Authors: Paul Pitchford
ISBN-13: 9781556434303, ISBN-10: 1556434308
Format: Paperback
Publisher: North Atlantic Books
Date Published: September 2002
Edition: Revised
Paul Pitchford is a teacher and nutrition researcher. In his healing work with individuals, he develops rejuvenative plans based on awareness and dietary practices. His early training, following ancient traditional practice, was primarily through apprenticeships and private instructions with masters of meditation and East Asian medicine. For more than three decades, he has applied the unifying wisdom of Far Eastern thought to the major dietary therapies available in the West to create a new vision of health and nutrition.
Used as a reference by students of acupuncture, this is a hefty, truly comprehensive guide to the theory and healing power of Chinese medicine. It's also a primer on nutrition—including facts about green foods, such as spirulina and blue-green algae, and the "regeneration diets" used by cancer patients and arthritics—along with an inspiring cookbook with more than 300 mostly vegetarian, nutrient-packed recipes.The information on Chinese medicine is useful for helping to diagnose health imbalances, especially nascent illnesses. It's smartly paired with the whole-foods program because the Chinese have attributed various health-balancing properties to foods, so you can tailor your diet to help alleviate symptoms of illness. For example, Chinese medicine dictates that someone with low energy and a pale complexion (a yin deficiency) would benefit from avoiding bitter foods and increasing "sweet" foods such as soy, black sesame seeds, parsnips, rice, and oats. (Note that the Chinese definition of sweet foods is much different from the American one!)Pitchford says in his dedication that he hopes the reader finds "healing, awareness, and peace" from following his program. The diet is certainly acetic by American standards (no alcohol, caffeine, white flour, fried foods, or sugar, and a minimum of eggs and dairy) but the reasons he gives for avoiding these "negative energy" foods are compelling. From the adrenal damage imparted by coffee to immune dysfunction brought on by excess refined sugar, Pitchford spurs you to rethink every dietary choice and its ultimate influence on your health. Without being alarmist, he adds dietary tips for protecting yourself against the dangers of modern life, including neutralizing damage from water fluoridation (thyroid and immune-system problems may result; fluoride is a carcinogen). There's further reading on food combining, female health, heart disease, pregnancy, fasting, and weight loss. Overall, this is a wonderful book for anyone who's serious about strengthening his or her body from the inside out.
1 | Origins | 1 |
Pt. I | The Roots of Diagnosis and Treatment | |
2 | Yin-Yang and Beyond | 49 |
3 | Qi Vitality | 56 |
The Six Divisions of Yin and Yang | 57 | |
4 | Heat/Cold: The Thermal Nature of Food and People | 58 |
5 | Interior/Exterior: Building Immunity | 67 |
6 | Excess and Deficiency | 89 |
Pt. II | Essentials of Nutrition | |
7 | Dietary Transition | 105 |
8 | Water | 122 |
9 | Protein and Vitamin B[subscript 12] - The Plant and Animal Kingdoms as Sources | 129 |
10 | Oils and Fats | 158 |
11 | Sweeteners | 187 |
12 | Salt | 196 |
13 | Condiments, Caffeine, and Spices | 204 |
14 | Vitamins and Supplements | 211 |
15 | Calcium | 217 |
16 | Green Food Products | 227 |
17 | Survival Simplified | 250 |
18 | Enjoyment of Food | 251 |
19 | Food Combinations | 260 |
20 | Fasting and Purification | 274 |
21 | Food for Children | 283 |
Pt. III | The Five Element and Organ Systems | |
22 | Five Elements: Seasonal Attunement and the Organs in Harmony and Disease | 305 |
23 | Therapeutic Use of the Five Flavors | 308 |
24 | Wood Element | 316 |
25 | Fire Element | 331 |
26 | Earth Element | 339 |
27 | Metal Element | 346 |
28 | Water Element | 354 |
Pt. IV | Diseases and their Dietary Treatment | |
29 | Blood Sugar Imbalances | 371 |
30 | The Stomach and Intestines | 378 |
31 | Blood Disorders | 387 |
32 | Cancer and the Regeneration Diets | 405 |
33 | Other Degenerative Disorders | 424 |
Pt. V | Recipes and Properties of Vegetal Foods | |
34 | Vibrational Cooking | 447 |
35 | Grains | 456 |
36 | Breads | 489 |
37 | Legumes: Beans, Peas, and Lentils | 506 |
38 | Nuts and Seeds | 530 |
39 | Vegetables | 535 |
40 | Sprouts | 568 |
41 | Salads | 571 |
42 | Seaweeds | 580 |
43 | Soups | 596 |
44 | Sauces | 602 |
45 | Condiments | 606 |
46 | Spreads and Pates | 608 |
47 | Pickles | 609 |
48 | Grain and Seed Milks | 612 |
49 | Rejuvelac and Yogurt | 613 |
50 | Fruit | 614 |
51 | Desserts | 624 |
52 | Summary | 640 |
Epilogue | 653 | |
App. A | Parasite Purge Program | 654 |
App. B | The Effect of Root Canals on Health | 667 |
Bibliography | 670 | |
References and Notes | 681 | |
Resources | 704 | |
Index | 710 |