The benefits and harms of everyday foods to human health and beauty, and the vinegar and bean diet for weight loss.

What are the beneficial and harmful effects of everyday foods and vegetables on human health and fitness?

We have established general principles of healthy eating. Here, we will introduce some knowledge about everyday foods and analyze their beneficial and harmful effects on the human body for your reference.

(1) Wine: It tastes bitter, sweet, and spicy, and is very hot and poisonous. It enhances the effects of medicines and kills all evils and foul air. The Yellow Emperor said: "Those who drink wine after a sudden bowel movement will develop latent heat in their diaphragm; when eating raw vegetables and drinking wine, do not roast your abdomen, as it will cause intestinal obstruction." Bian Que said: "Those who drink wine for a long time will rot their intestines and stomach, ulcerate their marrow and tendons, damage their spirit and shorten their lifespan; when drunk, they should lie in the wind and fan themselves, which will cause bad wind; when drunk, they should bathe in cold water, which will cause pain and numbness; when heavily drunk and sweating, they should powder their body and let it dry on its own, which will cause wind-numbness. Do not drink wine before you have eaten, and you will never vomit; after a full meal, drinking too much water and wine will cause abdominal distension and eczema."

(2) Salt: Salty and warm in nature, non-toxic. It can kill evil spirits, venomous insects, and sores on the lower body; treat typhoid fever with chills and fever; expel phlegm from the chest and stop sudden pain in the heart and abdomen; strengthen muscles and bones. It should not be eaten in excess, as it can damage the lungs, cause coughing, darken the skin, and weaken muscles and bones. Bian Que said, "Salt can cure all kinds of severe wind-related pains; fry it and apply it as a poultice." The Yellow Emperor said, "After eating sweet porridge, eating salt will cause vomiting, or it may lead to cholera."

(3) Vinegar: It tastes sour, warm, and astringent, and is non-toxic. It can reduce swelling and boils, disperse dampness, kill pathogens, and promote blood circulation. Bian Que said: "Excessive consumption of vinegar can damage bones. It can harmonize various medicines and disinfect."

(4) Sesame: Sweet and neutral in taste, non-toxic. It is mainly used for internal injuries and weakness, replenishing the five internal organs, boosting energy, building muscle, filling the brain marrow, strengthening tendons and bones, healing wounds, and relieving pain; it is also used for typhoid fever and malaria, and for weakness and fatigue after vomiting and diarrhea. Long-term use can lighten the body, prevent aging, improve eyesight and hearing, increase resistance to cold and heat, and prolong life. Raw sesame can be used to treat sores and swellings, promote hair growth, and remove wind-dampness from the head and face. The flowers are mainly used to promote hair growth; the best quality flowers are harvested in July and dried in the shade before use.

(5) Maltose: It tastes sweet and is slightly warm. It is non-toxic. It replenishes deficiency and cold, strengthens qi and energy, stops intestinal rumbling and sore throat, eliminates spitting blood, and relieves sudden cough.

(6) Red adzuki bean: Sweet, salty, neutral, and cold in taste, non-toxic. It helps reduce edema and drain pus and blood. Also known as red bean. It should not be taken for a long time, as it can cause dryness.

(7) Fermented soybeans: bitter, sweet, cold and astringent in taste, non-toxic. It is used to treat typhoid fever, headache, chills and fever, ward off miasma and poison, relieve restlessness, weakness and shortness of breath, cold and painful feet, and kill all kinds of poisons in the fetuses of livestock.

(8) Millet: Salty in taste, slightly cold, and non-toxic. It nourishes kidney qi, relieves bone pain, warms the middle jiao, and benefits qi.

(9) Barley: Salty, slightly cold, and slippery in taste, non-toxic. It is good for the heart, relieves thirst, and clears heat. Long-term consumption makes people strong and healthy. When fermented, it is warm and helps digestion and harmonizes the stomach. When roasted into powder until it turns reddish-black, it is pounded into flour to stop diarrhea; when mixed with clear rice water and vinegar, it is taken three times a day and once at night.

(10) Melon seeds: Sweet, neutral, and cold in nature, non-toxic. They make one's complexion radiant, improve one's energy, and relieve hunger. Long-term consumption can lighten the body and promote longevity; they also relieve chest fullness and unhappiness; long-term consumption can cause coldness in the middle jiao (a concept in Traditional Chinese Medicine). They can be used as a face cream. Also known as white melon seeds, which are winter melon kernels. Harvested in August.

(11) White winter melon: It is sweet and slightly cold in nature, and non-toxic. It can relieve abdominal distension, promote urination, and stop thirst.

(12) Amaranth fruit: sweet, cold, and astringent in taste, non-toxic. It is used to treat night blindness, pterygium, and improve eyesight; it also removes evil qi; promotes urination and defecation; removes cold and heat; and kills roundworms. Long-term consumption can boost energy, reduce hunger, and make the body feel lighter. It is also known as purslane.

(13) Shepherd's purse: It is sweet, warm, and astringent in taste, and non-toxic. It benefits liver qi, harmonizes the middle jiao, and kills various toxins. Its seeds are good for improving eyesight, relieving eye pain, and reducing tearing; its roots are good for relieving eye dryness and pain.

(14) Ginger: It is pungent, slightly warm, and non-toxic. Its pungent nature enters the five internal organs, and it is mainly used for typhoid fever and headache. It removes phlegm, lowers qi, promotes sweating, removes nasal congestion, relieves cough and shortness of breath, stops vomiting, removes foul odor from the chest and diaphragm, and clears the mind. The Yellow Emperor said: "Do not eat ginger in August and September, as it will harm one's spirit and shorten one's lifespan." Layman Hu said: "Ginger kills intestinal worms, but long-term consumption will make one less willful, less intelligent, and heart-damaging."

(15) Leek: It is pungent, sour, warm, and astringent in taste, and non-toxic. Its pungent nature enters the heart and benefits the liver. It can be eaten for a long time, soothes the five internal organs, and removes heat from the stomach. It is not good for patients, especially those with chronic coldness in their heart and abdomen, as eating it will aggravate their condition. Its seeds are associated with nocturnal emission and white urine. The root can be boiled to make a decoction to nourish the hair. The Yellow Emperor said: "Frosty leeks should not be eaten raw, as they will stir up any pent-up thirst, and excessive drinking will cause vomiting. Do not eat leeks in May, as they will damage one's appetite and make one weak. Leeks are suitable to eat in February and March, as they are very beneficial to the heart."

(16) Scallion fruit: pungent, warm, and non-toxic. Beneficial for the lungs. Pungent taste enters the head, brightens the eyes, and replenishes deficiencies in the middle. Its white stem: neutral and slippery, can be used in soups. It treats typhoid fever with chills and fever, and bone and flesh injuries. It can induce sweating; treats stroke, facial edema, and sore throat. It calms the fetus and counteracts the effects of cinnamon. Its green leaves are warm and pungent, enter the eyes, remove evil qi from the liver, calm the middle, benefit the five internal organs; benefit the eyes; treat jaundice, and counteract the poisons of many drugs. Its roots are neutral, treats typhoid headache. Scallion mucus and raw scallion juice are neutral and slippery; stop hematuria and counteract the poisons of veratrum and cinnamon. The Yellow Emperor said: "Eating raw scallions and then honey will cause diarrhea; eating roasted scallions and then honey will cause bloating and death. Raw scallions should not be eaten in the first month of the lunar calendar, as it will cause wind-related ailments on the face."

The health benefits and harmful effects of the aforementioned foods and vegetables, as well as the effects of improper consumption, were summarized by Sun Simiao, a famous physician of the Tang Dynasty, based on his inheritance of the knowledge of his predecessors and his own long-term medical practice and life experience. Reviewing this knowledge and strengthening its memory will be of great benefit to people's health, fitness, and disease treatment through diet.

Why can vinegar and vinegar-based soybean therapy help with weight loss?

There are many ways to lose weight. In recent years, especially in the United States and Japan, the method of using vinegar and soaking soybeans in vinegar has become popular for weight loss. Because the method is simple, has few side effects, and is effective, it is very popular among obese people.

(1) Vinegar therapy: Drink 15-20 ml of vinegar daily, which can be consumed in divided doses or all at once. It has been reported that weight loss of 3-5 kg ​​can be achieved within one month.

Experts generally believe that the amino acids contained in vinegar can not only consume excess fat in the body, but also facilitate the metabolism of sugars and proteins, thus achieving a good weight loss effect.

Contraindications for using vinegar for weight loss include those with gastrointestinal dysfunction and those suffering from gastric or duodenal ulcers. Those with excessive stomach acid or vinegar allergies are also advised against consuming vinegar on an empty stomach, as this may damage stomach function.

(2) Method for weight loss with vinegar-soaked soybeans: Select plump and intact soybeans, wash them thoroughly with clean water, and dry them in the sun. Then, stir-fry them in a wok for 20-30 minutes over medium-low heat. Do not burn the soybeans, but cook them until they are golden brown. Find a clean, dry, wide-mouthed empty bottle or jar, and put the cooked and cooled soybeans in, filling about 1/3 of the bottle or jar. Pour in vinegar to fill the bottle or jar completely, seal it tightly, and place it in a cool place or in the refrigerator. It can be consumed after 1 week. Eat half a tablespoon or 5-6 vinegar-soaked soybeans each morning and evening. If someone really does not want to eat vinegar-soaked soybeans, they can add an appropriate amount of honey to adjust the taste.

As mentioned earlier, soybeans are rich in protein, vitamins, calcium, plant fats, and dietary fiber, while the citric acid in vinegar can prevent fat synthesis, promote fat breakdown, and prevent obesity. The combination of the two enhances their effectiveness. Experts have found that the saponins in vinegar-soaked soybeans can remove fat adhering to blood vessel walls, and the unsaturated fatty acids in vinegar-soaked soybeans can reduce cholesterol that causes arteriosclerosis. Therefore, vinegar-soaked soybean therapy can not only help with weight loss but also prevent and treat arteriosclerosis. Clinical reports indicate that a significant advantage of using vinegar-soaked soybeans for weight loss is minimal or no harm to the body. It will not cause adverse effects such as dark circles under the eyes, increased or deepened wrinkles, or other problems associated with weight loss.

Of course, using vinegar and beans for weight loss is not a panacea. It requires perseverance and willpower from the patient, as well as positive changes in dietary habits and exercise.