| Not long ago, a young woman, Elaine, came to my | | | | yams, and fruits. Today, when we crave sweets, we |
| clinic to be treated for depression. During her first | | | | turn to something like the two pound bag of |
| appointment, I asked her a number of questions about | | | | M&M’s, which only further damages the |
| her health and lifestyle. When I asked her what | | | | Spleen. |
| foods she craved, her answer surprised me. She | | | | If you crave salty foods, you might look to the health |
| said that she craved frozen vegetables. Not cooked | | | | of your Kidney system. The Kidney in Chinese |
| frozen vegetables, but frozen veggies right out of the | | | | medicine is most damaged by stress, overwork, and |
| freezer—crunchy and cold. | | | | keeping long hours without adequate rest. It is also |
| While her unusual answer surprised me, it also gave | | | | related to how well and healthfully you will age. |
| me some clues into her condition within the framework | | | | A friend of mine is notorious for craving dill pickles and |
| of Chinese medicine. Her craving for extremely cold | | | | other sour foods. The sour taste is associated with |
| foods told me that she had some kind of a heat | | | | the Liver. Interestingly, my friend struggles with pain |
| condition, most likely involving the Heart organ system. | | | | around her Liver and has been diagnosed with a fatty |
| In Chinese medicine, each organ system (Heart, | | | | Liver. |
| Spleen, Lungs, Kidneys, Liver) has a taste, or | | | | The Lung system is associated with foods that are |
| flavor, associated with it. The flavor related to each | | | | acrid, or strongly flavored. Acrid foods have the |
| organ is beneficial and healing that specific organ, but in | | | | ability to make you sweat and cause your nose to |
| small amounts. Through the foods you crave, you can | | | | run—both activities associated with the Lung system. |
| get a better idea of which Organ systems might be | | | | Elaine, the woman who was craving frozen |
| depleted. | | | | vegetables, had issues with her Heart system, as well |
| For example, the taste associated with the Spleen is | | | | as internal heat. She was suffering from emotional |
| sweet. The majority of people that I see in my clinic | | | | concerns, which almost always involve the Heart |
| will tell me that they crave sweets. This is frequently | | | | system in some way. The Heart is associated with |
| because their Spleen, the organ of digestion, is working | | | | the element of fire, and bitter taste. Her craving for |
| overtime to digest fat-laden, nutrient-dense, over | | | | frozen foods, while not bitter in taste, was an attempt |
| processed foods. In addition, people who are | | | | to cool the Heart fire. Frequently, people who crave |
| overweight almost always have damage to their | | | | dark chocolate, coffee, and dark bitter ales, also find in |
| Spleen system. As a result, they crave sweets. | | | | the clinic that their Heart system is depleted in some |
| Unfortunately, in Chinese history, sweets were eaten in | | | | way. |
| small amounts in the form of natural foods, like dates, | | | | |