What does a piece of triple chocolate cake have to do with a white sofa branded with images of dragons? One word -- Feng Shui.

Feng Shui is the notion that decorating your home in a "ying and yang" sort of way will create harmony and evoke a pleasant mood. It uses direction and nature, like a "water" element and an "earth" element, to create balance. Each is associated with certain colors and images, like blue lakes and orange monkeys. Feng Shui is supposed to provide its decorators with a sense of inner peace. Eating, in turn, is much like Feng Shui decorating. When balanced, you can find dining peace.

When deciding whether or not to go for a burrito, you may not be wondering if it will taste better in the northeast or northwest corner of a room. But the message is still the same: By trying to live your life through balance you may find yourself in a more comfortable place.

Here are some tips. Avoid repeatedly eating at "all you can eat" scenarios. You may feel pressure to go back for more food even when you are full. It's important to remember that the endless supply of food you've already paid for will probably end up in the porcelain throne or on the scale if you keep shoveling it in.

If you do happen to overindulge at one meal, don't become plagued with guilt and fast for days in an attempt to compensate. Fasting slows down your metabolism because your body thinks you are starving. When you don't eat, your body tries to stop burning calories.

It's also good to practice prioritizing. If you know you will be drinking alcohol, try to leave out dessert or junk food for the day. Balancing your "non-essential" calories can help avoid weight gain -- although I know that beer and "non-essential" may not seem to flow in the same sentence.

Finally, if you feel stressed, try not to reach for the apple pie. Food should be enjoyed, but habitually eating foods, especially those high in calories, when you are not hungry can create a reliance on food. You certainly don't want to get in the habit of devouring an apple pie every time you miss an episode of your favorite show. However, if you can't resist the urge to snack during stressful times, try to snack on foods like cereal, low-fat popcorn, and celery sticks. The crunch may be what you need to take the edge off.

There is no denying that eating can be therapeutic and fun. Completely avoiding beloved foods may be not only unpleasant, but darn near impossible. Eating, like Feng Shui, should be viewed as something that can help us feel centered and alive. Foods like ice cream, spaghetti, cookies and bread can comfort. But don't forget that foods like peppermint and Chai tea can calm too. Both types of foods work in harmony. Although the purpose of eating is to nourish our bodies, it often times nourishes our souls too.

The bottom line is that no foods should be completely avoided. Just try to eat from all of the different food groups, especially fruits and vegetables. Balance is the key to happiness -- and the dragon would be proud.