Hippocrates said, “Let food be your medicine.” Similar things have been said in Ayurveda and in Chinese medicine. Food can balance your immune system, provide seasonal relief (think watermelons in the heat of summer) and can even provide specific cures or extra help when you are treating diseases with herbs or medications. The chart below shows specific effects of many common foods.
I would caution however that the cause of problems needs to be considered as well as its energetics: a hot bacterial diarrhea should be treated differently than a chronic cold diarrhea that comes early in the morning and has undigested food in it. Foods should generally be eaten in season and either locally or from regions where the current weather is similar. And consider your constitution: if you run hot, choose a more cooling food. If you run cold, choose a protein-based food cure, or warm it up with herbs like cinnamon or ginger. If you want to lose a few pounds or tend towards constipation, figs may help but if you have blood sugar problems, they may be too sweet. If you tend towards hypothyroid, make sure your cabbage family foods are cooked. And if the home remedy doesn’t work, call in a professional who can diagnose and guide you towards a more targeted protocol of diet, herbs and medication.
Foods that Can Treat Various Conditions
Apples
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Protects your heart
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Prevents constipation
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Blocks diarrhea
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Improves lung capacity
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Cushions joints
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Apricots
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Combats cancer
|
Controls blood pressure
|
Saves your eyesight
|
Shields against Alzheimer’s
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Slows aging process
|
Artichokes
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Aids digestion
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Lowers cholesterol
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Protects your heart
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Stabilizes blood sugar
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Guards against liver disease
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Avocados
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Battles diabetes
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Lowers cholesterol
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Helps stops strokes
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Controls blood pressure
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Smoothes skin
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Bananas
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Protects your heart
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Quiets a cough
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Strengthens bones
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Controls blood pressure
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Blocks diarrhea
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Beans
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Prevents constipation
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Helps hemorrhoids
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Lowers cholesterol
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Combats cancer
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Stabilizes blood sugar
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Beets
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Controls blood pressure
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Combats cancer
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Strengthens bones
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Protects your heart
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Aids weight loss
|
Blueberries
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Combats cancer
|
Protects your heart
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Stabilizes blood sugar
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Boosts memory
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Prevents constipation
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Broccoli (cooked)
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Strengthens bones
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Saves eyesight
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Combats cancer
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Protects your heart
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Controls blood pressure
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Cabbage (cooked)
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Combats cancer
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Prevents constipation
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Promotes weight loss
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Protects your heart
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Helps hemorrhoids
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Cantaloupe
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Saves eyesight
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Controls blood pressure
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Lowers cholesterol
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Combats cancer
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Supports immune system
|
Carrots
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Saves eyesight
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Protects your heart
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Prevents constipation
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Combats cancer
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Promotes weight loss
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Cauliflower
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Protects against Prostate Cancer
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Combats B reast Cancer
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Strengthens bones
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Banishes bruises
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Guards against heart disease
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Cherries
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Protects your heart
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Combats Cancer
|
Ends insomnia
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Slows aging process
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Shields against Alzheimer’s
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Chestnuts
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Promotes weight loss
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Protects your heart
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Lowers cholesterol
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Combats Cancer
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Controls blood pressure
|
Chili peppers
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Aids digestion
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Soothes sore throat
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Clears sinuses
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Combats Cancer
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Boosts immune system
Sprinkle into wounds
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Figs
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Promotes weight loss
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Helps stops strokes
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Lowers cholesterol
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Combats Cancer
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Controls blood pressure
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Fish
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Protects your heart
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Boosts memory
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Protects your heart
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Combats Cancer
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Supports immune system
|
Flax
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Aids digestion
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Battles diabetes
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Protects your heart
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Improves mental health
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Boosts immune system
|
Garlic
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Lowers cholesterol
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Controls blood pressure
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Combats cancer
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Kills bacteria
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Fights fungus
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Grapefruit
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Protects against heart attacks
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Promotes Weight loss
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Helps stops strokes
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Combats Prostate Cancer
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Lowers cholesterol
|
Grapes
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Saves eyesight
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Conquers kidney stones
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Combats cancer
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Enhances blood flow
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Protects your heart
|
Green tea
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Combats cancer
|
Protects your heart
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Helps stops strokes
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Promotes Weight loss
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Kills bacteria
|
Honey
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Heals wounds
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Aids digestion
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Guards against ulcers
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Increases energy
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Fights allergies
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Lemons
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Combats cancer
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Protects your heart
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Controls blood pressure
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Smooths skin
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Stops scurvy
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Limes
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Combats cancer
|
Protects your heart
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Controls blood pressure
|
Smooths skin
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Stops scurvy
|
Mangoes
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Combats cancer
|
Boosts memory
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Regulates thyroid
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Aids digestion especially if pickled
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Shields against Alzheimer’s
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Mushrooms
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Controls blood pressure
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Lowers cholesterol
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Kills bacteria
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Combats cancer if long cooked, esp reishi or shitaki
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Strengthens bones if dried gill side up in sun
Cook well
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Oats
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Lowers cholesterol
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Combats cancer
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Battles diabetes
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Prevents constipation
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Smooths skin
|
Olive oil
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Protects your heart
|
Promotes Weight loss
|
Combats cancer
|
Battles diabetes
|
Smooths skin
|
Onions
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Reduce risk of heart attack
|
Combats cancer
|
Kills bacteria
|
Lowers cholesterol
|
Fights fungus
|
Oranges
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Supports immune systems
|
Combats cancer
|
Protects your heart
|
Straightens respiration
|
|
Peaches
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Prevents constipation
|
Combats cancer
|
Helps stops strokes
|
Aids digestion
|
Helps hemorrhoids
|
Peanuts
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Protects against heart disease
|
Promotes Weight loss
|
Combats Prostate Cancer
|
Lowers cholesterol
|
Aggravates
Diverticulitis Allergenic |
Pineapple
|
Strengthens bones
|
Relieves colds
|
Aids digestion
|
Dissolves warts
|
Blocks diarrhea
|
Prunes
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Slows aging process
|
Prevents constipation
|
Boosts memory
|
Lowers cholesterol
|
Protects against heart disease
|
Rice
|
Protects your heart
|
Battles diabetes
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Conquers kidney stones
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Combats cancer
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Helps stops strokes
|
Strawberries
|
Combats cancer
|
Protects your heart
|
Boosts memory
|
Calms stress
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Avoid pesticides
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Sweet potatoes
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Saves your eyesight
|
Lifts mood
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Combats cancer
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Strengthens bones
|
|
Tomatoes
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Protects prostate
|
Combats cancer
|
Lowers cholesterol
|
Protects your heart
|
|
Walnuts
|
Lowers cholesterol
|
Combats cancer
|
Boosts memory
|
Lifts mood
|
Protects against heart disease
|
Water
|
Promotes Weight loss
|
Combats cancer
|
Conquers kidney stones
|
Smooths skin
|
Remember minerals too!
|
Watermelon
|
Protects prostate
|
Promotes Weight loss
|
Lowers cholesterol
|
Helps stops strokes
|
Controls blood pressure
|
Wheat germ
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Combats Colon Cancer
|
Prevents constipation
|
Lowers cholesterol
|
Helps stops strokes
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Improves digestion but watch for lectin and gluten allergies
|
Wheat bran
|
Combats Colon Cancer
|
Prevents constipation
|
Lowers cholesterol
|
Helps stops strokes
|
Improves digestion
|
Yogurt
|
Guards against ulcers
|
Strengthens bones
|
Lowers cholesterol
|
Supports immune systems
|
Aids digestion
|
(Chart in public domain, with changes)
The above list is not exhaustive of course. Pears, especially baked, are good for lung qi. A few doses of live blue cheese is an exceptional probiotic that survives stomach acid. In Chinese medicine special chickens with black bones are used for soup for the aged (and a few sticks of astragalus may be added for energy.) Kudzu root may be stewed for neck pain. Chicken soup with angelica (dong quai) may be used to build blood after giving birth. In Ayurveda, milk is used for a number of conditions (with and without turmeric.) Your overall balance of food in terms of hot, cold, bitter, sweet, bland, pungent or salty is important, as is your ability, determined by lifestyle and genetics to use such foods.
Related articles
- On Formulating Herbs for Montezuma’s Revenge (acupuncturebrooklyn.com)
- Full Fat Dairy Helps Ovulation in the Infertile (acupuncturebrooklyn.com)
- What is Food (toddcaldecott.com)
- Probiotics and Probiotic Foods (acupuncturebrooklyn.com)
- Vinegar, Muscle Cramps, Blood Sugar and Acids (acupuncturebrooklyn.com)
