Winter is upon us. The natural movement of the season is Inward. The theme is Storage. The weather is cold. We look inward to find a point of stillness. It is only from stillness that the rebirth and growth of Spring and Summer can come.

One of the ways that we can support these actions is by eating right for the season. Here is an interesting article about the subject. We eat foods classified as Yang, or warming, foods. We should also eat root vegetables, pumpkins and squash, and seeds and nuts. All of these foods resonate with the essence of the season of Winter. Yang foods are garlic, chives, dark meat chicken, ginger, turmeric, lamb/mutton, beef, mustard greens, oatmeal, buckwheat and quinoa.

In addition to eating warming, Yang foods, it is important to avoid cold, Yin foods. Yin foods are anything literally cold or raw, dairy, melons, cucumbers, spinach, mung beans, seaweed, watercress, and sprouts.

These dietary recommendations are not absolute. It is OK to eat some cold foods in Winter and warm foods in Summer. The trick to this is moderation. Working with a licensed practitioner is the best way to come up with a balanced diet in harmony with your own constitution and also with the natural world and seasons.

Winter corresponds to the Kidney and Urinary Bladder organs from an Oriental medical perspective. Two important aspects of these organ systems – the organs have emotions in this philosophy – are managing resources, finding our spiritual power and cultivating wisdom. Reflect and take stock of what you have, make plans to put into action in Spring, study something for study’s sake, get in touch with your spirituality. These are things to do in a time of stillness, so when the growth of Spring and expansion of Summer come along we know we were thoughtful and mindful when we made the plans we are acting out.

Eating in Winter
This is the time to incorporate spices like ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves into our diet. Try roasting yams or other root vegetables with a sprinkle of these spices on top.

This is also a great time to eat seeds and nuts. Try mixing walnuts, black sesame seeds and honey together, then baking to form a crunchy brittle to snack on. You can also grind walnuts and black sesame seeds together, store in the refrigerator in an air-tight container, and then use as a topping on hot breakfast cereal or other nourishing foods. This mix will tonify your internal organs, and also strengthen the brain (walnuts look like a brain after all) and make the hair silky and soft. The oily nature of these two foods will also help treat mild constipation.

My mentor, Adele Reising, suggests to her patients making a tea of ground black sesame seeds and goji berries sweetened with brown sugar. The sesame seeds moisten the skin and nourish the blood. The goji berries strengthen the blood and eyes. Brown sugar is considered more warming than white sugar, making it a better choice for the colder months. It is also less processed than white sugar. Besides being a good Winter tea, this is a good tea to drink in the evening if you wake up with anxiety in the morning. The brown sugar and sesame seeds are also high in minerals, which will support the bones. If you prefer to avoid brown sugar, try Grade B maple syrup. It is darker than Grade A and more nutrient rich.

If you have never made a bone broth, now is the time to do it. Bone broths are exceptionally healthful. They are also full of joint-lubricating compounds, which will help with stiff or arthritic joints. The key to bone broths is long cooking, so prepare to have it on the stove overnight on a low simmer. Also, make sure to get bones of chickens, cows, turkeys or lamb that were raised at pasture and are organic. EatWild is a great resource for finding local purveyors of pastured, grass-fed (not grass-finished) meat and poultry. If you add a tablespoon or so of organic cider vinegar, more minerals will come from the bones into the stock.

Enjoy!

There are two of particular relevance for Autumn and the changes this season brings.

• White Fungus Congee. Wow. That name is really… um, unappetizing… but do not be swayed. White fungus, or Bai Mu Er, is basically a mushroom despite not looking much like one. Its latin name is Tremella and it is called Silver Ear Mushroom in English. The consistency is something closer to a seaweed. It is a bit chewy and gelatinous… again, sounds delicious, right? Just give it a try. Bai Mu Er is a fantastic Autumn food because it nourishes and strengthens the Lungs. It will help with dry skin and dry cough. Additionally, it goes to the Kidneys to help support the Lungs from the root, and prepare us for Winter, the Kidney season. Add 15g of Bai Mu Er to 250g rice, and make congee as you usually would.
• Lily Bulb Congee. Much better name! Lily bulb goes to the Heart and Lung, which makes it great for dryness, but also for restlessness and insomnia. It cools the upper burner (the torso from the diaphragm to the shoulders) which is where a lot of people feel irritability heat. Bai He is said to calm the mind, too, so it is great when you are feeling overworked or otherwise stressed. Add 30g of Bai He to 250g of rice.

You might notice a commonality in the names of these two food-herbs, the word Bai. Bai means white, and white is associated with the Lungs and the Autumn.

Give these two recipes a try. You can purchase these foods at most large Asian markets. I bet you will be pleased with the results.

The prevailing Qi of Autumn is Dryness, so we must take steps to prevent our bodies from becoming too dry. This makes a lot of sense too for modern living as we start to switch our heaters and radiators on in this season. Try a simple dish of warm poached organic pears in the evening or some extra honey in your tea. Another delicious dish for Fall is Kanten, a pudding-like dessert made from kudzu root starch instead of the typical agar. There’s a handy recipe on the back of most packages of kudzu root starch.

Autumn corresponds to the Lung and Large Intestine organs from a Oriental medical perspective. Two important aspects of these organ systems – the organs have emotions in this philosophy – are placing value and letting go. Take some time to let go of unwanted things around your home, clothes, and even behaviors. This relates to Springtime again, and our big Spring Cleaning sprees.