Episode Details

Are Chinese herbs working because of chemistry… or because of Qi?

In this episode of Living the Tao Shorts, Daoist Master Mikel Steenrod explores the difference between nutritional value and essence value — and why two foods that look identical on a label may affect your energy very differently.

You’ll hear:

• How Qi is absorbed from both food and environment

• Why some herbs function biochemically like natural drugs

• What “essence” means in Taoist herbal theory

• Why heavily processed foods may leave you energetically depleted

• A revealing college-era story about calorie intake vs vitality

This short bridges classical Taoist herbalism with modern physiology without dismissing either perspective.

If you’re interested in Qi cultivation, organic food, energy building, or understanding how Chinese herbs really work, this episode offers a clear and grounded framework.

Listen, reflect, and reconsider what you’re actually feeding.

Do you want more information on the intersection of nutrition and qi?  Try our site here:  https://www.watermountainvirtual.com/qi-gong-nutrition/

🌐 Explore more Taoist teachings:
https://www.the-taoism-for-modern-world.com

🎧 Listen to more Living the Tao Shorts & full episodes:
https://podcast.the-taoism-for-modern-world.com

Access the video form of the episode here: https://youtu.be/O_WQY0zfQHM

Intro music: “Finding Movement” by Kevin MacLeod — licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Source: incompetech.com