If you've been in the clinic, or read some of my previous posts, you may have noticed that I strongly advocate the consumption of warms foods and drinks. That isn't to say you should never eat cold things, there is a time and place for cool and raw foods and drinks, but don't you want to know how it may be impacting your digestion?
It is very often recommended by chinese medicine practitioners that people avoid consuming cold or raw foods and that foods should be warm and cooked to optimize digestion. There are several reasons for this. The first is that foods that are cold or raw may require more energy for your body to digest and assimilate, this means that it may but a strain on your digestive function. The second is that the enzymes used to aid digestion work at your bodies normal temperature. If you eat very cold foods or drinks, it can decrease the temperature in your stomach and decrease the activity of enzymes in breaking down food. This is especially important with proteins. The enzymes required to denature proteins get slow at colder temperatures. This means your food won't break down as quickly. In TCM speak, eating cold or raw foods puts strain on the Spleen and Stomach, can cause food stagnation, qi deficiency, damp stasis, cold retention and can deplete digestive function over time. Have you ever eaten a big meal, with a huge glass of iced water and find yourself heavy and bloated after? You might be less bloated if you skipped the ice water! There's ways to off-set some of these concerns. Do you ever eat sushi? That pickled ginger served with your fish does more than cleanse your palate, it warms and invigorates your digestion!
So what are some of the physical signs that your digestion is being impacted by too many cold foods and drinks?
bloating
gas
decreased appetite
loose stool
undigested food in stool
abdominal cramping after meals
fatigue
What are the solutions to this if you love things cold or raw?
Drink hot tea or broth before eating cold or raw foods such as smoothies
Let refrigerated foods come to room temperature before eating
Add vinegar to raw foods to kickstart their breakdown
Add warming spices like ginger, garlic, cumin, cinnamon, chiles, peppercorn, cloves
Flash steam veggies - they still have crunch but are also slightly cooked
Promoting balance and harmony in your digestive function is a great way to promote general health and wellbeing!
**All information and resources found on balancedstonewellness.com are based on the opinions, experience and research of the author unless otherwise noted. All information is intended to motivate readers to make their own nutrition and health decisions after consulting with their health care provider...even if that provider may be the author ;)