Are there any foods that can raise your level of chi?

[phantom]

I have heard of some foods depleting your chi, like ones that have a lot of processed sugar in them and yellow vegetables. Are there any that can actually increase your level of chi? Thanks in advance.

[spiraler]

i heard bitter foods are better for your kidneys, and kidneys play an important roll with that.

[The Willow Sword]

Cartain foods are considered to be Yang(warming) and Yin (cooling)

example Fruits such as apples, plums, melons are cooling to the system where as foods like chicken, white rice, broccoli, heat the system up.

since "chi" is essentially energy in the body,,whatever you consume will stimulate that energy and naturally anything that is high in protien and high in carb will heat the system up,,and anything that is watery and fiberous and that has a natural sugar content will cool the system down.


Peace,,TWS

[norther practitioner]

what about chis



sorry, there are certain foods good for dispelling damp energy and such, but I'm not up on tcm and chi and such.

[JohnnyMnemonic]

There is a book called "Healing with whole foods" by a guy named Paul Pitchford.

The book has been around for years. It is a good book because it applies Chinese food theory to Western foods. All the books I read were all about the properties of Chinese food. If you don't eat chinese all the time, the theories are not much help.

The book is gigantic, about 2 inches thick. It will tell you just about everything you want to know about the chi in foods and when you should and should not eat them.

http://www.northatlanticbooks.com/pr...556434308.html

[YuanZhideDiZhen]

I have found that a tablespoon of wildflower pollen per day does more for me than just about anything else. it has 11 of the 12 essential amino acids for good health plus two more (in the average sample). its 20% protein by wieght. and it has what few vegetables have: variety of amino acids. the typical adult diet has only 7 amino acids. why do you feel old? because you don't have what it takes to be a 14 year old!

[threetimes]

qi defines a relationship...

ultimatly its healthy lifestyle all round that will boost 'qi (chi)'... Healthy eating habits are as important as anything.

The Paul Pitchford book referred to is a good book... It introduces some of the fundamantals of Chinese medecine then details a bunch of foods and their therapeutic values... Theres a bunch of recipes, along with some methods of fasting and cleansing.

Anyway, I recomend the Paul Pitchford book...

good eating habits along with some Qi Gong practice is a good place to look for increasing that 'qi' potential. good luck.

[Starchaser107]

this is very good for enhancing ones chi drink

[frog]

Sorry guys but I have to disagree. Pitchford's book does not represent traditional Chinese dietary theory. It represents Pitchford's theories which I think can be categorised as 'new age.' A central aspect of his theory is 'food combining' which has nothing whatsoever to do with TCM. If you like it, that's cool, just don't confuse it with TCM. Much of his writing about food temperatures and effects completely disagree with TCM.

That said there are many different traditions of dietetics in China and many are completely opposed to each other. Some espouse fasting; some works say fasting destroys the qi. Some require vegetarianism, while most think vegetarianism is a bad idea.

There aren't many decent books about Chinese dietary theories in English. Chinese dietary Therapeutics by Ji Jinliu/Gordon Peck is really good and I think Bob Flaws has published some decent works.

As for building qi, most foods do this. Grains, starchy vegetables and meats are all a safe bet for building qi. However, a balanced diet and correct eating habits are important. Simply eating a diet high in meats and sweets coud lead to all sorts of problems including dampness, phlegm, food stagnation, internal heat or a combination of any and all of them.

[threetimes]

Hi Frog... In a way I agree with you disagreement...

however I do think Pitchfords book is a good book for those without acces to TCM... That being said I do agree with what you say. Pitchford does have contradictions in the book, but I still think its one of the better books availible in the west. It is one of the more acknowledged books on the topic, here in the west anyway.

[JohnnyMnemonic]

I am no expert in TCM so I can't say if Pritchford's book goes along exactly with TCM principles.

I liked it because it was approachable. As I said before, most other books deal only with chinese foods. Being able to read about potatoes or broccoli meant something to me. Heck. I wouldn't know if he made a mistake according to TCM or not. Reading the book still gave me ideas and made me interested in learning some more. It game me more reason to believe all the other ideas from Asian cultures that seem weird.

If you don't mind reading on the computer, I bet you could search for chinese food theory and get some hits on the internet. Save yourself some money buying a book.

[monkeyfoot]

Ive just been in china and i picked up some tea that is good for your chi (also got some nice tea made from a plant in guillin). Teas are generally good all round for health.

i would stay away from really spicy foods - so i heard. I think I read something that spicy foods make you pass more gas and taoists believed that it holds vital energy. But then again they believed that if you eat enough gold you could live longer......

craig

[Mikkyou]

Craig are you saying gas or a f.a.r.t. is vital energy

[threetimes]

anything tha wants to come out of the body should be expelled... it is evil... gui xie.

[YuanZhideDiZhen]

being that chi has its center very near to the pathway of gas as it leaves; and that breath is the source of all chi; and the (b)vileness of its nature; especially that a clear, odorless breath should escape as *a staining wind*; that bad gas causes pain near to your center under your diaphram; that bad gas can seem to start its eminance from this place where your large intestine starts and rumbles its way past your crutch: i can understand why an analmyst might think a f.a.r.t. is vital force -or even a spirit- escaping.