Foods to Keep You Warm and Balanced

The days are getting short and the temperature is dropping. Our fingers and toes are starting to get a little cold when we head out in the morning. This time of year is a perfect time to start thinking about adding warming elements to your daily routine. An acupuncturist or practitioner of traditional Chinese medicine can be a wealth of knowledge. At Jade Integrated Health, our acupuncturist have a vast understanding on tradition Chinese medicine, herbal medicine and using dietary changes to heal the body.

In traditional Chinese medicine, the balance of hot and cold in the body vary depending on the person. Different factors, such as diet and the surrounding environment, can affect this balance. If you are someone that tends to run on the warmer side, the oncoming colder weather may be a welcomed changed.

For those on the colder side, diet is the perfect way to booster your internal heat.

• Drink warm to hot liquid, avoid cold drinks. Avoid caffeinated beverages as those are cooling.

• Stay away from raw foods. Cooked (especially baked or roasted foods) are very warming.

• Increase intake of warming foods, such as:

  • Turmeric

  • Cinnamon

  • Ginger

  • Mustard Greens

  • Brown Sugar

  • Nuts (walnuts, chestnuts, pine nuts)

  • Black Pepper or Cayenne pepper

  • Lentils

  • Basil

  • Rosemary

  • Black beans

  • Oats

  • Sunflower seeds

  • Fennel

  • Caraway

  • Rice/Brown Rice

  • Meat (muscles, anchovies, trout, chicken, beef)

  • Sweeteners (barley malt, molasses, rice syrup)

  • Onions/Leeks

  • Garlic/Chives/Scallions

• Limit cooling foods and beverages:

  • Coffee

  • Black/Green Tea

  • Mint/Peppermint

  • Cucumber

  • Lettuce/Spinach

  • Broccoli

  • Soy beans/soy product (tofu, tempeh)

  • Barley/Millet/Amaranth

  • Seaweeds/Microalgea

  • Alfalfa Sprout

  • Fruits (apples, banana, pear, cantaloupe, watermelon, citrus)

Interested in learning more about how foods can heal and balance? We suggest starting with Paul Pitchford’s amazing book, Healing with Whole Foods: Asian Traditions and Modern Nutrition. This resource gives you a comprehensive guide to understanding the healing power of food.