What Is PHS?
PHS (Primary Health System) is the nutrition system in Human Design that determines how your body needs to receive food. It's not a diet in the traditional sense — it's the mechanics of how your organism best absorbs nutrients.
PHS is based on the design side of your bodygraph — the part determined prenatally and connected to the unconscious functioning of the body.
Colors, Tones, and Bases
In Human Design, each planetary activation has three levels of detail:
- Color: 1-6 — determines your dietary type (Determination)
- Tone: 1-6 — refines the eating method
- Base: 1-5 — the deepest level of fine-tuning
For PHS, we look at the Color of the Design Sun/Earth (red calculation line). This determines your Determination — your dietary type.
The 6 Dietary Types (Determination)
1. Consecutive
Your body best absorbs food when you eat one item at a time.
- Don't mix many ingredients in one dish
- Eat simple meals with minimal components
- A 10-ingredient salad isn't for you. Better to eat vegetables separately, then meat
- Ideal: mono-eating. Rice separate, chicken separate, vegetables separate
2. Alternating
The opposite of Consecutive. Your body needs variety and mixing.
- Complex dishes with many ingredients are your path
- Stews, curries, complex salads, bowl meals
- Alternate food types throughout the day
- Mono-diets absolutely don't work for you
3. Open
Your body needs an open, calm environment for eating.
- Eat in open spaces, by windows, on terraces
- Avoid tight, stuffy rooms
- Fresh air during meals improves absorption
- Don't eat in basements, cramped kitchens, or closed rooms
4. Closed
The opposite of Open. Your body needs a cozy, enclosed space.
- Eat at home, in comfortable restaurants, in familiar places
- Dim lighting, calm atmosphere
- Avoid eating on the go, outdoors, or in noisy food courts
- Your kitchen is your sanctuary for meals
5. Hot
Your body best absorbs hot food and beverages.
- Soups, hot dishes, warm drinks
- Cooked food is better than raw
- Even water is better warm
- Minimize raw food like sushi and salads
6. Cold
The opposite of Hot. Your body needs cold and raw food.
- Salads, fruits, smoothies, cold appetizers
- Raw food is better absorbed
- Cold water, cool drinks
- Avoid overly hot dishes
Tones: Refining Your Type
Each of the 6 types has 6 tones that refine the eating method:
- Tone 1 (Smell): eat what smells good to you
- Tone 2 (Taste): trust your taste preferences
- Tone 3 (Outer Vision): eat what looks appetizing
- Tone 4 (Inner Vision): visualize food before choosing
- Tone 5 (Feeling): feel what the body wants
- Tone 6 (Touch): food texture matters
How to Find Your PHS Type
- Calculate your bodygraph on our website
- Open the chart details
- Go to the Variable tab — you'll see your dietary type
- Look at the Design Sun — the Color determines your Determination
Practical Tips
Experiment with PHS gradually:
- Don't change everything at once. Start with one meal per day
- Observe post-meal sensations: energy, lightness, bloating, fatigue
- PHS is not about WHAT to eat, but HOW to eat. You can eat the same foods, but differently
- Give your body 3-6 months to adapt
- Keep a food and well-being journal
Important Note
PHS is an experiment, not a dogma. Ra Uru Hu always emphasized: verify everything through your own experience. If something doesn't work for your body — listen to the body, not the theory. PHS also doesn't replace medical recommendations for health conditions.
Find your dietary type — calculate your bodygraph and open the Variable tab!