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hasayfu
USA
95 Posts |
 Posted - 05/01/2006 : 00:11:05
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This is a spin off of AQM's question about how food is classifed in TCM. Possibly, understanding this question will lead how to understand "internal" applications in Kung Fu. Maybe Not. I must confess that I'm really out of my league here. I do know quite a few of the classifications but have no idea how they came to be. Hopefully we can have the power of this community to do some research. Or maybe we can draw out the few Classically Trained Chinese Doctors that read this forum.
I'll start with one that always confused me. The Watermelon. Called the Sai Gua or Western Melon which leads to it's non-native roots. A quick look at Wikipedia shows it was introduced into China in the 10th century so quite a while back but well after the cannons were written. Sidenote: I did not know that China is currently the largest producer of watermelon in the world.
What gets me is that the cool refreshing fruit is classified as a "hot" food. I actually understand why this is true but would be interested to see what went into that discovery.
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evildrgo
7 Posts |
Posted - 05/19/2006 : 14:34:01
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Yo... I've always understood that "HOT" food has one of two characterists.
Acidic
Oily
Which I've interpreted as foods that are tough to digest. Acidic foods stimulate the Pancreas, while Oily foods stimulate the Gall Bladder.
That's why a cool, refreshing, yet sugary and acidic fruit will be classified as hot.
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3 Circle Method
Australia
1539 Posts |
Posted - 05/19/2006 : 19:40:08
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Dont food go into 5 elements, of pungent, sweet, yadda yadda etc, then breas down into organ related?
Garry |
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Alerten22
USA
104 Posts |
Posted - 05/29/2006 : 23:17:02
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I have no clue what Hasayfu is talking about... i don't know anything on TCM, i was wondering what is it based off. From the comment of 3 Circle Method, makes me think you are saying it is based of the Taoists Five-Element Associations chart. This i have read just a little bit on. specially because i study nutrition. I also have studied about more of a basic understanding of the five-element chart from Xing Yi, although that only gives me an understanding of the principles involved.
quote:
Originally posted by evildrgo
Yo... I've always understood that "HOT" food has one of two characterists.
Acidic
Oily
Which I've interpreted as foods that are tough to digest. Acidic foods stimulate the Pancreas, while Oily foods stimulate the Gall Bladder.
That's why a cool, refreshing, yet sugary and acidic fruit will be classified as hot.
weather Watermelon isn't oily. I know this for a fact. Although it is citric, i'm not totally sure if it is acidic, i believe there is a big difference between the two. Because Watermelon has so much water if it is Acidic, it isn't that much Acidic. Because water is considered a base... or something that can dilute the acid. I hope that cleared stuff up.
Could anyone tell what the difference is in food if it is citric or acidic? since last i talk about this with my kung fu teacher about 2 weeks ago i realized that i get the 2 always mixxed up. could someone please clerify this for me. it would help my understanding of what i already know about food.
The Rigid person is a disciple of death; The soft, supple, and delicate are lovers of life. -Lao Tzu |
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Alerten22
USA
104 Posts |
Posted - 06/02/2006 : 16:54:23
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quote:
Originally posted by 3 Circle Method
Dont food go into 5 elements, of pungent, sweet, yadda yadda etc, then breas down into organ related?
Garry
I would asnwer Yes, if it is based on the Taoists Five-Element Associations chart.
If anyone knows if it is, i would be more than glade to share what i know about it.
The Rigid person is a disciple of death; The soft, supple, and delicate are lovers of life. -Lao Tzu |
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hasayfu
USA
95 Posts |
Posted - 06/02/2006 : 17:42:39
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quote:
Originally posted by Alerten22
I have no clue what Hasayfu is talking about... i don't know anything on TCM, i was wondering what is it based off.
As you said in another post that none of us are experts on this and we shouldn't be speculating on this based on readings. But that has never stopped us talking about stuff so in that vain, here is a decent site that explains the TCM food characteristic:
http://herb-king.com/c-tcmdiet.html
Read the four Energies of Food section.
The interesting thing is, in a quick google search, ALL the references put Watermelon in the "Cold/Cool" category. So that fits intuitive logic and shows how these properties get transferred to the population.
I'm sure my mom is not the only one who says watermelon is "yiet hay" or Hot Energy but I have no idea where that comes from. Looking at those in the TCM field, they put it as a cold.
Thanks for bringing this thread back to life. When I wrote it, I did not do any research and the lack of interest led me to drop it.
It still begs the question on HOW foods are classified but it's not such a mystery at this time.
The site does bring up an interesting side thought,
"Four Energies theory also explains why alcohol, sugar, and greasy fried foods are so bad for us. These are very Yang foods. When they are consumed in excess over a period of time, they deplete the Yin of our bodies, drying up the body fluids and producing a pattern called Yin Deficient Empty Heat."
Does this mean if I eat an equal amount of very Yin foods as alchohol, I get a balancing effect?
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method man
United Kingdom
283 Posts |
Posted - 06/30/2006 : 05:36:27
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| I though to much fried foods caused damp heat energy, that is what I was always told! |
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Alerten22
USA
104 Posts |
Posted - 07/04/2006 : 19:03:54
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When you saw fried food, do you mean deepfried food, because i believe deepfried food isn't really on the old TCM.
Otherwise just look it up online... just do a google search i'm sure you'll find which foods do what easily
The Rigid person is a disciple of death; The soft, supple, and delicate are lovers of life. -Lao Tzu |
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Alerten22
USA
104 Posts |
Posted - 06/27/2007 : 15:36:12
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quote:
Originally posted by hasayfu
As you said in another post that none of us are experts on this and we shouldn't be speculating on this based on readings. But that has never stopped us talking about stuff
Well what i was told, that the Classifications of food is what Taoists understood from years of living there life and others for hundreds of years. The basis of this is on how the body reacts to the seasons. But then it leaves the questions that what foods can help your bodies condition. Because if your a hot and in extreme hotness, in the season of summer. You as a person is suffering greatly. So by eating hot food doesn't make you feel better. But trying to balance your body out by eating cold food, like vegetables enough to balance out your body you are able to more easily deal witht he season and the body type you are. This of course makes you feel much better. There are some foods that don't effect you as much as others do even though there classified in the catagory that should help balance yourself out. I personally would suggest to try out different things (in the same classifiation that is supposed to help balance yourself out) Also, your body changes to different types, it goes through cycles you could say (i don't know enough about the cycles to explain but i know my body has looking back on my lifes history when i was exercising Vigoriously for months. I was a hot, or warm person eatting many many cold foods all the time naturally. (because thats the foods i normally eat anyway) Although i find myself being naturally a cold person. Through later years in my life, although once again people go through cycles. (trying to remember this off the top of my head with no referance) There is Hot(warm), Cold(cool), Dry, Damp, weak and neutral.
The Rigid person is a disciple of death; The soft, supple, and delicate are lovers of life. -Lao Tzu |
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How does food get there TCM characteristic?
