What is Food Therapy?

Food therapy (食疗 – “shí liáo”) is a core aspect of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and promotes a more mindful approach to eating. Like acupuncture, it serves as a powerful tool to help restore balance within the body.

In Eastern medicine, our symptoms—which can change from day to day— are not viewed as illness or disease, per se. Instead, they are merely guideposts pointing us inward, towards our underlying constitutional imbalances. When we make the proper adjustments to bring our physiological systems back into balance, our bodies can once again function more optimally. We may find that some of our symptoms begin to lessen in severity or even disappear altogether as we offer our bodies sufficient nutrition and proper lifestyle adjustments.

Nutrition is foundational to our health, influencing everything from energy levels to resilience against illness. The way we eat can either fuel vitality or pave the way to health issues. While Western medicine often underemphasizes nutrition in managing or treating illness, Eastern medicine prioritizes food therapy and balanced eating as essential components for both healing and maintaining good health.

A More Reflective Approach

Eastern Food Therapy vs. Western Nutrition & Dieting

Mindfulness matters.

While Western nutrition emphasizes tracking calories and monitoring daily nutrients, Eastern food therapy focuses on the properties & quality of foods and how they distinctly interact with our individual constitutions.

Everyone is different.

Many modern diets overlook individual differences, like constitutional traits and underlying imbalances, making them effective for some but not for others.

It’s not about “good” vs. “bad.”

Most natural, whole foods aren’t necessarily good or bad—their suitability depends on our current state of health, as both our body and its needs are constantly changing.

What are Patterns in TCM?

Pattern diagnosis (辨证论治 – “biànzhèng lùn zhì”) is a cornerstone of TCM, and aims to identify the root causes of symptoms and imbalances in the body.

When developing this system, the ancient Chinese did not look at the human body through a biomedical lens as we do today. Instead, they drew on Taoist philosophy, developing a means for understanding the human body and its conditions using nature as their guide, with the wisdom that everything is ultimately connected.

They understood that the mind, body and spirit are not separate, but intricately intertwined. Therefore, internal climates can mirror external weather patterns like dryness, cold, or dampness. For example, dryness may manifest as skin issues, while dampness can appear as fluid retention or congestion.

When imbalances persist long enough, the body signals its needs through symptoms, which TCM views as clues pointing back to those imbalances. Restoring health involves identifying these patterns of imbalance and then correcting them—like, cooling excess heat, boosting energy for qi deficiency, or resolving stagnation by invigorating circulation.

By aligning with nature’s rhythms and supporting the body’s needs accordingly, TCM and food therapy offer a more holistic path to well-balanced health.

What foods are best for you?

Take the quiz to learn more
about your pattern.

How to Get Started

Understanding your TCM pattern is the first step to eating mindfully and addressing your unique health needs.

Take our free quiz to identify your primary imbalance. (Keep in mind, we often have more than one pattern.) Explore detailed information about each pattern below, including recommended foods and ingredients to help restore balance.

Meal Planning Made Simple

For overall wellness: Incorporate meals from various pattern categories into your weekly plans for a balanced boost of qi-nourishing nutrition.

For targeted health concerns: Focus on recipes and foods specific to your pattern until symptoms improve. Pair dietary changes with the suggested lifestyle modifications for the best results.

Our recipes are plant-based, nutrient-dense and delicious. While our recipes are meat-free, we acknowledge its value for certain imbalances, like blood, qi, or yang deficiency. If you choose to include meat, we recommend sourcing it thoughtfully for maximum benefit.
For deeper guidance, consider working with a licensed, NCCAOM-certified acupuncturist who can provide expert guidance and personalized treatments like acupuncture, herbs, or cupping to complement your journey.