Depending on the state of balance within the body; one’s body temperature can experience moments of intense heat. We see this primarily in peri-menopause and menopausal women. The major characteristics of heat are common and are a sign that we may need to cool things down in the body.

• Person may feel hot and dry
• Person may prefer cooler climate
• The tongue may appear bright red sometimes with a yellow coating, the sclera (whites) of the eye may appear red, and often halitosis or bad breath may be present.
• Person may experience hypertension (high blood pressure), bleed easily or even hemorrhage, may have a fast radial pulse.
• Person may experience difficult digestion as heat dries fluid in the body, constipation may also be a factor with this.

*As always if you are in doubt please seek medical advice

Now what many people might not know is that different foods can have heating and cooling effects on the body.

 COOLING FOODS IN RESPONSE TO HEAT

 FRUITS

• apples
• banana
• citrus
• cantaloupe
• pear
• watermelon
• tomato

 VEGETABLES

• lettuce
• asparagus
• radish
• cucumber
• spinach
• eggplant
• summer squash
• zucchini
• sweet corn
• bok choy
• cauliflower
• button mushroom
• Chinese cabbage
• Swiss chard

LEGUMES AND GRAINS

• amaranth
• soy sprouts
• soy milk
• tofu
• tempeh
• wheat
• barley mung beans and their sprouts
• alfalfa sprouts
• millet

OTHER COOLING FOODS

• kelp and edible seaweeds
• crab
• yoghurt
• spirulina and wild-blue greens
• clam

HERBS AND SPICES

• peppermint
• marjoram
• nettles
• dandelion greens and roots
• lemon balm
• coriander
• white peppercorn

 COLD CONDITIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR WARMING FOODS

Cold patterns in the body may arise from a number of causes. Insufficient physical activity, partaking in an excess of cooling foods and herbs, or perhaps a constitutional weakness can add to the body having a cold sensation.

The major characteristics of coldness are

• As the coldness is part of the yin principle and associated with the water element, colder constitutions may suffer from bladder, kidney, bone and emotional sensitivities.
• Cold in the body may produce a more sedentary person, as ice is hard and motionless, this may effect constitutionally as well.
• Coldness causes contraction so the person with the colder constitution may move with difficulty.
• Person may exhibit chill sensations, dislike cold, be attracted to warmer climate.
• Person is usually over-dressed in many layers and attracted to warming foods and beverages.
• Complexion is usually pale.

Emotionally we must work with fears and insecurities. Warming foods are nurturing and re-assuring to this constitution.

WARMING FOODS IN RESPONSE TO THIS

Tip: Foods should be cooked rather than raw

FRUITS

• cherries
• citrus peel
• dates
• Chinese red dates
• nectarine
• mandarin peel (dried)
• coconut meat
• guava
• Hawthorn berries
• lychee
• mango
• raspberries
• peach

VEGETABLES

• leek
• chives
• mustard greens
• pumpkin
• squash
• parsnip
• cabbage
• kale
• onion
• scallion

GRAINS LEGUMES AND SEEDS

• oats
• quinoa
• spelt
• sunflower seed
• walnut
• pine-nut
• rice
• corn
• buckwheat
• rye
• chestnut
• malt
• pistachio nut
• caraway seeds

MEAT, SEAFOOD AND DAIRY

• butter
• eel
• venison
• goat’s milk
• cow’s milk
• lamb
• beef
• mussel
• prawn
• chicken

HERBS AND SPICES

• basil
• chilli
• cinnamon
• nutmeg
• fennel seed
• garlic
• ginger
• cloves
• ginseng
• cayenne

 

If you feel that you are out of balance or need a check, please don’t hesitate to make an appointment today. Call me on 0424 494 949 to ask me how!