Warming Foods

Q. During the colder months of the year I have trouble keeping warm now that I’m following a raw food diet. Why is that, and what can I do about it?

A. The diet you’re on is a cleansing diet and hopefully contains considerably less fat than your prior diet. This means less fat on your body and less toxins, mucus, and other junk that was not really part of you but was contained in your body and acted as an insulator. The good news is you’re becoming healthier, however if you live in a climate that gets cold, you now have less insulation against that cold.

Try consuming more warming foods; I’m talking about the thermal properties of foods, not the temperature. By incorporating more warming foods into the diet during the colder seasons you will find it easier to stay warm on a raw food diet, and you’ll be amazed at the difference it makes. Adding ginger, rosemary or other warming herbs to your green smoothie will create balance with the greens and help keep you warmer during the cooler seasons. If you’re really looking to get warm on a cold day then fresh ginger juice added to your fresh fruit or veggie juice will warm you in a hurry.

You may find you’re drawn to eating a higher level of fat and dense foods during the colder months which may also help. Drinking some warm herbal tea or water can warm you up in a hurry. Eating steamed veggies or a baked potato, squash etc. will be quite warming and will be better for you than giving up on the raw diet altogether because you were too cold over the winter months.

Of course in the meantime you can bundle up and dress in layers. Over time you may become more acclimated to the cold weather, or may decide to move to a warmer climate. After all man’s origins were a warm climate in the heart of Africa, so a warmer climate is really more natural for us anyway. You may find you’re drawn to eating a higher level of fat and dense foods during the colder months which may also help. Drinking some warm herbal tea or water can warm you up in a hurry. Eating steamed veggies or a baked potato, squash etc. will be quite warming and will be better for you than giving up on the raw diet altogether because you were too cold over the winter months.

Of course in the meantime you can bundle up and dress in layers. Over time you may become more acclimated to the cold weather, or may decide to move to a warmer climate. After all man’s origins were a warm climate in the heart of Africa, so a warmer climate is really more natural for us anyway.

Please be aware that one of the symptoms of B-12 deficiency is feeling cold. This may be at the heart of the matter and is usually easily remedied with B-12 supplement of some sort. Of course the best way to proceed is to get tested to see what your levels are and if there is anything else that's out of whack and causing you to feel cold.