Hi all!

Dr. Candace Canerdy here! 

I am elated to discuss one of my favorite topics…healthy food and drinks! One of the most common misperceptions I hear about while treating patients concerns what is considered healthy and what is not. One of the first concepts I would like to discuss is the temperature of food and drink. There are three important aspects to consider:

1. Our bodies have an average temperature of 98.6 degrees internally

2. Foods and beverages have a physical temperature (i.e., cold from the temperature of the freezer or refrigerator, hot from being baked/cooked)

3. Foods and beverages have a property of temperature that is their
known characteristic temperature (i.e., cold, cool, neutral, warm, or hot- by nature). These are all very important to remember when discussing how and what we should put into our bodies.

Next, I would like to acknowledge another important consideration. Each individual is unique! 

We all have variations in our body; nutritional needs based on our constitution, patterns, and internal dynamics (i.e., the internal environment of our body in regard to balance and imbalance.) To give you a couple of examples, someone who is born with deficiencies may have sensitivities to certain types of food or beverage. Another person who has a tendency toward internal heat or cold may have sensitivities to foods or beverages that are hot or cold by nature. Balance and harmony are important to remember, so with that in mind we want to better
educate ourselves on the natural characteristics/properties of foods and beverages so we choose wisely based on our own needs.

This can be very individualized, and I am happy to discuss it in more detail with any and all of my patients. FOOD IS MEDICINE!

I believe it is very important to be mindful when grocery shopping. I like to bring this thought up with my patients often. What if all of a sudden you no longer had the benefit of being able to go to a grocery store? How would you feed yourself? You would have to resort to more natural methods. You would perhaps have to learn to forage berries, mushrooms, roots, leaves, stems, barks, and other edible substances found in nature. You would have to learn to grow a beautiful garden full of fruits, berries, vegetables, and medicinal plants. You may learn to hunt
for animals to consume meat in moderation. You would have to learn to make fermented and dried foods to store them for later consumption. We are so lucky to have many grocery stores and restaurants to choose from, and there are millions and millions of dollars each year pumped into the food industry to develop and manufacture a plethora of options for you as the consumer. Many of these items are loaded with chemicals, pesticides, additives, and other harmful substances. It is important to be mindful of this fact and to know what you put into your body. Every decision you make in regard to food and beverage determines a big part of your overall health. I share this with you because I want you to keep it in your mind when you visit the grocery store, and remember to go as natural as possible when you are making decisions about what to buy.

Personally, when I go to the grocery store, I begin my shopping in
the organic produce section. I load up on dark leafy greens, root vegetables, fruits, and other delicious items that are in their natural form-unedited, unprocessed, unrefined- straight from nature.

Going back to the topic of our average internal body temperature being 98.6…
Imagine what happens when you consume iced food and drink, smoothies, ice cream, and even raw food such as uncooked fruits and vegetables. The food or drink is consumed. Then, internally, the body (specifically the Stomach and Spleen) is saying, “WHOA! That’s cold! Or raw and uncooked. So, first, let me warm this up, or first let me cook this raw, uncooked food so this person's body can assimilate, absorb, and digest the nutrients.” That process takes energy from
the Spleen and Stomach. In an energetic sense (and everything is energy), the body has to use its OWN heat energy to first heat or cook the food. This is taxing on the Spleen and Stomach. This is energetically taxing on the digestive process. This is part of the reason why you see people in Asian cultures consume mostly warm, cooked foods and beverages.

Consuming your food warm or cooked is better for your health, easier on your digestive system, and overall it will strengthen your body's process of creating qi and blood. The takeaway?

Avoid consuming iced, cold, or raw foods and beverages. I am not saying it isn’t ok to eat salad. I am saying please eat salads in moderation, and get yourself into the habit of eating warm, cooked foods and beverages. If you crave ice/cold, or even warm/ hot foods and beverages, this may be a sign your body has an imbalance of heat or cold and we need to look at your pattern differentiation. I love helping patients with this, and I am happy to discuss it anytime!

There will be more nutritional blogs to come, so stay tuned!

Warm regards,
Dr. Candace Canerdy