In Autumn, shift away from the lighter Chinese cooking methods, and move towards methods that help warm and strengthen the body. For example, saute, slow-simmer, pressure-cook, or bake. Choose compact vegetables, downward growing roots and sturdy leafy greens. Enhance the taste of your food with green onion, sea vegetables, ginger, or dried herbs.2
Try this recipe for some cool weather nourishment:
Chinese Chicken and Spinach Soup
- one 6-oz. skinless, boneless, chicken breast
- one Tbsp. Chinese Rice wine or dry sherry
- 3/4 tsp. sugar
- one tsp. sesame oil
- 1/2 pound fresh spinach leaves
- four cups chicken stock
- one slice ginger
- one Tbsp. soy sauce
- salt and pepper to taste
Cut chicken into thin strips. In a medium bowl add rice wine, 1/2 tsp. sugar and a few drops of sesame oil to chicken. Marinate for 20 minutes.
Next, prepare spinach leaves, Wash and cut off stems. Blanch leaves in large pot of boiling water for 1-2 minutes. Plunge blanched leaves into cold water, and then drain thoroughly.
Bring chicken stock to a boil. Stir in soy sauce and remaining sugar. Add chicken. Bring back to a boil and cook until chicken is cooked through. Add the ginger and spinach leaves and return to a boil. Stir in soy sauce.
Taste and adjust seasoning if desired. Serve hot. Serves 4-6. 3
3 chinesefood.about.com
L.Ac., C.A., M.S.
the premise of health
is akin to maintaining
a state of balance.”
In Chinese Medicine, the premise of health is akin to maintaining a state of balance. It is said, “Where balance exists, ill health cannot.” Even the most competitive athletes among us have a plan for rest and recovery, good diet and nutrition and, of course, exercise.
Health through Chinese Medicine and Dietary Therapy is a simplistic approach. Here are a few tips and tricks to carry with you whatever your choice of fitness or adrenalin:
- Shop the perimeter of your grocery store. This ensures that you get the freshest ingredients to add to your diet.
- Always eat protein for breakfast. Of course you always eat breakfast. Include protein regularly and you will notice more energy throughout the day and less of an afternoon slump.
- Slow down, give thanks and focus on what is about to happen prior to enjoying your meal. Being in a hurry only serves to cause indigestion. You will enjoy your workout more without gas and bloating.
- Eat nourishing foods that sustain you, your body, mind and spirit throughout your workout. The food which you bring to your lips and let enter your body is there to nourish and sustain you throughout your workout. You have heard it said that, “you are what you eat.” Your body demands nourishment to sustain the level of activity you demand from it.
- When you eat only eat. The organs responsible for the transportation and transformation of that which you eat into a usable substance for the body, require calm, unfettered surroundings to assimilate and digest the foods eaten. Just as “junky foods accumulate and create a toxic body, junky thoughts accumulate and create a toxic mind.”1 How can you sustain athleticism if you are toxic?
- Eat at consistent meal times with nothing ingested after 8:00 p.m. The body thrives with regularity. Just like children, our bodies require boundaries, good parenting and routine. The organs settle down as night falls in preparation for a good night sleep. Ingesting food before bed sends two very different messages to the body: 1) keep working to digest and, 2) stop working to aid in slumber. One of two things can occur: either you are kept awake as the body digests or you awaken feeling full, bloated and uncomfortable as nothing moved in the night.
- Drink little or nothing an hour prior to eating and only sip your beverage with your meal. This allows your digestive enzymes to operate at peak performance and serves to break down the foods you have eaten without being diluted or saturated.
- Count the number of times you chew your food. This helps with slowing down mentioned in number 3. Chewing food 28-60 times aids in digestion. Are you inhaling your food instead of aiding the body in its assimilation and digestion? Do you always wonder why no matter how much you work out, you cannot seem to lose weight? Try this for 3 months and you’ll be amazed at the results. By the way, eggs can be chewed 28 times, meats 60+.
- Above all else, go easy on yourself. Enjoy the process. Being in shape is a journey that changes but if you establish good habits they will sustain you throughout your travels.
Whatever athletic sport you choose, these principles can be applied to ensure you are supporting yourself in the best way possible through food.
Stay tuned to future articles for some tips from an herbal perspective; as well as recipes designed to get the most from your food.
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