Food As Medicine
Nutrition can be a tricky subject, especially with new fad diets that are emerging all the time. It’s difficult to know what to believe, and more importantly, if it is right for you. While certain diets may be advantageous in short spurt phases or even as a lifestyle, let’s dive into a more holistic approach to nutrition.
No longer such a novel idea is the concept of eating with the seasons, however, being able to differentiate what foods are truly in season may be more difficult with the array of food available to us year round. Is eating food that is technically “not in season” bad for our health? No, of course not, but there is something to be said about eating more foods that are in season as opposed to those that are not.
Nature and seasons can teach us a lot about nutrition. Whole foods grow in certain seasons because they need a perfect environment to grow, including nutrient rich soil. When our food is harvested, we can bet that we are receiving Earth’s bountiful nutrients exactly when we need them the most. What does this mean? When food is in season, we should be eating more of it to help support our body’s natural detoxification system and boost our immunity. Nature is so wise!
Pro Tip: to help navigate food choices season to season, think of the characteristics each season encompasses. For a quick reference, check out a previous post I have written on Seasonal Awareness.
Here are a few suggestions to help guide food choices:
When produce prices are lower, this is a good indication that they are in season. When supply is high, prices drop. Who knew health included economics?
Not all foods need to be organic, although it’s great if you can. Here is a list of 2019’s Dirty Dozen List. At the very least, buy these organic.
As best you can, eat the rainbow. The five main colors of Chinese Medicine are green, red, yellow, white and black (which also could be purple). Consuming as many colors as possible, with a predominance of the color of that season will enhance your body’s response to food.
With all of the above, just have fun with it. Practice mindful eating and savoring your food. What a gift it is to have such an abundance of food and food choices.
If you’re curious about what Traditional Chinese Medicine has to say about each season, stay tuned! You can find more about each season as they come.
Check out each season’s articles below: