These include the five elements of fire, earth, metal, water, and wood. Each of them may become unbalanced, such as fire consumes wood, or wood absorbs earth. Chinese medical therapy is to emphasize dietary and lifestyle changes, or attempt to balance the organs so that emotional balance results. After asking about symptoms, examining the tongue, and evaluating the pulse, the doctor will determine the proper mixture of plant, animal, and mineral products to cure the disease. Chinese medicine advocates that the human body is a harmony that must include yin and yang, and illness occurs when disequilibrium happens.
Woman natually tend to have more yin than man, but there are individual differences.
Moreover, organs such as the liver, heart, spleen, kidney, and lungs are yin, as is the inside and the front of the body. The gallbladder, stomach, intestines, and bladder are yang, as well as the body surface and the back. Symptoms of disease usually reflect an imbalance between yin and yang. Chinese people classify foods as hot and cold. Hot foods generally include those that are high in calories, cooked in oil, and irritating to the mouth and those that are red, orange, or yellow in color.