Chinese Nutrition Therapy: Dietetics in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)

Let food be your medicine and medicine be your food – Hippocrates, ca. 460–ca. 370 BC

For millennia, the Chinese have taught that a balanced and nutritious diet is an integral part of maintaining good health while healing a wide range of disorders. Here, in a new and third edition of the acclaimed Chinese Nutrition Therapy, the author further demystifies Chinese dietetics, one of the pillars of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).

Joerg Kastner’s introduction to the principles of TCM and the “energetics” of foods emphasizes a holistic approach throughout, providing readers with tools for integrating the principles of Chinese dietetics into their daily lives. Included are a comprehensive classification of more than 300 readily available foods such as vegetables, grains, herbs and spices, fruits, meat and poultry, seafoods, dairy products, oils and fats, and nuts and seeds. Many clinical examples and treatment suggestions artfully combine Western medical conditions with Chinese diagnostic and therapeutic techniques.

The explanation of causes of diseases, the different symptoms, and lists of recommended foods and foods to avoid are supplemented by advice on appropriate acupuncture treatments.

The third edition has been expanded with chapters covering allergies, food sensitivities, dietary support in oncologic cases, fasting, “superfoods,” and smoothies. Where appropriate, bridges have been constructed between the paradigms of TCM and those of contemporary scientific medicine. The section “Food Classification” has been developed further to include more detail and many more foods.

Highlights

• Descriptions of Chinese dietetics in practice and discussions of dietary factors, such as seasonal adaptations and differing requirements for children and seniors
• Practical tips on how to adapt Chinese nutrition therapy to Western products and cooking methods
• Clinical examples covering the major organ systems
• A handy “A to Z” list of common foods and their healing characteristics
• User-friendly Chinese Nutrition Therapy is an essential reference for students and practitioners of TCM, likewise to be valued by nutritionists, dieticians, physicians, and anyone interested in living a long and healthy life.