The Winter Diet: Nourishing the Heart with Bitterness
In the depths of winter, traditional Chinese medicine offers wisdom on how to nurture the heart and kidneys through the harmonious balance of taste and element. According to “The Sanyuan Counselor’s Life Extension Book,” it is recommended to save salt and increase bitterness in the winter diet to promote heart health.
Understanding the Elements
In the ancient system of the five elements, the kidney rules the “salty” taste while water suppresses the fire of the heart. This delicate balance is crucial for maintaining overall health, especially for individuals with heart conditions. However, excessive consumption of salty foods, which are cold in nature, can harm the yang and the blood, particularly affecting those with cough and heavy water vapor.
To counterbalance the cold nature of salty foods, it is advised to incorporate bitter tastes into the winter diet. Bitter foods have the ability to nourish the heart and kidneys, promoting a balanced and harmonious internal environment.
Daily Diet Options
Bitter foods:
- Lettuce
- Pork liver
- Lamb
- Oranges
- Kohlrabi
- Cocoa
- Coffee
- Roses
Food Supplement Recommendations
■ For consumptive cough: Angelica mutton soup.
■ For stress relief: rose honey tea.
■ For women and girls: Rice dumplings made with rice wine.
■ For mental exhaustion: hot cocoa.
〝In winter, save salt and increase bitterness to nourish the heart.”
“On the 72nd day of winter, reduce salt and increase bitterness to nourish the heart. Moisten the lower part and make it salty, which belongs to water. The heart rules blood and belongs to fire. Water is prevents fire. If salt is too salty, it will damage the lungs, darken the skin and damage the muscles.” — “The Sanyuan Counselor’s Life Extension Book”
The “taste” of the winter diet: save salty and increase bitterness to nourish the heart.
In winter, the kidney meridian is strong, and the kidney controls the “salty” taste. In the relationship between the five elements in traditional Chinese medicine, “kidney water suppresses the fire of the heart”, and water strong tends to hurt the yang. Therefore, the diet should be suitable to “nurture the kidneys and protect the heart”, especially for people with heart diseases. Moreover, the salty taste is cold in nature, which can easily damage the yang and the blood. In winter, too much salty taste can damage the kidney yang. It is not particularly suitable for for people with cough and heavy water vapor. Since ancient times, health conservation has emphasized more and less salty taste. The bitter taste enters the heart Among the five elements, it belongs to fire. Among the five tastes, sour, bitter and salty is yin The bitter taste belongs to yin fire. It can be use with diet in winter to nourish the heart and kidneys. Daily diet options:
bitter foods
Lettuce, pork liver, lamb, oranges, kohlrabi, cocoa, coffee, roses…etc.
Food supplement recommendations
■ Consumptive cough: Angelica mutton soup.
■ Stress family: rose honey tea.
■ Women and Girls: Rice dumplings made with rice wine.
■ In winter, when you are mentally exhausted: hot cocoa.
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