What the NYT’s Top Nutrition Tips Get Right—and What TCM Has Known for 2,000 Years

Dr. Jacintha "Jaz" Roemer
4 days ago
4 min read

Man accessing digestive health information on his cell phone.

📈 The New York Times recently published one of its most-clicked articles of 2025, highlighting the top nutrition tips shaping how we eat for mental health, longevity, and energy.

From the rise of plant-based proteins to the dangers of ultra-processed foods, their advice reflects growing awareness that food isn’t just fuel—it’s medicine.

But here’s what might surprise you:

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has been teaching this for centuries.

Let’s dive into the NYT’s top nutrition takeaways, then explore how TCM principles can deepen and personalize your wellness journey.

🧠 1. Nutrition & Mental Health: A Gut-Brain Connection

NYT Takeaway: A diet rich in nutrient-dense whole foods supports mental health, with benefits for anxiety, depression, and mood. The Mediterranean diet is highlighted for its brain-boosting effects.

TCM Insight: In TCM, the Spleen and Stomach are the center of digestion and thought.

When digestion is weak, we often see symptoms like brain fog, fatigue, and anxiety.

This aligns with the Western idea of the gut-brain axis.

✅ Food as Mood Medicine in TCM:

Avoid cold raw foods, especially in winter.

Avoid cold/raw foods (they weaken digestion/Spleen Qi)
Favor warm, nourishing meals (soups, congee, root vegetables)
Add calming herbs like licorice, goji berries, and chrysanthemum tea

🥬 2. Specific Foods That Promote Longevity

NYT Takeaway: Foods like chickpeas, sweet potatoes, tuna, citrus fruits, and legumes are praised for their benefits on energy, aging, and wellness.

TCM Insight:

These foods fit well into the TCM categories of Qi-boosting, Blood-nourishing, and Yin-supporting. In Chinese medicine, healthy aging comes from balanced organ systems, especially the Kidneys (longevity), Liver (detox), and Spleen (digestion).

✅ TCM-Approved Superfoods:

Chickpeas → Strengthen Spleen Qi
Sweet potatoes → Tonify Earth element and digestion
Dark leafy greens → Nourish Liver Blood
Tuna (if you eat animal protein) → Boost Kidney Yang
Citrus → Moves Liver Qi and reduces stagnation

🚫 3. The Hidden Danger of Ultraprocessed Foods

NYT Takeaway: Research shows ultraprocessed foods are linked to inflammation, depression, diabetes, and heart disease.

TCM Insight: In TCM, these foods create “dampness” and “phlegm”—sticky, stagnant energy that bogs down digestion, clouds the mind, and leads to weight gain, fatigue, and emotional imbalance.

💥 In other words: ultraprocessed = energy junk.

✅ Simple TCM Tips to Clear Dampness:

Drink warm lemon water in the morning
Use herbs like Chen Pi (aged citrus peel) and Poria mushroom
Avoid iced drinks, sugar, and fried foods

🥗 4. Healthy Eating Habits That Work (East + West)

NYT Takeaway:

Shop the outer grocery aisles
Start your day with protein, fiber, and fat
Make veggies your default snack

TCM Insight: In TCM, how you eat matters as much as what you eat.

Eating on the go, skipping meals, or eating cold food disrupts the digestive system—called the Middle Jiao—and weakens your body’s energy production.

✅ TCM - Inspired Eating Habits:

Eat at regular times to support your Spleen
Chew slowly to engage digestive Qi
Avoid multitasking while eating
Try breakfast with congee, steamed greens, or miso soup instead of cold smoothies

🌿 Final Thoughts: East + West Are Finally Aligning

The NYT is right: how and what we eat shapes everything—our mood, immunity, hormones, and how we age.

But Traditional Chinese Medicine has long offered a holistic view of nutrition, where food is a personalized, seasonal, and energetic tool for healing.

🌱 Whether you’re looking to:

Support mental health naturally
Age with grace
Reduce inflammation
Heal your gut
Or finally understand why you’re bloated every afternoon…

I can help. Book an Acupuncture or Medical Abdominal Massage (Chi Nei Tsang) session, join my online classes, or grab my free guide on “The 2025 Gut-Health Guide.”

Your body is wise. Let’s give it the nourishment it truly needs. ⍟

❓FAQ: Nutrition Tips & TCM Insights

Q: What New York Times article is this based on?

A: This blog is inspired by the New York Times' most-clicked nutrition article of 2025, which highlights key dietary trends like plant-based proteins, mental health support through food, and the risks of ultraprocessed foods.

Q: How does Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) differ from Western nutrition advice?

A: TCM focuses on the energetic qualities of food—like warming vs. cooling—and how they impact organ systems such as the Spleen, Liver, and Kidneys. It emphasizes balance, digestion, and seasonal eating, not just calories or macros.

Q: Why is digestion so important in TCM?

A: In Chinese medicine, digestion is the root of overall health. A strong digestive system (Spleen and Stomach) supports clear thinking, good energy, stable mood, and immunity.

Q: Do I need to stop eating cold foods and salads completely?

A: Not necessarily! But TCM recommends limiting raw and cold foods if you experience symptoms like bloating, fatigue, or loose stools—especially in colder seasons or if your digestion feels weak.

Q: How can I apply these ideas without getting overwhelmed?

A: Start simple: warm breakfasts, chew thoroughly, limit sugar and processed snacks, and add herbs like goji berries or ginger. You don’t need to overhaul everything overnight—just support your Qi, one meal at a time.

📍 Visit Us in San Diego — Or Start Your Healing Journey Online

Dr. JazHands Acupuncture and Therapeutic Massage is located at San Diego Herbal Medicine & Acupuncture is centrally located in Hillcrest, San Diego, and serves the surrounding areas including Downtown San Diego, North Park, Mission Valley, La Jolla, and Pacific Beach. We also work with patients from Los Angeles, Orange County, Escondido, Oceanside, Irvine, and Huntington Beach, as well as virtual clients worldwide from India, Singapore, Europe, and beyond.

🌀 Whether you're seeking digestive relief, emotional balance, or a deeper connection to your health through Chi Nei Tsang, Acupuncture, or our signature Buddha Belly Program, we're here to support your journey—in person or online.