Water Element

Balance your WATER element:

When the Water element is in balance we are alert, tentative, articulate and thoughtful.  You usually can be found deep in thought and are often wiser beyond your years, a philosopher.  You can find that quiet place within, reflect and regenerate. You are fearless, determined and able to overcome many obstacles because of your own personal will power.

When the Water element is out of balance, often the water emotion Fear causes continual feelings of anxiety and can limit you from moving forward, leaving us feeling stuck.  An imbalance can create chronic feelings of adrenaline, increase heart rate, trouble sleeping and exhaustion.  You are often “burning the candle at both ends” and feel like your reservoir is low. The will power declines and often leads to isolation.

WATER ELEMENT CORRESPONDENCE:

Organ: Kidney & Urinary Bladder

Color: Blue/Black

Odor: Putrid

Season: Winter

Taste: Salty

Sound: groaning

Emotion: Fear

Physical: Bone

Direction: North

Climate: Cold


FOOD RECOMMENDATIONS

We all have parts of each element within us so when one organ of an element starts to be affected eventually another element or all elements will show signs of not being in balance. The more out of balance an element is, typically the more symptoms one will have.  Western Medicines approach to treating disease is to either kill the pathogen or suppress the symptom.  These approaches tend to drive the illness/disease even deeper into the body.  Chinese Medicines approach is to support the body and its organs so that it can overcome the pathogen and increase the body’s own healing potential. Let’s get your elements in balance!

Here are some foods that Nourish Water the Element:  Sea vegetables; kelp, seaweed, black rice, barley, beets, burdock, asparagus, adzuki, black beans, black lentils, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, cranberries,  black grapes, scallops, oysters, clams, mussels, black sesame seeds, goji berries, miso soups, rose hips, parsley, micro-algae, nettles

Avoid or Minimize: Ice cold drinks, excessive raw vegetables, alcohol, artificial sweeteners, coffee, caffeine, energy drinks, marijuana, cocaine, tobacco

General Chinese nutrition recommendations:

1)      Eat small frequent meals

2)      No Iced drinks while eating and only small sips of liquid during meals

3)      Chew thoroughly

4)      Relax, focus and be mindful.  If you are eating, then just eat; not eating and watching TV, reading, studying, surfing the web etc.

5)      Generally the best way to prepare foods is by steaming, stir frying, baking or soups

Sticky Sesame And Walnut Balls

Ancient Wisdom, Modern Kitchen: Recipes from the East for Health, Healing, and Long Life (Da Capo Lifelong Books)

  • 1/3 Cup  Black Sesame seeds
  • ½ Cup  Chopped Walnuts
  • 3-4 Tablespoons honey

Directions:

1. Roast the sesame seeds in a wide skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Fry until fragrant, 3-5 minutes. Transfer the seeds to a bowl & let cool for a couple of minutes.

2. In a food processor, whir together the sesame seeds, walnuts, & 3 TBL Honey.

3. Roll into ¾ in. balls. If the balls don’t stick together, add a little more honey & mix well.

4. Serve.

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