FACES & PLACES
RESOURCES FOR WELLNESS OCTOBER 2006
Seasonal eating for Optimal Health
by Sandy Basseches
Autumn is here, bringing
with it shorter days and cooler temperatures. To
prepare for the seasonal changes,
we pack up our shorts and sandals, instead filling
our closets and drawers with clothing more appropriate
for the cooler days ahead. But did you know that when
adapting to these changes, what we put into our bodies
is just as important as what we put on our bodies?
Shorter
days affect our energy levels. Getting up at 6
AM was relatively easy when the sun was shining,
much
more difficult now that it is dark. Food provides
us with energy, but different foods affect our energy levels differently.
Simple, processed carbohydrates, found in crackers,
candy and cakes, give us quick
bursts of energy. Conversely, complex carbohydrates, found in vegetables
and whole grains, provide more sustained, long-term
energy, exactly what we need
during the shorter days.
Different foods also
have warming or cooling effects on the body, so as
the temperatures drop, it makes
sense to shift our diet to include foods that
help keep us warm. Dense root vegetables, legumes, nuts, oils, and other
sources
of fat and protein, are all warming foods. Adding or increasing your consumption
of these foods will help you be better prepared for the chill of the coming
season. The key to eating optimally
for any season is to take your cue from nature. Nature
has designed each season’s optimal diet by
providing us with different harvests throughout the
year. The first harvest comes in spring and consists
mainly of roots, sprouts, and other fast-growing greens, foods perfectly
suited
to helping us clear out mucus that develops as a response to the cold,
dry winter weather.
Summer provides a much
more plentiful and longer-lasting
harvest of fruits and vegetables that are picked
continually during its extended growing
season. This high-carb, high- sugar harvest is perfect for getting us
through the longer summer days, as well as helping
clear congestion brought about
by the moisture of spring rains and seasonal allergies.
Finally comes the fall
harvest that precedes winter. Apples, pears, grapes, figs, pumpkin,
winter squash, carrots, sweet potatoes, grains, nuts
and seeds are abundant,
and, not coincidently, are the foods best suited
to help
us thrive.
Because seasons don’t change
overnight in nature, from winter snows one day
to spring blooms the next, your diet doesn’t
have to change drastically either. Introduce
changes gradually and comfortably. To ease your
way into
winter, start by eating more seasonal fruits now. Then begin to eat
more protein and fat, more hearty soups, grains,
nuts and meat if so inclined. Following
a seasonal diet throughout the year is the key to maximizing energy
and overall health, as well as minimizing the
incidence of seasonal illnesses. ________________________
LENTIL SOUP WITH CARAWAY
INGREDIENTS
1 tbl. Olive oil
2 leeks, trimmed to white and light green parts, halved
lengthwise and thinly sliced
¾ tsp. Caraway seeds, crushed
½ tsp. Ground allspice
6 cups vegetable broth
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed
2 parsnips, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 rutabaga, peeled and cubed
½ lb. Lentils, picked over, rinsed and drained
¼ tsp. Freshly ground pepper
½ cup chopped Italian parsley
1 small bunch spinach, cleaned, stems discarded, and
leaves roughly chopped
1. Heat oil in large stock pot. Add leeks and cook,
stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 min.
Add caraway seeds and allspice, stirring constantly,
about 1 min. Stir in broth, potato, parsnips, rutabaga,
and lentils. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer
until veggies and lentils are softened, about 20
min. Stir in pepper.
2. Remove soup from heat. Stir in parsley and spinach.
Makes 6 servings (1 1/3 cup per serving). 5 points
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