Traditional Chinese medicine holds that the occurr-ence and evolution of disease is the process of loss of harmony. between yin and yang, essentially a conflict between the body and various pathggenic factors. Therefore, it is imperative that, when treating-a disorder--even a localized one--that the physician should attend to the patient from an overall viewpoint instead of dealing it topically with either medicinal or dietetic therapies.

Taking agalactosis or hypogalactosis as an example, one should not focus one's attention on secretion of the mammary ghnd; rather, the postpartum condition should be taken into account.

In TCM, it is usually claimed that these conditions are due to the obstruction of the liver channel supplying the mammary gland; yet, the postpartal deficiencies of qi and blood of the mother should also be considered as the root cause. On this basis, nourishing and invigorating the patient's qi and blood, the provenance of milk secretion, should be given preferential consideration. Tonics for qi and blood, such as ginseng, Radix Astragali seu Hedysari and Si Wu (four-ingredient) decoction always effectively provide desired results.

The principle, "treatment based on differential diagnosis and an overall analysis of syndromes," is the basic feature of TCM. It is composed of two integral parts, i.e., differential diagnosis and overall analysis of syndromes, and treatment. The former does not represent the simple listing of all signs and symptoms; instead, it is the comprehensive analysis of all symptoms and signs. This is especially true for lingual fur and pulse manifestations on which the intrinsic connections are drawn so as to find the root causes, pathogenesis, locations of lesions and pathological changes for the formulation of therapeu-tic principles and concrete treating measures.

The therapeutic approaches also include the so-called "treating different disorders with the same therapy," and "treating the same disorder with different therapeutic approaches." All these principles are also applicable to dietotherapy. Taking nephritis with edema as its main manifestation, for instance, this ailment is divided into yin and yang types, which essentially belong to deficient and excessive types, respectively. Therefore, the respective treatment should be to strengthen body resistance and its digestive functions, and to expel pathogens by antiphlogistics and diuretics, respectively. When treating the problem with dietotherapy, the same principle should be applied. For yang or excessive type, onion-white porridge, five-peel drink, porridge of Semen Pharbitidis and porridge of Radix Phyto-laccae are prescribed. As for the excessive type of damp-heat, red bean diets are indicated.

For the deficient type with cold in the lower part of the body, a diet containing cinnamon, aconitum, black beans, and black sesame is essential; carp porridge or soup is also highly recommended (Orthodox Essentials of Diet). In treating edema, the idea of limiting salt intake came to TCM much earlier; this is recorded in Chapter 4 of the Handbook of Prescriptions for Emergency, which orders the avoidance of too much salt and water intake.

The principle of maintaining adjustment and harmony between dieto-therapy and medicinal therapy should be emphasized; hence, coordination between dietitian and physician is crucial for the treatment of diseases.