For thousands of years a beautifully simple but profoundly effective Five Element Theory has been guiding traditional Chinese medicine in the creation of healing medicinal and nutritional recipes. This stems from the relationship of the five elements of nature— earth, metal, water, wood, fire—and the constant interaction among them. According to this theory, health in the human body is a state of balance among these five elements.

“Doctors practicing the Five Elements traditional Chinese medicine treat the whole person—mind, body and spirit—in seeking to discover the root of an ailment. Subtle signs like changes in the color of the skin, body odor, sensory reactions described by the patient, feelings and emotions help to paint a picture of the current imbalance in the body,” says Dr. Marina Abrams, ND, MSOAM. Based on these signs, a medicinal tea formula or food recipes will be recommended to patients to bring the body back to balance and health.