FOOD AS MEDICINE PART IV: THE WHOLE PICTURE

DIET, SPECIALTY DIETS, DIETARY THERAPY AND NUTRITIONAL/FOOD THERAPY

The use of food in healing and the maintenance of health can be called a number of things; dietary therapy, nutrition therapy or food therapy as examples. Often professionals might use the latter two titles as these terms have more positive associations. The word "diet" often receives a rather specific association with weight loss, and sometimes even negative reputation through this association. But the word "diet" itself simply means the type and quantities of food that one habitually eats.

Often, in the past, diet was dictated by external circumstances; geographical location, soil quality, access, season etc. These days our diet is less so dictated by external circumstances and more so by internal circumstances. We have greater access to a larger selection of foods and our diet revolves more around health concerns, personal preference, time one can dedicate to prep and cooking, and financial concerns. With this in mind, a second definition of diet might better apply; this is that diet is the restrictions, of and to, certain types and quantities of foods with a specific purpose in mind.

Most often individuals associate diets and dieting with weight loss first and foremost; And while not untrue, diets and dieting can also be done with any number of medical and health reasons in mind. Some well known and time tested examples of diet and dieting outside of the purpose of weight loss are high cholesterol, inflammation, food allergies and intolerances, skin issues (eczema, acne), attention and hyperactivity issues, chronic fatigue, as well as diabetes and digestive disorders. These latter examples are often more associated with term "specialty diet." Either way, these are specific diets with a specific purpose in mind.

CONSTITUTION AND DIET

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), when we apply food and diet to healing, we must always take constitution into account. A person's constitution is the specific environment within his or her body; an individually unique environment formed by genetic input, fetal development and conditions and experiences throughout life; All on holistically combined physical, mental and emotional arenas. A previous post, Creating Constitution, discusses constitution more in depth (click here for link).

When factoring constitution into a selective diet, we look at an individuals historical tendencies towards specific conditions, as well as any patterns, strengths or weaknesses in health; whether an individual has heat or cold complexes, deficiencies or excesses; and in what systems and their associated organs, tissues and processes these are taking place. This will highly influences our approach to dietary therapy, whether it is used to treat constitutional imbalances or a specific illness, disease or injury.

DIET FOR ILLNESS, DISEASE AND INJURY

When using dietary therapy as a means to treat specific illnesses, diseases and injuries, we must always find the root to our reason. By this I mean the root cause of the illness that justifies our choices in diet. TCM approaches health with a root and branch perspective, where branches are the symptoms and the root(s) is the underlying imbalance causing these symptoms to arise.

From this perspective, one’s digestive upset, insomnia, or anxiety is a symptom (and branch) of a greater, deeper imbalance (root). We often must treat the symptom(s); the insomnia, the digestive upset, the anxiety and headache; and often there are more than a single symptom associated with a deeper cause. But if the symptom is all we direct out treatment towards, then the underlying imbalance remains. We may mask the issue by diminishing the symptoms temporarily, even long term; but If the underlying imbalance remains, unaddressed, we cannot truly heal; and true health is never achieved. What is more, by masking symptoms, which are the body’s warning system telling an individual something is wrong, the underlying issue might not just remain; it may very well fall further out of balance, symptoms persisting, worsening, even new and more extreme symptoms arising.

This is why, it is always important to fully understand what we call the "pathomechanism" or "pathology" and address the root cause. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, we best understand pathomechanism to be the process by which a disorder occurs; that is, how the root imbalance develops and then leads to the disorder(s) and related symptoms. Only when we can understand these aspects in their totality can we be fully effective in the healing process; treating both symptoms, underlying imbalances and origin of cause.
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When approaching dietary therapy for specific illness, disease, and injury we must then factor in both symptoms and the underlying imbalances alongside constitution and general universally understood healthy foods and food practices. This is done by factoring in constitutional cold, heat, deficiency or excess complexes as well as understanding and addressing underlying imbalances of the specific disorder and the symptoms it chooses to present as. With this full comprehension, we can focus food therapy for optimal treatment; restricting certain foods that might promote further imbalances; emphasizing foods that might promote better balances and choosing foods that might better target specific areas and symptoms with their affinities for specific systems
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A LOOK AT MY PERSONAL APPROACH

When I personally use Dietary/Food therapy as an approach to healing and health, I will consider the purpose of the diet itself. People seek dietary guidelines for a number of purposes; overall well-being, weight issues (there are a number of weight issues - over-weight, underweight, cannot build muscle etc.), lack of energy, sleep issues, inflammation in the body, desire for faster recovery from injury, pregnancy and healthy fetal development, menopausal symptoms, emotional issues, digestive issues…..The list truely does go on.

I will first consider the constitution. Often constitution and constitutional imbalances are what allow the disorder to develop in the first place. After considering an individual’s constitution, and with the purpose of the diet in mind, I will look at the underlying root cause of any issues and the symptoms these issues present as. Individuals can have similar root causes with differing symptoms as well as similar symptoms with differing root causes. A root cause can present as any number of symptoms, often the symptoms it tends to present as have much to due with individual constitutional imbalances in weaknesses and excesses. The constitution alongside the underlying imbalance are the primary focus in tailoring the diet.

We must always consider realistic lifestyle factors. One’s financial ability towards food sources, the time one can devote to preparing, cooking and eating; One’s abilities when it comes to cooking, desire and willpower towards healthy diet, access to certain foods, tendencies, and any interferences that might hinder the best of all the above must be factored in.

After all of these are acquired, I then create a general healthy food practices outline. This includes TCM universally understood healthy practices in storage, prep, cooking, and eating.

Next will be a basic write up on the underlying imbalance and pathomechanism. Provided will be a writeup on general flavors, temperatures, thermal natures, and affiinites best suited for the individual and why. This will include lists of common foods to restrict and reduce, and to encourage and emphasize.

With the overall goal in mind we create steps and progressions best suited for the individual's success in diet. Some individuals work best in a cold turkey approach, others find best results with the introduction of smaller steps.

Lastly, If needed, I supply a series of recipes and suggestions (usually 3-4 recipes for each meal) that factor in all of the above, including specific foods and individual ability and time.

​this concludes the 4 part series of Food as Medicine. Next look forward to information on Yin Yang Theory, followed by Traditional Chinese Medicine and Seasonal Attunement.