This five-hour course offers a comprehensive exploration of Chinese medicine nutrition principles combined with practical tools for integrating Western nutritional assessments. Inspired by Paul Pitchford’s book, Healing With Whole Foods, the course provides actionable strategies to support balanced nutrition for patients, improving vitality and supporting healthcare goals.

Key Topics Include:

• The Five Flavors and Their Actions: Understanding the sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and pungent flavors, their energetic properties, and how they influence organ function, digestion, and emotional well-being.
• Integrating Eastern and Western Nutrition: Learn to bridge Chinese medicine food energetics with modern Western nutritional assessments, including analyzing lab reports to identify deficiencies (e.g., vitamins, minerals, or macronutrients) and track patient progress.
• Individualized Meal Planning: Develop personalized dietary recommendations using the Five Flavors and seasonal eating principles to address common health imbalances, such as fatigue, digestive disorders, and immune challenges.
• Patient Counseling: Strategies to effectively guide patients through dietary changes, overcome resistance, and cultivate sustainable eating habits for long-term health.
• Practical Applications: Explore therapeutic recipes, case studies, and interactive exercises to reinforce core concepts and build confidence in applying these principles in clinical practice.

This course is designed for acupuncturists and other healthcare practitioners who want to expand their understanding of Chinese medicine nutrition while integrating modern tools to better support their clients’ health goals.

Course Length: 5 hours
Materials: A copy of Healing With Whole Foods is highly recommended but not required. Participants are encouraged to bring sample lab reports (de-identified) for discussion.

Learning Outcomes:
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

1. Identify the therapeutic actions of the Five Flavors and their application in meal planning.
2. Analyze basic lab reports to uncover nutritional imbalances and create targeted dietary plans.
3. Confidently counsel patients on dietary changes, combining Eastern and Western perspectives to promote optimal health and well-being.

Jennifer Downey, A.P.

Academy faculty member and prior Director of Herbal Studies.

Future courses will explore these subjects in depth:

• Assessing CSOE & new techniques to confirm CF
• Update on the Physical & Structural Exam
• Body-Mind-Spirit Levels
• Treating Pathophysiology & The Officials
• Channel Pathology & Pain

Keep an eye out for more Five Element-focused and continuing education courses in 2025.

Alumni & Faculty $100
General Public: $140

5 FL CEUs will be available to FL licensed acupuncturists after completion of the course.

5 NCCAOM PDAs pending!

Jennifer Downey, A.P.

Jennifer Downey, A.P. is a licensed acupuncturist and certified herbologist. In practice for over 22 years, she has guided hundreds of patients and students to overcome disease and improve their health using the time-tested wisdom of East Asian Medicine, which includes the use of herbs and foods for healing, along with sound western nutritional advice. She has a passion for food, and a passion for helping people, both of which shine through in her clear and entertaining teaching style.

Jenn has been an Instructor Trainer in Food Healing and Qigong for the Supreme Science Qigong Center, and has studied nutritional principles as taught by Paul Pitchford and Sally Fallon. She received her diploma in Oriental Medicine from Dragon Rises College of Oriental Medicine in 2002, and has been in private practice in Gainesville, Florida ever since. She teaches Qigong, Tai Chi, Chinese medicine, and food healing both locally and nationally.