“Eat for Your Body, Not Just Your Illness: A Simple Guide to How Chinese Medicine Uses Food”
A lot of people often ask, “Can I improve my diabetes, high blood pressure, eczema, or stomach pain just through food?” From a Western medicine point of view, there are clear diagnoses, test results, and treatment plans. But in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), the real focus isn’t just on the name of a disease — it’s on your body type and current condition, known as constitution and syndrome pattern. That means even if two people are diagnosed with the same illness in Western medicine, they might show completely different symptoms in TCM. And based on that, their treatment, especially food therapy, will be totally different. In other words, Chinese food therapy isn’t about eating something just because you have a certain disease — it’s about understanding what’s going on inside your body first, and choosing the right food accordingly.
In TCM, there’s a saying: food and medicine come from the same source. That means food isn’t just for filling your belly — it can actually nourish, balance, and heal the body when used properly. A lot of wisdom passed down from ancient times is rooted in using daily meals to support our health. But just because food can be healing doesn’t mean you can eat whatever you like and expect miracles. You can’t just hear that goji berries or ginseng are good and then jump in without thinking. The most important rule in Chinese food therapy is “eat for your body”, which includes two main ideas: “eat according to your body constitution” and “eat based on your current condition” — this is what we call “辨體施食” and “辨證施食”. They act like a compass in Chinese diet therapy. Without them, even the best ingredients or the most nourishing soups might actually do more harm than good if they don’t match your needs. So don’t underestimate a bowl of congee or a plate of greens — before you eat, you need to understand your own body first.
Let’s talk about “辨體施食”, or eating based on your constitution. In TCM, doctors observe your appearance, ask about your habits and feelings, listen to your voice and breathing, and feel your pulse. Through that, they figure out if your body tends to be cold or hot, or if it lacks energy, blood, yin, or yang. For example, someone who always feels cold and has cold hands and feet may have a “cold” body type. Someone who easily feels hot and thirsty may be more on the “heat” side. Some people are “qi-deficient,” always tired and weak; some are “blood-deficient,” looking pale or dizzy; others may be “yin-deficient” (dryness, insomnia) or “yang-deficient” (cold, low energy). Since everyone’s body is different, we definitely can’t all eat the same way. For instance, many older adults have kidney deficiencies — some are yang-deficient, with sore back, fatigue, and feeling cold; others are yin-deficient, with dry mouth, insomnia, and irritability. One lacks fire, the other lacks water. Can you treat both the same way? Of course not. A yang-deficient person needs warming foods like lamb or ginger, while a yin-deficient one needs moistening foods like lily bulb or duck. If you mix it up, you might end up worse than before.
Then we come to “施食”, or how to actually eat once you understand your body. Some people hear that goji berries are good for the kidneys and start drinking them every day. Or they stew lamb because they want to boost energy. But if they don’t know whether they’re yin-deficient or yang-deficient, they might be going in the wrong direction. It’s not about what you supplement, but how and why. The key to successful food therapy isn’t about spending money on expensive ingredients — it’s about choosing what truly fits you. That’s what “辨體施食” is trying to say. Before you eat, get to know your own body type, and then match the right ingredients and cooking methods. The body isn’t a machine — one-size-fits-all doesn’t work. You need a personalized approach to food just like you would with medicine.
Besides knowing your constitution, there’s something even more important — and that’s “辨證”, or identifying your current condition. So what exactly is a “syndrome pattern”? It refers to how your body is currently reacting or showing signs when you’re unwell. Let’s take something simple like a cold. In Western medicine, a cold is just a cold. But in TCM, there’s a big difference between a “cold-type” cold and a “heat-type” cold. Cold-type comes with chills, clear mucus, and sneezing. Heat-type comes with fever, sore throat, and yellow mucus. The treatment is totally different: cold-type might need ginger or scallion soup to sweat it out, while heat-type needs chrysanthemum or mint tea to cool down. If you treat the wrong type with the wrong food, you’ll probably feel worse. That’s why “辨證施食” is as precise as writing a prescription — you need to understand what condition you’re in before deciding what to eat.
“辨證施食” doesn’t just help you figure out the right treatment for one disease — it also explains how different diseases can have the same root problem, or the same disease can appear differently depending on timing and environment. For example, if your body’s core energy drops and can’t hold things up, you might get prolapse, frequent diarrhea, or even gastric ptosis. These are different names in Western medicine, but in TCM, they all come down to “middle qi deficiency”. What’s the fix? Use food that helps lift that qi — like astragalus, Chinese yam, or codonopsis. That’s called “treating different diseases with the same approach”. On the flip side, someone with a cold in summer might also have heat and dampness mixed in. Then, you’d need foods that are aromatic and help release dampness — like patchouli, basil, or mung bean soup. That’s “treating the same disease differently depending on the situation”.
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I truly hope our videos have been helpful to you. There’s a saying I really like: “The best medicine is education.” From a modern nutrition perspective, many doctors and bloggers on YouTube are doing a great job sharing useful health knowledge.
But I’ve always believed that Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), with its thousands of years of food therapy wisdom, holds irreplaceable value that modern medicine can’t overlook.
That’s why our videos aim to explore health from multiple perspectives — modern medicine, nutrition, food culture, TCM, and Chinese food therapy.
Thank you again for being with us on this journey!
謝醫生 Doctor Xie
蛋白質按照來源大致可分為兩類:植物性蛋白質和動物性蛋白質。
動物性蛋白質主要來自禽畜魚類的肉、蛋、奶,而植物性蛋白質則主要存在於穀類、豆類和堅果中。簡單來說,平時吃的米飯、麵包、豆製品、堅果,都屬於植物性蛋白質來源。
不同食物的蛋白質營養價值並不完全相同,主要取決於氨基酸的組成。
一般而言,動物性蛋白質的營養價值較高,因為它的氨基酸模式接近人體自身蛋白質,更容易被吸收利用,因此被稱為優質蛋白質。豆類雖屬植物性蛋白質,但含量高且氨基酸組成相對合理,也可算是植物性優質蛋白來源。而穀類、水果和蔬菜的蛋白質含量不高,利用率也低,所以不能單靠它們補充蛋白質。
不過,動物性蛋白質也有其缺點,例如在攝入肉類、蛋類和奶類的同時,也會攝入膽固醇和飽和脂肪酸,因此不建議過量。這也是為什麼均衡飲食如此重要:搭配動物蛋白和植物蛋白,能兼顧營養,又不增加健康負擔。
一般來說,普通成年人若每天攝入瘦肉 75至100 克、雞蛋 1 個、魚肉 75至100 克、大豆 25 克,以及牛奶 300 毫升,就可以滿足每日所需的優質蛋白質。如果體重較重,或處於生長發育期,如青少年、孕婦、哺乳期女性,也應適當增加優質蛋白質攝入。
由於多數植物蛋白缺乏一種或幾種必需氨基酸,可以透過動物蛋白與植物蛋白搭配來提高整體利用率。例如,將谷類和豆類粗細搭配,或肉類與米、麵一起食用,既能補足米麵中缺少的賴氨酸,也能提高蛋白質的營養價值。肉類、大豆與穀類相互搭配,是日常飲食中簡單又實用的方法。
食物蛋白質含量介绍
穀類一般蛋白質含量約10%左右,是居民膳食蛋白質的主要來源。例如小麥8%、燕麥15%至22%、玉米10%、大米6%至8%。
豆類蛋白質含量高,尤其是大豆可達36%至40%,氨基酸組成合理,是非常好的蛋白質來源。
堅果類含蛋白質12%至36%, 還富含礦物質、維生素等。 但是,堅果類是一種高能量食 物,不宜過量食用。
蛋類蛋白質含量約11%至14%,氨基酸均衡,常被作為參考蛋白。
肉類則包括畜肉、禽肉及魚類,新鮮肌肉蛋白質含量約15%至22%,是人體蛋白質的重要來源。
有些人可能會覺得,既然蛋白質重要,那每天額外補充蛋白質或蛋白質粉會更健康。其實對健康成年人來說,身體能量攝入與消耗基本平衡,單純增加蛋白質攝入,往往會以減少其他食物為代價,不符合膳食多樣原則。而且人體不儲存蛋白質,過量蛋白質會被分解,氮隨尿液排出,還會增加腎臟負擔。
最理想的方法,是通過日常均衡膳食攝取營養,因為食物中含有多種營養素,相互協同,帶來更多健康效益。當然,對蛋白營養不良、老年肌少症患者,或運動員,可在醫生指導下適當增加蛋白質攝入量。
4 days ago | [YT] | 25
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謝醫生 Doctor Xie
在現代繁忙的生活中,午睡已經成為許多人舒緩壓力、恢復精力的重要方式。最新研究顯示:經常午睡的人,大腦老化速度可能較慢!那麼,午睡的最佳時間應該控制在多久?又有哪些細節需要注意?
2024年11月,《科學》(Science)期刊發表的一項研究指出,午睡約30分鐘(屬於淺層睡眠)能有效提升認知功能,使大腦維持在良好狀態。而一般的午睡,往往正是這類淺層睡眠。但要注意,午睡並非時間越長越好。2024年6月,《歐洲神經病學雜誌》的一項研究顯示,高血壓患者午睡不宜超過30分鐘。因為午睡時間越長,中風風險就越高——與午睡1至30分鐘相比,午睡31至60分鐘,中風風險增加27%;午睡超過60分鐘,中風風險更上升37%。
由此可見,健康午睡需要講究方法,以下幾點尤其值得留意:
1. 午睡需注意保暖
天氣寒冷時,午睡務必要加件衣物或蓋上薄毯。因為午睡期間體溫會下降,免疫力也會相對減弱,更容易受到寒氣侵襲,導致身體不適。
2. 飯後不宜立即入睡
不少上班族因為午休時間有限,常常在午餐後立刻入睡。午餐後最好先散步10至20分鐘,曬曬太陽、幫助消化。這樣不僅能減輕飽滯感,還能促進腸胃蠕動。若剛吃完飯就立刻午睡,胃部仍充滿食物,消化系統處於高負荷狀態,反而容易造成消化不良,甚至可能導致食物逆流。長期如此會增加胃部疾病的風險,同時也影響午睡品質。
3. 伏案午睡須墊高頭部
由於缺乏平躺環境,許多上班族習慣趴在桌上午睡。然而這種姿勢並不理想:
• 身體無法完全放鬆,血液循環不暢;
• 手臂及神經長時間受壓,容易睡得不安穩;
• 長期伏案會使頸椎、腰椎、背部承受過大壓力,逐漸引發勞損問題。
若條件限制只能伏案午睡,頭部務必墊高,使用柔軟的枕頭或靠墊,以減輕壓力。
4. 午睡後宜伸展與按摩
午睡醒來時,不宜驟然驚醒,否則容易導致血壓波動,甚至出現頭暈。正確方式是緩慢清醒,並可搭配簡單按摩:
• 用雙手按摩面部,像乾洗臉一樣,促進血液循環;
• 輕柔按摩頸部、腰背部,幫助放鬆肌肉,讓身體逐步恢復清醒狀態。
午睡是一個良好的習慣,但要掌握正確方式才真正有益健康。建議將午睡控制在30分鐘左右,避免餐後立即入睡,注意保暖與姿勢,醒後適度伸展。如此一來,不僅能恢復體力,也能使精神充沛,更好地迎接下半天的挑戰。
3 weeks ago | [YT] | 35
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謝醫生 Doctor Xie
香蕉是一種隨手可得的水果,不僅味道香甜,而且對情緒、腸胃、心血管等多方面都有好處。如果懂得正確搭配、適量食用,香蕉可以成為日常調養情緒和促進健康的好幫手。
日常怎樣吃香蕉?
平日建議 1 日食 1 至 2 根香蕉,這樣能幫助身體維持血清素等物質的穩定水平。長遠來看,不僅對調節情緒有幫助,還能在一定程度上預防焦慮。如果臨時感到緊張或焦慮,例如考試前、演講前或參加重要會議時,可以先吃 1 根香蕉。它能協助身體合成讓人心情安定的物質,對舒緩焦慮特別有幫助。
另外,香蕉單獨吃雖然有益,但與其他食物搭配效果更佳:配合蛋白質:和堅果(如杏仁、巴旦木)或乳製品(如酸奶)一起吃,能幫助色氨酸轉化為血清素,效果更顯著。配合維生素 C:和草莓、橙子等水果搭配,能加強抗壓作用,讓情緒更穩定。
不過,要注意的是,香蕉本身糖分較高,而且屬於寒性水果,所以不宜過量。特別是腸胃較弱或血糖不穩的人,更要控制攝入量。
對於中老年人來說,經常吃香蕉,身體會有不少正面改變:
1. 血壓更穩:一根香蕉含大約 422 毫克鉀元素,能幫助平衡體內鈉鉀比例,對高血壓患者來說,是天然的血壓調節器。
2. 排便更通暢:香蕉含有豐富膳食纖維,既能軟化糞便,又能促進腸道蠕動,比藥物更溫和安全。
3. 睡眠質素提升:香蕉中的色氨酸是合成褪黑素的重要原料,能改善「淺睡、多夢、易醒」等問題。東京大學的研究顯示,老年人晚餐後連續兩星期食用 100 克香蕉,睡眠效率提升 22%,夜間覺醒次數減少 35%。
4. 情緒更放鬆:從中醫角度,焦慮多與肝氣鬱結有關。香蕉味甘,對緊張急躁的情緒有一定調和作用。
5. 避免上火:香蕉性寒,能清熱降火。當因為內火或情緒煩躁導致焦慮時,吃香蕉可起到緩和作用。
6. 心臟更健康:除了降壓,香蕉的膳食纖維還能降低血液中的壞膽固醇(LDL),幫助保護心血管,減少相關疾病風險。
7. 免疫力增強:香蕉可作為腸道益菌的「糧食」,幫助維持腸道菌群平衡,進一步提升免疫力。
香蕉不僅是一種方便的零食,還能在調整情緒、改善睡眠、促進腸胃蠕動和保護心血管等方面發揮作用。但要記得:再好的食物也要講求適度,掌握好分量,才能真正發揮養生保健的效果。
想更深入了解香蕉?可以觀看我之前的影片:《香蕉,與芭蕉有何不同?裂開後還能不能吃?有哪些要注意的地方?真的能幫助改善便秘嗎?》 https://youtu.be/3O-UCP19rD0
3 weeks ago | [YT] | 16
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謝醫生 Doctor Xie
湯,為何讓人欲罷不能?一篇關於飲湯的養生科普
湯,幾乎沒有人能夠拒絕。無論是南方的靚湯,還是北方的羊肉湯,總能勾起人們的食慾。有人甚至認為,湯是中國人的「液體養生方」。但是,為何湯會如此香濃可口?飲湯是否真的有營養?是否人人皆宜?又應該如何煲湯才更符合養生之道?今天就與大家細談。
第一:湯,為何如此迷人?
一碗熱騰騰的湯端上來,香氣撲鼻,往往令人未動筷子,已經食指大動。其實,這背後有科學道理。在煲湯過程中,食材中的營養物質會逐漸分解並溶入湯水之內:
• 多醣分解成小分子糖類,使湯更甘甜;
• 蛋白質分解為短肽及氨基酸,提升鮮味;
• 脂肪酸加熱降解,使湯更香濃。
再配合各類湯料,如西洋參的甘甜生津、五指毛桃的奶香、熟地黃的甘潤,以及陳皮的獨特芳香……這些藥材與食材的搭配,不僅令湯水層次更豐富,也讓人飲後回味。難怪很多人每日都渴望來一碗。
第二:湯,是否真正有營養?
不少人以為飲湯比吃肉更養生,但事實並非如此。湯中的營養主要來自一些能溶於水的小分子物質,例如氨基酸、小分子糖類,以及部分水溶性維生素;而肉類中所含的大分子蛋白質、纖維素、鈣和鐵等礦物質,並不容易滲入湯水。
因此,飲湯的同時最好也要食肉,方能攝取更全面的營養。否則只飲湯不食肉,往往只得其味,而失卻真正的養分。
此外,廣人煲湯時常加入藥食同源的食材,例如黨參補氣、薏苡仁祛濕、當歸活血、麥冬滋陰。這些藥材既增添風味,又能針對不同體質,正是廣東人把飲湯視為養生秘訣的原因。
第三:湯,是否人人適宜?
雖然湯可口,但並非人人適合。有些人若飲得不當,反而可能損害健康:
• 高血壓人士:需控制鹽分,煲湯不宜過鹹,亦應避免經過長時間熬煮的老火湯。
• 痛風或高尿酸血症患者:濃湯嘌呤含量較高,容易誘發病情,不宜多飲。
• 胃酸分泌過多者:空腹飲用肉湯會刺激胃酸分泌,宜在進食後小量飲用。
• 胃動力不足者:一次性飲用大量湯水,容易加重腸胃負擔,應分次少量飲用。
因此,飲湯必須因人而異,不能一概而論。
第四:湯,應如何煲才更合宜?
中醫強調「因時、因人、因地制宜」,煲湯亦應遵循此原則。
• 因時:順應四時節氣。春季宜疏肝健脾,夏季清熱祛暑,秋季滋陰潤燥,冬季溫中散寒。
• 因人:根據體質選擇食材。氣虛者宜用黃芪、黨參、五指毛桃;陰虛者宜用沙參、麥冬;痰濕體質者宜選土茯苓、薏米。
• 因地:嶺南地區濕氣偏重,當地人喜在湯中加入薏米、五指毛桃以健脾祛濕;北方乾燥,秋季常見沙參銀耳炖梨湯,用以潤肺生津。
由於每個人的體質差異甚大,若欲透過飲湯調養,最好還是根據自身情況,請教中醫師或營養師,方能更為精準。
湯,是國人餐桌上的溫潤所在,不僅是一道食物,更是一種文化與智慧。煲湯之時,並非單純將食材放入鍋內,而是將健康與關懷慢慢熬進生活之中。
飲湯要講究方法,既要懂得欣賞那一口鮮美,也要懂得依據體質與時節調整。飲得其法,湯便是養生;若不加選擇,則可能適得其反。下一次端起一碗湯時,不妨細細品味,感受的不只是味道,還有健康與生活的智慧。
4 weeks ago | [YT] | 24
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謝醫生 Doctor Xie
魚油,顧名思義,就是從魚身上提取出來的油。它備受關注,主要是因為富含ω-3脂肪酸,也叫n-3脂肪酸,其中最有名的就是EPA和DHA。
先說EPA,也就是二十碳五烯酸,人們常稱它為“血管清道夫”。一些研究發現,它可以幫助降低血液中的甘油三酯,對調節血脂有一定好處。
再說DHA,也就是二十二碳六烯酸,常被叫做腦黃金。有人說吃DHA能讓孩子更聰明,這有點誇張,但DHA確實是神經系統細胞發育所需的重要成分。在大腦皮層和視網膜里含量很高,對嬰兒智力和視力發育確實有幫助。
不過,魚油並不是吃得越多越好。過量攝入可能會帶來一些風險:
第一,消化道不適,比如魚腥味、噯氣、腹瀉或者惡心。
第二,可能增加房顫風險。英國藥監局就提醒過,Omega-3脂肪酸在高劑量下,房顫發生率大約有10%,而且和劑量有關。
第三,如果同時在用抗凝劑或者抗血小板藥物,魚油可能增加出血風險,所以需要定期監測。
總的來說,魚油適量補充可以帶來益處,但一定要控制劑量,並結合自身健康狀況。
1 month ago | [YT] | 18
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謝醫生 Doctor Xie
蒸桑拿真的能減肥嗎?
很多人泡完桑拿或者蒸完汗蒸房出來,會發現體重秤上的數字立刻下降,於是產生一種錯覺:蒸桑拿可以減肥。其實,這種“減輕”只是暫時的,並不是真正意義上的減肥。
首先,人是恆溫動物,體內溫度過高或過低都會對健康造成傷害。正常情況下出汗,是身體在調節體溫,把多餘的熱量排出體外。有人會說出汗是不是在燃燒能量?嚴格來說,1克汗液的蒸發確實會帶走大約580卡的熱量,從而幫助體溫下降。但這部分能量消耗其實非常有限,只會讓基礎代謝率小幅提升,遠遠不足以大量燃燒脂肪。
在桑拿房這種高溫環境下,身體會快速出汗,短時間內體重下降,主要原因是體內水分流失了,而不是脂肪減少了。只要補水,體重很快又會回到原來的水平。所以說,蒸桑拿只是“暫時減重”,並不能達到真正減肥的目的。
有些人可能會說,生活在炎熱地區的人肥胖比例往往較低,說明高溫環境確實有助於減肥。其實,這更多是人類長期進化和生活習慣的結果。即使在高溫地區,如果飲食不合理、缺乏運動,依舊會肥胖。換句話說,高溫本身並不是“減肥秘方”。
那為什麼現在高溫瑜伽在很多人身上確實帶來了不錯的減肥效果呢?答案其實很簡單:關鍵不在“高溫”,而在“瑜伽”。瑜伽是一種全身性的運動形式,可以幫助提升代謝,消耗熱量。當它與高溫環境結合時,運動過程中的能量消耗確實會稍微增加,但真正的減肥效果,還是來自於運動本身。
最後要提醒大家,真正健康的減肥指的是減少體內的脂肪,而不是單純地讓體重秤上的數字下降。日常生活中我們常說“每天出一身汗能減肥”,其實真正的意思是要堅持規律的運動,通過合理消耗能量來控制體重。只有科學飲食加上適量運動,才能真正減掉脂肪,同時保持身體健康。
1 month ago | [YT] | 9
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謝醫生 Doctor Xie
解構中醫食療核心概念「辨證施食」
好多觀眾經常會問:「我有糖尿病/血壓高/濕疹/胃痛……可唔可以靠食療改善吓?」從西醫角度睇,病有名、有數據、有指標;但喺中醫入面,更加重視嘅,其實係「體質」同「證候」。換句話講,同一種西醫病,喺唔同人體上,可以有唔同嘅表現,中醫就會因應你體內失衡嘅方向去處理。所以,中醫食療唔係單純針對「病名」,而係要睇清楚你屬於邊種體質、目前身體狀況係屬於咩證,然後先至安排食材同方法。
中醫一向講「藥食同源」,即係話啲食材都可以係用嚟養生、調理嘅「藥」。唔少老祖宗傳落嚟嘅智慧,就係靠飲食嚟幫身體打底。但係,想食得補、食得健康,唔係亂咁補就得。唔係話見到啲人話咩人參、枸杞好,就一窩蜂去買嚟食。其實最緊要係「對症下食」,即係講緊「辨體施食」同「辨證施食」呢兩樣。佢哋就好似中醫食療嘅指南針咁,冇咗呢兩條路線,亂咁食,即使食材再靚、湯水再補,唔啱自己都可能幫倒忙,甚至反效果。所以一碗粥、一碟菜,都唔好睇少,食之前記住睇清楚自己啲身體底子先。
講到「辨體施食」,就要明白乜嘢叫「辨體」。簡單啲講,就係用望、聞、問、切呢四診,睇吓你個人係偏寒、偏熱、定係虛咗乜。譬如有啲人成日手腳冰冷、怕凍,就係偏寒體質;有啲人容易上火、成日口乾就屬於偏熱。仲有啲人係氣虛、血虛,或者陰虛、陽虛等等。呢啲全部都屬於唔同嘅體質。每個人嘅體質唔同,咁當然唔可以一視同仁咁食嘢啦。好似老人家好多時會出現腎虛,有啲係陽虛,成日腰痠腳軟、怕凍、冇精神;有啲就係陰虛,會口乾、夜瞓瞓得唔好、成日心煩。一個係冇火,一個係冇水,點可以用一樣嘅方法補?陽虛要溫補,食啲羊肉、生薑;陰虛就要滋陰,食啲百合、鴨肉。方向搞錯咗,唔單止冇補到,仲有機會搞到身體更差。
至於「施食」呢一步,就係喺了解清楚你體質之後,幫你安排啱你身嘅飲食方法。有啲人一聽話補腎,就日日枸杞泡水、燉羊肉,但係唔知自己係陰虛定陽虛,結果補錯咗。補咩、點補,都要對準你嘅體質先得,唔係話補咗就一定好。真正嘅食療養生,唔在乎你食幾貴,而係在乎你食幾啱。辨體施食,其實係想提你一句:食之前,先搞清楚自己屬於咩體質,再按住自己嘅需要揀返啱用嘅食材同埋煮法,咁樣先至叫做識得食、養得啱。身體唔係機器,冇可能用一套方法照顧晒所有人,要識得「度身訂做」。
除咗「辨體」,仲有一樣更加重要,就係「辨證」。咩係「證」?就係當你有病嘅時候,身體表現出嚟嘅一種症狀或者狀態。好似感冒咁,表面睇都係打噴嚏、流鼻水,但其實有分「風寒感冒」同「風熱感冒」。風寒就係怕凍、鼻水清、成日打乞嗤;風熱就係發熱、喉嚨痛、痰黃。治法完全唔一樣:風寒要食生薑、蔥白湯,幫你發汗;風熱就要食菊花、薄荷清熱。你唔分清邊種感冒就亂食一通,可能會越食越嚴重。所以話,「辨證施食」好似中醫開方咁,一定要先睇準咩證先至可以開得出啱嘅飲食方案。
其實「辨證施食」唔止可以幫你分清一種病有幾種唔同嘅證,仲可以幫你處理唔同病可能出現相同嘅病機。例如「中氣下陷」,你可以係胃下垂,又可以係痾到虛咗、脫肛,雖然病名唔同,但根本原因都係「氣唔夠托得起」。呢個時候你就要用啲可以「升提中氣」嘅食物,例如黃芪、黨參、淮山咁。呢個就叫「異病同食」;反過嚟講,同一種病喺唔同季節或者環境,表現出嚟可能都唔同,例如夏天中暑後感冒,會有暑濕,就要用啲芳香化濕嘅嘢,例如藿香、佩蘭、綠豆湯等等,呢啲就係「同病異食」。
“Eat for Your Body, Not Just Your Illness: A Simple Guide to How Chinese Medicine Uses Food”
A lot of people often ask, “Can I improve my diabetes, high blood pressure, eczema, or stomach pain just through food?” From a Western medicine point of view, there are clear diagnoses, test results, and treatment plans. But in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), the real focus isn’t just on the name of a disease — it’s on your body type and current condition, known as constitution and syndrome pattern. That means even if two people are diagnosed with the same illness in Western medicine, they might show completely different symptoms in TCM. And based on that, their treatment, especially food therapy, will be totally different. In other words, Chinese food therapy isn’t about eating something just because you have a certain disease — it’s about understanding what’s going on inside your body first, and choosing the right food accordingly.
In TCM, there’s a saying: food and medicine come from the same source. That means food isn’t just for filling your belly — it can actually nourish, balance, and heal the body when used properly. A lot of wisdom passed down from ancient times is rooted in using daily meals to support our health. But just because food can be healing doesn’t mean you can eat whatever you like and expect miracles. You can’t just hear that goji berries or ginseng are good and then jump in without thinking. The most important rule in Chinese food therapy is “eat for your body”, which includes two main ideas: “eat according to your body constitution” and “eat based on your current condition” — this is what we call “辨體施食” and “辨證施食”. They act like a compass in Chinese diet therapy. Without them, even the best ingredients or the most nourishing soups might actually do more harm than good if they don’t match your needs. So don’t underestimate a bowl of congee or a plate of greens — before you eat, you need to understand your own body first.
Let’s talk about “辨體施食”, or eating based on your constitution. In TCM, doctors observe your appearance, ask about your habits and feelings, listen to your voice and breathing, and feel your pulse. Through that, they figure out if your body tends to be cold or hot, or if it lacks energy, blood, yin, or yang. For example, someone who always feels cold and has cold hands and feet may have a “cold” body type. Someone who easily feels hot and thirsty may be more on the “heat” side. Some people are “qi-deficient,” always tired and weak; some are “blood-deficient,” looking pale or dizzy; others may be “yin-deficient” (dryness, insomnia) or “yang-deficient” (cold, low energy). Since everyone’s body is different, we definitely can’t all eat the same way. For instance, many older adults have kidney deficiencies — some are yang-deficient, with sore back, fatigue, and feeling cold; others are yin-deficient, with dry mouth, insomnia, and irritability. One lacks fire, the other lacks water. Can you treat both the same way? Of course not. A yang-deficient person needs warming foods like lamb or ginger, while a yin-deficient one needs moistening foods like lily bulb or duck. If you mix it up, you might end up worse than before.
Then we come to “施食”, or how to actually eat once you understand your body. Some people hear that goji berries are good for the kidneys and start drinking them every day. Or they stew lamb because they want to boost energy. But if they don’t know whether they’re yin-deficient or yang-deficient, they might be going in the wrong direction. It’s not about what you supplement, but how and why. The key to successful food therapy isn’t about spending money on expensive ingredients — it’s about choosing what truly fits you. That’s what “辨體施食” is trying to say. Before you eat, get to know your own body type, and then match the right ingredients and cooking methods. The body isn’t a machine — one-size-fits-all doesn’t work. You need a personalized approach to food just like you would with medicine.
Besides knowing your constitution, there’s something even more important — and that’s “辨證”, or identifying your current condition. So what exactly is a “syndrome pattern”? It refers to how your body is currently reacting or showing signs when you’re unwell. Let’s take something simple like a cold. In Western medicine, a cold is just a cold. But in TCM, there’s a big difference between a “cold-type” cold and a “heat-type” cold. Cold-type comes with chills, clear mucus, and sneezing. Heat-type comes with fever, sore throat, and yellow mucus. The treatment is totally different: cold-type might need ginger or scallion soup to sweat it out, while heat-type needs chrysanthemum or mint tea to cool down. If you treat the wrong type with the wrong food, you’ll probably feel worse. That’s why “辨證施食” is as precise as writing a prescription — you need to understand what condition you’re in before deciding what to eat.
“辨證施食” doesn’t just help you figure out the right treatment for one disease — it also explains how different diseases can have the same root problem, or the same disease can appear differently depending on timing and environment. For example, if your body’s core energy drops and can’t hold things up, you might get prolapse, frequent diarrhea, or even gastric ptosis. These are different names in Western medicine, but in TCM, they all come down to “middle qi deficiency”. What’s the fix? Use food that helps lift that qi — like astragalus, Chinese yam, or codonopsis. That’s called “treating different diseases with the same approach”. On the flip side, someone with a cold in summer might also have heat and dampness mixed in. Then, you’d need foods that are aromatic and help release dampness — like patchouli, basil, or mung bean soup. That’s “treating the same disease differently depending on the situation”.
2 months ago | [YT] | 36
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謝醫生 Doctor Xie
最近我在 Substack 上更新了不少內容,歡迎大家前去閱讀!目前 Substack 主要以英文健康科普為主,如果你對英文健康內容感興趣,歡迎訂閱支持~
再次感謝大家的關注!
open.substack.com/pub/xiemd/p/why-refrigeration-is…
4 months ago | [YT] | 15
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謝醫生 Doctor Xie
大家好!在本人的《言身醫社》中醫圖文頻道收藏量突破百萬的重要時刻,我懷著滿心欣喜向大家分享一個新動態——Substack平台專屬頻道已正式開啓!目前該頻道內已匯聚三百餘篇專業詳實的中藥科普文章,系統解析藥材特性、藥用價值與傳統應用。未來,這裡會持續推出中文(繁簡體)和英文健康科普文章,歡迎有需要的朋友們點擊訂閱! 鏈接如下:substack.com/@xiemd
4 months ago (edited) | [YT] | 38
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謝醫生 Doctor Xie
感謝大家對頻道的支持!我們的訂閱量突破一萬啦🎉
“教育就是最好的醫學”,這句話始終激勵著我們。如今從現代營養學領域看,不少國外醫生博主都在分享健康知識,但我們更想讓大家看到,中醫千年傳承的食療文化,是現代醫學體系中不可替代的寶庫。
未來,我們會繼續從現代醫學、營養學、飲食文化學、中醫學及食療學等多元視角製作內容,希望每一支影片都能提供大家健康路上的實用建議。
感恩一路相伴,下一個十萬,我們繼續同行!❤️
Thank you all for supporting the channel! We’ve just hit 10,000 subscribers!
I truly hope our videos have been helpful to you. There’s a saying I really like: “The best medicine is education.” From a modern nutrition perspective, many doctors and bloggers on YouTube are doing a great job sharing useful health knowledge.
But I’ve always believed that Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), with its thousands of years of food therapy wisdom, holds irreplaceable value that modern medicine can’t overlook.
That’s why our videos aim to explore health from multiple perspectives — modern medicine, nutrition, food culture, TCM, and Chinese food therapy.
Thank you again for being with us on this journey!
5 months ago (edited) | [YT] | 88
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