When it comes to eating a healthy diet many people talk about what foods to and not to eat.
Whether it be a reduction of carbs or sugars, there is a common theme of either restriction or supplementation of certain foods.
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) it is far more important in how you eat not what you eat.
There are four main rules of healthy eating, that are not only easy to follow but will have you feeling much better not only in your diet but also in your day to day health.
- Do not eat on the run.
According to Chinese Med, the process of digesting food and the process of thinking are one in the same. It is the idea of both physical, mental and spiritual nutrition, meaning that when you are eating you should be concentrating on eating. If you moving/on your way to work or school or even just moving about your house while you are allowing your body to give the energy it needs to properly digest. So when you do eat, sit, take a breath, chew your food and eat slowly!
- Do not eat late at night
This is probably the most broken rule of the all. When you are sleeping body is concentrating on rest and repair, not on processing the food in your belly. Your body will draw very little nutrition from the food and your stomach will be overtaxed in doing so. Since most of us have different times that we go to bed, a good rule of thumb is to give yourself at least 3 hours of not eating before you go to bed.
- Eat at regular times each day
This one is pretty self explanatory. Like muscle memory our stomach gets used to digesting food at certain times of the day. If you allow that to happen at a regular time, it will become more adept at digestion at that time.
- Eat right for your season
This one can be a little more esoteric. Basically, it comes from the idea that we live through the seasons, we evolved through the seasons, it’s a not a huge leap to think that the seasons have an effect on us. With the colder season approaching, we can see that everything is starting to come into the earth, the trees are loosing the leaves, everything is coming to a period of rest and introspection. So now is a time to eat foods that help draw in, things that are salty and sour. It’s now best to eat less foods that push out, foods that are spicy and dispersing. It is a time to cook foods at a lower temperature for a longer period of time, more stews and soups less barbeque and quick fried foods.
It’s very easy for me to say all of this. To be like “Just eat well and follow the rules”. The problem lies in not only our everyday patterns but also in having a healthy digestive system in the first place. Even if you eat incredibly well and follow all of these rules, if you digestive system is weak, you’re not going to see the changes you expect. That is where acupuncture and Chinese Herbs come in. Acupuncture and Chinese Herbs help raise and nourish your body to the point where when you feel better and see results. When you combine that with healthy diet habits, you’ll see changes that last.
Contributor: Peter Witz R.Ac and body work
Urban Wellness offers Holistic Healthcare College and Bathurst. Massage. Acupuncture. Integrated Medicine. Whole Person Healthcare and Wellness. Digestion. Nutrition. Stress Relief.