TTF #9 - Heaty and Cooling. What do they really mean?

You may have heard of the terms 'heaty' and 'cooling' in TCM before. These are terms used to describe an individuals body type, but can also refer to the nature of foods that we consume. A 'heaty' body type usually presents with symptoms like increased thirst, sore throat, ulcers, preference for cold things, acne outbreaks, restlessness, yellowish urine, dry stools and warm hands and feet. A 'cold' body type usually presents with symptoms like pale face colour, cold hands and feet, diarrhoea, stomach pain, period cramps, aversion to cold environments, preference for warm food/drinks and frequent clear urination. Heaty foods include: red bean soup, ginger tea; walnuts, chestnuts; chives, onion, garlic, pepper; durian, longan, red dates, mango, cherry, lychee, peach; prawn, lobster, mussels; chicken, mutton and venison. Cooling foods include: beancurd, grass jelly, green bean soup; tea, coconut juice, water chestnut, sugarcane; tofu, lotus root, bitter gourd, spinach, watercress; watermelon, papaya, pineapple, dragon fruit, honey dew; crab, raw fish; pork, duck, frog. Yin nourishing foods include: goji berries, chinese yam, red dates, ophiopogon tuber (麦冬 mai dong) and lily bulb. Disclaimer: The information provided in this episode is for education purposes only. If you have any medical concerns, please seek professional medical advice.