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4.28.16

women's health

WE LOVE a SMOOTHIE. And an iced almond milk latte. And a stacked acai bowl. But there’s one thing all these snacks have in common. Certified Health and Wellness Coach, Nicole Granato, is filling us in about the negative effect cold foods and drinks can have on our systems! 

Consider swapping out the frozen stuff for a few room temperature replacements – possible results include a happier belly, more balanced body and a chiller mood. The case for cutting down on cold foods and drinks is a compelling one…

In our smoothie-crazed health world, have we ever stopped to wonder if frozen drinks are really healthy for us? We’re ingesting an ice-cold drink while bundled up in socks and a sweater warming the outside of our bodies but freezing the inside.

Auyervedic medicine explains that every season is associated with a dosha – spring with kapha, summer with pitta and fall and winter with vata. These seasonal fluxuations with doshas are essentially balanced through diet. While pitta is the most dominant in women, each dosha has one main thing in common: none of them recommend ice-cold drinks or food. Chinese medicine also says women should be eating warm to room temperature foods throughout the seasons – anything colder greatly increases the chances of hormonal imbalance, skin irritation, bloating, digestive sensitivity, blood stagnation, hair loss and mood disorders like depression and increased anxiety. So could our iced drinks and smoothies really be hurting us?

The Fix: Nourish yourself with warmed foods like soups, almonds, fresh ginger, vegetables boiled or roasted, bone broth, fruits like dates and figs, warm nut milk or goats milk, turmeric, ghee, pumpkin seeds, whole grains, avocado, sweet potato, room-temperature salads and matcha green teaStay away from frozen fruits and berries, cold acai bowls and fruit bowls, iced drinks, cold vegetables and salads and iced coffee. Drink things at room temperature.

3 Reasons to Nix Iced Drinks + Cold Foods

Gut Health

Our digestive systems are extremely sensitive to foods and liquids and, most importantly, the temperature of those foods. Nothing disrupts the digestive system more than a cold beverage, especially on an empty stomach – it sends a big shock throughout the entire body. Women who ingest cold beverages first thing in the morning tend to experience bloating, puffiness in their face and neck, mild forms of acne and digestive sensitivity throughout the day and into the evening. Replace that cold drink in the a.m. with a warm or room-temperature one.

Hormonal Harmony

Pitta governs all heat, metabolism, hormone balance and transformation in the body and mind. Symptoms like irritability, thinning hair, excess stomach acid, loose stool, skin prone to rashes and puffiness in the face and neck may be connected to an imbalanced pitta. Most women tend to suffer from this imbalance in the fall, winter and spring months. Eating a diet based on warm and room temperature foods is key.

Fertility

Warm foods have been suggested as the best foods to eat while trying to conceive. Nourishing our body with food that is easy on the digestive system allows our bodies to absorb the nutrients within the food. When we eat ice cold foods and smoothies our body freezes up, creating a blockage, preventing our tissues from absorbing the nutrients that are being given to us. Warm foods promote a healthy menstrual cycle, ovulation and lower symptoms of PMS as our bodies are able to shed uterine lining and build blood efficiently. It is highly important to eat warm and nourishing foods during this time of the month and stay away from cold foods and drinks!

The Chalkboard Mag and its materials are not intended to treat, diagnose, cure, or prevent any disease. All material on The Chalkboard Mag is provided for educational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you have regarding a medical condition, and before undertaking any diet, exercise, or other health program.

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Comments


  1. Is there any modern science to back up these claims?

    Stacy | 04.29.2016 | Reply
  2. Good grief. Everyday someone tells you something different. The more I read, the more confused I become. Getting quite bogged down and sick with it all really.

    Paria | 04.30.2016 | Reply
    • We get it, Paria! There’s a lot of information out there, but don’t give up and above all follow your own gut!

      The Chalkboard | 05.03.2016 | Reply
  3. By the time I blend my smoothies in my little Magic Bullet, it’s lukewarm, even after using frozen fruits and veggies. Most of the things I eat and drink are room temperature. On a sweltering hot day, I will drink a cold glass of water or something.
    Weren’t people claiming, just a few years ago that cold water was good for weight loss because your body had to work harder or something or other? I say, go with your gut because the “science” seems to reverse itself every couple of years.

    D.E. | 04.30.2016 | Reply
  4. I have given up everything I grew up eating, and now it isn’t the right temperature. I know my body reacts to really cold things negatively, but I live in Florida, and cold drinks really cool you down. Now you will tell me I need to sweat and eat more spice. Ugh. #doingthebestIcan

    Marie | 04.30.2016 | Reply
    • Go Marie! Do the best you can and above all listen to your own intuition on these kinds of thing. We think this is an interesting health tip, but it doesn’t mean you need to swear off cold drinks for life! Just be mindful!

      The Chalkboard | 05.03.2016 | Reply
  5. Get a freakin’ real life!!! You are way too paranoid and sensitive.

    Nomad | 04.30.2016 | Reply
  6. I don’t understand what’s with all the hate on this one. After experiencing issues with IBS and fertility I have started making warm smoothies, using brewed green tea as a base or warmed nut milk. Menstruation is an especially important time to eat soft, warm, nourishing foods such as soups, teas and cooked vegetables. According to Chinese medicine, the element of heat is vital to the functions of the reproductive system.

    I definitely feel better consuming room-temperature or warm foods and have a natural aversion to eating straight from the fridge. Go with your gut and eat intuitively, by all means. And educate yourself, on the real science, and any complementary approaches that intrigue you. Additionally, critical thinking is a vital skill to develop when delving into the depths of holistic nutrition.

    Kate | 04.30.2016 | Reply
  7. Many of the “so called” wellness experts/nutrition experts out there are actually exaggerating their expertise and misguiding the public. People who have health/ wellness coach as their credentials usually attend a short 6 month to 10 month program that requires no basic science training (biology, biochem, physiology, neurology, or food science). In addition, there are no prerequisites or admission standards to become a health coach. Finally, people who train as health coaches aren’t required to undergo examinations to evaluate their expertise or undergo clinical rotations at hospitals or private clinics. Before listening to a “nutrition expert” check their credentials.

    A. Mary | 05.01.2016 | Reply
  8. Paria, I here what you are saying. The Nutritions expert say one way is healthy then months down the road they say it isn’t healthy.

    I read not here but another site saying we are eating to much fatty foods then next time other site saying we need to be eating more fat foods. No wonder there are people out there who are confused,and over weight. There is one more thing. They say to peel your apple then they say don’t peel your apple before you eat. It is hard to believe who is right and who is wrong. Don’t give up.

    christine | 05.06.2016 | Reply
  9. This is something my acupuncturist said to me based on her own personal assessment of me, that I need to stop eating cold foods because I have Qi blockage. Its also something talked about in the book in the book The Infertility Cure: The Ancient Chinese Wellness Program for Getting Pregnant and Having Healthy Babies, if anyone is curious to read more about how cold foods affect the body.

    Julie | 05.07.2016 | Reply
  10. I always had some sort of aversion for anything cold. And I also know that many oriental cultures advise for the use of warm foods so that’s what I’m going for, even though I still love smoothies and banana ice cream, which I indulge in every now and then.
    Once again, go with your gut. Being healthy has a lot more to do with learning to listen to your body than to following fad/trendy diets.

  11. My acupuncturist asked me to start drinking room temp water and to eat less cold foods. I’ve noticed such an improvement in my digestion over the past year of doing so. It’s really a game changer.

    Chelsa l Caruso | 09.28.2016 | Reply

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