Ideas, theories, trends and science around nutrition are continually changing to sell the next fad. One kind of diet will always remain constant - focus on seasonal, local, whole, unprocessed foods, vegetables, fruit and not over eating. Stick to a weekly calorie budget - if you overeat on one day, under eat on another to stay within your calorie range. 

 

Nutritionally dense foods should be the focus of your diet. To increase yin, one must increase moisture. Plenty of water in cooking, soups, and stews are beneficial. Fruits, apples, berries, nuts can be snacked on. Fiber rich foods can also be helpful.

 

Therapeutic foods: High quality protein, eggs, bone marrow, especially fish, squid, oily fish like sardines, Spanish mackerel, and shellfish like clams, mussels, and oysters. Grains like oat, rice, millet, and barley. Fruit and vegetables high in moisture content like zucchini, squash, melon, string beans, beetroot, mushrooms (all types), black beans, adzuki beans, apples, banana, mango, and coconuts. Small amounts of high quality dairy can be beneficial, especially with excessive dryness. Nuts and enriching oils like flax seed, olive oil,  and almond oil. Consider supplementing with cod liver and/or fish oil.

• Stomach yin: Barley, millet, tofu, mung beans, asparagus, sweet potatoes, butter, milk, oranges, lychee, apples, banana, pineapple, papaya, plums, pomegranate

• Lung yin: pears, peaches, daikon radish, seaweeds, mushrooms, pork, pine nuts

• Kidney Yin: pork, duck, millet, black soybeans, black sesame seeds, nettles, blue and black berries.

 

Restrict or avoid: Factory farmed non-hormone free meats, jerky, warming, drying acrid items like chiles, curries, strong spices, wasabi, coffee, lamb, prawns, vinegar, citrus, pickles, coffee, tea, tobacco, alcohol, recreational stimulants, steroids, and NSAIDS. Limit broiled, bbq, and food baked to remove moisture.

 

Example meal: Steamed clams in broth with tomatoes. Sautéed mushrooms tossed with almonds and feta cheese.