Healthy eating habits and customs are the foundation of good health.

Achieving balance in the body and mind is at the heart of this article; what and how one eats plays a key role in reaching that level of equilibrium.

As is well known, modern nutrition science emphasizes the analytical and quantitative characterization of foods, focusing on the amount and composition of its macro & micro nutritional value and structure, only taking into account how much protein, fat and calories, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals, water, energy etc. it contains.

Many modern diets focus on eliminating or reducing specific types of foods, such as low-fat or low-carb diets.

However, in holistic bio-energetic diet therapy, which is qualitative, food and food-like spices, herbs and medicinal plants are also considered based on its energetic properties and flavours and how these affect in body and mental-emotional states.

Consequently, food is used just like a medicine and can have both promoting and impeding effects on one’s health development depending on the type of energetic property and flavours of food and characteristics of one’s body and mental-emotional states.

Body Type of a Body Constitution
It’s hard to know what to eat if you don’t know your body constitution.
Holistic Bio-energetic Dietary Therapy classifies ten different bio-energetic body constitutions.
Body composition and mental-emotional states are influenced by congenital and acquired factors, which vary in metabolism, structure, and the body's organ systems work in synergy to defend against disease and the effects of time. 

Innate and Acquired Factors

The constitution of the body is the bodily condition of the individual that makes him susceptible to certain diseases, but not to others. It is a fundamental concept in holistic bio-energetic diet therapy, since it lays the foundations for the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of diseases. Holistic bio-energetic diet therapy considers each individual as unique and special. Both innate and acquired factors affect one's body constitution and mental-emotional states. Therefore, an understanding of one's unique and special body constitution can lead to more effective disease prevention and treatment by making lifestyle changes and avoiding these factors. This is especially true for acquired factors.

Acquired factors include but are not limited to diet, environmental factors, mental-emotional state, lifestyle, etc. Innate factors, on the other hand, are inherited traits that make us susceptible to certain diseases. These inherited traits cannot be easily changed and therefore emphasis is placed on improving the bio-energetic constitution of the body as a whole and avoiding acquired factors that are detrimental to health.

A Personalized Approach

In recent times, modern or established medicine has progressed rapidly with technological advances, and the concept of "personalized medicine" has been proposed as an ideal form of medicine. Modern medicine primarily uses genetic testing tools to tailor treatments to each individual according to their genetic predisposition, with the aim of optimizing efficacy. The body building concept of holistic bio-energetic diet therapy bears similarity to the concept of "personalized medicine". Holistic bio-energetic diet therapy treatments are based on the unique and special condition of the individual at the particular time of acquiring the disease. In other words, it adapts to the needs of the person.

Even if two different individuals contract the same disease, holistic bio-energetic diet therapy considers each individual as unique and special, treating them differently according to their bio-energetic body constitution. Therapists employ unique diagnostic methods, such as categorization of symptoms and signs, observation of the tongue, and radial artery pulse to make diagnoses and tailor treatments specific to a person's health status. Therefore, it is essential that the bio-energetic body constitution of the patient be determined in order to have a deep understanding.

General Classification: Neutral, Yang and Yin

In general, the bio-energetic constitution of an individual's body can be classified into three categories. These are the Neutral, Yang and Yin bio-energetic body types. The optimal body type is the Neutral type which is considered to be the ideal body build of a relatively healthy person with a strong immune system. A person with a Neutral bio-energetic body constitution is in a state of relative balance, with internal organ systems functioning relatively optimally, and acquired relative resistance to disease. Both the Yin and Yang type of bio-energetic body constitution are in a state of imbalance.

For the Yang predominant bio-energetic body type, Yang is in excess relative to Yin. This makes the person susceptible to diseases of a Yang nature, which often manifest with symptoms such as fever, headaches, insomnia, irritability and even abscesses. A person with a predominant Yang bio-energetic body type is prone to anger easily, is hyperactive, resents hot weather, sweats easily, and often feels thirsty.

On the other hand, for the Yin predominant bio-energetic body type, Yin is in excess relative to Yang. As a result, the person is susceptible to illnesses that are Yin in nature, which often manifest as chills, cough with phlegm, and fluid retention, is prone to being easily fatigued, inactive, and is bothered by cold weather.

A more extensive classification of the body's bio-energetic constitution classifies individuals into ten different types: Neutral, Yin and Cold, Yang and Hot, Phlegm and Damp, Dry, Life-Force Matter Deficiency, Damp Heat, Blood Stasis, Life-Force Matter Stagnation, and Special Hereditary Constitution.

Neutral or Balanced Type
This constitution is ideal because the body’s metabolism, structure, and organ systems are in relative balance and the person does not have any health complaints.
This type of person tends to exhibit the following characteristics:

• Good physical shape.
• Mentally-emotionally stable.
• Thick and shiny hair.
• Energetic.
• Healthy with vibrant skin tone.
• Proper and healthy appetite, restful sleep.
• Doesn't feel hot or cold easily, adaptable to environmental changes.
• Diagnosis of Urine presents light yellow colour, 4-6 times per day; Light brown stools shaped like a banana, 1 time a day.
• Tongue Diagnosis Presents: 1. Soft, moist, pink in colour that moves easily. 2. No teeth marks on the edge of the tongue. 3. There are no dark purple spots on the tongue. 4. No scattered red, purple, or black dots or patches on the tip and sides of the tongue. 5. No cracks, sores or blisters on the tongue. 6. No thick yellow, white, or black coating on the tongue.
• Pulse Diagnostic Characteristics: The pulse can be felt in all three portions of superficial, middle, and deep with a rate of about four to five beats per breath, neither floating nor deep, neither large nor small. It is even, stable, harmonious and forceful with regular rhythms.

How to Relatively Balance this body type:

• Eat in moderation and maintain a balanced diet.
• Do not overindulge in very cold or very hot foods.
• Avoid foods that are too fatty or spicy.
• Eat more organic whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.
• After meals, go for a walk instead of having a nap.
• Participate in age-appropriate exercises such as jogging, brisk walking, tai chi, yoga, ball games, etc. 

• Maintain a positive and productive attitude.

Note: Neutral or Balanced body type is the body's relatively balanced bio-energetic constitution and is the least susceptible to disease. Following the recommended diet and lifestyle tips for your constitutional body type helps to make your body build more neutral.

Yang and Hot Type (Yin Deficiency)
This type of person has a robust bio-energetic constitution and is very sensitive to hot and dry temperatures. This constitution tends to exhibit the following characteristics:

• Feeling hot and warm frequently, in the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet (especially at night).
• Have a ruddy complexion.
• Slim physical appearance.
• Dry mouth, throat and nose.
• Prefers cold drinks, always thirsty.
• Easily annoyed, impatient and outgoing.
• Insomnia episodes.
• Vulnerability to sore throat and fever.
• Scanty dark urine.
• Hard, dry stools or constipation.
• Diagnosis of Tongue presents: 1. With little or no tongue coating. 2. Yellow tongue coating. 3. Red tongue.
• Pulse diagnosis: thin and rapid.

How to Relatively Balance this body type:

• Eat more refreshing and nutritious foods that hydrate the body, for example, duck, string beans, sea cucumber, pear, black and white mushroom, goji or wolf berries, fish, etc.
• It is advisable to consume fresh lotus root, especially for women.
• Eat less food that is drying out and getting hot, eg lamb, onions, etc.
• Avoid caffeinated drinks and staying up late.
• Afternoon naps are recommended.
• Do light to moderate intensity exercises, such as tai chi, yoga, swimming, etc.
• When exercising, stay hydrated.
• Avoid the sauna if you suffer from very dry skin.
• Listen to relaxing music and/or travel to places where there is nature to find peace within yourself.

Yin and Cold Type (Yang Deficiency)
This type of person has a fragile body and is very sensitive to low temperatures, cold and damp.
This constitution tends to exhibit the following characteristics:

• Feel cold frequently and more than others.
• Have a pale, whitish, dull complexion.
• They usually suffer from hair loss.
• Aversion to wind or cold drafts.
• The extremities and the abdomen are cold.
• One prefers hot or lukewarm food and drinks, because one feels sick after eating cold food.
• Reluctant to speak, these individuals are often quiet and shy.
• Tire easily.
• Vulnerability to diseases related to cold and humidity.
• Prefers summer to winter.
• Lethargy, clear and frequent urination, with loose stools and tendency to suffer from diarrhoea.
• Diagnosis of Tongue: pinkish with whitish or pale coating.
• Pulse diagnosis: slow, deep and weak.

How to Relatively Balance this body type:

• Eat more foods that are beneficial and warm Life-Force Matter, for example, beef, lamb, garlic, chestnuts, jujube or red dates, walnuts, cashew, onions, ginger, shrimp, sea cucumber, pine nuts, abalone, etc.
• Eat less raw and cold foods, for example, cucumber, melon, lotus root, watermelon, pear, bitter gourd, etc.
• Avoid staying in air-conditioned rooms for long periods of time.
• Keep your feet, back, and lower abdomen warm.
• Do gentle exercises, such as jogging, tai chi, yoga, etc.
• Use hot springs and saunas.
• Listen to songs that lift your spirits and ease anxiety.

Phlegm and Damp Type

This type of person tends to be overweight or bloated due to fluid retention. They may appear obese and lack energy, and are very sensitive to damp and/or wet weather. This constitution tends to exhibit the following characteristics:

• Prone to excessive sebum secretions on the face and scalp.
• With dull facial complexion
• Preference or cravings for sweet, high-fat foods and alcohol.
• Often experience stickiness in the mouth and heaviness in the body.
• Dizzy or tired easily.
• Tired and sleepy all day.
• Prone to snoring
• Usually patient and affable.
• Low metabolic rate.
• Diagnosis of the Tongue: 1. Teeth marks on the edge. 2. Visibly moist and bulky, and covered with a greasy coating. 
• Pulse diagnosis: slippery and slow.

How to Relatively Balance this body type:

• Maintain a bland diet.
• Consume foods that help improve the Spleen-Pancreas and Stomach Organ Systems.
• Eat less sweet, heavy, and fatty foods, such as fatty meat.
• Eat more onion, garlic, seaweed, melon, carrot, kumquat, lemon, lime, barley, wasabi, corn, millet, oatmeal, tofu, kidney bean, sea cucumber, shrimp, Japanese yam, radish, celery, apples, etc.
• Refrain from a sedentary lifestyle.
• Avoid outdoor activities during cold, damp, and/or wet weather.
• Exercise at a pace you can maintain long-term.
• Keep calm and in a good mood; avoid extreme mental-emotional states.

Dry type
This type of person tends to be thin and does not gain weight easily. They are very sensitive to low humidity levels. This bio-energetic constitution tends to exhibit the following characteristics (all due to lack of lubrication):

• Feel thirsty easily.
• Experiences dry eyes, throat, lips, and skin.
• Itchy skin, nose, or eyes.
• Constipation.
• Cough without mucus.
• Diagnosis of Tongue: red and without coating.
• Pulse diagnosis: thin and rapid.

How to Relatively Balance this body type:

• Nourish Life-Force Matter and keep warm.
• Eat hot foods like chestnuts, jujube or red dates, walnuts, cashew, pine nuts, onions, ginger, garlic, lamb, beef, chicken, shrimp, sea cucumber, abalone, etc.
• Eat less refreshing foods like cucumber, balsam, lotus root, pear, watermelon, etc.

Type Vital-Force Matter Deficiency

• Prone to panting.
• Easily fatigued, with little immunity.
• Soft tone of voice, easily breathless, tends to be quiet.
• Some are introverts are risk averse.
• Susceptible to the common cold or flu.
• Predisposed to conditions such as Organ System prolapse. 
• Perspire easily with little physical activity.
• Easily affected by weather changes.
• These people usually take longer to recover from the disease.
• Diagnosis of Tongue: pale.
• Pulse diagnosis: empty.

How to Relatively Balance this body type:

• Eat more foods that tonify Vital-Force Matter and invigorate the Spleen-Pancreas Organ System, for example, tofu, edamame, chicken, beef, sticky rice, sweet potato, barley, mushrooms, dates, honey, etc.
• Avoid Foods That Consume Life-Force Matter, for example, coriander, garlic, raw radish, etc.
• Ensure proper sleep and keep warm at all times.
• Avoid highly ventilated areas after strenuous exercise.
• Do light exercises regularly because they could disturb the Vital-Force Matter, for example, brisk walking, tai chi, yoga, etc. 

Damp Heat Type

• Oily face, prone to acne in the face and neck area.
• Often bad breath and complains of a bitter taste in his mouth.
• Constant thirst.
• Feeling of fatigue and heaviness in the body. It shakes easily.
• Feeling of incomplete defecation or dry, sticky or difficult stools.
• Excessive secretions or moisture in the reproductive organs, may present leukorrhea (white vaginal discharge).
• Aversion to heat and humid weather.
• Diagnosis of Tongue: sticky yellow coating.
• Pulse Diagnosis: slippery and rapid.

How to Relatively Balance this body type:

• Eat more foods that have moisture and heat clearing properties that are sweet, refreshing, and balanced, for example, kidney beans, water chestnuts, string beans, water spinach, celery, cucumber, melon, watermelon, root lotus, barley, etc.
• Eat less spicy, astringent, and greasy foods, for example, fried and grilled food, garlic chives, eels, etc. Also, avoid drinking alcohol and smoking. 
• The environment where you live should be dry and well ventilated.
• Avoid outdoor activities when the weather is hot and humid.
• Maintain adequate and regular sleep. Avoid staying up late.
• Perform high-intensity exercises, they are suitable and regulate the flow of Vital-Force Matter in the Liver and Gallbladder Organ Systems, which remove heat and moisture from the body, for example, ball games, martial arts, etc.

Blood Stasis Type

• Experiences pain.
• Prone to forgetting.
• Irritable.
• Often has dull complexion and dark skin pigmentation, dark-colored lips, unknown bruising.
• Dark circles under the eyes.
• Easily shaken.
• Appear bruise easily.
• Aversion to cold weather.
• Prone to bleeding disorders and abnormal growths on the body.
• Diagnosis of the Tongue: purple tongue, swollen veins under the tongue.
• Pulse diagnosis: rapid, thin and strong.

How to Relatively Balance this body type:

• Eat more foods that promote blood circulation, disperse Vital-Force Matter and soothe the Liver Organ System, for example, red beans, black beans, seaweed, green tea, Judas ear mushroom, hawthorn berries, radish, onion, garlic, ginger, mushroom, vinegar and rosehip tea, etc.
• Eat less fatty foods, sweets, for example, fatty meat, dairy products, etc.
• Avoid being too sedentary to avoid congestion of Vital-Force Matter and Blood.
• Carry out activities that promote Blood circulation, for example, tai chi, yoga, dance, acrobatics, etc.
• Massages can help maintain a smooth flow of Vital-Force Matter through the acupuncture meridians/channels and caves.
• Stay warm and avoid the cold, do not expose yourself to air conditioning for a long time.
• Listen to relaxing music to calm mental-emotional states.

Vital-Force Matter Stagnation Type

• Thin and fragile appearance, in some cases they tend to have swollen belly and sides. 
• Deals poorly with stress and tension, is usually introverted, prone to mood swings, anxiety, depression and mania. Difficult to leave the past, tends to think about the same situation a lot and feels unhappy, worries too much.
• Poorly adapted to mental stimulation.
• Susceptibility to insomnia.
• Excessive sighing.
• Prone to conditions such as hysteria and globus hysteriocus (sensation of lumps in the throat without visible physical changes).
• Palpitations in the chest and throat tightness.
• Aversion to autumn, winter and rainy seasons.
• Diagnosis of the Tongue: purple.
• Pulse diagnosis: wiry. 

How to Relatively Balance this body type:

• As bad mood is closely related to the Liver Organ System Vital-Force Matter, consume foods to disperse the Liver and improve the flow of Vital-Force Matter, remove Stagnation, aid digestion and refresh mental-emotional states, for example, wheat, parsley, onion, garlic, lily, algae, turnip, kumquat, rosehip, millet, radish, grapefruit, kiwi, hawthorn, kelp, deep-sea fish, etc.
• The environment where you live should be calm; ensure regular sleep.
• Consider vigorous outdoor exercise, eg mountain climbing, swimming, martial arts, etc.
• Do not isolate yourself, participate in group exercises and games, such as dance, ball games and chess, to improve social life.
• Practice lifelong learning.

Special or Inherited Constitution Type

• Inherent sensitivity to certain medications, foods, odours, or other allergens, such as pollen.
• They often have allergies that affect the respiratory system and skin, such as a stuffy nose, itching, sneezing, rashes (not related to the flu), a tendency to have asthma, etc. 
• Often sensitive to changes in temperature, weather, and seasons.
• Diagnosis of Tongue: pale without or with a white coat.
• Pulse diagnosis: slow, deep, weak and empty.

How to Relatively Balance this body type:

• Avoid contact with possible allergens.
• Maintain a soft and balanced diet with enough vegetables, brown rice, animal and non-animal protein.
• Honey, dates, enoki mushrooms, and carrots can help fight allergies.
• Eat fewer foods that are spicy, contain allergens, cause irritation, or are considered to have stimulant effects, such as buckwheat, crab, strong tea, fava beans, Egyptian bean, beef, goose meat, etc.
• The environment where you live should be well ventilated and clean.
• Maintain good hygiene; blankets and sheets should be washed and sunbathed regularly to prevent dust mites.
• Avoid having pets.
• Exercise to increase immunity.

In reality it is difficult to classify a person as being one type specifically when in fact they are usually a blend of constitutions.
For example, a person might be a blend of Cold and Dry; Damp and Hot; or Cold and Deficient.
One should always mix different flavors and bio-energies according to one’s needs when planning a balanced diet.
The therapist may guide the patient with dietary advice, which is not limited but inclusive of all ethnic cuisines.
Eating properly for one’s constitution is a conscious process of shifting to a more balanced diet.
The shift will not restrict one’s diet; one may give up or limit some foods but one may also discover a whole variety of foods that one have never tried before.

Holistic bio-energetic diet therapy apart from the established scientific approach it is integrated with the philosophy of the Yin and the Yang, two opposing yet complementary forces that make up life and vigour. Yin (Cooling) and Yang (Warming) foods fall along a spectrum, where nothing is purely Yin or purely Yang; foods just have more Yin or Yang (energy).

In Holistic bio-energetic diet therapy, by following the principle of integrated, holistic clinical medicine, psychology and psychiatry, treating illness and disease based on pattern of disharmony, bio-energetic classification foods may be considered a therapeutic tool and recommended based on patient’s individual pattern of disharmony when patient is sick or constitutional type, and when patient is not sick but he or she has abnormal constitutional type. So, one can say it is about eating with intention and mindfulness.

The bio-energetic property of foods is classified into cold, cool, warm, Hot or Neutral according to their effect on the body and mental-emotional states: those can raise the body and mental-emotional states inner Heat, improve the circulation and nourish the bio-energy of the body and mental-emotional states are Warm and Hot foods; while those can calm the mental-emotional states, cool the blood, clear toxins and reduce heat, conversely, cold or cool foods.

By the same token, foods with cooling or cold bio-energetic property are often recommended to patients with Warm or Hot constitution or patients classified with Heat or Fire patterns of disharmony. Foods with Warm or Hot bio-energetic property are often recommended to patients with a Cool or Cold constitution or patients classified as having a Cool or Cold patterns of disharmony.

Moreover, foods can also be understood as either Heating, Cooling, Drying or Humid or Damp.

Balancing as well these bio-energetic properties of food is considered a more complete key for health, thus helping to prevent illness and disease.

Holistic bio-energetic diet therapy is dynamic and consists of organic, local, seasonal, green, super and whole foods and includes lots of vegetables, fruits, nuts, vegan milks, complex carbohydrates, healthy fats and proteins, both of animal and non-animal origin.

It is highly recommended that one should eat according to one’s body constitution, age, gender and lifestyle, current health conditions, locally oriented produce, and current season.

Holistic Bio-energetic Diet Therapy centres on the idea that much better health can be achieved through a holistic and bio-energetic-individual approach to healthy nutrition and lifestyle.

Many of modern society’s health problems result from both weaknesses or deficiencies and excess or combination of both in the body’s physiological foundations brought on by inadequate, excessive or poor nutrition.

Through a Holistic bio-energetic diet therapy one learns a wide range of educational tools and techniques to identify and correct bio- energetic nutritional imbalances, excesses or deficiencies, or a mixture of both.

It includes properly prepared and nutrient dense whole super organic foods, efficient digestion and elimination, blood sugar regulation, healthy fatty acids, minerals, vitamins and hydration etc.

We firmly believe that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to a healthy nutrition thus a bio-energetic individually tailored approach is the key to overall wellness.

As above mentioned, food has various bio-energetic properties, including Warm, Hot, Cold, and Cool.

Among them, Warm and Hot share the similar bio-energetic property, while Cold and Cool are also of a similar nature. Bio-energetically Warm and Hot food can warm the digestive system for dispelling Coldness, invigorate the Spleen-Pancreas Organ System and reinforce the Stomach Organ System, and strengthen the Kidney Yang Organ System, which are suitable for those who are in Deficiency of Yang with Hyperactivity of Yin and Cold constitution, with symptoms appearing like cold limbs and waist, chills, thin sloppy stool and frequent nocturia, apathy, melancholy, gloom.

Bio-energetically Warm food includes:

Oats, apricots, coriander or cilantro, chives, onion, leeks, green onion, asparagus, red peppers, sword or scimitar bean, spearmint, Garland chrysanthemum, pomegranate, apricot, peach, cherries, litchees, longan fruit, raspberry, papaya, chestnut, pumpkin, winter or acorn squash, glutinous rice, jujube or red dates, Jackfruit, guavas, walnut, pine nut, lotus root (cooked), mussels, fresh water eels, sea cucumber, carps, abalone, large head hairtail or beltfish, lobster, fresh water shrimps, chicken ( black boned too), sparrow, venison, pig’s liver, ham and bacon, goat and sheep milk, goose egg, sparrow egg, maltose, malt syrup, brown sugar, cumin, clove, fennel, ginger (fresh), dill seed, nutmeg, rosemary, turmeric, star anise, Timut or Sichuan pepper, Peruvian pepper, caraway seed, sweet basil, tobacco, vinegar, wine, coffee (brewed), common vegetable oil, rosehip, sweet osmanthus flowers (also known as sweet, tea or fragrant olive) and jasmine.

Bio-energetically Hot food includes:

Black pepper, cinnamon, garlic, ginger (dried), chili, mustard seed, horseradish, wasabi, trout, lamb and mutton, sheep kidney, venison, goat, caffeine, spirits and liqueurs such as scotch, whiskey, rum, gin, vodka, tequila & mezcal, cognac, vermouth, absinthe etc.

Both Bio-energetically Cold and Cool food possess positive effects, for instance, clearing Heat and purging Fire, detoxifying and laxative, expelling Damp or Humidity and Dryness, which are beneficial to those in Deficiency of Yin and with Hyperactivity of Yang and Hot constitution, with symptoms like repeated sore mouth and tongue, dry mouth and tongue, dysphoria, with feverish sensation in chest, palms and soles, dry stool, irritability, anger etc.

Bio-energetically Cool food includes:

Millet, barley, wheat, buckwheat, Job’s tears or adlay or adlay millet, aubergine or eggplant, cucumber, ash, or white, winter, tallow, or wax gourd, various looffas, daikon or mooli, turnips, lettuce root, celery, peppermint, broccoli, cauliflower, leaf mustard, spinach, Napa cabbage, pak choi , amaranth, Indian lettuce, lily bulb, pea, mung bean, pears, melon or muskmelon, apple, coconut, strawberry, orange, tangerine, loquat fruit, mango, papaya, water caltrop or hishi or Shringataka, green tea leaf, bean curd or tofu, various common mushrooms, lily flower, duck egg, egg white, pig skin, rabbit meat, conch or sea snails, frog legs, sesame oil, sour cream, yogurt and cheese.

Bio-energetically Cold food includes:

Aloe vera, Bamboo shoots, chrysanthemum, bitter gourd, cow’s milk, water chestnut, root of kudzu vine, wild rice stem, angled luffa, sugar cane, tomato, lotus root (cooked), watermelon, banana, honeysuckle, pomelo or shaddock, grapefruit, persimmon, mulberry, blackberry, star fruit, preserved jellyfish, seaweed, kelp, cuttlefish, crabs, sea clams, snails, pig’s bone marrow, sprouts, kangkong or water or river spinach, wax, watercress, common lettuce, arrowhead tuber, salt and soya sauce.

Furthermore, there is some bio-energetically Neutral food, neither Cold nor Hot and good to eat all year round:

Round-grained rice, corn, taro, sweet potato, potato, turnips, carrot, savoy cabbage, radish leaf, beetroot, yam, fuzzy melon, black beans, adzuki beans, kidney beans, peas, black-eyed or cowpeas, peanut oil, hazelnuts, cashew nut & milk, pistachio nut, lotus seed, black sesame seeds, sunflower seed, plums, figs, grapes, lemon, olives, pineapple, coconut meat, Goji or wolf berries, white jelly mushroom or silver ear fungus, cloud ear fungus, oyster and shiitake mushroom, sturgeon, perch, sea shrimps, loach, pork, duck, goose, oysters, beef, quail, sea eels, egg yolk, quail egg, royal jelly, honey etc.

Food does not only possess the above Five Bio-energetic Properties, that is, Warm, Hot, Cold and Cool, and Mild but also carry with Five Bio-energetic Flavours, viz., Spicy or Pungent, Sweet, Sour, Bitter, Salty.

The Sweet and Spicy or Pungent flavours have Yang qualities, while Salty, Sour and Bitter flavours have Yin qualities. Talking about distributions of Five Bio-Energetic Flavours, Sour food was said to be absorbed by the Liver organ system, Spicy by the Lung organ system, Bitter by the Heart organ system, Salty by the Kidney organ system, Sweet by the Spleen-Pancreas organ system. That is to say, each energetic flavour plays a different role in different organ systems respectively. Unhealthy diet or being partially or completely dependent or even addicted to a particular food will do harm to the above-mentioned organ systems. It has also been noted in ancient medical texts that on the one hand, Yin originates from Five Bio-energetic Flavours, however, on the other hand, organ systems where Yin is stored could also be impaired by overuse of Five Bio-energetic Flavours. If bio-energetic flavour is too Sour, the Liver organ system vital force-matter would increase and the Spleen organ system vital force-matter will decrease. If bio-energetic flavour is too Salty, it could lead to bone damage, impotent muscle and depressed heart organ system vital force-matter; if bio-energetic flavour is too Sweet, the Heart organ system vital force-matter would rise up, causing asthma, darkened skin and imbalance of the Kidney organ system vital force-matter; if bio-energetic flavour is too Bitter, it could cause dryness of the Spleen-Pancreas Heart organ system vital force-matter, abdominal bloating; if bio-energetic flavour is too Spicy, tendons and vessels would become flabby and vigour would be undermined.

That is to say, physiological condition and pathological mechanism of the internal organ systems are inseparable from the Five Bio-energetic Flavours of food. Thus, being a health professional, the first thing is to know clearly is the true source of the disease, what the symptoms and signs are and food treatment should be applied first. If food therapy fails, then one should prescribe medicine.

This concept indicates that Food Therapy should be used before medication therapy, which also theoretically supports the view that dietetic nourishment should be used in preference to medical invigoration.

Spicy or Pungent flavour foods will promote distributions and circulations, and stimulate appetite.

They are ginger (fresh), onion, leeks, scallions or spring onion or sibies, Chinese scallion, shallot, Sichuan peppercorn, garlic, celery, coriander, garlic chives, fennel, spearmint, daikon, radish leaf, chili pepper, sweet peppers, turnips, taro, leaf mustard, Shanghai cabbage, cinnamon, tangerine peel, kumquat, mustard seed and wine.

Sweet flavour foods will slow down acute reactions and neutralize the toxic effects of other foods, and also lubricate and nourish the body and mental-emotional states. They are honey, dates, shiitake mushroom, taro, sweet potato, potato, pumpkin, carrot, glutinous rice, peas, soybean, rice, wheat, corn, sugar cane, peanut, milk, apple, pears, cherry, chestnut, grapes, lotus seed, longan, carp and abalone.

Sour flavour with their astringent character will help to arrest abnormal discharge of fluids and other substances from the body, such as diarrhea, emission and heavy sweating. They are: lemon, tomatoes, pineapple, apple, strawberry, papaya, pears, loquat fruit, oranges, tangerines, peaches, hawthorn fruit, olives, pomegranate, plums, pomelo, mango, grapes, vinegar and royal jelly.

Bitter flavor foods will clear Heat, dry the Humidity or Dampness, stimulate appetite, and promote lowering effects like urination and bowel movements. They are: bitter gourd, Indian lettuce, wine, vinegar, lotus leaf, tea leaf, turnips, apricot seed, lily bulb, gingko, plum kernel, peach kernel, seaweed, pig’s liver, bergamot, arrowhead, asparagus, wild cucumber and coffee.

Salty flavor foods will dissipate accumulations, soften hardness, nourish blood, and lubricate intestines to induce bowel movements. For example, amaranths, millet, barley, laver, preserved jellyfish, seaweed, kelp, sea clams, sea shrimps, oyster, crabs, sea cucumber, field snail, pork, pig’s bone marrow, pig’s blood, pig’s organs, razor clam, dried mussel, ham, bacon, pigeon’s egg, abalone, duck meat and cuttlefish.

Some foods may possess two different flavors or a bland flavor. Foods with a bland flavor usually promote urination and may be used as diuretic, for example Job’s tears, adlay or adlay millet, and wax, winter, or tallow gourd are used for this purpose.

And finally, there is another classification of foods known as foods with a strong smell or aromatic foods such as basil, fennel, coriander or cilantro, mint or garden mint and citrus fruits. These Aromatic foods can be eaten to activate the circulation of the Spleen and Pancreas organ system, stimulate appetite, promote the circulation of vital force-matter, eliminate excess Dampness and Turbidity, and Detoxify.

However, it is always important to keep in mind that too much of a flavor can also damage the organ systems.

Here are some notes and a few dietary principles that will help one stay healthy as much as possible:

1. Balanced Yin and Yang diet and eating with intention and mindfulness are at the heart of Holistic bio-energetic diet therapy and are the key to optimal health. Moderation helps achieve the balance: Eating too many foods considered Warming or Cooling, no matter how healthy one is, could create imbalance and lead to illness and disease. Long-term monitoring of the diet is essential to accomplish balance and that someone with a Cold constitution is avoiding too many Cooling energetic foods and Heat constitutions avoid too many Warming or Hot foods.
2. Eat always at regular hours (when eating only focus on food) and never skip breakfast.
3. The best time to have breakfast is from 7.00 am to 9.00 am. The last meal of the day should be ideally before dark, light and therefore taken many hours before going to bed.
4. Eat healthy protein (either of animal or non-animal origin) with every meal. One’s digestive system processes proteins more slowly than carbohydrates, and this keeps the blood glucose more even. Some good sources of protein are: organic eggs, chicken and other lean meats, fish, lentils, beans, tofu, as well as nuts and seeds.
5. Drink warm water or medicinal plant or herbal tea before each meal. By doing so, the abdominal muscles will relax and the meal will be digested easier.
6. Avoid too many sweets and deep-fried foods altogether. According to Holistic Bio-Energetic Diet Therapy many sweets and too many oily foods damage the digestion. By eating too much of these foods, one will impair the digestive system’s capacity to properly process its contents, which will lead to: bloating, gas, fatigue, and muddled, foggy thinking.
7. Eat according to the seasons. This guiding principle helps support good digestion. During the winter, one should eat warming foods such as soups and cooked meals with animal or non-animal proteins and root vegetables that are in season. During the summer, it’s important to cut down on animal protein consumption and eat more cooling foods like non animal protein, salads and raw veggies and fruits and drink more fluids.
8. Detox at least once a year. The myriad of chemicals one is exposed to, sedentary habits and the stresses and tensions of life lead to the accumulation of toxins in all body tissues. A body that is burdened with toxins is sluggish, stagnant, and slack. This can lead to fatigue, poor immunity, chronic infections, and many other mental-health conditions such as anxiety and depression etc. By doing a body “spring cleaning”, one will improve one’s digestion and overall health, and most likely shed unwanted pounds.
9. Fast at least once a year. Essentially, fasting further cleanses one’s body of toxins and forces cells into processes that are not usually stimulated when a steady stream of fuel from food is always present. When one fasts, the body does not have its usual access to glucose, forcing the cells to resort to other means and materials to produce energy.
10. Holistic bio-energetic diet therapy recognizes that all foods have a particular energy — some more Yin, some more Yang. Yin foods are typically thought of as Cooling and Moistening, while Yang foods help to Warm, Dry and Heat. The terms warming and cooling don’t necessarily refer to a food’s temperature or spiciness, but its energy. Food has the power to improve, even heal and harmonize the body, mental-emotional states and vital force-matter, which refers to someone’s life force.
11. Warming or Yang foods and drinks include: onions, leeks, shallots, garlic, ginger, black pepper, pungent spices like chilli, cayenne, coriander, cumin and turmeric, tomatoes, mangoes, oranges, cherries, cinnamon, chai, coffee and energy drinks, oily foods, chicken, beef, lamb etc.
12. Drying foods and drinks include: crunchy foods like biscuits, crisps, crackers, carrots and celery, nuts and seeds, starchy grains including bread, pasta, rice, potatoes and couscous, beans, lentils and legumes, roasted vegetables, raw food, green tea, cinnamon.
13. Cooling or Yin foods and drinks include: sweet fruits like banana, watermelon and strawberries, raw foods (including uncooked vegetables), dark leafy greens or vegetables such as lettuce, spinach, kale, cold drinks, iced water, peppermint tea, mint tea, chamomile tea, bitter herbs like mustard greens, chicory and dandelion greens or leaves, bean curd or tofu, lotus root, radish, cucumbers, bamboo shoots, seaweeds, clams, and crab.
14. Damp or Humid and Dry foods and drinks: they cause the body to become Damp or Humid (phlegmy, sluggish, swollen) or dry (where it’s lacking moisture). They include: dairy, gluten and wheat-containing foods (bread, pasta, pastries), sweet or high-water content fruits and vegetables like watermelon, pineapple and cucumber, sugars and sweeteners, eggs and meat, soy products, slimy foods such as okra and linseeds etc.
15. Signs of too much Heat: When there is too much heat in the body, it displays redness, burning sensations, inflammation, acidity, loose stools and ‘fiery’ emotions like irritability and anger. Conditions associated with excess heat: cystitis, sinusitis, autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and coeliac disease, high blood pressure, migraines, acid reflux, gastritis, ulcers and inflammatory bowel disease, acne, inflammatory skin diseases and infected wounds, stress and anger management problems.

How to balance Excess Heat:

• Reduce hot foods and drinks, pungent spices such as chili and dry ginger, red meat and oily foods.
• Eliminate chemical food additives, coffee and alcohol.
• Eat more salads, raw food, green smoothies, bitter vegetables and medicinal herbs.
• Do regular fasting and/or detoxification to reduce excess heat.
• Perform healthy exercises or martial arts daily. 
• Meditate, do yoga and Pranayama.

The body can be too Cold or Warm because of internal or external factors, like illness, climate, seasons or consuming too much or too little of certain foods etc. When the body is too warm, for example, someone may experience constipation or dryness, which could be from eating too many spicy foods or spending too much time in a hot, dry climate, it’s too much Heat being held in the body without it being discharged. Too much Cold in the body may be from being sick with a cold or bacterial or viral infection, or having a deficiency, which could cause problems such as fatigue, mental fuzziness or diarrhea. A way to start to address either of those — too Hot, which would be an excess, or too Cold, which would be a deficiency — is to start to think about it in terms of food. From an integrative holistic perspective, eating Cooling foods brings down the Heat, and Warming foods add Heat to the body. The idea is to find a balance between the two, which varies from person to person and is based on one's individual constitution. Some people may have an unbalanced (too Hot or too Cold) constitution, but that doesn’t mean they necessarily have an established medical condition. Food, Cooling or Warming, may be consumed based on constitutional type to help correct some of the abnormalities in constitution and prevent illness. In this case, food is truly used for therapeutic purposes.

17. While focusing on calories and carbohydrates is useful in some situations, it is definitely a reductionist way of looking at food. It does not, if ever, take into account the whole person. Eating according to the bio-energetic properties and flavors of food is a holistic, integral, wholesome way to live that supports good health and well-being, factoring in the dynamic, creative quality of one’s beings.

18. Examples of a Yin-Yang balanced meal.

Truly balancing Yin and Yang foods on one’s own breakfast, lunch or dinner plate is a complex, individualized process. A therapist can assess one constitution and help one get it right. Therapist uses a questionnaire to evaluate someone’s constitution and classify the constitution into one balanced type and other unbalanced types to offer integral holistic dietary advice accordingly.

However here is the example of a balanced meal: If it is cold weather, a soup or stew with animal or non-animal protein such as tempeh, edamame, lentils, beans, hemp seeds, green peas, amaranth, quinoa, chia seeds, wild rice, sweet corn, mycoprotein Quorn, nuts, root vegetables, broccoli, asparagus, artichoke, potatoes, sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts, garlic, ginger, black pepper, onions and pumpkin would, chicken and beef be helpful to warm the body. If it is hot weather, a brown rice bowl with sautéed kale or spinach, bean curd or tofu, seitan, sesame seeds, cucumbers, tomatoes, chickpeas, burdock root and fermented foods, such sauerkraut or cabbage, rabbit meat, cuttlefish, crabs, clams, snails, would be a great way to cool the body.

In Holistic Bio-energetic Diet Therapy you can find three subtypes of diets:

• Essential Bio-energetic Diets: It is characterized in that nutritional programming is the main way to treat the specific disease. That is, diet is the basis of treatment.
• Preventive Bio-energetic Diets: These are those that will prevent the appearance of a specific disease. Its objective is to reduce the possibility of a disease appearing for the person who may be prone to it.
• Palliative Bio-energetic Diets: This diet is offered as a complement to healing and also contributes to other treatments so that the effects of diseases are less on the body.

The diseases that can be treated are:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Constipation
• Diarrhea
• Osteoporosis
• Alcoholism
• Substance abuse
• Ulcers
• Heart disease
• Headache
• Hypertension
• Ulcerative colitis
• Intolerance to lactose, gluten or carbohydrates
• Diabetes
• Renal insufficiency
• Others