New diet from acupuncturist...I have questions!

[slim]

I recently started acupuncture treatment for fertility issues as well as severe cramps during my period. She suggested I cut out the following from my diet: 

alcohol

caffeine 

wheat

sugar

raw veggies (steamed and cooked are suggested)

all cold foods

all shellfish

cut out all raw foods

I can understand the no wheat, sugar, alcohol and caffeine while trying to get pregnant, but does anyone have a clue regarding the steamed veggies and no raw foods? What about no cold drinks or foods? 

This is tough! I'm writing this as I have a glass of wine...

[katelove]

I don't know a heap about it but Chinese medicine often talks about how hot And cold foods affect the chi and qi. Hot and cold doesn't always refer to the temperature but I'm pretty sure women are told to avoid cold temperature food during the postnatal period.

There's a little bit about it here
http://www.traditionalqi.com/2011/04/13/food’s-attribute-–-cold-or-hotwarm/

I'm sure someone else will reply who knows a lot more about it than I do.

[pek64]

Macrobiotics comes from the Chinese, and I tried it for a while. They don't believe that raw foods can be properly digested, if I recall correctly. Food has to be cooked in order to break open the cells and let the nutrients out, according to Alton Brown (not Chinese based). Some raw folks accomplish the breakdown by juicing.

Some foods are cooling and some are warming (macrobiotic). Raw foods may count as cooling. Alcohol and caffeine are both dehydrating, aren't they?

Sugar is a simple carbohydrate, and macrobiotics avoids simple carbohydrates, which includes white flour. I don't know any reason for avoiding wheat. Macrobiotics relies more on rice, because it is balancing. It is unique, in that in a hot, dry environment (like an oven), rice will give up moisture, whereas in a wet environment, it will retain and even absorb moisture. This makes it ideal for helping with bowel issues.

Cold foods lower your internal body temperature, for a time, anyway. I'm a little surprised ginger wasn't recommended. Ginger is warming.

Macrobiotics is also big on eating within the season, and location. No tropical foods, unless you live in a tropical place.

And there seems to be a theme in eating warming, hydrating foods, in the recommendation.

I hope this helps.

[pokeyAC]

I was also told to cut out most of those things by my acupuncturist.  I tend to run on the cold side and to be fertile you need to warm yourself up a bit. Cinnamon is also warming.  The book Making Babies has a pretty good explanation of the reasons for cutting out the cold foods and drinks and raw foods.  I would recommend checking it out.

[baileymarie]

That's very interesting about the raw and cold foods. I've been also moving toward cutting out caffeine, alcohol, and sugar, and trying to eat less dairy and meat for a while. The other day I had a consultation with someone who does Mayan abdominal massage about herbal and dietary recommendations, and she recommended a 7-day all RAW diet--basically veggies, fruits, and nuts for a week. I'm not sure if I am ready to do that . . . 

[mamasee]

Originally Posted by pokeyAC 

I was also told to cut out most of those things by my acupuncturist.  I tend to run on the cold side and to be fertile you need to warm yourself up a bit. Cinnamon is also warming.  The book Making Babies has a pretty good explanation of the reasons for cutting out the cold foods and drinks and raw foods.  I would recommend checking it out.

Who is the author of Making Babies?  I want to check it out.