The Healing Cuisine of China: 300 Recipes for Vibrant Health and Longevity [Paperback]

Zhuo Zhao (Author), George Ellis (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 1998

A comprehensive guide to the Chinese art of healing with food 

• Provides more than 300 authentic Chinese recipes for curing specific ailments and for promoting happiness and vitality 

• Explains the theories behind traditional Chinese beliefs about health and diet and reconciles these beliefs with contemporary Western medical knowledge 

• Includes a complete fitness program centered on the popular Chinese qi gong exercises 

Through 5,000 years of recorded history the Chinese have developed an unequaled pharmacopoeia of food remedies and have turned this knowledge into a delicious cuisine that is simple to prepare. This cuisine has little in common with the dishes on the menus of many Chinese restaurants--which have sacrificed traditional Chinese principles to appeal to high-fat Western tastes. Instead, it emphasizes all-natural ingredients eaten in season and in the most beneficial combinations. 

The Healing Cuisine of China features more than 300 authentic Chinese recipes, ranging from simple preparations to cure specific ailments to traditional "longevity banquets." The authors also explain the underlying theories behind traditional Chinese beliefs about health and reconcile these ancient beliefs with Western medical knowledge about bacteria, viruses, and other causes of disease. A complete fitness program, centered on the popular Chinese qi gong exercises, and a questionnaire to help readers discover their individual body requirements make this the most comprehensive guide to the healthy lifestyle of China ever published.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Zhuo Zhao and George Ellis have taken great pains not only to provide us with an exhaustive (three hundred recipes) compendium of medicinal foods and preparations but have also included chapters on Chinese medical theory, Yin/Yang theory, Five Element theory and an explanation of the Chinese view of illness and its causes. The Healing Cuisine of China is a terrific book to have on hand: the recipes are well-researched and simple to make and they remind us of the tremendous power we have to maintain our own well-being."
(Qi, Summer 1999 )

About the Author

Zhuo Zhao learned the traditional arts of cooking and healing from her family in Beijing and spent an additional two years of intensive research to create this book. George Ellis traveled extensively in Asia in the 1970s and 1980s, writing and translating texts on Yoga, Ayurveda, and Naturopathy. He is the author of The Breath of Life: Mastering the Techniques of Pranayama and Qi Gong. Zhuo Zhao and George Ellis met in Beijing in 1985 and married in 1988. 

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Healing Arts Press (November 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 089281778X
• ISBN-13: 978-0892817788
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #824,439 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book!!, January 8, 2008

By 

K. Lane - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Healing Cuisine of China: 300 Recipes for Vibrant Health and Longevity (Paperback)

This book is great. It's different than I expected (I was looking for general recipes to balance your consitution) and this has a lot of remedies for specific ailments. There are some very interesting (and simple) recipes for treatments, and I really am curious about the earthworm. :D I especially like the recipes for helpful/healthful teas and wines. I love the way the book is layed out, and it is very easy to read and understand.

Chapters:
1. Origins & theory
2. Causes of Illness (talks about the pathogens)
3. Eating for health (has a great survey to find out more about your constitution)
4. Foods and their healing properties
5. Home Remedies
6. Longevity banquets (this is the section that has the more general recipes)
7. exercise for health (qigong)

I recommend this book to anyone looking for recipes and remedies, and the healing properties of foods.

also highly recommended:
Healing with Whole Foods by Paul Pitchford is a great book, very in depth, on nutrition (blending asian and western), with lots of chinese theory, and the healing properties of food
The Tao of Healhty Eating by Bob Flaws is a small book on TCM and nutrition. It is really easy to understand and a great introduction.

20 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars As Informative As It Is Useful, June 23, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Healing Cuisine of China: 300 Recipes for Vibrant Health and Longevity (Paperback)

The Healing Cuisine of China by Zhuo Zhao and George Ellis is an excellent book! It is not a typical health food book. The book not only teaches you how to prepare healthy food; it teaches you how to prepare healthy food that tastes good! Also, there are many tidbits about Chinese culture and medicine in this book. So, you learn as you cook! Truly, this book has something for everyone, whether you are a fitness fanatic or simply one who likes good food.

14 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting buy not organized very well., February 20, 2002

By 

Me Stoner Jeanne "stanely42" (Paris, France) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Healing Cuisine of China: 300 Recipes for Vibrant Health and Longevity (Paperback)

This makes an interesting reference book on medicinal recipes. I just don't like the way it is organized. You have to thumb through the whole book to get a feel for what ailments it addresses and I found the list somewhat wanting. Other than that, it makes an interesting compendium of Chinese remedies although I think I'll pass on the fried and ground earthworms!