In winter season some of us need to increase our inner heat. As noted in earlier posts we've got an inner climate which interacts with the external one. If we think about it, and ask ourselves which temperature we've got now? which would be the season represented in our body? or are we feeling ok with it or uncomfortable? We could be more wise more suitable food to find the expected balance. Does this means eating more fatty food o er winter season?
Or increasing the amount of calories? Not necessarily. Inner heat is generated by eating food that increases our temperature and using a cooking method that also creates this warmth. Essentially, the key is to absolutely avoid at any level whatever that makes us feel cool or freezing.
As mentioned before, the energy is a living force and not static which means we are constantly moving, changing, and shaping our energy. Thus in order to better satisfy our changing needs we need to know how to shape our energy. The food we ingest and the cooking style we will choose will help us to reshape our energetic flow.
Many people think that increasing protein and fat intake they would generate more inner heat, unfortunately they are wrong as the liver, and later on other organs, get saturated and instead of increasing your energy and inner heat they will decrease it making you feel more slowed down an lethargic, specially in the mornings.
On the other hand it is also important to keep a healthy balance. Too much inner heat would push you to the opposite road getting you more intolerant, impatient, rigid and tense. Thus, the goal here is to find the equilibrium. Balance is always the key!
Here I choose the favourite cooking method for winter season helping you to increase inner heat:
The more heating one>>>BBQ
Smoking
Oven
Pressure cooker
Frying
Long time Sautés
Casseroles
Steamed<<<the less heating one
Dairy products, alcohol and vinegar, soft drinks, excess of sugars, tropical fruits and frozen food will increase your inner cold, try to avoid them when you're freezing. And use spices like ginger, clove, star anise, cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg which increases our temperature.
But not everything in winter is about getting warm, there's also a lack of energy, motivation and a tendency to sadness and loneliness we need to switch. Sometimes the lack of motivation and dynamism is due to a stagnation, some others is because we don't find a passion, the spark of life. One way or the other what we need is to activate our body, mind and soul; to cross the road and get inspired.
Food intake is something that happens everyday, being the reason why is so important. Simply by following different cooking style depending on our specific needs; we will obtain amazing results.
There are different personalities and physical attributes to identify, some need to activate by cooling down and others by heating up.
We will activate by cooling down when we need to dilute stagnant energy obtained by an excess. Therefore, we will avoid long digestion meals, excess of fats and proteins, and long cooking methods. We'll include fresh herbs, use quick cooking methods like sautés, stir fry, or quick steamed/boiled food (5-10 minutes). We'll add more veggies, legumes, whole grains, and salads to your meals, and watch out the use of oil, keep it to a minimum.
We will activate by heating up when we need to stimulate stagnant energy obtained by a deficiency. If that's the case you will follow the recommendations above on how to increase inner heat.
In the upcoming posts: recipes for each scenario to give you some inspo and a little bit of understanding about the different personalities and physical attributes to identify who need to activate by cooling down and who by heating up.
Wishing you a magical week!
Sonia x