“Medicine and food have the same origin” is an important concept of traditional Chinese medicine, reflecting the ancient people's deep understanding of health and nutrition, which believes that there is no obvious boundary between food and medicine, and that many foods, while having nutritional value, also have medicinal effects, which can be used to regulate the physiological functions of the human body, promote health or treat diseases.
Chinese medicine has a long history of the idea of homology of food and medicine, as early as in the Medical Classic of the Yellow Emperor has embodied the point of view of homology of food and medicine, which points out that food and medicine are essentially the same, both from nature, all have cold, hot, warm, cool four sexes as well as sour, bitter, sweet, pungent, salty five flavors, through a reasonable combination of the balance of yin and yang of the human body can be adjusted, to achieve the purpose of preventing and treating diseases.
The concept of the homology of food and medicine emphasizes the close relationship between diet and health, and advocates the maintenance of a balanced and healthy body through a reasonable diet.
In Chinese medicine, many common ingredients can be used as tasty foods in daily diets, but can also be used for medicinal purposes when needed. For example, hawthorn is not only delicious, but also has the effect of eliminating food stagnation and dispersing blood stasis; red dates can nourish the middle child, nourish the blood, and calm the spirit, which is a good dietary therapy for those with weak spleen and stomach, and those with insufficient qi and blood.
At the same time, the development of modern science and technology has also provided us with strong support for a more in-depth understanding of “medicine and food”. Through the study of active ingredients in food, we can not only understand the nutritional composition of food, but also find the pharmacological effects contained therein, which are rich in active ingredients that can regulate the physiological state of the body to achieve drug-like effects. For example, scientists have found that some foods contain antioxidant substances can remove free radicals in the body, helping to slow down the aging process and prevent chronic diseases; there are also some foods in the special ingredients can lower blood pressure, regulate blood sugar, and have a positive effect on the prevention of cardiovascular disease. These modern scientific researches provide the basis for the practical application of the concept of homology of food and medicine from another angle.
In modern health management, the concept of homology of food and medicine is still of great significance, which not only helps us to recognize the potential medicinal value of daily food, but also guides us to maintain health and prevent diseases through scientific and reasonable diet. With the development of science and technology, our research on the active ingredients in food has gradually deepened, and we have a clearer understanding of the medicinal value of traditional ingredients. The combination of modern nutrition and Chinese medicine has promoted the development of healthy diets and functional foods, and more and more people have begun to pay attention to the medicinal functions of food and realize a healthier lifestyle by combining the wisdom of traditional Chinese medicine with modern science.
