So how do we cope when we feel cold?
Just as in summer, Eastern medicine comes to our aid in autumn and winter. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), to maintain health, we should strive to balance two opposites. Yin and Yang, i.e., cold and hot. When the outside temperature is low and we feel cold, Yin predominates, and we should provide our body with warmth, for example, by consuming warming foods – Yang.
What products are considered warming?
• spices: cayenne pepper, garlic, chili, ginger, cinnamon, anise, cumin, mustard,
• Vegetables: carrots, parsley, beetroot, sweet potato, leek, onion, pumpkin, fennel, dill, Savoy cabbage (especially cooked)
• Fruits: dates, cherries
• Most animal products: eggs, hard cheeses, red meat, poultry, tuna, salmon, trout, shrimp, mussels
• Legumes and cereals: black and red beans, oats, spelt,
• Seeds and nuts: sunflower seeds, sesame, walnuts, pine nuts,
• Other: miso, chestnuts, soy sauce, butter,
The spices mentioned above, such as garlic, chili, cinnamon, and ginger, contain numerous anti-inflammatory substances, and garlic even has antibiotic properties. Therefore, they not only warm us up but also protect us against the development of colds. It's also worth knowing that once an infection develops and we have a runny nose, we should avoid mucus-forming products to avoid increasing nasal secretions and creating favorable conditions for bacteria and viruses. Mucus-forming products primarily include milk and dairy products (from animals), sugar, and sweets.
Drinks for cold days…
Ginger tea is a sure-fire way to start your day with a warming drink! However, a good way to start your day is to follow the Asian example and enjoy a warming soup made with vegetable broth and meat, such as: duck broth with shiitake mushrooms or without meat, with the addition of chili and onions. It is also worth adding seasonal root vegetables to the dinner, such as pumpkin, beetroot, sweet potatoes, in both savory and sweet versions, as in the case of pumpkin and coconut pancakes from our new fusion cuisine category.
Clinical dietitian Monika Wodyczko