The sweet and sour pork students eat in the dining center may be more connected to their physical health than they think, according to Mary Swander’s Wednesday night lecture, “Spirit and Food.”

Swander, distinguished professor of English at Iowa State and this year’s Distinguished Arts and Humanities Scholar, spoke about her upcoming book, “Spirit and Food: From Wonder Bread to Awe and Wonder.”

“It’s all mental,” said Brett Campbell, senior in philosophy, of the spiritual benefits of food.

In his own life, Campbell sites his “grandma’s apple dumplings,” saying there is “a big spiritual connection.”

Throughout her progressing book, Swander addresses the sensual, sacramental and social issues connected with food.

“I want to look at all traditions and all geographies,” Swander said.

In the Great Hall of the Memorial Union, Swander spoke to a crowd of more than 100. Her lecture focused on the chapter “Healing with Food” from her book.

She discussed a wide variety of healing methods spanning the globe and history.

She began her history lesson in Eastern Asia by discussing the importance of balance in Chinese medicine.

She explained that chi is “life force energy” and is comprised of two components: yin and yang. In addition to several other associations, these components have specific food-based identities. Yin can be said to represent fruit, leafy greens and vegetables, whereas yang represents meat, poultry and cheese.

“When a person’s chi is in balance, they are usually in a state of health,” Swander said.

The idea of balance is not limited to Asian cultures, however. It also appears in both Indian culture and Western medicine, Swander said.

She described the Indian Ayurvedic principle of the three doshas – Vata, Pitta and Kapha – along with corresponding diets.

A vata dosha is a slender, energetic, impulsive person; a pitta dosha is a medium-built, intelligent, passionate person and a kapha dosha is a heavier-set, loving, compassionate, forgiving person, Swander said.

Each dosha should eat a different form of food in order to maintain balance with their personality, Swander said.

She also explained the western connection of food and spirituality, connecting Hippocrates, who came up with the concept of the four humors – black bile, blood, yellow bile and phlegm.

“You have your yin and your yang, your three doshas, your four biles,” Swander said. “Food and spirituality is everywhere.”

She connected this concept to today’s world, discussing current advances in food and medicine by Dr. Nicholas Gonzalez.

A diverse sampling of food and beverages were served following the lecture.