With bone-chilling cold weather in our midst, our bodies are gearing up for major adjustments to the change in season. It’s important to give your body the fuel and nutrients it needs during this time of hibernation and rejuvenation. I like to practice the “quality over quantity” rule, and incorporate high-quality foods and herbs into my favorite winter comfort foods.
I was fortunate to learn about Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and the power of Chinese herbs during my time working at a TCM clinic. The practitioners were always eager to help me experiment with "super" herbs, and I was always amazed at how easy supplies were to locate (check your local Asian market, or shop online) and use throughout the winter.
Check with your TCM practitioner and then try out some of these herbs in your favorite recipes:
Astragalus Root (Huang Qi)
- Sweet and slightly sour in taste, warm in nature
- Use the sliced root to creates a savory broth in soups. A little goes a long way!
- Or you can put a slice of the root in a mug of hot water as a nutritious, warming beverage
- Improves immune function, circulation, digestion and overall health
Chinese Yam (Shan Yao)
- Sweet in taste, neutral in nature
- Also great in soups and stews
- Improves digestive health and benefits the lungs
Gogi Berry (Chinese Wolfberry)
- Sweet in taste, neutral in nature
- Munch on them throughout the day to help regulate blood sugar
- Benefits kidney and liver, improves deficiencies