Did you know the foods we eat on a daily basis have either a warming or cooling effect on the body? In Traditional Chinese Medicine terms 'warming' foods help warm our internal temperature and nourish the Yang in our bodies. Whereas cooling foods, do the opposite and help nourish the Yin energy. In this Chinese Medicine Philosophy, it is encouraged to eat more warming vegetables in the cooler months and more cooling veggies in the warmer months, to assist our bodies in dealing with the elements.
In order for our body to be in harmony it needs a balance of both Yin and Yang. When one overpowers the other, problems start to arise. There are various reasons why our Yang can become depleted, and although food consumption can play a large part, external factors are also a big contributor.
For example:
Long exposure to cold
Over-eating “cold foods/drinks” – these include ones that are cold or icy to the touch or too many raw foods
Over-working. This includes any kind of physical activity even if you really enjoy it; if it exceeds your body’s ability to recover in the available time, it will deplete your body’s yang energy.
Emotions – being in a chronic stress state and suffering from emotions like fear, can inflict damage on your Yang energy as well as your Yin.
Yang deficiency occurs where the creative transforming energy that maintains life in our body and keeps all our mental and bodily functions going, lacks full power. It reflects an insufficiency in the body's functionality resulting in a slower metabolism, and is manifested by an internal exuberance of Yin (cold).
Symptoms of Yang deficiency include
Pale complexion
Cold body and limbs (always feeling cold)
Weak spirit
Drowsiness and lethargy
Poor circulation
Poor digestion
Experience panic attacks and emotions of fear
Excessive urination
Edema (accumulation of fluids in the body such as the lower legs)
Pale tongue
Weak pulse
Low Libido & infertility
If you are experiencing a variety of these symptoms, you could be Yang deficient and may benefit from including more warming foods into your diet. Foods like root vegetables are considered warming as they are grown under the ground. Cold food and cold liquids will further drain the body’s Yang energy. ‘cold foods’ refers not only to those directly taken from the fridge/freezer but also to raw foods, as they require extra energy for digestion compared to pre-cooked foods. This could mean choosing steamed vegetables over a green salad or switching from a smoothie to oatmeal for breakfast.
Warming Foods List
Download the PDF of my top Warming Foods to include in your daily diet to nourish the Yang in your body.
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