Advice from The Tao of Nutrition

ALLERGY & INTOLERANCE

According to the Tao of Nutrition, allergy and intolerance is an acquired hypersensitivity to a substance that does not normally cause a body reaction. The allergenic substance maybe pollen, smog, dust, certain chemicals in the air, chlorine, or certain food substances which elicit a sometimes violent body response. This condition is characterized by nasal congestion, tearing, sneezing, wheezing, coughing, itching, skin rash and eruptions, dizziness and nausea.*

Recommendation: ginger, onions, garlic, bamboo shoots, cabbage, beets, beet top tea, carrots, leafy greens, yams, organic chicken gizzards*

Remedies:

1. Drink ginger tea to induce sweating.

2. Drink beet top tea as a water source.

Avoid: Wheat, citrus fruits, chocolate, shellfish, dairy products, eggs, potatoes, polluted meats, polluted air, and constipation. *

*Maoshing, Ni. The Tao Of Nutrition. Santa Monica, CA., Seven Star Communications, 1987.

ARTHRITIS

Arthritis is an inflammation of the joints can be characterized by pain, redness, swelling, stiffness, and hot sensation in the joints. Chinese medicine differentiates the following 4 types of arthritis. Often we observe 2 or 3 types of arthritis occurring simultaneously, such as cold & damp types together. In such cases, choose foods that aid each condition and are not contraindicated for either type. Herbal therapy can be of great benefit in cleaning out the joints, improving the circulation and reducing the pain. Acupuncture is one of the most effective treatments for arthritis, although the progress is sometimes slow.*

1. Cold Type Arthritis

This type is characterized by sharp, stabbing pain in a fixed location and coldness in the joints. The pain is relieved by heat such as a warming liniment, sunshine, or a heating pad. Usually this type of individual would have a pale complexion.*

Recommendations: garlic, green onions, pepper, black beans, sesame seeds, chicken, lamb, mustard greens, ginger, a small amount of rice wine (if individual does not have hypertension), 10-20 minutes of fresh air and sunshine daily, spicy foods, grapes, grape vine, parsnip*

Remedies:

a. Rub garlic or ginger on the painful areas. Or moxa could be burned on ginger over the painful areas.

b. Drink scallion tea and rub on the painful areas.

c. Rub rice wine on the painful areas as well as consuming 1 shot glassful in the evening.

d. Drink grape vine tea added to red wine.

e. Make tea from parsnip, cinnamon, black pepper, and dried ginger.*

AVOID: cold foods, raw foods, cold weather elements*

2. Wind Type Arthritis

This type of arthritis is characterized by pain that shifts locations, comes and goes suddenly (much like the wind does), and sometimes causes dizziness.

Recommendations: snake meat, scallions, grapes (not wine), grape vine, and mulberry vine tea, black beans, most grains, and plenty of leafy vegetables.

AVOID: cold foods, raw foods, cold weather elements*

3. Damp Type Arthritis

This is characterized by heavy feeling extremities, stiffness, swelling, dull aching pain that lingers and sluggishness. Most obese people tend to be damp.

Recommendations: barley, mung beans, mustard greens, red beans, millet, sweet rice wine with meals, cornsilk tea, diuretic foods and herbs.*

Remedies:

a. Cook together barley, mung beans and red beans

b. Drink cornsilk tea freely

Avoid: cold foods, raw foods, dairy products*

4. Heat Type Arthritis

This is characterized by red, swollen, painful, hot joints, general disability, and usually acute onset.*

Recommendations: plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, dandelion, cabbage, mung beans, winter melon, soybean sprouts*

Remedies: Apply poultices of crushed dandelion greens, changing every 2 hours.*

Avoid: spicy foods, alcohol, smoking, all types of stress, green onions*

*Maoshing, Ni. The Tao Of Nutrition. Santa Monica, CA. Seven Star Communications 1987

ASTHMA

Asthma is characterized by wheezing or difficulty breathing due to the bronchials (branches) of the lungs becoming clogged with waste products, or construction due to spasms, or swelling of the bronchials. Asthma may be triggered by an allergy of food, air pollution, cold air, heart weakness, previous lung damage, mental or physical fatigue, emotional disturbance, or hormonal imbalance. In the case of the weak heart, the heart is not strong enough to push the blood through the lungs to be oxygenated, and the blood back flows into the lungs. In this case there will edema and bruising also.*

Chinese medicine divides asthma into 2 types: hot type, characterized by rapid, coarse breathing, yellow, sticky mucus, fever and red face; and cold type, characterized by white, clear, or foamy mucus, cold extremities, and pale face. The remedies listed would be useful to either type. During times of remission from asthma attack, one would seek to nourish the lungs and kidneys.

Recommendations: apricot kernels, almonds, walnuts, basil, carrots, pumpkins, winter melon, sunflower seeds, loofa, squash, figs, daikon, litchi (lychee) fruit, tangerines, loquats, honey, molasses, mustard greens, sesame seeds, placenta* and umbilical cord*

*These substances are not so easily obtainable in America, and only those from a healthy mother source are desirable.*

Remedies:

1. Egg Yolk Oil. This is made as follows: take 20 hard boiled egg yolks; slowly heat in a dry pan, mashing them until the oil comes out. When the yolk has blackened, separate the egg yolk oil. Since it is very strong tasting, it is best taken in gelatin capsules, 2 after meals, 3 times daily. Continue this remedy for 15-30 days.

2. Mix ½ cup fig juice with ½ cup lukewarm water and drink daily.

3. Cut the top out of a small winter melon, remove the seeds, fill with molasses, close the top up with a cheesecloth and steam. Consume daily for 7 days.

4. Take an unpeeled orange, stick a chopstick through it, roast until the peel blackens. Remove the peel and eat the insides; one orange daily for 7 days.

5. Bake squid bone until crisp; grind to a powder and take 1 teaspoon with honey daily for 7 days.

6. Drink apricot kernel tea.

7. Drink fresh fig juice 3x daily.*

AVOID: Mucus producing foods, cold foods, fruits, salads, all shellfish, dairy products, watermelon, bananas, mung beans, salty foods, cold weather, and especially ice cream*

*Maoshing, Ni. The Tao Of Nutrition. Santa Monica, CA. Seven Star Communications 1987

CANDIDA YEAST INFECTION

This condition is becoming fairly common in modern society, primarily due to the widespread, long term use of antibiotics which severely weaken the immune system. Everyone has the candida yeast living in their bodies; however, only when disharmony & weakness occur do we have systemic yeast infections develop. The symptoms can include chronic fatigue, chronic infections, primarily in the skin, bowels, bladder, vagina and throat; diarrhea or constipation, headaches, bloating and poor digestion. When the immune system is weakened through over work, too much sex, or stress, the candida flares up and the body can no longer control it.*

Recommendations: dandelions, beet tops, carrot tops, barley, garlic, rice vinegar, mung beans, citrus fruits*

AVOID: sugar, excessive fruits, yeast containing foods, processed foods, cheese, fermented foods, soy sauce, smoking, alcohol, caffeine, and constipation.*

*Maoshing, Ni. The Tao Of Nutrition. Santa Monica, CA. Seven Star Communications 1987

CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME

This syndrome consists of a set of variable symptoms including chronic or recurrent fatigue, sore throat, tender lymph nodes, headaches, muscle pains and general depression. Often a patient has flu-like symptoms that extend for a long period of time. Most chronic fatigue patients are observed to have undergone prolonged stress, repeated infections, and often become overwhelmed by life’s simple demands. Conditions like herpes, candida, hypoglycemia compound the situation. Patient is advised to seek lifestyle corrections, like reducing stress, resting more, and gentle exercise.*

Recommendations: winter melon, pumpkin, pumpkin seed, yam, sweet potato, lima bean, black bean, soy bean, strawberry, watermelon, azuki bean, pineapple, chestnut, papaya, figs, garlic, onion, scallion, ginger daikon radish, pearl barley, lotus seed, white fungus, egg white, cabbage, carrot, pear, organic chicken, mung bean, buckwheat, jujube date*

Remedies:

1. Eat frequent, small meals and drink more liquids.

2. Juice and drink daily fresh water chestnut, lotus root, pear, watermelon and carrots.

3. Make soup from lotus seed, white fungus and figs.

4. Chop garlic finely and stir fry with egg white, parsley and diced yams.

5. Make soup from cabbage, azuki beans, winter melon and pumpkin.

6. Make chicken soup with garlic, onions, scallions, ginger and daikon radish. Drink soup or cook rice porridge with the broth.

7. Make buckwheat and rice porridge with chestnuts and longan fruit (Euphorian longan).

AVOID: dairy products, alcohol, coffee, sugar, fatty or fried foods, overly spicy foods, cold and raw foods, tomato, eggplant, bell pepper, shellfish*

*Maoshing, Ni. The Tao Of Nutrition. Santa Monica, CA. Seven Star Communications 1987

DIABETES

Diabetes is characterized by a high level of sugar in the blood and urine. Symptoms include excessive thirst, hunger and urination. The Chinese refer to this condition as exhaustion syndrome. Proper exercise is of utmost importance in stimulating normal glandular functions. Exercises such as T’ai Chi Ch’uan, Chi Gong, or the 8 Treasures are particularly valuable.*

Recommendations: pumpkin, wheat, mung beans, winter melon, celery, pears, spinach, yams, peas, sweet rice, soybeans, tofu, mulberries, squash, daikon radish, cabbage, organic pig or chicken pancreas, peach, millet*

Remedies:

1. Eat a slice of pumpkin with each meal.

2. Make a pumpkin and yam pie with no sweeteners.

3. Prepare soup from cabbage, yam, winter melon, and lentils.

4. Drink daikon, celery, carrot and spinach juice.

5. Steam tofu, cool to room temperature, add sesame oil and slices of raw squash.

6. Make soup from mung beans, peas and barley.

7. Drink chrysanthemum tea whenever thirsty.

8. Eat non-sweetened sweet rice cake or mochi between meals.

9. Steam millet with yam and a few dates*

AVOID: sweets, sugar, honey, molasses, smoking, alcohol, caffeine, spicy foods, and most raw fruits*

*Maoshing, Ni. The Tao Of Nutrition. Santa Monica, CA. Seven Star Communications 1987

HEADACHE

There are many different types of headaches, such as migraines, ones caused by muscular tension, hypertension, common cold, mental stress, hormonal changes, and eye strain. Each type of headache would have a corresponding treatment.*

Recommendations: chrysanthemum flowers, mint, green onion, ginger, oyster shells, pearl barley, carrots, prunes, buckwheat, peach kernels*

Remedies: FOR HEADACHES DUE TO COMMON COLD OR FLU:

1. Make tea from ginger to green onions, boiling for 5 minutes; drink and try to sweat.

2. Steam aching portion of head over mint and cinnamon tea that is cooking, then dry head afterwards, avoiding catching a draft.

3. Make tea from chrysanthemum flowers, cassia seeds and drink.

4. Make buckwheat meal into a paste and apply to painful area until it sweats.

5. Drink green tea.

6. Make rice porridge and add garlic and green onions. Eat while hot, then get under the covers and sweat.

FOR HEADACHES DUE TO HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, MENSTRUAL CYCLES, EMOTIONAL STRESS OR TENSION, OR MIGRAINES:

1. Make carrot juice. If headache is on the left side, squirt carrot juice into left nostril; if on the right side, squirt into right nostril; if both sides are painful, squirt into both nostrils.

2. Take lemon juice and ½ T of baking soda mixed in a glass of water and drink.

3. Make tea of Chinese prunes, mint and green tea.

4. Make tea of oyster shells and chrysanthemum flowers, slowly boiling the shells for 1.5 hours, then adding the flowers for the last 30 minutes.

5. Mash peach kernels and walnuts, mix with rice wine and lightly roast it; take 2 T. three times daily.

6. Rinse head with warm water, gradually increasing the temperature to hot.*

AVOID: spicy food, lack of sleep, alcohol, smoking, excess stimulation, eye strain, stress.*

Menstrual type headaches usually are accompanied by Premenstrual Syndrome (P.M.S.).Please refer to that section for further details.*

*Maoshing, Ni. The Tao Of Nutrition. Santa Monica, CA. Seven Star Communications 1987