Tasty Diet and Nutrition

In 5 Element Diet & Nutrition there are five basic categories of taste: salty, sour, bitter, sweet, and spicy. What a particular food tastes like indicates which organ(s) are going to benefit from the nourishment being delivered. On the other hand, when you have a craving for a particular taste, that's an indication that the organ related to that taste is weak and needs to be balanced.

The Five Tastes A balanced diet includes food that combines the five tastes: Salty / Sour / Bitter / Sweet / Spicy

Understanding and Balancing Tastes

When your meals combine as many of the '5 tastes' as possible, you're well on your way toward cultivating good digestion, which is a hallmark of good health.
To make sure each meal you eat is "balanced," all five tastes need to be included. Be alert to your desire for sweet foods in the morning. "Sweet" is the taste associated with the digestive organs, and too much sweet food during breakfast can negatively affect your digestion.
Sweet craving is an indication that your digestive system needs help. Cravings for the other tastes indicate the need to rebalance and strengthen the organ systems related to those tastes.
Don't eat anything sweet on an empty stomach. This includes naturally "sweet" foods like bread and fruit; in addition to products high in refined sugar. When you do want to eat something sweet, make sure you eat a more complex food first.
If you have an ongoing craving for sweets, eat more protein. Complex foods help the pancreas back into balance, and ward off the sugar highs and lows that lead to hypoglycemia and eventually diabetes.
Acupuncture, acupressure, Chinese herbs, and healthy, balanced food choices can help you rebalance and strengthen your organs, and boost your overall experience of health.

Kitty Bradshaw is a licensed acupuncturist, with an advanced clinical degree in Oriental Medicine. Studying and working with Oriental Medicine since 1986, Kitty combines Traditional Oriental Medicine with Taoist healing methods to offer healing possibilities beyond the level of standard health care. Her deep understanding of Chinese medical herbs, combined with her intuitive abilities to diagnose and treat difficult problems, has helped many people regain and maintain their health.