While this concept may have been the norm hundreds of years ago, many present-day societies are overfed and undernourished, leading to floods of health issues in many populations. Getting back to the basics might be a large part of the solution We've all heard "you are what you eat," but mostly we hear it used to describe the unfortunate effects one might have after a prolonged unhealthy diet. However, it can go the other way around.
Using the text of Yinshan Zhengyao, researchers are bringing an old established concept of using food to treat ailments under the light of a modern context, with the added benefits of the current knowledge of genetics and metabolism to help propel the teachings of Yinshan Zhengyao into the public eye once again. Researchers published their results in . "Yinshan Zhengyao is the world's first authoritative nutritional treatise, compiled by Hu Sihui, a dietitian of the Yuan dynasty.
This work embodies the traditional Chinese medicinal concept of 'homology of food and medicine,' rich in the cultural heritage of the Chinese nation," said, Min-Hui Li, researcher and author of the study. Yinshan Zhengyao comprises 174 across 55 unique plant families and 111 genera. These plants are indispensable to the culture of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).
Another highly important piece of this traditional Chinese text is the power of the mind and mood over the human body. Cheerfulness and tranquility are aspects that are emphasized in Yinshan Zhengyao, as the .
