| Element | Associated Flavor | Associated Emotion |
|---|---|---|
| Wood | Sour | Anger |
| Fire | Bitter | Joy / Excitement |
| Earth | Sweet | Worry / Overthinking |
| Metal | Spicy / Pungent | Sadness / Grief |
| Water | Salty | Fear |
If someone eats too much salty food, TCM says the Water element can become unbalanced because salty foods are connected to the kidneys. This may cause weakness, stress, fearfulness, or kidney-related problems over time.
Joe’s anger and craving for sour food are related because both connect to the Wood element in Traditional Chinese Medicine. The Wood element is linked to the liver, anger, and sour flavours. Joe may have an imbalance in his Wood element. To reduce his anger, he should try to lower stress, get enough sleep, exercise, and avoid eating too much sour food.