Balance or Bust: How Lifestyle Habits Shape Your Health in Chinese Medicine
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has been trusted for centuries to address a wide range of ailments, from sprained ankles to insomnia and neuropathy. In TCM, all health issues stem from an imbalance within the body’s complex ecosystem. While the causes of imbalance can vary widely—sometimes being simple to identify, other times more complex—TCM offers its own unique framework for understanding and categorizing disease.
Six Pernicious Influences (External Causes)
These are environmental factors that disrupt the body’s balance. Wind, Cold, Heat, Dampness, Dryness, and Summer Heat. When someone gets sick with say a head cold, it can be attributed to a pernicious influence (either wind, cold, or a combination).
The Emotions (Internal Causes)
Emotions play a significant role in TCM and, when experienced in excess or without resolution, can disrupt the flow of energy (Qi). For example when anger—associated with the liver—remains unchecked or becomes excessive, it can stagnate the flow of qi and lead to a variety of issues.
Lifestyle-Related Causes
TCM acknowledges that daily habits and lifestyle choices can affect our health in many ways
Lets focus more on these lifestyle-related causes, as they’re more within our control. By making good choices, we can foster balance physically and energetically.
First to address is diet. We are what we eat. Foods have an energetic signature, some of which you can find below. Please note that while I share insights based on TCM dietary principles, I am not a registered dietitian or nutritionist. This is just to provide some perspective.
And of course, everything in moderation.
Cold foods—like raw fruits, salads, ice cream, smoothies, and iced drinks—can, in excess, hinder the body’s ability to generate strong qi, slowing down energy production and leading to an internal state of cold and deficiency. I enjoy these foods a little more in the warmer months (and yes, the occasional ice cream!), but I try to limit them more during colder months. For raw greens, I’ll often let them sit out of the fridge for 15-20 minutes, bringing them closer to room temperature before eating. In fact that’s what I do for almost anything I’m eating straight from the fridge.
Greasy foods—such as fried items, burgers, pizza, cheese, butter and ice cream—can, when eaten in excess, clog the body’s system for producing qi, creating a sense of dampness or heaviness. While cold foods may slow things down, greasy foods tend to create blockages. The same principle applies for sugary and overly-sweet foods.
Hot foods—like curries and other spicy dishes, alcohol, garlic, ginger, scallions, beef, lamb—can, in excess, can create too much heat within the body. It’s like turning up the heat too high in a room that’s already a comfortable temperature—initially, it may feel cozy, but eventually, it becomes stifling, causing discomfort and even agitation.
In addition to these energetic signatures, it can be useful to take a step back and consider other aspects of our diet, beyond just what we eat. When and where do we eat? Are we having enough or too much food? What state of mind are we in when having a meal?
Chinese medicine emphasizes not only the quality of food but also the conditions in which it’s eaten. Eating in less-than-ideal circumstances, can have adverse effects over time. Some points to consider -
Eating on the go or in a hurry
Eating while constantly looking at one’s phone, checking news or social media
Eating late in the evening and close to bed time
Eating in a state of emotional distress or tension
Eating at irregular intervals
In TCM, the ideal conditions for a meal include eating in a calm, quiet setting, staying present, sitting upright, and eating at a steady pace. Pausing to acknowledge the food, where it came from, and the energy it provides is a simple way to engage with the meal, grounding both body and mind. Drink minimally while eating, taking small sips as needed. Drinking too many liquids (particularly cold ones) during a meal will hinder the digestive fire.
The next factor to consider is exercise—or, perhaps more accurately, our overall level of physical activity. Physical activity plays a key role in moving and strengthening qi, but just like anything, balance is crucial. Both a lack of exercise and overexertion disrupt the body’s natural rhythm and could cause qi to stagnate or become depleted.
With a more sedentary lifestyle, the body’s qi circulation slows, creating stagnation. Imagine a river that’s no longer flowing freely; over time, debris collects, and the water becomes sluggish. Similarly, when the body isn’t active enough, qi will not move as smoothly through the energy channels.
On the opposide side, excessive exercise can deplete qi, especially if the activity is intense, prolonged, or doesn’t allow adequate recovery time. This overexertion exhausts the body’s energy reserves, akin to draining a battery faster than it can recharge. Over time, the body may also struggle with resilience and healing, as it hasn’t had time to replenish its energy stores.
While fitness is often seen as a marker of health, the two aren’t always the same. Fitness, demonstrated through feats like running a marathon or lifting heavy weights, reflects the body’s strength and endurance but doesn’t necessarily equate to the deeper, balanced vitality of true health. Good health, particularly from a TCM perspective, includes the well-being of our internal organs, the balance of qi, and the harmony of bodily systems. Someone can be fit on the outside yet, unknowingly, overlook the needs of their internal health.
Tai Chi, Qi Gong, and Yoga are excellent complements to more vigorous physical activities or can stand alone as practices that not only strengthen the body’s muscles and sinews but also nourish the internal organs.
Achieving balance is key to maintaining health and harmony within the body. Often this isn’t a straight line from A to B, but more of a zig-zagging path that asks us to re-align, adapt, and be open to change. By understanding how various factors—from diet and emotions to environmental influences and lifestyle choices—shape our internal ecosystem, it can foster a greater connection with ourselves and inspire us to make changes. And the changes don’t have to be huge. Small, mindful adjustments to how we eat, move, and engage with our surroundings can make a big impact over time. As we strive for more balance in our health, we begin to cultivate a deeper, lasting vitality that spreads naturally through all aspects of our lives.
