too much inflammation can result in common conditions like allergies, rheumatoid arthritis, autoimmune disease, and asthma—which is very bad. By working some basic foods and herbs into your diet, all of which can be found at almost any local market, you can control inflammation in your body and help reduce the chance of illness.

Ginger is a natural anti-inflammatory, available as powdered extracts in capsules, or alcohol-based extracts. You can make a refreshing ginger tea by grating one-half teaspoon of fresh ginger root (available at most grocery stores) with eight ounces of boiling water. Just cover and steep for 10 to 15 minutes, then strain and add honey to taste. For upset stomachs, simply slice a piece of ginger and chew on it.



Tumeric is another natural anti-inflammatory. It is commonly found in premixed curry powder, and contains a powerful, non-toxic compound called curcumin. Studies have found that turmeric’s anti-inflammatory effects are on par with such potent drugs as hydrocortisone and Motrin—but without any of their side effects. For the best results, seek an extract of whole turmeric (available in health food stores).







Fresh pineapple has Bromelain, an enzyme that reduces inflammation. Be sure the pineapple is fresh, not canned or frozen. Grilled fresh pineapple can actually be a very tasty dessert!












Papaya contains papain, a protein-digesting enzyme. Together with other nutrients such as vitamins C and E, papain helps to reduce inflammation, and improves digestion and healing from burns. From my experience, I recommend papaya to my patients with constipation problems. It is a soluble fiber source thus, gentler on your stomach than insoluble fibers.





Fish—in particular, cold-water fish such as salmon and mackerel—contain omega-3 fatty acids, which help keep your joints healthy as well as reducing general pain and swelling. If you don't care for fish, consider supplementing your diet with fish oil capsules. Flax seeds and walnuts are good non-animal sources of omega-3 fatty acids.





Green tea contains flavonoids, and is a potent, natural anti-inflammatory. Results in numerous studies have shown that to reduce the risk of heart disease. In my experience, green tea is best consumed with your meals or immediately after food consumption. I think that 2-3 cups would be the best.





Please remember that just as any part of your daily diet, everything must be consumed in moderation. Even good food and herbals like the ones discussed above will have the opposite effect if you overdo it.

Stay balanced!