Winter Warming

Winter isn't coming - she's HERE!

This week's cold snap came with a slap, marking the change of season and honey, the trench coats are out in force in Melbourne!

Winter is actually a very important season. It is a time of biological dormancy - literally a time for flora and fauna to lay low and rest.

And that includes us!

Winter is a time of slowing down, introspection and reflection. It's also a time when illness flares, our immunity is compromised and we need to give some extra warmth and care to our organs.

I bang on about seasonal eating and I would argue winter is the most important time to tune into this and lean into the concept of Food As Medicine. It's also a delicious time of year!

Some of my winter favourites include:

🍲🍖 Slow cooking (slow & low, baby!) - I love doing stews, casseroles and slow cooked meats. These cuts of meat are tougher and full of collagen. The slow cooking process actually pre-digests the meat and the collagen into easier to absorb gelatin. A healthy gut = strong immunity

🥣 Soups & broths - I love a hearty veggie-filled soup for a meal OR a gut-loving bone broth for something a bit lighter.

🌶 Spice up you life! I'm talking chilli, ginger, turmeric, cumin, cayenne, cinnamon. Warming & FULL of antioxidants

🍋 Natural sources of vitamin C - lemons, limes, capsicum, winter berries

🫖🍯 Teas & tonics - herbal teas are packed full of immune-supportive antioxidants. If store-bought, go for organic OR get creative and infuse your own

It can be tempting to load up on carbs during winter, but I want to flip the script - focus on protein! The process of digesting protein actually warms the body and it's a great energy source.

Finally - if I hear one more person say "summer bodies are made in winter", I will totally queen out. I've been guilty of saying it in the past too. This is a time to listen to your body, tune into what it's telling you. I'm not saying go into full hibernation mode, but be intuitive and lean into joyful movement, whatever that means for you at this time of year (it's allowed to change!)