Winter has arrived and according to Chinese medicine, it is very important to eat food that is suitable for the cold and the effect of the cold on our body.

Chinese writings talk a lot about the different flavors and their effects on the body, also in the context of the seasons.

In winter, the recommendation is to eat warming, sweet food (meaning meat, chicken, grains that warm and strengthen the body, and I will expand on them soon) and spicy - today I want to focus on the spicy taste.

When we think of spicy foods, we immediately think of foods like hot peppers, but there are mild spicy foods that are okay to eat when you have digestive problems (sensitive bowel/irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn's or colitis) and they can even help with digestion.

The spicy taste is suitable for people whose digestive problems worsen with stress, frustration, anger, before menstruation (I know it sounds strange, but there is a whole philosophy that explains what the meaning of digestive problems that come before menstruation is compared to digestive problems that come after menstruation) and improve when people are in motion - for example, when they go for a walk or when they are free and the body is more relaxed.

Winter makes us feel sluggish and less active, and sometimes it also makes our digestive problems (or problems in our bodies in general) worse. In that case, it's a good idea to add more spicy and warming foods to your diet.

Spicy foods that can be added to your diet are:

Ginger, cinnamon, fennel, dill, caraway, anise, coriander, rocket/arugula, cumin, cooked onion (not in too large quantities because fresh onion is not good for the digestive system), green onion, basil, rosemary, nutmeg, black pepper.

Even when we eat heavier foods that characterize winter, such as orange soup, we can add spicy foods like ginger or nutmeg to them to break up the heaviness of the sweet.

May you have a warm winter with lots of health and lots of attention to your body 😊