Sunday, April 22, 2007

Scientifically this is agreeable to a larger extent since even as a thumb rule we avoid certain foods pertaining to the corresponding seasons. This means foods which suit one season may not suit another season. A similar principle is applied in Chinese medicine, which propagates the theory that to maintain the balance of ‘Qi’ or the Life Force that flows through the body, the forces of ‘Yin’ (cold) and ‘Yang’ (hot) are to be balanced. The interpretation would be that Yang would dominate in hot season than Yin. The imbalance of ‘Yin’ and ‘Yang’ corresponds to the theory in Ayurvedic medicine which advocates the theory of the balance between Vata (gas), Pitta (bile) and Kapha (Phlegm).This also makes an interesting inference that it’s more of cosmic energy that sustains us than the element of food that we swallow. If it’s the Om or Omkara that is revered in Hinduism, its equivalent Qi’ is respected by the chinese. After all, the names may vary but the divine cosmic energy is one and the same.