"Omnivores, fine food also" — The balance of variety and refinement
The human body requires a variety of nutrients. From the perspective of human evolutionary history, a wide range of food sources is necessary to meet the nutritional balance. Although the variety of foods in our daily diet is limited, in real life, the grains, vegetables, fruits, and wild natural plants that humans consume are virtually limitless. A diet that is overly simple and refined is actually harmful, especially detrimental to growth and development. Picky eating and an overly refined diet can easily lead to deficiencies in trace elements like iron, zinc, iodine, minerals like calcium, and certain vitamins, as well as an excess of some nutrients. Therefore, in addition to paying attention to the color, aroma, flavor, and appearance of food, we should also advocate for the diversification of food sources. The ancients said: "Omnivores, fine food also." The renowned nutritionist Professor Li Ruifen once mentioned that to maintain good health, one should eat 25 to 30 different types of food every day—truly a varied diet!
"Food should be warm" — The balance of cold and hot in meals
"When eating, do not have scalding hot food, nor have icy cold food." This points out the need for a balance between hot and cold in meals. "Food should be warm." Consuming too much raw and cold food can damage the spleen, stomach, and lung qi; mildly it may cause coughing, severely it may lead to diarrhea. People with a weak constitution and a cold stomach should eat less raw and cold food, and be especially cautious in the summer. Folk wisdom also emphasizes: "Do not rush when hungry, and avoid cold food on an empty stomach." Conversely, food should not be too hot, as it can easily scald the stomach and throat. It is reported that in areas with a high incidence of esophageal cancer in North China, residents have the habit of drinking hot water and hot porridge. Therefore, the ancient medical expert Sun Simiao pointed out in his book "Qian Jin Yi Fang": "Hot food injures the bones, cold food injures the lungs. Hot food should not scorch the lips, cold food should not freeze the teeth." Thus, attention should be paid to the balance of hot and cold in meals.
"Avoid activity before a meal, avoid inactivity after a meal" — The balance of activity and stillness before and after meals
The balance of activity and stillness before and after meals is also very important, because the various foods and nutrients consumed daily must be balanced with the body's energy expenditure. The "Xiang Dang" chapter of the "Analects of Confucius" says: "When eating, do not speak; when in bed, do not speak." This shows that the ancients advocated for a quiet and focused mind before and during meals, without distraction or loud conversation, to facilitate the intake and digestion of food. The ancients also said: "Lying down immediately after eating leads to indigestion, which accumulates and gives rise to a hundred illnesses." An ancient medical text on diet therapy states: "Lying down after a meal can cause illnesses such as lung qi disorder, headwind, and epigastric blockage, because the nutrient qi and defensive qi do not circulate smoothly, and qi and blood become stagnant." Therefore, one should engage in light activity after a meal. The saying "A hundred steps after a meal will let you live to ninety-nine" indicates that a slow walk after a meal is beneficial to health.
"A happy stomach is a tranquil stomach" — The balance of emotions before and after meals
Maintaining a calm and pleasant mood before and during meals is beneficial for normal digestive function; conversely, it can harm the spleen and stomach. The "Ju Tong Lun" chapter of the "Su Wen" (Basic Questions) says: "Anger causes qi to rise, joy causes qi to slow down, sorrow causes qi to dissipate, fear causes qi to descend, fright causes qi to become chaotic, and overthinking causes qi to stagnate." It is hard to imagine that normal digestive function can be maintained when qi and blood are in disarray. The ancients said: "Do not get angry after a meal, and do not eat when angry." All abnormal emotions during the meal should be avoided as much as possible.
Music is greatly beneficial to digestive function. The book "Shou Shi Bao Yuan" says: "The spleen loves sound; it moves and grinds food when it hears sound." Therefore, not only did the ancient Daoists of China propose the theory that "the spleen grinds food when it hears music," but they also developed a complete set of "musical notes" and "梵音" (Buddhist chants), playing soft and pleasant music to accompany meals.