Most types of meat are warm to hot in thermal nature and are excellent for Supplementing qi and yang. Meat should be eaten primarily during the cold seasons. Meat intensifies body energy and provides the body with a degree of “aggressiveness.” It is very suitable for quickly replenishing energy deficits (following heavy physical exertion, after childbirth, during recovery).
Excess consumption of meat pollutes the body with toxins and promotes phlegm disorders.
Balancing Personal Constitution with Meat & Poultry:
- To treat repletion: (strong person, loud powerful voice, choleric features, extroverted, red tongue, possibly thick fur): Avoid meat, no meat for four to six weeks; increase grains, fruit, and vegetables.
- To treat vacuity (weak person, weak, quiet voice, often tired and exhausted, pale, swollen tongue, weak pulse): Beef, chicken, pork, veni-son.
- To treat heat (red tongue, rapid pulse, red face, reddened eyes, nervousness): No meat for four to six weeks; increase grains, fruit, and vegetables.
- To treat cold (pale, swollen tongue, weak, slow pulse, shivering, aversion to cold, cold worsens condition and pain): Above all venison, lamb, game; also chicken, beef.
- To treat dampness (swellings, edema, chronic phlegm disorders [e.g,, frontal sinusitis, bronchitis]): Avoid meat, no meat for four to six weeks; increase drying grains.
- To treat dryness (dry mouth, lips and skin; constipation): Pork, increase grains, fruit and vegetables.
