The Tao of Healthy Eating: Dietary Wisdom According to Traditional Chinese Medicine

by Bob Flaws

Chinese dietary therapy is one of the most important aspects of Chinese medicine. The Tao of Healthy Eating illuminates the theory and practice of Chinese dietary therapy with emphasis on the concerns and attitudes of Westerners. Commonsense metaphors explain basic Chinese medical theories and their application in preventive and remedial dietary therapy. It features a clear description of the Chinese medical understanding of digestion and all the practical implications if this for day-to-day diet. Issues of Western interest are discussed, such as raw versus cooked foods, high cholesterol, food allergies, and candidiasis. It includes the Chinese medical descriptions of 200 Western food and similar information on vitamins, minerals, and amino acids.
NEW features in the SECOND EDITION include Chinese characters and pinyin throughout the text for important terms. Not one, but several healthy eating pyramids for different dietary styles. New discussions of the modern Western diet, trans-fat, corn syrup, pesticides, and chemical additives. Recipes for pattern discriminations and a concise history of Chinese dietary therapy.

Genres: Health, Nonfiction, Nutrition, Medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Food

128 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 1998

About the author

Bob Flaws (born 1946) is a practitioner of and prolific author and translator on Chinese medicine. He began his study and practice of Chinese medicine in 1977 under the late Eric (Xi-yu) Tao of Denver, Colorado and continued his Chinese medical education at the Shanghai College of Traditional Chinese Medicine from 1982 to 1986. In 1982, he and his wife, Honora Lee Wolfe, established Blue Poppy Press which eventually grew into Blue Poppy Enterprises, Inc. of Boulder, Colorado.

Reviews

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Obvious virtues of this book: it's very short (2 days) and cheapily/readily available. Basically this is an introduction to Traditional Chinese Medicine seen through the lens of diet. The author explains the basics of energy as it is stored and transported or transformed and then gives an overview of nutrition and how to eat. The view laid out here is pretty much macrobiotics but 1)not as restrictive 2)emphasizes fresh cooked vegetables a bit more than macro (at the expense of grains) 3) is personal to each of us. This last point is interesting but also signals the difficulty here. To eat really correctly you have to know what your problem or disposition is. This is quite difficult to do without seeing a practitioner BUT the general principles are the same regardless.

[Stacy Brand · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you're looking for a book that combines healthy eating with ancient Chinese wisdom, then this book is for you.

Author Bob Flaws provides readers with a comprehensive guide to Chinese dietary therapy, offering insights into the connections between food and health. The book is easy to read and the recipes are delicious - I may have to steal a few for myself!

However, one critique I have is that some of the information can be a bit dense for readers who are new to Traditional Chinese Medicine. The book assumes a basic knowledge of TCM theory, so it may not be the best choice for someone just starting out on their health journey.

Overall, "The Tao of Healthy Eating" is a great resource for those who want to learn more about how food can support their health and well-being. Just be prepared to do a bit of studying on TCM theory before diving in.

[ELIZABETH TIERNEY · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short and "sweet". Encapsulates some TCM basics. Useful and accessible.

[Tim Murphy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've just dabbled in this book recently and once I have a clearer head, will read the rest. So far, I'm impressed by the coverage and helpfulness of it.

[Joshua]

Short, easy to read introduction to chinese dietary theory and practice. In a nutshell, stick to a basic middle burner spleen-benefiting diet which consists of "warm food cooked fresh and eatern warm, lots of fresh vegetables, lots of grains, some beans, a little animal protein of all sorts and varieties, moderate amounts of fruits seeds and oils, and not much concentrated sweets oils, or fats."

I was frustrated trying to perform his suggested exercise of identifying why the recipes "work", since some of the ingredients (eg.., turnips, fennel seeds, leeks) are not in the foods he characterizes (at least in the 2nd edition). I guess even Bob has his Flaws...

Otherwise, looking forward to trying some of the jooks and tisanes.

[Ad Astra · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are some good pointers and discussion topics in here. I think it's a good place to do some research with but I don't feel like I understood the theory behind Eastern Medicine as much as I'd like. There's a nice break down of recipes towards the back with a description of their effect on the bottom.

[Laurie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick read which gives a BASIC overview of eating according to traditional chinese medicine. I am still a little fuzzy on some of the concepts but I have a little better understanding. Interesting food for thought (pun not intended).

[Erika · Rating 4 out of 5]

a must read when your ready to really learn how to eat healthy and drop your western ideals as to what health really means.

[Jared Austin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very insightful book which taught me several things about proper dietary habits. I've started making some changes in my eating/drinking habits and have already noticed a difference.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

It starts off a little dry with too many Chinese characters and words for my taste. Once you get past the history and introduction it's more interesting.

[Heydi Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting introduction to eating healthy and knowing what each food does to your body.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting, quick and digestible (sorry) introduction to Chinese Dietary Therapy. It's whetted my appetite (couldn't resist) to investigate deeper into the topic.