A central role in TCM is played by the life energy “Qi”, which is kept in flow by the two life poles Yin and Yang: If Yin and Yang are in balance, then, according to TCM understanding, we feel healthy. If the flow of energy is disturbed, for example by environmental influences such as cold, heat, drafts, poor nutrition, mental stress or overexertion, health problems can arise according to TCM. Of particular importance within the medicinal plants (according to TCM understanding) are the medicinal mushrooms, which have been used in TCM for thousands of years. The oldest official list of medicinal substances from the 29th century BC contains several species of mushrooms that were already used for therapeutic purposes back then.
Here, too, there is a great parallel to Ayurveda - because both teachings see food as medicine. However, differences become clear in detail: while in Ayurveda the type-appropriate food is crucial in terms of balancing the doshas, in TCM everything revolves around energy flows. TCM assumes that food can have an energetic effect: Some foods have a cooling effect (e.g. yogurt), some have a heating effect (e.g. chili); Some foods reduce Qi, some increase Qi.