After a beautiful time spent in the heat and sunshine of a New York City summer, I have returned home to a very, very cold Sydney winter. While I have only been home for a little over a day, I can already feel my body calling to be filled with seasonal winter foods and it is only right that I honour my body and investigate its seasonal needs. A core principle of a macrobiotic and conscious lifestyle is the concept of 'seasonal eating' - using fresh, in season produce prepared in a method with flavours that best nourish your body for whatever season it is facing.
Today, in honour of the cool wintery day that it is I thought it seemed only appropriate to share with you some helpful tips on how to best honour your body and its needs during the winter months...
In winter our body burns energy fighting off the cold, and bringing in warmth to the core of our being. We can help our body along in this through our eating habits - opting for warming cooking methods such as casseroles, stews and soups are great ways to warm your body from the inside. The foods we choose to put in our dishes are essentially what will ensure our body is nourished and ready to fight off nasty winter colds - wholegrains such as barley and millet are a great way to do this! Also look for dark leafy greens, root vegetables such as sweet potato, turnips, parsnips and pumpkin, legumes and use dark miso, tamari and sea vegetables as healthful and healing winter foods. Dry skin is a common winter ailment, so it is a good idea to use good quality oils in cooking to moisten your skin - my favourites are olive oil, sesame oil and coconut oil! Nuts are a great way to include essential fats in your body, and a nice way to include these in winter is by roasting raw mixed nuts in an oven and serving them warm and toasty drizzled with tamari.
Our skin is our largest organ, so as it dries out in winter we must also remember to keep our other organs and joints lubricated as well - and the best way to do this is through yoga. It is natural to want to be inside when outdoors is cold and windy so to ensure that you don't lose your practice invest in a great yoga DVD that can be done from the comfort of your own home and (best of all) in your favourite tracksuit pants and sloppy joe!!
SEASONAL (TR)EATS:
Fabulous Fruits: apples, pears, kiwis, passion fruits, quince, avocados, lemons and limes
Vivacious Veggies: broccoli, Brussel sprouts, carrots, cauliflower, turnips, parsnips, sweet potato, pumplin, leek, artichokes and kale
Honour what you need to get your body, mind and spirit through winter and remember: spring is just around the corner!
Love and light,
Lauren xxx
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