Health begins within and radiates outward. By making conscious food choices and providing your body with the fuel it needs, you will be well on your path to optimal health.

Foundational Dietary Guidelines: please note, the foods listed below are primarily vegetable and fruits (ideally organic), because a primarily plant based diet is scientifically been proven to have the most dramatic anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer effects on the body.  Getting adequate protein (organic and ideally sprouted legumes/nuts/seeds) and some healthy fats (avocado, cold pressed organic extra virgin coconut oil, organic extra virgin olive oil  or organic nuts/seeds) are important for adequate energy and hormonal function.  Some organic grass-fed, wild, pasture raised lean meats & eggs may be well tolerated and even beneficial for some individuals but overall the diet should be nutrient dense, fiber and antioxidant rich with plenty of organic fruits and vegetables.  Spices & herbs can also be very healing such as basil, cilantro, turmeric, ginger, etc.. However, if your gut lining is not healthy, some foods may cause irritation and inflammation can ensue (some of these foods may be "healthy" otherwise but for you can trigger symptoms).  A qualified practitioner can help you identify a supportive diet for you but trust in your bodies wisdom and pay attention to how different foods impact your well being.  

Creating Balance: in general, foods can either nourish and strengthen your body or cause imbalance. When an imbalance occurs, foods are chosen according to their energetic qualities, such as warming, cooling, drying and moistening. To correct this balance, according to Chinese nutrition, one wants to warm the cold condition, cool the hot condition, dry the damp condition, and moisten the dry condition:

COLD Foods for HOT/WARM Conditions: Bamboo shoots, banana, grapefruit, kelp, lettuce, persimmon, salt, seaweed, water chestnut and watermelon

COOLING Foods for HOT/WARM Conditions: Apple, cucumber, lettuce, mango, millet, mung bean, pear, peppermint, radish, sesame oil, spinach, strawberry, tangerine, tomato and wild rice

HOT Foods for COLD Conditions: Black pepper, cinnamon, garlic, ginger (dried), green, red, or white pepper

WARMING Foods for COLD Conditions: Caraway, cherry, chestnut, chive, clove, coconut, coriander, date, dill, fennel, garlic, ginger (fresh), ginseng, grapefruit peel, green onion, kumquat, leek, nutmeg, onion, peach, raspberry, rosemary, spearmint, squash, star anise, sunflower seed, sweet basil, and vinegar

DRYING Foods for DAMP Conditions: Adzuki bean, celery, corn, daikon radish, garlic, green tea, jasmine tea, horseradish, kidney bean, lemon, marjoram, parsley, pumpkin, radish, scallion and turnip

LUBRICATING Foods for DRYING Conditions: Almonds, apple, banana, honey, millet, persimmon, pine nut, seaweeds, sesame seeds and spinach

NEUTRAL Foods for ALL Conditions: Adzuki bean, apricot, beetroot, black sesame seeds, cabbage, carrot, celery, corn, apple, fig, grape, honey, kidney bean, licorice, olive, papaya, pineapple, plum, potato, pumpkin, radish leaf, wild salmon, saffron, shiitake mushroom, sour plum, sunflower seed, sweet rice, sweet potato, wild white fish, white rice and yam

Additional Simple Dietary Recommendations: Drink plenty of room or warm temperature water between meals. Avoid guzzling liquids during a meal and avoid consuming iced drinks or large quantities of raw food which is difficult for the body to digest. Eat mindfully in a quiet peaceful environment without multitasking. Eat frequent small meals throughout the day. Consume protein at every meal and avoid processed sugar. Eat lots of colorful seasonal local and organic fruits/vegetables as much as possible incorporating sour, sweet, pungent, bitter, and salty flavors into each meal for optimal energy and balance.