Wintertime Nourishment

Wintertime Nourishment 🍲

Winter. A yin time of the year. A time to nourish our bodies, minds, and spirit. A time for storage and repair.

It can be very tempting to eat raw salads during this time, especially when we want to eat healthier, but in Chinese Medicine it is often encouraged to eat warm, cooked vegetables. The winter months are hard enough on our bodies as it is, whether it be cold temperatures, dryness, seasonal depression, or daylight savings fatigue, we owe it ourselves to nourish our insides with easily digestible, warming foods.

Cooked meal ideas:
→ Soup
→ Stir-fry
→ Sheet pan roasted meals
→ Stews over rice
→ Cooked, warm toppings on salad

Commonly asked question: are nutrients lost by cooking fruits and vegetables?

Cooking is a process by which enzymes and fibers are broken down, basically a pre-digestion. While this may deplete SOME nutrients like vitamins, it makes it easier for our stomachs and spleens [in TCM] to digest and utilize the remaining nutrients. We expend energy to digest food, therefore the easier we make that process, the more energy we have for other activities.

Cook vegetables without compromising the crunch:
→ Steam
→ Blanch
→ Roast
→ Saute
→ AVOID boiling (unless soup)

As with any medicine, everyone has a different body type, so ask your acupuncturist or schedule a health + wellness coaching session to find out what foods would be best for you this season. ✨