Chinese Dietary Guidelines

Eat cooked foods within 24 hours. Refrigerating and reheating decreases the essence of food.

The temperature of food should match body temperature for easiest digestion ("100* soup").

Avoid ice cold drinks with meals. It will take about 30 minutes for the stomach contents to warm up.

Excess liquids dilute stomach acids that are needed for digestion. Excess liquids throughout the day puts a strain on the kidneys and ends up in the tissues.

Chew food well. Saliva assists in the digestive process and regulates the pH of the stomach.

After eating, massage your abdomen and take a leisurely walk.

Don't eat when you're upset, extremely tired, of before or after sex.

When ill or weak, eat foods that are easy to digest. Less energy is needed for digestion and more energy is available for healing. (eg. soupy white rice, rather than brown rice).

For breakfast, eat like an emperor. For dinner, eat like a pauper.

Each day you should have foods from the five flavors: sweet, sour, salty, spicy, and bitter. Meals should be

balanced with foods that include both warming and cooling characteristics, and that appropriate for the season.