Fig. 2
From: Medicinal food understanding in Korean gastronomic culture

Five elements’ cycle balance imbalance. Each of the five elements, translated as wood, fire, earth, metal, and water, represents a different phase of the cycle. These phases can be used to understand health in a person’s life. By using observations of how the five elements translate to human life physically, emotionally, and spiritually, a useful and effective tool to treat illness was developed