Seasonal living for Health: Lessons from both traditional diets around the world and ancient wisdom for Modern Wellness

Winter is almost here and as the weather changes do you find that you are craving warmer more hearty food, ordering soup over salad? Do you find you feel like going to bed at 9pm instead of midnight? Eating seasonally is how people around the world have eaten for centuries. It’s been a way we have stayed connected to nature and our environment, adapting our diets to what nature provides each season.

Seasonal foods are often nutrient-dense and align with our body’s needs during specifictimes of the year with foods growing in winter such as root vegetables, dark leafy greens and squashes providing support for our immunity over the colder months.

Cultural Perspectives

There are a number of cultures that traditionally ate seasonally and locally. InJapan, seasonal eating, or "shun," is a fundamental concept inJapanese cuisine. During the winter, Japanese diets emphasise warming foods like sweet potatoes, radishes, and fish.

In Nordic countries, Scandinavian diets have long embraced root vegetables, preserved foods, and fermented dishes to get through harsh winters, focusing on cabbage, carrots, and beets, which are rich in nutrients that boost immune health.

In native American cultures, many indigenous groups in North America focused on winter squashes, tubers, and preserved foods, which provided essential nutrients and calories during colder months.

Seasonal living is an important teaching in Chinese medicine. Taoism advocates it as an important principle of health and healing. By eating seasonally, not only do you lower your carbon footprint, but according to Chinese medicine, you will be aligning what is going on in your body to nature – our physical and emotional states being influenced by the climate and the environment, their rhythm and seasons.

Ayurveda provides a wealth of insights into seasonal eating, rooted in the idea of living in harmony with nature. In Ayurvedic practice, each season is associated with specific qualities, elements, and doshas (body constitutions) that affect our bodies differently.

In Ayurveda, Ritucharya refers to the seasonal routines and dietary adjustments recommended to maintain balance throughout the year. Each season influences the body’s balance of the three doshas (Vata, Pitta, and Kapha), anddiet is a key way to keep these doshas in harmony.

Winter is generally a season where Vata (cool, dry, and airy) and Kapha (cold, damp,heavy) doshas can increase, particularly if the climate is very cold and damp. Ayurveda recommends eating warming, nourishing, and grounding foods to counterbalance these qualities.

During winter, Ayurveda suggests foods that are:

1. Warming: To counter the cool qualities of Vata and Kapha.
2. Moistening: To balance the dryness of Vata.
3. Grounding: To prevent the lightness and mobility that Vata tends to increase in cold weather.

Root vegetables, warming spices, and healthy fats are prominent in Ayurvedic winter diets to promote balance and resilience. In Ayurveda, digestion is thought to be stronger during colder months, often described as a "digestive fire" or Agni. This heightened digestive capacity means heavier, richer foods can be more easily processed. Thus, Ayurveda encourages taking advantage of this by eating nutrient-dense, warming meals in winter to fuel and nourish the body.

WinterFoods and Nutrients

When you think of winter foods, what comes to mind?

Root Vegetables (carrots, sweet potatoes, beets) – High in beta-carotene, vitamin C, and fibre, these vibrant vegetables help support immune health and are easy to store throughout winter.

Dark Leafy Greens (kale, collard greens) – Rich in vitamins C and K, calcium, and iron, these greens thrive in cooler weather and can be cooked into warming stews or soups.

Squashes and Pumpkins – Excellent sources of beta-carotene and potassium, these are perfect for hearty dishes that nourish and sustain energy.

Similarly, in Ayurveda, winter foods are the following:

Root Vegetables: Like sweet potatoes, carrots, beets, and parsnips, which are grounding and provide natural sweetness that pacifies both Vata and Kapha.

Warming Spices: Such as ginger, cinnamon, cumin, turmeric, and black pepper. These stimulate digestion, increase warmth, and support immune function.

Fats: Ghee, sesame oil, and coconut oil, are suggested for grounding, nourishing, and help to balance Vata's dryness and lightness.

WholeGrains: Such as oats, rice, and quinoa, which are warming, heavy, and grounding.

Soups and Stews: Warm, moist, and nutrient-dense, these types of meals are easy to digest and ideal for cold weather.

Immune-Boosting Ayurvedic Ingredients

• Ginger and Garlic: Known for their warming qualities, these are used in Ayurveda to boost immunity and support respiratory health, which is especially helpful during winter when colds are more common.
• Turmeric: An anti-inflammatory spice, turmeric is considered "tridoshic,"  meaning it balances all three doshas and can support immunity and  digestion.
• Tulsi  (Holy Basil): Often used in Ayurvedic teas, tulsi is believed to have adaptogenic qualities that help the body manage stress and strengthen immune defences.

There are some warming Ayurvedic Recipes worth mentioning:  

1. Golden  Milk: A blend of warm milk (dairy or plant-based) with turmeric, black pepper, cinnamon, and a touch of honey, which is ideal for winding down in the evening.
2. Ginger-Lentil  Soup: A hearty and warming soup with red lentils, ginger, garlic, and turmeric, perfect for lunch or dinner.
3. Roasted  Root Vegetables with Spices: Roasting root vegetables like sweet potatoes and carrots in ghee with cumin, coriander, and black pepper

Seasonal foods are fresher, more flavourful, and often higher in nutrients, as they don't require long-distance travel. Shop locally in farmers’ markets or local farm shops, you will be supporting your local economy and agriculture but also will be having the freshest seasonal produce sustainably. Seasonal living benefits not just individual health but global health.

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