– A Bridge Between TCM, Five Elements & Modern Nutrition
When they think of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), many people immediately think of acupuncture; massage (tuina or shiatsu, which is based on TCM) or Chinese herbs. But at its very foundation, TCM teaches us that the air we breathe, (hence the importance of movement and breathwork: Qi Gong) and the food we eat are the most powerful medicines. The choices we make each day around eating, breathing and moving are the starting point for building health, resilience, and balance. My first shiatsu teacher (Keith Phillips, who ran the Bristol School of Shiatsu) taught us macrobiotics (loosely based on TCM principles but originating in Japan) and that, along with TCM food principles, has guided my eating choices. However I have never delved deeply into TCM food cures as my speciality and was happy to read Melissa Carr’s new book, Modern Chinese Medicine Food Cures (published by Singing Dragon). It is a wonderful and in‑depth guide to food as medicine, blending the ancient wisdom of TCM with modern nutritional science.
This isn’t a book to rush through in one sitting. Instead, it’s the kind you keep returning to, dipping into as your needs shift with the seasons, with life’s transitions, or even day‑to‑day changes in energy. Melissa helps us understand that we are all unique, and therefore what nourishes one person may not suit another. I love how she thought her chapter on diet and cleanses would be the longest chapter but is in fact the shortest because each person needs to work out what they need. This is the heart of TCM. There is no one‑size‑fits‑all diet—only the food that best supports your changing nature.
Food and the Five Elements
What I love is how Melissa explores food through the lens of the Five Elements—Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water in her unique way, adding humour and personal stories to help us understand these principles. She gives lovely examples of how flavours (sweet, salty, bitter, sour, pungent), the direction of energy in foods, and even the colours and shapes of what we eat connect us to these elements. For example, sour flavours relate to Wood and the Liver, while bitter flavours relate to Fire and the Heart. This helps us go beyond calories and nutrients to understand the deeper energetic impact of what we put on our plate.
Melissa also takes us through the seasons and their relationship with food. In TCM, each season nourishes a different organ system and element—Spring with Wood and growth, Autumn with Metal and letting go, Winter with Water and deep restoration. This makes the book not only a guide to nutrition but also a way of reconnecting with natural cycles—something many of us have lost touch with.
TCM Meets Modern Nutrition and Food
Another strength of this book is that Melissa is not only a Doctor of TCM but also has a background in Human Kinetics. She weaves in Western nutritional science alongside TCM principles, so whether you are new to TCM or more familiar with it, there is something to learn. She covers everything from basic nutrition to food sensitivities, sugar and sodium, and even FODMAPs—always asking us to reflect on what these modern issues mean through a TCM lens.
She also discusses the changes in our modern diet and the adverse effects of ultra processed food as well as the important issues of food allergies and intolerances in detail. These chapters help us reflect on how we can be healthy consumers, benefitting from conveniences of modern life, like refrigerating fermented foods, while recognising that locally produced in season food is still the best.
Food as Medicine for Everyday Symptoms
One of the most practical sections of the book is where Melissa looks at specific symptoms—from bad breath to haemorrhoids, high blood pressure, infertility, and menstrual health—and offers guidance on supportive foods. This section makes the book a resource to come back to again and again, whether you are a practitioner or simply someone curious about using food to feel better.
What I Appreciated (and a Couple of Critiques)
Melissa writes with warmth and a clear love of food—sprinkling in personal anecdotes and even reflections on the history of our modern diet. This makes the book engaging, not just instructive. I enjoyed her discussion on understanding food cravings as messages from our body. She also addresses mindful eating (chewing well, not drinking with meals, eating with presence), which are simple but transformative practices.
I have only a couple of minor critiques. Her Five Element test felt a little too focused on pathologies—helpful if you are unwell, but less so if you are just curious about what type of foods best support your everyday health. That said, she balances this with a fuller exploration of the Five Elements elsewhere in the book. And, as is common in many texts, I noticed her explanation of the corpus luteum was slightly simplified. She writes that it disintegrates if the egg isn’t fertilised, but it lasts for around a week to allow time for implantation whether the egg is fertilised or not. A small detail, but one that matters when we’re trying to deepen our understanding of women’s cycles.
Final Thoughts
“Modern Chinese Medicine Food Cures” is a rich and detailed book that deserves a place on the shelf of anyone interested in food, health, and healing. It invites us to slow down, enjoy food, and use it as daily medicine. For those of us passionate about TCM and the Five Elements, it’s also a valuable bridge to modern nutrition—grounded, accessible, and deeply respectful of both traditions.
I’ll definitely be referring to it, and recommending it, for anyone wanting to explore how food can nourish not just the body, but also the mind and spirit.
You can order this book directly from the publisher:
If you have read this book I’d love to hear your comments.
