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Food Therapy: Understanding the Energetics of Food

Yin and Yang in a Nutshell

Food Energetics. Your pet's food and yours too is not only for nourishing the body but also plays a large role in the quality of life, including behavior, health, and personal comfort. #raisingyourpetsnaturally — Food Therapy: Energetics of Food

With winter almost upon us here in the Midwest, it’s time for me to start thinking about warming up my pets. We often think about dog coats and dog jackets, dog sweaters and dog boots. Maybe you have a quality pet warming blanket for your cat, or even warming pet discs. These are all great starts to help your pet stay warm and safe in the winter. But did you know that your pet’s food also affects your pet’s internal temperature?

Your pet’s food, and yours too, is not only for nourishing the body, but also plays a large role in quality of life, including behavior, health, and personal comfort. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), everything in life has a balance of energy and heat: think Yin and Yang. Yin represents female, cold, dark, quiet, and inward, whereas Yang represents male, hot, light, loud, and outward.

Now think about your pet. Does he seek warmth, slow or lethargic, or sleeps a lot? He might be a bit Yin (cold). Or maybe he’s always hot, active, and full of energy, then he’s more Yang (hot). We are always seeking that balance of both Yin and Yang, not an excess of either; this is where food can play a role. Food also has its own characteristics that can help balance a body’s Yin and Yang. Foods will either help internally warm a body or cool it. When seeking food for your pet, you are looking to create a balance. You don’t want all warming or cooling foods. In the winter, I prepare Dexter‘s home cooked meals to be energetically warm/neutral, and in the summer I prepare cool/neutral. Below are some common foods you might give your pet, along with their energetics.

Energetics of various proteins for pets — Protein energetics

Energetically Warming Foods

Chicken
Goat
Lamb
Kangaroo
Venison
Sweet Potato
Pumpkin
Oats
White Rice
Ginger
Cinnamon
Peach
Raspberry

Energetically Cooling Foods

Clam
Duck
Alligator
Rabbit
Cod
Wild Rice
Brown Rice
Celery
Cucumber
Eggplant
Pears
Banana
Blueberry

So the next time you are preparing your dog or cat’s food or grabbing a bag of healthy treats, consider the ingredients and how they affect your pet’s internal heat.

Is your pet more Yang or Yin? Tell me in the comments.

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