Dietary Therapy: Healthful Eating
The quality of the food you ingest directly correlates to the quality of your energy and vitality. Use these tips for healthful eating:

Eat small meals
It's better to eat small, high quality meals than large, nutrient poor meals. By eating sparingly, you allow the digestive system to completely extract the nutrients that the body needs to perform the tasks put before it each day. Eating smaller meals allows you to experience true hunger instead of simply eating mechanically or having your eating schedule dictated by the clock. Just think of how much you can save on your monthly food budget by eating smaller, more nutrient packed meals, while maintaining a healthy weight at the same time!

Eat according to the seasons
While we are very fortunate to have a wide variety foods to choose from at any time we choose to eat them, there is something to be said for eating what is available locally. Not only does this support local growers, but you are synchronizing your eating habits with what is available during each season. For example, during the winter months, root vegetables are in abundance. They hold within themselves, the warmth of the earth, and are often associated with comfort foods such as casseroles and stews; those meals our bodies look forward to in the cold, dark months.

Avoid cold beverages
Avoid drinking cold beverages right from the refrigerator or those with ice in them. The extreme cold temperature snuffs out the stomach’s warm digestive fires that are needed to ferment the food you have ingested. The amount of daily energy available is directly related to the strength of your digestive system.

Eat a potent diet
The quality and foods you pick will have a direct correlation to the quality of your body’s energy. If you are always choosing foods from the same food groups or eating older, less vital foods, you may be sacrificing your own vitality in the process. Buying only what you need and varying your diet daily can result in a wonderful experience at meals and vibrant health.

Your food choices are as important as the amount you eat. Rice and grains are highly regarded in the Chinese diet due to their nourishing effects on the body. Red meat should be eaten sparingly due to its rich character, which when eaten too frequently or in large amounts can create sluggish energy flow in the body. Red meat however, is a great dietary supplement for women after childbirth and menstruation or for those with debilitating illnesses. 

Limiting foods that create acidity in the body, such as dairy, sugar, alcohol and the nightshade vegetable family (potatoes, tomatoes and peppers) can have a preventative effect against many modern day diseases.

The cooking method you choose to prepare your food with can also have dramatic effects on the same food. For example, cooked vegetables are considered more fortifying than raw vegetables, which are more detoxifying for the body. 

Choosing the proper variety of foods, a suitable cooking method and the appropriate portions can turn food into a powerful agent for healing.