We are all made of energy as is the world around us. Every function in our body, and every interaction with our external world to include with the food we eat is an energetic process and exchange.
This energy determines how alive and how good we feel in our body. Keeping our energy flowing and in balance is a critical aspect of health.
Foods are also a form of energy (and not just in terms of calories). They interact with the energy of our body and can shift our energy in one direction or the other - in this way, when we are paying attention, foods not only nourish us (or harm us depending on the type of foods we are eating), but they can also be a valuable tool in helping us return our body to a more balanced state.
If you recall from a previous article, healing is a return to wholeness and the process of healing enables us to return to a state of living, dynamic balance – both within our body and in relation to the world around us. Returning to wholeness and staying in balance requires that we live in accordance with natural laws and rhythms, and that we connect or stay connected with Spirit.
Our modern ways of living and the chaos of the world today can make this seem difficult to do, yet I am here to tell you that it is all really quite simple if we are willing to do a bit of work – it is a choice, we always have the free will to choose.
If you don't currently feel good, if you are lacking in energy, or are feeling out of balance, you have the power to transform. One of the ways we can do this is through the foods we eat, and through some type of detoxification as discussed in previous articles. We can choose to take steps that will bring our bodies back into harmony and alignment with nature and back into balance.
A great symbol for depicting this balance and harmony is the Tao symbol of Yin and Yang.
The concept of Yin and Yang was fully developed sometime between (476-221 BC) in China. There, a Naturalist School, which promoted the idea of living in harmony with natural laws, interpreted natural phenomena and observed how they are reflected in the human body both in health, and in disease.
It was and is taught that all living creatures are designed to live in a state of harmony with the universe, and the energy found in it. Ch’i, or Qi, is the energy that is present in all life and that guides everything in the universe.
One of the primary philosophies found within Taoism is the belief in balancing forces. Yin and Yang represent two opposing and matching forces that together complete wholeness.
Yin and Yang represent matching pairs such as hot and cold, light and dark, action and inaction, which work in harmony together towards universal wholeness. They represent the concept that everything in the universe is connected, and nothing can truly be defined without the presence of its opposing twin.
While it seems these are separate, they are not. They represent a dynamic, living, breathing wholeness where both halves are always chasing after each other as they seek to maintain balance.
In this way, Yin and Yang represent the energetic balance within our body – spiritually, mentally and emotionally, and physically.
As representations of energy, Yin and Yang are never static, and are always in constant interplay and motion depending on how we are interacting with our environment, and how our energy is managed, used, directed, or flowing in our bodies.
Nothing and no one is ever totally Yin or totally Yang. Throughout a single day and throughout our lives, the relative levels of Yin and Yang change within our body in a living dance, where one is always creating or activating, warming or cooling, nourishing or consuming the other.
When Yin and Yang are kept in dynamic balance, there are no symptoms to observe.
However, when the dance between the two becomes unbalanced due to one or the other being deficient, or in excess – the two become separated and lose their harmony with each other. This is when our bodies begin to react and show signs and symptoms. If allowed to continue, we progress towards disease.
There are four possible states of imbalance between Yin and Yang:
Preponderance (Excess) of Yin
Preponderance (Excess) of Yang
Weakness (Deficiency) of Yin
Weakness (Deficiency) of Yang
A few very general examples of imbalance are (actual physical symptoms will depend on specific pathologies, which organ is involved, etc.):
When Yin does not cool and nourish Yang, then Yang rises (headaches, red face, sore eyes, sore throats, nosebleeds, irritability, manic behavior)
When Yang does not warm and activate Yin (cold limbs, hypo-activity, poor circulation of blood, pale face, low energy)
What does this have to do with nutrition and detoxification?
Before adopting a new diet or embarking on a detoxification or healing protocol, it is recommended that you assess whether or not you are in energetic balance and harmony, or in a state of imbalance between your Yin and Yang.
Without going into too much detail, if you are more Yin, then you will not do well on a raw food diet, or with mostly juicing, smoothies, etc. because these will be too cooling for you. This does not mean you should not eat raw foods, or that you should not juice or drink smoothies. It means you should do so with caution and be sure to add many warming foods (garlic, ginger, spices) in your diet, and avoid too much of those foods that can be very cooling (celery, cucumber, etc).
As an example, there is a “miracle” cure that has been promoted – drinking 16oz of fresh celery juice upon waking on an empty stomach. If you are more Yin than Yang, this will aggravate your condition because it is bringing you further out of balance. Yet, if you are more Yang than Yin, you will feel great on this protocol because it will help bring your Yin and Yang back into balance.
On the flip side, if you have heard of fire cider, a homemade concoction designed to help protect yourself from pathogens, often made from garlic, ginger, habanero, onion, etc. – you may be tempted to take this frequently during certain parts of the year. However, if you are too Yang, this can greatly aggravate your system by bringing you even more out of balance due to the heat it generates. However, if you are more Yin, this tonic can help bring you back into balance due to the heat it brings.
Essentially, if you find that your body is saying no to raw salads, cold smoothies, etc. – pay attention. You may find that your body is in need of more heat to bring your energetic system back into balance, in which case you would want to eat lightly steamed vegetables versus raw and add in spices like curries, garlic, ginger, etc.
Understanding the balance in our systems from this perspective can help teach us how to listen to what our body is telling us. With this knowledge we can become more intuitive and more empowered when it comes to keeping our bodies in balance.
The chart below lists a few characteristics of Yin and Yang. This is a simple exercise that will help you to determine how balanced the energies are in your body.
You can print this out and place a check mark next to any that apply (in both columns) (or simply tally on a piece of paper for each column). Total the check marks for each column to determine whether you are in balance, or more Yin or Yang.
You can find a decent list of foods that are Yin, Yang, and Neutral in the resources listed below:
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