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The About Chinese Medicine Quarterly Newsletter

September 2009 – The Movement and Y-Scores of Foods

Welcome to the September 2009 edition of the About Chinese Medicine Quarterly.

Do you know that foods move in different directions in the body? The movements of foods are also related to the flavours and energies of foods.

Want to know why, how? Read on!

Foods have a tendency to move in different directions in the body. Some foods move outward, some foods move inward. Some foods have a tendency to move upwards, some move downwards.

To move outward means to move from inside of the body towards outside; so foods with outward movements can induce perspiration and reduce fever.

To move inward means to move from outside towards inside; so foods with inward movements can ease bowel movements and abdominal swelling.

To move upwards means to move from the lower region of the body towards the upper region; so foods with upward movements can relieve diarrhea, prolapse of anus, prolapse of uterus and the falling of stomach.

To move downwards means to move from the upper region towards the lower region; so foods with downward movements can relieve vomiting, hiccupping and asthma.

In general, leaves and flowers have a tendency to move upwards. Roots, seeds, and fruits have a tendency to move downwards. This is just a general principle and there are many exceptions.

Two additional characteristics of food are associated with the movements, namely, glossy (sliding) and obstructive. Glossy foods, such as honey and spinach, facilitate the movements. Obstructive foods, such as guava and olive, slow down the movements. Glossy foods are good for constipation and internal dryness, but bad for diarrhea and seminal emission. Conversely, obstructive foods are good for diarrhea and seminal emission, but bad for constipation and internal dryness.

The symptoms treated by different movements of foods are classified into four categories. First, upward symptoms, such as vomiting, hiccupping, coughing, etc., should be treated by foods that can move downwards. Second, downward symptoms, such as diarrhea, falling of the stomach and prolapse of uterus, should be treated by foods that can move upwards. Third, the outward symptoms, such as excessive perspiration, premature ejaculation, seminal emission, frequent urination, should be treated by foods that can obstruct. The inward symptoms, such as constipation and abdominal swelling, should be treated by foods that can move outward in combination with other foods that cleanse the internal regions.

Foods with an upward movement are good to eat in spring. Such foods have a neutral energy and three flavours – pungent, sweet or bitter. These include abalone (y-score of -1), apricot (y-score of 0), beef (y-score of +2), beetroots (y-score of +2), black sesame seed (y-score of +2), chicken egg (y-score of +2), crab apple (y-score of 0), fig (y-score of +2), grape (y-score of 0), honey (y-score of +2), kidney bean (y-score of +2), milk (y-score of +2), olive (y-score 0), oyster (y-score -1), peanuts (y-score of +2), pineapple (y-score of 0), plum (y-score of 0), pork (y-score of -1), potato (y-score of +2), pumpkin (y-score of 0), and sweat potato (y-score of -2).

Foods with an outward movement are good to eat in summer. These foods have a hot energy and two different flavours – pungent or sweet. Among these are black pepper (y-score of +8), cinnamon bark (y-score of +7), dried ginger (y-score of +8), and soybean oil (y-score +7).

Foods with a downward movement are good to eat in autumn. Such foods have three energies – cold, cool or warm; and two flavours – sweet or sour. These foods include apple (y-score of 0), bamboo shoots (y-score of -2), banana (y-score of -2), barley (y-score of -3), bean curd (y-score of 0), chicken egg white (y-score of -2), freshwater clam (y-score of -5), eggplant (y-score of 0), grapefruits (y-score of-4), mango (y-score of -2), peach (y-score of +2), spinach (y-score of 0), star fruit (y-score of -4), strawberry (y-score of-2), sugar cane juice (y-score of -2), tangerine (y-score of -1), water chestnut (y-score of -2), and watermelon (y-score of -2).

Foods with an inward movement are good to eat in winter. They have a cold energy and two different flavours – bitter or salty. Bitter gourd, (y-score of -8), saltwater clam (y-score of -7), crab (y-score of -7), kelp (y-score of -7), lettuce (y-score of -3), and seaweed (y-score of -7) are among these foods.

Knowing the combinations of energies, flavours suitable for the four seasons, and y-socre of the foods, I hope you will choose what you eat wisely, have a balance diet, and be able to stay healthy.

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