Western nutritional theory focuses more on the concept of a balanced diet based on the 4 food groups, the food pyramid as well as the material food components such as carbohydrates, fat, protein, vitamins, minerals, and trace elements.
In the Eastern nutrition, a balanced diet is based upon the holistic concept of yin and yang and illustrates how thermal nature (hot/cold/neutral) and flavour of foods (sweet/acrid/sour/bitter/salty) influence the body. Like with how acupuncture points are based on a patient’s specific TCM pattern, your diet should also be modified based on your diagnosis.
For example, a common diet misconception in the West is that salads, smoothies and juices are good for everyone because of the large quantity of fruit and vegetables. From a vitamin and mineral perspective, this may be true, but one thing that all these items have in common based on TCM theory is that they are cold in property. If a person has a cold constitution, or an already weak digestive system, consuming a lot of these types of foods it can make their symptoms worse.
It is important to understand that everyone is an individual, which means there isn’t a one size fits all solution, especially when it comes to diet. Once you know your TCM diagnosis and have an understanding of what that means, you can adjust your diet to what is best for your body. The famous physician Sun Si Miao of the Tang Dynasty emphasized the important role of dietary therapy:
“Dietary therapy should be the first step when one treats a disease. Only when this is unsuccessful should one try medicines.”
In a further quote, he emphasizes the preventive character of Chinese dietetics:
“Without the knowledge of proper diet, it is hardly possible to enjoy good health.”
Krista is a Women’s Health Expert.
As an acupuncturist Krista is like a gardener. It is her job to help the garden (her patients) to thrive. She is able to help nature along by providing the necessary water and fertilizer (a.k.a acupuncture & TCM modalities). Krista makes sure that the plants receive the right amount of sun and remove any weeds. Gardening takes time and effort, but the reward is a beautiful healthy garden with abundant flowers and vegetables.
When you work with Krista in clinic, on your initial visit you will complete a full health history evaluation. This looks at all body systems, in order to get a full picture of your health. Additionally, she will do a tongue, pulse and hara diagnosis, all of which provide another picture of what is going on in the body from a physical point of view. When the intake is complete she will determine your TCM diagnosis and treatment plan, followed by the treatment itself. Once the needles are in, they are retained for 20-30 minutes while you relax. The needles are then removed & once you are off the table she will discuss future treatment plans with you.
You can think of an Acupuncture treatment like removing a kink in a hose. If your garden hose has a kink in it, water cannot flow and without adequate water the plants cannot thrive, grow and flower. As an Acupuncturist Krista detects and corrects where the kinks or blockages in the flow of Qi (energy) are. Once located, she can use specific points & TCM modalities to un-kink and restore the proper flow of Qi, so that your cells, muscles, tissues and organs can function correctly.