According to the practices of traditional Chinese medicine, the life force, or qi, exists in everyone and can be manipulated with food. Christians call it the spirit, alternative medicine community refers to it as prana, ayurveda calls it dosha -- no matter what it's called, there is a universal acceptance that people are more than just skin and bones. Learning how to nourish and balance that life force is highly individual -- your balance of qi represents a blend of your spirituality, physical health and mental wellness.
Step 1
Eat natural foods. Seeds, plants and roots should be consumed in their raw form without processing. Based on traditional Chinese medicine, only foods nourished by the elements -- air, water, earth -- have the energy to nourish your life force. Processed and boxed foods lose their natural elements and can actually drain your qi.
Step 2
Balance your qi with food. A restoration of life force actually refers to a proper balancing of life force -- any tip of the scale might impact health. Two types of food are used to represent the yin and yang life force, including hot and cold foods. People who suffer from cold illnesses such as diarrhea or sluggishness should eat more yang hot foods with pepper or cinnamon. Conversely, hot conditions such as constipation or anxiety require yin cold foods such as bananas and lettuce.
Step 3
Play it safe with neutral life force foods. Rather than stimulating hot or cold in the body, these neutral foods keep the qi balanced. Neutral foods include cereals and grains. Soybeans, corn, egg yolks and cabbage are example of neutral foods in traditional Chinese medicine.
Step 4
Enjoy each meal -- slow down and soak up the flavors of life around you. Energy medicine that focuses on life force only considers food as one tiny element in the whole picture of health. Rushing through each meal as though it were a race to the finish line might undermine your efforts at restoring energies in the body.
Tips and Warnings
- Visit a holistic practitioner for individualized guidance on qi balance.
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