As the Winter Solstice approaches, the human body is susceptible to cold invasion during the cold winter months. In addition to keeping warm, daily health care also requires adjustments in diet. The human body has a "biological clock," and so does food. Different people require different dietary approaches and should be treated accordingly.
Those with a weaker constitution can eat more warming and nourishing foods.
Modern scientific research has proven that the cold of winter affects the human body's endocrine system, causing an increase in the secretion of thyroid and adrenal hormones, which in turn promotes and accelerates the breakdown of the three major thermogenic nutrients—proteins, fats, and carbohydrates—to enhance the body's cold resistance. This leads to excessive heat loss. Therefore, winter nutrition should focus on increasing energy intake, and it is advisable to consume more foods rich in carbohydrates and fats.
If one ignores the body's own physiological cold tolerance and relies solely on food for warmth, consuming too many high-calorie, high-fat foods and alcoholic beverages can result in weight gain over the winter, a common saying being "winter brings both a bigger belly and a thicker waist." At the same time, this can bring many adverse effects for those who are already overweight or have poor cardiovascular function. Therefore, properly managing one's winter diet and food intake is key to self-care during the season.
Individuals with a slightly weaker constitution but no serious illnesses can, based on their actual physical condition, appropriately select some foods that are both medicinal and edible, such as red dates, Euryale ferox seeds, Job's tears, peanuts, walnuts, black sesame seeds, lotus seeds, Chinese yam, hyacinth beans, longans, hawthorn, and malt sugar. By combining these with nutrient-rich foods, the goal of warming the body and nourishing it can be achieved.
For the obese, eat less more often to control weight.
For overweight individuals, winter is an excellent time to lose weight and control obesity. At this time, overweight people should eat less for dinner and keep it light. Because the body's gluconeogenesis is high at night, nutrients are easily stored as fat. At the same time, with low nighttime activity, a rich dinner can cause blood lipids to rise and easily deposit on the artery walls, laying the groundwork for arteriosclerosis. Eating more requires more exercise. Research shows that the energy consumed by overweight and thin people at night is roughly equal. The key is during the day; overweight people are less active, and their internal bodily functions slow down, causing stored energy to be converted into fat.
Generally, it is best for overweight people to eat smaller meals more frequently: dividing the same food into five or more meals, compared to three meals a day, does not reduce nutrient intake but generates much less heat in the body. This is because reducing the amount of food per meal can lower blood insulin levels and increase the burning of fatty acids.
Women should increase their intake of inorganic salts and vitamins.
In the cold winter, many women feel cold all over, especially in their extremities like hands and feet. Women should increase their intake of inorganic salts and vitamins in winter, with a particularly sufficient supply of calcium and iron. Dietary advice: eat more green vegetables and iron-rich foods, such as egg yolks, beef, liver, kidneys, seaweed, and legumes. Drink less tea, as the tannic acid in tea can hinder iron absorption.
Nutritionists point out that women should consume 18 mg of iron daily. Besides ensuring adequate food intake and sufficient calories, women who are sensitive to cold should consciously eat more iron-rich foods, such as animal liver, lamb, beef, fish, eggs, black fungus, milk, legumes, and green leafy vegetables. They should also eat more iodine-rich foods, such as seaweed, jellyfish, saltwater fish, and dried shrimp. This way, the winter symptoms of feeling cold and having cold hands and feet will completely disappear.
A friendly reminder: As yang energy declines daily in winter and the spleen prefers warmth over cold, it is advisable to eat warming foods to protect the spleen and kidneys. Meals should be small and frequent. Attention should be paid to the "three mores and three lesses": more protein, vitamins, and fiber; less sugar, fat, and salt.