Healing properties of a Holiday Meal
Time for those festive holiday meals again! Of course we will choose healthy alternatives wherever possible, watching we don’t overdo the fat, cholesterol, and sugar laden recipes and foods. But there’s no getting away from it, the Season wouldn’t be the same without at least some of our favorite traditional dishes on the table! And we know there is always a positive side to everything, right? So let’s take a look at what oriental medicine has to say about the healing properties of a few of the foods we just can’t resist.
Roast turkey* – good for reducing vata (dark meat), pitta & kapha (white meat); helps treat spleen qi deficiency
Honey baked ham – helps lubricate intestines; pork nurtures yin energy of kidneys, spleen, stomach
Sweet potato casserole – good for reducing vata & pitta; tonifies yang, qi and blood; helps treat kidney and spleen qi deficiency
Mashed potatoes – good for reducing pitta & kapha; promote kidney yin; reduce inflammations; tonify spleen-pancreas
Cranberry relish – good for reducing kapha; remove damp heat in urinary bladder
Candied butternut squash – good for reducing vata & pitta: improves qi circulation and alleviates pain; helps treat kidney yang deficiency
Cornbread – sattvic, reduces kapha; calming and warming, tonifies qi
pecan pie – sattvic, good for reducing vata; warming, tonifies deficiencies
Apple pie – reduces vata, pitta & kapha; protects lungs, benefits liver/gallbladder, lubricates digestion
Pumpkin pie – reduces vata & pitta; strengthens spleen, tonifies qi and blood
NB The above information refers to the main ingredient only in each dish. Remember that all foods should be eaten in moderation and, wherever possible, choose organic and fresh ingredients.
* turkey should be avoided in excess as it creates too much heat