Description of the Fire and Heat pattern

Heat can arise in the organism in several ways: a) it can penetrate us from the outside as an external climatic pathogen, for example if we expose ourselves to too much sun, or if we are attacked by, for example, wind-heat (which are usually some viral infections, etc.). These are more acute conditions; b) more often, however, heat arises because we eat foods that are too fiery (spicy, seasoned, fried, alcohol, etc.), or we experience emotions too intensely, or conversely, we suppress them. Excessive or suppressed emotions always eventually turn into heat in the organism.

Symptoms of the Fire and Heat pattern

Heat in the organism manifests as: nervousness, restlessness, burning sensations, red skin manifestations, various symptoms and feelings of heat, migraines, burning eyes, excessive sweating, a bitter taste in the mouth, thirst, a craving for cold drinks, insomnia, dark urine, dry stools, a red tongue, etc.

General dietary principles for Fire and Heat

Patients with these conditions benefit from bitter, cold, and pungent foods. In general, an increased intake of raw foods - fruit and vegetables - is suitable. This approach to diet generally also benefits people with a hot constitution and an excess of Yang, even if they have no symptoms.

Acute Heat patterns

During acute heat patterns (such as the aforementioned wind-heat attack), for example those characterised by acute fever, sweating, and thirst, it is essential to ensure sufficient fluid intake. The best approach is to consume large amounts of fluids, such as fruit and vegetable juices, herbal teas, and broths or light soups - preferably warm or at room temperature. It is better to avoid chilled or iced fluids, as they have a harmful effect on the Spleen.

During a wind-heat attack, heat is retained in the surface layers of the body (at the Wei level), and it is necessary to open the pores (sweating) so that the harmful organisms are flushed out. Wind-heat patterns are acute and self-limiting, so dietary adjustments only need to be followed for a few days. Pungent, cold, and dispersing foods are useful for snacks or in soups, especially peppermint, pears, radishes, watercress, or cabbage. Warming and tonifying foods, such as lamb, beef, chicken, crustaceans, and warming spices, should be avoided.

Chronic Heat patterns

Cooking methods that increase the thermal (warming) nature of food, such as baking, roasting, and deep-frying, are not suitable for Heat and Fire patterns!!! We recommend lighter cooking methods, such as steaming and quick stir-frying in a wok. Some whole raw foods are useful (with the exception of stomach heat, see below) against accompanying deficiencies of any severity. Combine raw foods with cooked ones or warm them slightly by light blanching so that they retain their freshness.

Avoid warming and stimulating substances, especially alcohol, coffee, red meat, and rich creamy or fried foods. Diuretic foods, such as celery, cucumbers, and beetroot, are useful for supporting urine production, thereby creating escape routes for heat.

Yes: short cooking times, boiling in a large volume of water, steaming, quick stir-frying in a wok; watery soups with a large amount of vegetables, some raw foods (especially salads, sprouts, and shoots, and juices); generally a larger volume of fluids.

No: deep-frying, barbecue, or baking; overeating.

Recommended foods generally for Heat and Fire

Celery, spinach, Swiss chard (Roman spinach), cucumber, lettuce, turnip, asparagus, aubergine, Chinese cabbage, kale, tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, courgette, apples, pears, melon, millet, wheat, barley, tofu, tempeh, soy milk, yoghurt, mung bean and alfalfa sprouts, seaweed, spirulina, crab meat.

Recommended foods for Heat in the Stomach

Mucilaginous foods to cool, moisten, and coat the inner surface of the stomach: rice, barley, millet or oat porridge, bananas, avocado, cucumbers, spinach, lettuce, rocket (arugula), watercress, cabbage (cooked or juice), tofu, soy milk, yoghurt. Eat smaller portions, especially those who have digestive problems.

Recommended foods for Heat in the Liver

Peppermint, mung beans and their sprouts, celery, turnip, white radish (daikon), seaweed, lettuce, dandelion, cucumber, watercress, millet, tofu.

Recommended foods for Heat in the Lungs

Watercress, apples, pears, peaches, strawberries, lemon, radish, pumpkin, cabbage, cauliflower, spinach, Swiss chard (Roman spinach), Snow Fungus.

Recommended foods for Heat in the Blood

Cooling and anti-haemorrhagic foods in case of bleeding: aubergine, spinach, Swiss chard (Roman spinach), persimmon, lemon, celery, lettuce, olives.

Forbidden foods

Everything that is hot, spicy, fried, baked, grilled, pungent, etc. Chilli, cinnamon, ginger, curry, cinnamon, turmeric, black pepper, garlic, mustard, horseradish, coffee, chocolate, heated (especially cheap) vegetable oils, red meat (especially lamb), chicken, hard alcohol, red wine, vinegar, prawns, mantis shrimp, cheese, eggs, excessive amounts of salt, peanuts.

Clinical notes

Take care of your emotions, try meditation, yoga, Tai Ji, Qi Gong, or breathing exercises. Prepare lemon balm tea before going to sleep. If heat is rising to your head and you feel nauseous or sick, drink grain broth made from millet before every meal. If you feel a burning sensation and are not nauseous and food is not rising upwards, then prepare the grain broth from white buckwheat.

Recipes

Recipe for preparing grain broth

What we need: 2 tablespoons of grain, 1 l of water, a pinch of salt.

How to do it: bring the grain and water to a boil and turn down the heat, cook for 2 hours, and then serve.