Dietary Therapy (Xi-Liao)

prevention & nutrition

Xi-liao—treatment and prevention through diet, based on the same principles of nature and flavors as those applied to herbs. Foods have a thermal nature (warming, cooling, or neutral) and flavors that affect the organs: ginger and lamb are warming, cucumber and pear are cooling, and excessive sweetness generates dampness. Diet is selected according to constitution, syndrome, season, and region: warming foods for cold, cooling foods for heat, and drying foods for dampness. Moderation, regularity, and variety are considered the foundation of digestive health. Many mild, grounding herbs (dates, sweet potatoes, lotus, goji berries) also serve as food.