| At BIOM, we encourage ourselves and our visitors to | | | | A nutritionally and energetically balanced diet includes |
| become aware of, and act from, that special 'place' | | | | food that combines these five tastes: |
| inside oneself that is the wellspring of health and | | | | Salty |
| wellbeing. With that in mind, we invite you to explore | | | | Sour |
| with us an Oriental medicine approach to balanced | | | | Bitter |
| eating that provides the energy for living the life you | | | | Sweet |
| want to live. | | | | Spicy |
| "The journey of a thousand miles begins with the first | | | | Feeling Balanced |
| step." | | | | Many people 'think' they're balanced. But there's a |
| -- Lao Tzu | | | | difference between 'thinking' and 'knowing,' like there is |
| It's A Balancing Act | | | | a difference between thinking that you just ate |
| "How balanced are you?" If someone asked you that | | | | something satisfying compared to knowing you did. |
| question how might you respond? Since the | | | | And how do I know if I'm still hungry or not? I feel it. So |
| experience of 'balance' doesn't play an obvious role in | | | | how do you know if you're nutritionally and |
| daily life, you may find yourself asking some questions | | | | energetically balanced? You feel it. |
| of your own to get to the meaning of what's being | | | | While it's easy to intellectually point out the difference |
| asked. "How balanced am I?" Do they mean: Am I | | | | between thinking and feeling, it's a little more difficult to |
| physically balanced? Am I psychologically balanced? | | | | know with your body what balance feels like, chiefly |
| Am I emotionally balanced? | | | | because our culture emphasizes the development of |
| "You are what you eat": So if your diet is nutritionally | | | | our mental faculties, while minimizing the cultivation of |
| and energetically balanced, so are you. | | | | the feeling and intuitive aspects of ourselves. This |
| All good questions to ask periodically in your ongoing | | | | unhealthy and illogical imbalance can comically reveal |
| assessment of your health and sense of wellbeing. | | | | itself in a normal conversation when a caring person |
| And, from an Oriental medicine point of view, you | | | | genuinely presses to know: "Are you really feeling |
| would want to add to this checklist: "Am I 'nutritionally' | | | | okay?" and the other replies, "I think so." |
| balanced?"; "Am I 'energetically' balanced?" Because | | | | Even this core level imbalance in self-awareness can |
| when you're 'nutritionally' balanced your food will be | | | | be remedied through the power of Oriental medicine |
| providing you with the energy you need to be | | | | by combining diet and nutrition, Chinese medical herbs, |
| "energetically" balanced -- and an energetically | | | | Chi Kung, and acupuncture or acupressure. |
| balanced person is healthy in body, mind, and spirit. | | | | Remember: Health is a 'balancing act. |
| The Five Tastes | | | | |