The five elements in wellness: organs, diet and balance

In Eastern medicine and philosophy, the five elements are a map for wellness: each maps to an organ, emotion, season and food group.

Elements and organs

Wood → Liver (green, sour); Fire → Heart (red, bitter); Earth → Spleen/digestion (yellow, sweet); Metal → Lungs (white, pungent); Water → Kidney (black, salty).

Eating by the elements

The principle is balance — eat all five flavors to nourish all organs, without excess.

Elements and emotions

Excess emotion harms an organ: anger–Liver, over-joy–Heart, worry–Spleen, grief–Lungs, fear–Kidney. A balanced mind is itself wellness.

Your destiny element

Knowing your nạp âm element helps you choose harmonious colors and foods — see feng shui by destiny or, for fun, your spirit root. For reference, not medical advice.