Hot-Cold Theory of Disease Treatment^*

Hot Diseases or Conditions

• Constipation
• Diarrhea
• Infections
• Kidney diseases
• Liver complaints
• Skin eruptions
• Throat (sore)
• Ulcers
• Warts

Cold Diseases or Conditions

• Cancer
• Common cold
• Earache
• Headache
• Joint pain
• Malaria
• Menstrual period
• Paralysis
• Pneumonia
• Rheumatism
• Stomach cramps
• Teething
• Tuberculosis

Hot Foods

• Beverages, aromatic
• Cereal grains
• Cheese
• Chili peppers
• Chocolate
• Coffee
• Eggs
• Fruits, temperate zone
• Goat milk
• Hard liquor
• Meats (beef, water fowl, mutton)
• Oils
• Onions
• Peas

Cold Foods

• Barley water
• Cod
• Dairy products
• Fruits, tropical
• Honey
• Meats (goat, fish, chicken)
• Milk, bottled
• Raisins
• Vegetables, fresh

Hot Medicines and Herbs

• Anise
• Aspirin
• Castor oil
• Cinnamon
• Cod liver oil
• Garlic
• Ginger root
• Iron preparations
• Mint
• Penicillin
• Tobacco
• Vitamins

Cold Medicines and Herbs

• Bicarbonate of soda
• Linden
• Milk of magnesia
• Orange flower water
• Sage

^* Latin American, particularly Puerto Rican, approach to treating diseases. A “hot” disease is treated with “cold” treatments (foods, medicines) and vice versa.

Adapted from Wilson, HS, & Kneisl, CR: Psychiatric Nursing, ed 2. Addison-Wesley, Menlo Park, CA. (out of print)