What is PHS (Primary Health System), the 6 dietary types (Determination), how to eat by your design, and practical examples for each type.
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!


