Warming foods in Traditional Chinese Medicine

warming foods

From a Chinese medicine perspective food is classified according to its attributes and the way it effects the balance of yin and yang energy in the body. In the cooler (yin) months our energy is occupied not only with its daily function to keep us healthy, it also requires yang energy to keep us warm.  In order to provide the optimum conditions for healing imbalances, as well as supporting regular healthy functioning, we can greatly assist the body by eating naturally warming foods.  And it’s not only foods that are heated or cooked that can achieve a warming effect. Adding a variety of herbs, spices, nuts and seeds will also bring your diet into balance and aid digestion to provide the greatest use of nutrients from the foods we eat.

Exploring the Spleen/Stomach in Traditional Chinese Medicine

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the Spleen/stomach are seen as the central organs of digestion. They control the breaking down the food and assist the absorption of elements that nourish organs and tissues to increase Qi and blood in the body.

Spleen yang is often compared to a fire that warms food (including fluids) in order to metabolise them. By consuming too many cold foods in our diet, it can be like putting a wet blanket on top of the fire, smothering and impairing this metabolic action. As a result, signs of Spleen deficiency such as poor appetite, bloating and loose stools may become an issue.

There are three categories of food that can impair Spleen function.

  1. Food that is energetically cold.
  2. Food that is physically cold.
  3. Fried, greasy or sugary foods

Food that is energetically cold

In prescribing dietary therapy and herbal medicine in TCM, the energetic quality of a substance is always taken into account. For example, take ginger and watermelon both sitting at room temperature. Eating one would cool the body down (watermelon) and the other one would have a noticeable warming effect on the body (ginger).

In cooler months, and for some, all year through, too many energetically cooling foods such as a lot of fruit, salads, raw foods, vegetable juices, dairy foods (with the exception of yoghurt for most) etc. can cause signs of Spleen deficiency, particularly if they are not balanced with the introduction of warming foods.

Food that is physically cold

This includes things straight out of the fridge such as drinks or ice cream, or with ice added. In the case of water, warm or hot water will be absorbed more effectively.

Food that is fired, greasy or sugary

This includes food deep or shallow fried or food with a high amount of oil or sugar content such as chocolate cheeses and cured meats.

Supporting the spleen in cooler months

So what do you need to eat to assist spleen function and provide balance in the cooler months?

Cooking warms the energetics of food so focusing on recipes for soups, stews, and casseroles is a great start. Fruit can also be poached or stewed and vegetables can be sufficiently steamed. Combing small amounts of warm food with the cold can balance the yin yang too, such as adding a little warm wasabi to help digest the coldness of sushi.

Balance your diet with warming foods

Here’s some examples of the types of foods you can include in your diet if you need to balance your diet with more warmth.

Herbs

  • basil
  • chives
  • coriander
  • dill
  • fennel
  • parsley
  • rosemary

Spices

  • anise
  • cumin
  • cinnamon
  • cloves
  • ginger
  • black pepper

Vegetables

Can be steamed or cooked and include plenty of:

  • onion
  • leeks
  • parsnips
  • capsicums
  • spring onion
  • garlic

Other

  • Fruits are better dried or cooked
  • Nuts
  • Honey
  • Oats
  • Quinoa
  • Seeds
  • Wild rice

When trying to integrate these principles into your diet, it is always best to consult a TCM practitioner to find out how this applies to you and your individual needs and nuances, especially if you are experiencing digestive issues.

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Getting to know your practitioner – Sonia Millett, FGHG acupuncturist

Fertility Sonia

What inspired you to become an acupuncturist and Chinese Herbalist, with a special interest in fertility and pregnancy?

Fertility, pregnancy and women’s health conditions are some of the most interesting and complex to treat, for this reason it has always drawn me – there are so many interesting aspects to consider, such as hormonal and emotional factors.

I love the challenges fertility issues present, and in particular the joy of hard-fought successes such as conceiving a baby after years of trying.  I also enjoy then treating  patients up until they give birth –  there is a real sense of completion and connection with the patient.

I first experienced the benefits of Chinese Medicine when my infant son did not gain weight and was diagnosed with ‘failure to thrive’, and was very unsettled. Several pediatricians were unable to provide a reason or a solution. Chinese Medicine, however, provided some notable improvements, and I was hooked.

What do you see as the strengths that acupuncture and Chinese Medicine (CM) have to offer in terms of fertility and reproductive support?

Fertility and pregnancy treatments are a major area of strength in Chinese Medicine as it fills a gap in conventional Western Medicine. This makes it a wonderful adjunct to medical treatments such as IVF.  If a pathology is not visible (eg in scans/to the eye) or does not show up in testing such as blood tests, Chinese Medicine excels. This is why Chinese Medicine can be effective with diagnoses such as ‘unexplained’ infertility, or for older patients. Traditional Chinese Medicine has a different diagnostic system and we can find a diagnosis (and therefore help treat) even when there is none in Western Medicine.

Chinese Medicine practitioners treat the individual, not the disease, and aim to strengthen underlying issues in the body.  The treatments are more patient- centred.

Also, Chinese Medicine is a holistic approach, supporting the OVERALL health and vitality of the body, as well as treating health issues directly. The principle aim of Chinese Medicine and acupuncture is to recover the equilibrium between the physical and emotional aspects of an individual, by treating the whole person. This is why we also provide lifestyle and dietary advice, and consider the emotional state of patients.

Patients often report they feel less stressed and more able to cope following acupuncture treatments, and we see this as a vital part of the treatment.

In your work you assist a lot of women on their journey to becoming pregnant, do you recommend they continue to see you after they have fallen pregnant? What does acupuncture and Chinese medicine have to offer during pregnancy?

Chinese Medicine is very useful throughout pregnancy. It offers a gentle approach to treatment without side-effects. It can help treat conditions such as nausea in early pregnancy, and any pain throughout the pregnancy. In late pregnancy, acupuncture can be used to prepare the patient for an on-time labour.

The benefits of treatment also extend to post-partum for issues such as poor milk supply and for a boost in energy when exhausted.

Your week tends to be very busy, what sort of self-care do you do to recharge outside of seeing patients?

I get lots of benefit from connecting with special friends, and possibly combining this with a walk. Also a regular yoga practice. I find that any practice that nourishes you emotionally as well as physically, has more far-reaching benefits. Whenever time permits, I also enjoy  acupuncture, kinesiology or massage treatments throughout the year.

I enjoy massage treatments primarily for stress relief, and acupuncture or kinesiology when I have a more acute condition that needs addressing such as pain.  I personally really enjoy kinesiology – it’s an eclectic mix of treatment approaches (and even incorporates some Chinese Medicine channel theory).

What are your top five tips for others to help maintain a healthy lifestyle?

  • Eat a nutritious diet with primarily fresh fruit and vegetables (no need to eat low fat foods) and get daily exercise (doesn’t need to be strenuous).
  • Make time for fun and nurture the special relationships in your life. Particularly important when going through challenging times such as when trying to conceive or with a new baby.
  • Find Gratitude – notice things in your life daily that you are grateful for
  • Get plenty of sleep, ideally within the hours of 11pm – 6.00am.
  • And of course have regular therapeutic treatments such as acupuncture, massage, naturopathy, kinesiology, to maintain health – after all, prevention is better than cure! CM is great as a preventative to help keep you in peak heath and manage stress.

Learn more about Sonia Millet on our practitioner page here: Sonia Millet, FGHG Acupuncturist

Let’s talk about sex, baby!

By Charmaine Dennis, Naturopath and Co-director

 

It can be so easy to get caught up in the dos and don’ts of trying to conceive – don’t drink alcohol, go to your GP for testing, give up the cigarettes, exercise more … that we can forget to talk about the most important thing about getting pregnant – SEX!

When you first start consciously trying to conceive, sex with your partner may be the most potent love making you have experienced. To come together to make a baby is ultimately what it is all about – a culmination of your love together resulting in the formation of another human being whose every cell is made up of your union. Amazing times!

But it seems that it can quickly turn to stressful thinking, especially as we often assume that it will happen quickly and easily for us. We tried so hard for most of our reproductive lives to not get pregnant with intercourse, so it is easy to assume that it should happen on the first attempt without contraception. Right?

Continue reading Let’s talk about sex, baby!