The body has many built in defense mechanisms to protect itself from our lack of proper management. One of the most powerful is discharge. Discharge is the body's way of rebalancing yin and yang. When a person cuts an onion, they are exposed to an extreme yin substance. If the body is already in an excess yin state, then the body will discharge yin. So the person's eyes will water and sting. Another common example is when a person eats a food that is very spicy. The spice is extreme yin and if the person has excess yin accumulated in the body, their nose will run. This is an example of an immediate discharge of excess yin which rebalances the body by getting rid of the excess. The rule of nature says, "No excess, no discharge." This means that if your body is in a balanced state it won't react to these substances.
There are many forms of discharge. What you call a cold or flu is simply the body's way of discharging excess yin and yang. It is a mechanism to get rid of toxic substances that have built up in the body over a period of time. These discharge mechanisms can be triggered in many ways. Starting to eat a balanced diet can trigger discharge as the body starts to balance. As the body begins to balance, it wants to get rid of any excess, both yin and yang.
Yin has a tendency to rise in the body and is usually discharged upward. Yang has a tendency to sink in the body and so is usually discharged downward. So, for instance, if your nose is running, this indicates a yin discharge. Headache is another discharge mechanism and is a yin discharge. Whereas congestion in the chest is a yang discharge. Normal elimination is also a significant discharge. Exhalation is another significant way in which the body eliminates toxins from its tissue. Skin is primarily a discharge organ. Perspiration is the main way that it operates. When the tissue beneath the skin becomes clogged with excess then skin eruptions will occur. This is why it is important to keep the skin well stimulated, i.e. with scrubbing, so that the pores can let the needed excess escape. Exercise and activity in general is another way the body uses excess yin and yang. People who are hyperactive are exhibiting excess yang.
In a situation where a person is eating an extreme yin and extreme yang diet, such as the typical American diet, the body can become excess yin and excess yang at the same time. This condition can overwhelm the various discharge mechanisms used by the body. When these discharge mechanisms become overwhelmed, excess can stagnate in the body and these stagnations can result in many chronic conditions such as arthritis, gout, athletes foot, hemorrhoids, etc.
It is very important to allow the body to maintain a balanced condition. This allows us to avoid many of these discharge incidents.
When my son was maybe four or five, he started having chronic ear infections. We tried all kinds of remedies prescribed by our doctor. His grandfather was a pediatrician so we got plenty of good medical advice. But the real issue was excess that the body was trying to get rid of through the ear canal. Had we known how to balance his body at that time we could have avoided all of those problems.
Another example occurred with my son as well. He would get these monster migraine headaches. Eventually I began to recognize a pattern to the onset of these migraines. They would happen when he would eat sugar during the afternoon and then supper would be late. If supper was late, he would begin a headache and would be down till the next day. As I began to learn about balancing yin and yang, I tried a remedy on him to see what would happen. The remedy was called tekka. Tekka is a black powder that is actually the charred residue of three or four vegetables that have been baked in the oven for about four hours making it extremely yang. To apply the remedy you mix the powder with a little tea and have the subject drink it. I gave this remedy to my son after the onset of one of his headaches and within two hours, the headache was gone. I was amazed. I keep this mixture, which is available at health food stores, handy at all times. I have not needed to use it again.
Discharge is a very complex issue with the body and we will discuss it more in another post. The most critical distinction to make here is that these discharge mechanisms need to be allowed to execute as much as possible so that toxins are removed from the body. Instead of treating these symptoms as an illness and trying to stop them, we need to recognize them for what they are and allow them to do their most vital work.
Thanks for reading.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Heatwave
As much of the USA is enjoying a heatwave this week, let's talk a bit about keeping cool when it is so hot. A heatwave is the expression of extreme yang force so as we said, we have to apply yin force to the body to balance the yang force from the weather. So, your impulse to grill out your food is not the best way to keep cool. Grilling is an extreme yang style of cooking and the meat that you cook on the grill will simply make you hotter because it is an extreme yang food.
In order to keep cool you need to increase your intake of yin foods which are close to the center. These foods will include raw vegetables such as salads, carrot sticks, celery, cucumber, radishes, and other vegetables. Lightly cooked vegetables are also cooling so Chinese cabbage blanched in boiling water for a minute and then cooled can be refreshing. Steamed kale and collard greens are also great. Fruit is also cooling. The bigger the fruit or vegetable, the more yin it is. Watermelon and other melons are effective in cooling the body. Avoid fried foods and salty foods as they are heat producing. Grains and beans may be taken at room temperature or out of the refrigerator. Nothing like a cold bean sandwich on a hot day.
Here is one thing I like on a hot day. I put about three quarters of a cup of liquid in the blender. I add a small apple, quartered and cored. I add some frozen blueberries and about 3 or 4 leaves of kale which has been steamed for a minute or two. I blend this all together and adjust the liquid to the correct consistency so it is not too thick. This smoothy is great on a hot day and is a great way to eat greens with a little sweetness.
Stay cool.
Thanks for reading.
In order to keep cool you need to increase your intake of yin foods which are close to the center. These foods will include raw vegetables such as salads, carrot sticks, celery, cucumber, radishes, and other vegetables. Lightly cooked vegetables are also cooling so Chinese cabbage blanched in boiling water for a minute and then cooled can be refreshing. Steamed kale and collard greens are also great. Fruit is also cooling. The bigger the fruit or vegetable, the more yin it is. Watermelon and other melons are effective in cooling the body. Avoid fried foods and salty foods as they are heat producing. Grains and beans may be taken at room temperature or out of the refrigerator. Nothing like a cold bean sandwich on a hot day.
Here is one thing I like on a hot day. I put about three quarters of a cup of liquid in the blender. I add a small apple, quartered and cored. I add some frozen blueberries and about 3 or 4 leaves of kale which has been steamed for a minute or two. I blend this all together and adjust the liquid to the correct consistency so it is not too thick. This smoothy is great on a hot day and is a great way to eat greens with a little sweetness.
Stay cool.
Thanks for reading.
Friday, July 15, 2011
How do we balance?
Last post we discussed some of the basic ways that yin and yang affect our lives. We learned that where we live matters in how we maintain balance. We learned that foods that we eat affect the balance of yin and yang in the body. We learned that exposure to sunlight and cold can affect the balance of the body. Today let's look at some foods that affect our balance.
First, let's assume that we live in a temperate zone as opposed to a tropical or arctic zone. In a temperate zone we experience a contrast of seasons to a much greater degree than in the other zones. Summer is the time when yang dominates as the weather becomes hot and dry. Winter is the time when yin dominates as the sun recedes toward the equator and becomes less intense because of its angle to the earth. Spring and Fall are transition seasons when the weather swings from yang to yin and back to yang again. Certain kinds of fruit and vegetables grow in this zone reflecting the balance of yin and yang that they are exposed to.
In a temperate zone where we have seasons, we need to adjust our diet to be in balance with each season. So in summer when yang dominates the environment, it is more appropriate to eat foods that have a yin effect to balance the yang environment. In the winter, when yin dominates the environment, it is more appropriate to eat more yang foods to balance the yin environment. So which foods are yin and which foods are yang?
Traditional cultures observed the relationship of many different foods to each other. They developed the ability to rank all foods as to which ones are more yin and which ones are more yang. They also observed that some foods were in the middle of the yin and yang spectrum. For example, one of the most yang foods is salt. Salt exhibits yang characteristics. It is hard, dense, compact, and intense. It is an extreme yang food when taken by itself. An extreme yin substance would be alcohol. It exhibits yin characteristics. It is wet, evaporates easily, and creates yin characteristics when introduced into the body. Fruit is more yin than vegetables. Beans are more yang than vegetables. Grains are in the middle of the spectrum but still more yang than beans. Fish is more yang than grain. Meat is more yang than fish. Salted or smoked meat is more yang than uncured meat. Salt and charred food is more yang than cured meat.
Each category of food has its own variety of yin and yang. For instance, if we look at grains, there are yin grains and yang grains. Buckwheat is a yang grain and was used historically to combat the harsh climate of Russia and Mongolia. Brown rice is in the middle of the grain spectrum. Corn is a yin grain which you can see by its size and lack of density compared to other grains. Millet is a grain which is small and compact which would make it more yang but it does not have the density of rice for instance because it is more hollow so it is actually more yin than rice. Even within varieties of grains there are variations of yin and yang. Brown rice, for example, comes in many varieties. Short grain brown rice is more yang so is more appropriate for northern temperate zone whereas long grain brown rice is appropriate for southern temperate zones. Medium grain brown rice is in the middle.
If our goal is to achieve and maintain balance in a temperate zone location, then we eat foods from the middle of the spectrum for the temperate zone. So a balanced diet in the temperate zone consists of whole grain in the center with vegetables, both cooked and raw, bean products, fruits, sea vegetables, and fish. This diet is then adjusted for local conditions and seasons. This means we eat foods that grow in our zone and are in season. We don't eat foods that grow in tropical zones because they are exposed to a very different balance of yin and yang than we are. We supplement this central diet with meat when we are doing hard physical labor and when we are enduring cold weather. Fermentation is a "cooking" process as it helps to break down the substance of the vegetables making them easier to digest. It is also a way of mellowing the harsh qualities of salt so they impact the body more gently. Soups are an effective way of introducing foods to the body in a gentle way which the body can readily process.
Next post we will talk more about how the body handles extreme yin and yang foods. Thanks for reading. Let me know if this is making sense to you in the comments.
Follow @sbleeke
First, let's assume that we live in a temperate zone as opposed to a tropical or arctic zone. In a temperate zone we experience a contrast of seasons to a much greater degree than in the other zones. Summer is the time when yang dominates as the weather becomes hot and dry. Winter is the time when yin dominates as the sun recedes toward the equator and becomes less intense because of its angle to the earth. Spring and Fall are transition seasons when the weather swings from yang to yin and back to yang again. Certain kinds of fruit and vegetables grow in this zone reflecting the balance of yin and yang that they are exposed to.
In a temperate zone where we have seasons, we need to adjust our diet to be in balance with each season. So in summer when yang dominates the environment, it is more appropriate to eat foods that have a yin effect to balance the yang environment. In the winter, when yin dominates the environment, it is more appropriate to eat more yang foods to balance the yin environment. So which foods are yin and which foods are yang?
Traditional cultures observed the relationship of many different foods to each other. They developed the ability to rank all foods as to which ones are more yin and which ones are more yang. They also observed that some foods were in the middle of the yin and yang spectrum. For example, one of the most yang foods is salt. Salt exhibits yang characteristics. It is hard, dense, compact, and intense. It is an extreme yang food when taken by itself. An extreme yin substance would be alcohol. It exhibits yin characteristics. It is wet, evaporates easily, and creates yin characteristics when introduced into the body. Fruit is more yin than vegetables. Beans are more yang than vegetables. Grains are in the middle of the spectrum but still more yang than beans. Fish is more yang than grain. Meat is more yang than fish. Salted or smoked meat is more yang than uncured meat. Salt and charred food is more yang than cured meat.
Each category of food has its own variety of yin and yang. For instance, if we look at grains, there are yin grains and yang grains. Buckwheat is a yang grain and was used historically to combat the harsh climate of Russia and Mongolia. Brown rice is in the middle of the grain spectrum. Corn is a yin grain which you can see by its size and lack of density compared to other grains. Millet is a grain which is small and compact which would make it more yang but it does not have the density of rice for instance because it is more hollow so it is actually more yin than rice. Even within varieties of grains there are variations of yin and yang. Brown rice, for example, comes in many varieties. Short grain brown rice is more yang so is more appropriate for northern temperate zone whereas long grain brown rice is appropriate for southern temperate zones. Medium grain brown rice is in the middle.
If our goal is to achieve and maintain balance in a temperate zone location, then we eat foods from the middle of the spectrum for the temperate zone. So a balanced diet in the temperate zone consists of whole grain in the center with vegetables, both cooked and raw, bean products, fruits, sea vegetables, and fish. This diet is then adjusted for local conditions and seasons. This means we eat foods that grow in our zone and are in season. We don't eat foods that grow in tropical zones because they are exposed to a very different balance of yin and yang than we are. We supplement this central diet with meat when we are doing hard physical labor and when we are enduring cold weather. Fermentation is a "cooking" process as it helps to break down the substance of the vegetables making them easier to digest. It is also a way of mellowing the harsh qualities of salt so they impact the body more gently. Soups are an effective way of introducing foods to the body in a gentle way which the body can readily process.
Next post we will talk more about how the body handles extreme yin and yang foods. Thanks for reading. Let me know if this is making sense to you in the comments.
Follow @sbleeke
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
How does it work for living beings?
Last post we looked at some of the conditions that result from yin and yang being out of balance in one's body. Every person is unique so yin and yang may affect them in unique ways. What symptoms one person has from a certain input may not be the same for another person. The forces are working in the same way for all living creatures. So to establish balance we need to understand a few concepts.
First, it matters where you live north to south. The balance point for a person living at the arctic circle is much different from a person living at or near the equator. The input received by a person living at the arctic circle is much different from a person living at or near the equator. Every being is being bombarded by these two forces without ceasing. Yang force is constantly incoming to the surface of the earth and you are receiving it. Every being that lives around you is receiving the same force that you are. Yin force is constantly generated by the spinning of the earth which never takes a break. The effect of these two forces is to establish a balance point for the area where you live for all living beings even plants. So the carrot growing in your garden is receiving the same balance of yin and yang that you are. It's root is an expression of yang and its leafy tops are an expression of yin force.
The balance point establishes a level of yin and yang force that is balanced thereby making the being stable. It is this stability upon which we maintain our well being. Traditional cultures in Asia observed this process of balance and found out that it is affected by the food that we eat as well as our exposure to sunlight and cold. Over the centuries many of these cultures found out which foods had a more yang effect and which foods had a more yin effect. They observed that some foods were extreme yin and some foods were extreme yang. They observed that when a person ate foods that were extreme yang the result was excess yang in the body. This upset the balance of the body and disturbed the well being of the person. They also observed that when this balance was upset on the yang side it produced a need for yin foods to bring the body back in to balance. This need is experienced as a craving.
They also observed that the whole process worked in reverse as well so excess yin also upset the balance and resulted in a need for yang foods. They learned over time that if they maintained the balance of these two forces as expressed where they live they enjoyed greater well being, had fewer problems, and generally lived longer and better lives.
The key to maintaining balance in the body was observed to be the consumption of foods from the middle of the yin - yang spectrum and the avoidance of extreme foods and other substances. As they naturally ate the foods that grew around them, they naturally consumed foods that were exposed to the same balance of yin and yang that they as humans were. So naturally they maintained balance. Since they were used to living in a balanced condition, any factor that upset the balance was obvious to them because it produced conditions that were unpleasant. These conditions were eventually looked upon as illness.
So yin and yang are constantly working to achieve a balanced state in whatever manifestation they express. In the example of the carrot, if drought conditions prevail, eventually the carrot will become too dry and soon the plant will wilt and die. As we have talked about in the characteristics page, yang is hot and dry. Yin is wet and cool. In order to grow successfully the plant must be exposed to a balance of both yin and yang. Same with humans and other beings. Excess yin and yang can be dangerous to the organism. Both can exist in the body at the same time.
Next post we will look at more specifically how we create a balanced diet that maintains our balance point. Thanks for reading.
First, it matters where you live north to south. The balance point for a person living at the arctic circle is much different from a person living at or near the equator. The input received by a person living at the arctic circle is much different from a person living at or near the equator. Every being is being bombarded by these two forces without ceasing. Yang force is constantly incoming to the surface of the earth and you are receiving it. Every being that lives around you is receiving the same force that you are. Yin force is constantly generated by the spinning of the earth which never takes a break. The effect of these two forces is to establish a balance point for the area where you live for all living beings even plants. So the carrot growing in your garden is receiving the same balance of yin and yang that you are. It's root is an expression of yang and its leafy tops are an expression of yin force.
The balance point establishes a level of yin and yang force that is balanced thereby making the being stable. It is this stability upon which we maintain our well being. Traditional cultures in Asia observed this process of balance and found out that it is affected by the food that we eat as well as our exposure to sunlight and cold. Over the centuries many of these cultures found out which foods had a more yang effect and which foods had a more yin effect. They observed that some foods were extreme yin and some foods were extreme yang. They observed that when a person ate foods that were extreme yang the result was excess yang in the body. This upset the balance of the body and disturbed the well being of the person. They also observed that when this balance was upset on the yang side it produced a need for yin foods to bring the body back in to balance. This need is experienced as a craving.
They also observed that the whole process worked in reverse as well so excess yin also upset the balance and resulted in a need for yang foods. They learned over time that if they maintained the balance of these two forces as expressed where they live they enjoyed greater well being, had fewer problems, and generally lived longer and better lives.
The key to maintaining balance in the body was observed to be the consumption of foods from the middle of the yin - yang spectrum and the avoidance of extreme foods and other substances. As they naturally ate the foods that grew around them, they naturally consumed foods that were exposed to the same balance of yin and yang that they as humans were. So naturally they maintained balance. Since they were used to living in a balanced condition, any factor that upset the balance was obvious to them because it produced conditions that were unpleasant. These conditions were eventually looked upon as illness.
So yin and yang are constantly working to achieve a balanced state in whatever manifestation they express. In the example of the carrot, if drought conditions prevail, eventually the carrot will become too dry and soon the plant will wilt and die. As we have talked about in the characteristics page, yang is hot and dry. Yin is wet and cool. In order to grow successfully the plant must be exposed to a balance of both yin and yang. Same with humans and other beings. Excess yin and yang can be dangerous to the organism. Both can exist in the body at the same time.
Next post we will look at more specifically how we create a balanced diet that maintains our balance point. Thanks for reading.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Why should I care?
Most people know so little about these two forces that they unknowingly let them mess up their life in many ways. That's correct. Yin and Yang can mess up your life if you let them get out of balance.
Let's look for a moment at what an out of balance condition looks like for a human being:
A person who is excess yang, which means that they have consumed too much yang food (more on that later), will be tense. They will be stressed. They may be on a hair trigger with anger. They may have panic attacks or exhibit paranoia. They may be compulsive in many ways. They may be hyperactive. They may grit their teeth in their sleep. They may develop heart problems. They may crave sugar and sweets. They may drink alcohol to excess. They may take drugs, or do drugs. Their hair at the crown may fall out.
A person who is excess yin, which means they have consumed too much yin food (defined later), may sleep to excess. They may have nasal discharge. They may snore. They may develop hemorrhoids. They will have "allergies". They may develop asthma. They may develop sleep apnea. They may crave salty foods and dry foods. They may develop a hernia. Their hair at the front may fall out. They may have fever and flu symptoms.
Do any of these conditions sound familiar? When you know how to balance these two forces you can avoid many of these conditions. Knowing how yin and yang affect your life allows you to take charge of the process and eliminate the annoying if not dangerous conditions.
In my next post we will discuss more about how yin and yang work and how we can use these forces to our advantage to enhance our wellbeing.
Thanks for reading.
Let's look for a moment at what an out of balance condition looks like for a human being:
A person who is excess yang, which means that they have consumed too much yang food (more on that later), will be tense. They will be stressed. They may be on a hair trigger with anger. They may have panic attacks or exhibit paranoia. They may be compulsive in many ways. They may be hyperactive. They may grit their teeth in their sleep. They may develop heart problems. They may crave sugar and sweets. They may drink alcohol to excess. They may take drugs, or do drugs. Their hair at the crown may fall out.
A person who is excess yin, which means they have consumed too much yin food (defined later), may sleep to excess. They may have nasal discharge. They may snore. They may develop hemorrhoids. They will have "allergies". They may develop asthma. They may develop sleep apnea. They may crave salty foods and dry foods. They may develop a hernia. Their hair at the front may fall out. They may have fever and flu symptoms.
Do any of these conditions sound familiar? When you know how to balance these two forces you can avoid many of these conditions. Knowing how yin and yang affect your life allows you to take charge of the process and eliminate the annoying if not dangerous conditions.
In my next post we will discuss more about how yin and yang work and how we can use these forces to our advantage to enhance our wellbeing.
Thanks for reading.
Friday, July 8, 2011
How do I know?
How do I know if something is Yin or Yang? The truth is that every manifestation of these two forces is an expression of both forces. It is only in comparison to something else that an object or being is said to be more Yin or more Yang. So for instance, a rock is more yang than water or water is more yang than air. This is determined by knowing the characteristics of Yin and Yang. We will list them here. There are quite a few ways in which these forces interact.
Yang characteristics: hotter, dryer, more dense, more intense, expressive.
Yin characteristics: colder, wetter, less dense, less intense, receptive.
Yang characteristics: harder, stronger, aggressive, tighter.
Yin characteristics: softer, weaker, passive, looser.
Yang characteristics: active, loud, contracting, fast, light, male.
Yin characteristics: inactive, soft, expanding, slow, dark, female.
Can you see that a rock is more dense than water? So, a rock is more yang than water. Or we could say water is more yin than rock. Can you see that a diamond is more dense than limestone? So a diamond is more yang than limestone. Can you see that winter is more yin than summer because it is colder and wetter and darker? Summer is an expression of yang characteristics like hot, dry, active, and brighter.
Does this make sense? See if you can see some other characteristics which are opposite. We will look at this some more in the next post. Thanks for reading.
Yang characteristics: hotter, dryer, more dense, more intense, expressive.
Yin characteristics: colder, wetter, less dense, less intense, receptive.
Yang characteristics: harder, stronger, aggressive, tighter.
Yin characteristics: softer, weaker, passive, looser.
Yang characteristics: active, loud, contracting, fast, light, male.
Yin characteristics: inactive, soft, expanding, slow, dark, female.
Can you see that a rock is more dense than water? So, a rock is more yang than water. Or we could say water is more yin than rock. Can you see that a diamond is more dense than limestone? So a diamond is more yang than limestone. Can you see that winter is more yin than summer because it is colder and wetter and darker? Summer is an expression of yang characteristics like hot, dry, active, and brighter.
Does this make sense? See if you can see some other characteristics which are opposite. We will look at this some more in the next post. Thanks for reading.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Introduction
This blog is going to explore the dynamics of two forces which affect our lives in profound ways. Yin and Yang are two forces which are not clearly understood by most people. Here we will try to reach an understanding of how these forces act in our lives and how we can live with them in a positive way. I look forward to your input and the opportunity to enhance the understanding of these forces as we go forward.
So what are these two forces and why should we care about them. Yin and Yang are the two elemental forces in the universe. These two forces manifest themselves in millions of ways to express all matter and non matter in the cosmos. From the vantage point of our planet earth Yang is sunlight, moonlight, starlight, and all radiation coming into the surface of the planet. Yin is the force that is created by the spinning of the earth. It is also called centrifugal force. It can be created in a minute scale by tying an object to the end of a string and swinging it around your hand. If you let go of the string while the object is spinning, it will fly off away from the center of the swing. This is a demonstration of Yin force. Yang force is also called centripetal force. These two forces meet at the surface of the earth and spiral together in many ways. These two forces are active in every manifestation and operate according to strict rules. The main function of these two forces is to achieve a state of balance. More next time. Thanks for reading.
So what are these two forces and why should we care about them. Yin and Yang are the two elemental forces in the universe. These two forces manifest themselves in millions of ways to express all matter and non matter in the cosmos. From the vantage point of our planet earth Yang is sunlight, moonlight, starlight, and all radiation coming into the surface of the planet. Yin is the force that is created by the spinning of the earth. It is also called centrifugal force. It can be created in a minute scale by tying an object to the end of a string and swinging it around your hand. If you let go of the string while the object is spinning, it will fly off away from the center of the swing. This is a demonstration of Yin force. Yang force is also called centripetal force. These two forces meet at the surface of the earth and spiral together in many ways. These two forces are active in every manifestation and operate according to strict rules. The main function of these two forces is to achieve a state of balance. More next time. Thanks for reading.
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