Chinese Healing Foods

"I think the author tries to explain Chinese Medicine and Western Diagnosis based on what he knows. Unfortunately the diagnosis is often wrong and thereby the treatment is wrong. So the food choices won't help you. For instance, the condition and treatment for chronic fatique is an oversimplication that is wrong. He claims the problem is due to dampness. Chronic fatique is something I have researched for over 15 years in both Western and Chinese Medicine. The Western and Chinese doctors were unable to help me. It is something I had to struggle with and and finally successfully treat for myself. I resorted to studying Chinese Herbal Medicine to treat myself. It is funny that I am able to treat myself yet when I go to the Chinese doctors (and I saw plenty of them, one of which was a professor of Chinese Medicine of a prestigious university in China), they were unable to help me other than to alleviate my symptoms for 3-4 weeks. There are some excellent texts on Chinese Medicine and diagnosis. Unfortunately, this is not one of them.
"
~ Written on 2007-11-21

"On the plus side this book includes all the bases that are usually covered in a couple or more books. Has Yin and Yang of foods, contrast between Western and Eastern concepts of nutrition and food harmony, 30 common ailments that can be helped by food (again by Western and Eastern concepts), and over 60 intermediate level recipes.

The two authors do a good job in integrating such a complex topic and simplifying it for cooks to embrace the overall Chinese wisdom for TCM in everday life. It helps to have some prior experience in cooking Chinese, as there is not too much on the art and technique. No pictures or illustrations.

I saw a similar book which is more complete, Nina Simond's "A Spoonful of Ginger," at double the price. It has pix and explains concepts more thoroughly. It is also very pretty."
~ Written on 2001-01-21