Wood Element

Balance your WOOD element:

When the Wood element is in balance we can be as strong as an oak tree or as flexible as bamboo, meaning we can step up to the plate and get through tough physical demanding situations, but can also be very flexible like bamboo, able to move and bend but never break.  You are able to make plans and decisions without squandering, yet at the same time able to be flexible and make changes as needed.  When the wood element is in balance you are often ambitious, motivated, open to implementing new ideas, the one looking a challenge and have a competitive side.

When the Wood element is out of balance we are not as flexible, unable to make decisions and avoid making plans.  The ambition and challenge can come across as confrontation, frustration, anger and irritability, we often become judgmental, over controlling, stubborn and irrational.

FOOD RECOMMENDATIONS

We all have parts of each element within us so when one organ of an element starts to be affected eventually another element or all elements will show signs of not being in balance. The more out of balance an element is, typically the more symptoms one will have.  Western Medicines approach to treating disease is to either kill the pathogen or suppress the symptom.  These approaches tend to drive the illness/disease even deeper into the body.  Chinese Medicines approach is to support the body and its organs so that it can overcome the pathogen and increase the body’s own healing potential. Let’s get your elements in balance!

Here are some foods that Nourish the Wood Element:  broccoli, parsley, lettuce, kale, kelp, collard greens, carrots, alfalfa, beets, leeks, zucchini, shiitake mushrooms, artichokes, limes, lemons, grapefruit, green apple, avocado, plums, black strap molasses, spirulina

Avoid or Minimize: Alcohol, high fat content foods, artificial sweeteners, canned foods, fatty meats, and diary

General Chinese nutrition recommendations:

1)      Eat small frequent meals

2)      No Iced drinks while eating and only small sips of liquid during meals

3)      Chew thoroughly

4)      Relax, focus and be mindful.  If you are eating, then just eat; not eating and watching TV, reading, studying, surfing the web etc.

5)      Generally the best way to prepare foods is by steaming, stir frying, baking or soups