Fundamentals of Natural Food to Heal Your Body [ 11 ]

Hello, JINPATH Sik-Gu.
Over our last 10 series together, we’ve explored the foundational concepts of Yin-Yang and the Five Elements. For some of you, these ideas might have felt familiar; for others, entirely foreign.

Recently, I re-read those first 10 articles through the eyes of someone with zero background in Eastern philosophy. I asked myself:
If I were reading this for the very first time, what questions would I have?

One clear thought came to mind:
“So... what is MY body type? Which constitution is Yang, which one is Yin, and where do I fit into all of this?”

That’s why I want to break this down for you in the simplest, most intuitive way possible—drawing from what I’ve learned, studied, and personally experienced.

You may have heard terms like the "Four Constitutions" (Greater Yang, Lesser Yang, Greater Yin, Lesser Yin) or detailed system classifications that break body types down into eight distinct categories.

When I first encountered these concepts in textbooks, they didn't feel completely alien or overwhelming to me. Having grown up experiencing these principles naturally in daily life, reading about them felt less like studying a complex science and more like confirming what was already rooted in my lived experience.

However, as I dove deeper into the highly specialized and technical literature later on, even I started feeling confused.

That was when I stepped back and reflected. I decided to return to my childhood mindset—the pure, intuitive perspective I had growing up. I knew that by returning to those roots, all the overwhelming complexity in front of me would naturally settle in my heart and mind.

The core wisdom of Yin-Yang, the Five Elements, and our personal constitutions—as passed down to me by my grandfather and Buddhist monks—was never meant to be overly complicated. So today, I want to share the very approach that brought me clarity whenever I felt lost: a simple way to help us identify and locate where each of us stands using Yin and Yang.

Let’s dive in.

Do you remember when we discussed Yin-Yang and the Five Elements earlier using a circular diagram?

This time, we are going to simplify it even further.
We will use a single straight line to help you feel, locate, and understand exactly where you stand.

Let's quickly revisit Yin and Yang.

As the Earth rotates, human life naturally fluctuates between Yin and Yang. Just as day alternates with night, the sky balances the earth, oceans meet mountains, high tides follow low tides, and the feminine counterbalances the masculine—everything in our universe exists in this dual nature.

And right in the middle of these opposing forces—without leaning too heavily to either side—lies the quietest, most peaceful place: the Center (Earth).

This Center (Earth) serves as the anchor from which the opposing forces of Yin and Yang extend outward. The further we stray from this Center (Earth) in either direction, the harder it becomes to maintain balance in our health and daily life.

To picture this, imagine drawing a straight line extending in both directions from this Center (Earth).

We will designate the right side as Yang, and the opposite left side as Yin.

Naturally, the closer someone stands to the Yang side from the Center (Earth), the stronger their Yang energy is. Conversely, the closer they are to the Yin side from the Center (Earth), the stronger their Yin energy is.

Food works in the exact same way.
In a previous article, we discussed how foods also carry either Yang energy or Yin energy. (If you haven’t read that piece yet, I highly encourage you to [click here to read it first].)

Do you remember what else we covered, though?
While some foods sit at the extreme ends of Yin or Yang, most foods don't exist purely at those far edges.

Our bodies and constitutions follow the same principle.
We don't just exist at the extreme outer limits of Yin or Yang.

In other words, as you can see in the diagram, our individual constitution might sit at any point along that line extending from the Center (Earth) toward Yang—or somewhere along the line extending from the Center (Earth) toward Yin.

In most cases, this natural constitution is something we are born with.

When we are young, there is a very high likelihood that our body sits close to the Center (Earth). However, if someone is born with an energy that leans significantly to one side even from a young age, they must put in conscious, continuous effort throughout their life. Without that intentional care, their body tends to get pulled even further into that imbalance.

But don’t worry too much. Most people are born with a mild Yin or Yang constitution relatively close to this center point, navigating their active younger years with reasonable balance. That manageable zone is represented by the yellow highlighted area in the diagram below.

However, if we neglect our health during our younger years, a gradual shift happens—pulling us further and further toward one extreme side.

By now, you’re probably wondering:
“So, where exactly am I on this line? What is my constitution?”

Let me walk you through a simple way to help you easily find your place.