In this article we are going to explore some of the foods that can affect your meridian organ system and therefore your health.
We are currently in the season of Autumn, which in the Chinese 5 Elements model, is the season that corresponds to the element of Metal. As you can see from the diagram, there are two meridians in metal; the Lung (Yin) and the Large Intestine (Yang).
(Picture credit - Marianne Jacobsen)
Together they really hold the balance for how we can move from lacking in trust of others or needing to overly-control, into experiencing the balance of trust and inspiration. If you feel like you need to control every aspect of your life, or if you find yourself unable to complete something in your life, needing instead to repeat the same patterns over and over, then the likelihood is your metal needs some help!
The metal energy in balance is truly inspirational. Think of a person that you know who you trust to be someone with a deep integrity, someone who is able to see, listen to and consider all sides of a story and then to bring wisdom and insight into the situation. Someone you know who would never tell a lie, even if the truth is uncomfortable. Some who aspires to be the very best that they can be, and who inspires you to be the best that you can be. Those are a few of the essential qualities of metal in balance.
Another important consideration with metal, is its role as the last of the 5 elements in the model. The cycle begins with Water, flows to Wood, Fire, Earth and Metal, and as such, this last element holds the place of completion. The reflection and centring energy of Earth moves towards completion as we sit in Metal. But, it is not as if the energy of the cycle stops in Metal, as it continues into Water, bringing with it the energy of rebirth, of moving into a new pattern of growth. In order for us to be able to work with the energies of this season, our Metal energy needs to be moving in its fullness and balance.
There are many energy techniques that can help with balancing all of the elements, and the one that I am sharing today is the way that certain foods hold the nutrition and vibration that suit specific meridian organ systems more than others. This of course, will be specific to you and your whole-body needs, and as discussed in the blogs on self-testing, I recommend that you test test test before you ingest! If you want to find out how to learn to self-test you'll find other blog posts that will help you do that here. These blogs also have links to videos so you can watch how to self-test effectively.
Also, needless to say, don’t eat any of the following foods simply because they may be beneficial for a specific meridian, if you know you have an adverse reaction to a food, then avoid it. You are a wonderfully, totally, marvellously unique collection of energy, consciousness, expression and physicality. Work with this information in the ways that can most nourish and support you.
These first two meridians (central and governing) don't fall into any of the Chinese five elements...
Central Meridian: Water, sardines, spirulina, bee pollen, propolis, raw honey
Governing meridian: Meat, fish, eggs, dairy food
Water Element
Kidney: Water, kidney meat, foods rich in vitamins A and B, such as liver, parsley, green pepper, green leafy vegetables, wheat germ and green peas. Also strawberries, lemons, oranges, egg yolk, beans, nuts and yoghurt.
Bladder:
Foods rich in thiamine (B1) such as peas, beans, wheat germ, whole grains, fruit, cabbage, eggs, yeast. Also calcium foods such as bone, dairy, eggs, green leafy vegetable, beans and nuts.
Wood Element
Liver:
Liver and foods containing vitamin A, such as green leafy vegetables, parsley and green pepper.
Gallbladder:
Non-fat food sources of vitamin A such as carrots, parsley and other yellow and green vegetables.
Fire Element
Heart:
Foods that contain calcium, vitamins B and E, such as brewers yeast, wheat germ, bone, dairy products, eggs, green leafy vegetables, peas, beans, nuts, strawberries, lemons and oranges.
Circulation Sex:
Foods rich in vitamin E such as wheat germ, green peas, green leafy vegetables.
Small Intestine:
Vitamin B foods such as yeast, wheat germ, yoghurt, buttermilk, liver, green peas, green leafy vegetables.
Triple Warmer:
Organic iodine found in seaweed (kelp), dairy and fish. Also foods high in vitamins C and B such as citrus fruits, green peppers, and green leafy vegetables.
Earth Element
Spleen:
Vitamin A as found in yellow and green leafy vegetables, tripe, sweetbreads, citrus, green peppers, buckwheat, bone meal and dairy products.
Stomach:
Vitamin B foods such as wheat germ, whole grains, liver, brewers yeast, tripe, yoghurt, fish, kelp.
Metal Element
Lung:
Vitamin C foods such as green peppers, kiwi and citrus fruits, and increased water.
Large Intestine:
Fibre, water, yoghurt, honey, liver, buttermilk, brewers yeast and green leafy vegetables.
With love, Prune
Picture credit - Marianne Jacobsen