I hope this note finds you well and warm. February is a trying month with its blizzard, snow, black ice and freezing weather. I recall the years when I was not very knowledgeable about food and my body and was easily gaining 5-10 lbs I would have to work really hard to lose in the Spring, huh… With excess weight, invariably came lethargy, brain fog, back pain and the discomfort of feeling tight in my clothes. The secret to maintaining our weight year round (give or take a couple pounds) is to change our diet to meet our needs, while still promoting an optimum state of balance for the season.

In this blog I am sharing with you a list of foods to eat more of to feel warm, keep your metabolism active and avoid feeling lethargic (hibernating!) and above all maintain your healthy weight or help you continue to lose weight without dieting!

If you are overweight, even by a few pounds, you can achieve weight loss in the winter more easily than in the summer because your body burns more calories. Cold weather activates your “good fat” which is in charge of keeping you warm. The calories can be burned quicker.

The reason people gain weight in Winter is because people overeat the wrong kind of food. Not because they’re cold. They eat fatter foods, more cheese, more meat, more alcohol, more processed carbs, pasta, pizzas and much less produce. A salad is NOT an appealing meal in the winter, unless its ingredients are suitable for the season. Further, people move much less in winter.

So it is the excessive consumption of these warming and oiling foods and the lack of fun activity that tip the scale. Now why do we overeat in the cold winter? Not because we’re cold… Our offices and homes are overheated, and we have good clothing. No.

We overeat because:

• We’re depressed and eat for comfort. Depression is more common as there is less sunlight and shorter days. The brain is sensitive to the lower temperatures and can react in many undesired ways. Wearing a hat to keep your head warm is very important. Serotonin levels also go down with the cold winter, negatively affecting mood and social behavior, sex drive, sleep, appetite and digestion (it is depressed, which on the case of appetite is helpful).
• We’re tired and need a pick me up. Not only do serotonin levels affecting sleep diminish, but exposure to too much cold air can decrease melatonin levels shortening your sleep and making you feel tired the next morning.

Keeping your body warm, comfortable and lubricated will reduce food cravings and overeating. This BLOG looks at the February Diet and I’ll share in next week’s blog non-edible ways to achieve the same.

Here is what you should eat more of daily:

1. Organic whole grains (if you eat them) such as brown rice, quinoa, rolled oats, millet, buckwheat (hot ad dry), barley and wheatberry (the last two contain gluten). Grains have drying and heating properties which will help you feel really cosy warm in the winter and give you long lasting energy. Consider adding oats to your smoothie, or having oatmeal for breakfast made with any grains. Add another serving of grains at dinner time.
2. Organic legumes (If you eat them) such as beans, lentils and chickpeas especially. Beans increase your endurance and level of satiety. The slow release of carbohydrates in the blood stream enables a consistent release of energy. Shane and I have beans at every lunch. We alternate between Southwestern black bean stew served with guacamole and salsa on top, split pea soup, Indian dhal, French warm lentil salad, mung beans with poblanos and tomatillos, and white beans sauteed with escarole and nutritional yeast to name a few of our favorite.
3. Thermogenic spices such as ginger, cloves, cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, cayenne, chipotle and black pepper, garlic and onion. These spices increase your digestive fire and warm your entire body, activate circulation, promote healthy digestion and because of their thermogenic properties and for many anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and antibiotic properties, kill germs and bacteria causing disease. These are nature’s winter pharmacy!
4. Eat root vegetables to satisfy your sweet tooth which really, in the winter, is a call for root vegetables. Not cooling fruit or immune system depressing sugar. Root vegetables for the most part warm your body up and support your digestive and reproductive organ health. Indulge daily in any of the following: burdock root, carrot, parsnip, celery root, turnip, winter squash and pumpkin. I love my sweet potato and bean tacos recipe.

1. Eat cooked hearty green vegetables of the season such as kale, Brussels sprout, and cabbage. You may also eat some raw such as kale, after massaging to break down the cellulose, and serve with healthy fat. Cruciferous vegetables and loaded with vitamins, minerals and anti-cancer phyto-nutrients which will boost your immune system while nourishing you with their heartiness. Another green, from the sea, that is good to include in your stews, and whole grain water is kombu seaweed. Simply add an inch piece of kombu in your beans and grains boiling water for added minerals intake and help your body metabolize fats faster. Sea vegetables support thyroid function with their rich iodine levels.
2. Eat moderate amount of grass-fed beef, lamb, game, goat and pastured-raised pork and poultry if you do eat these foods. They generate heat in the body and help keep you warm. However the cold winter is no excuse to eat bigger portions. A piece the size of a deck of card is one serving (3 oz).
3. Eat moderate amount of healthy fats, nuts and seeds. Seeds are warm and dry, nuts warm and damp. If you suffer from excess mucus and breathing difficulty in the winter, prefer sesame, sunflower and pumpkin seeds. I recommend not to exceed a 1/4 cup a day. I also indulge in cacao butter making a batch of dark chocolate every week. I eat 1 TSP of raw unprocessed coconut oil OR 1 TSP of extra virgin olive oil to top my soups every day.
4. Indulge in fermented foods to promote good gut flora and easier digestion of your heartier dishes. I start the day with a Zenberry coconut water smoothie which is loaded with probiotics, I drink 1/2 a  kombucha with lunch as well as eat pickles on the side of my main dish and for dinner I had 3 TBSP of sauerkraut to my dinner fare.

If you follow these easy and healthy winter diet principles, you’ll give a chance to your body to strike a balance. It will run smoothly: you will feel energetic, healthy, and lean without needing to diet and you’ll reach the Spring feeling great and having little effort to make to be beach ready. The only time I “diet” is when I try to care for a particular bodily function or organ and try to accelerate its healing. When the Spring comes around, for instance, I undergo a Cleanse to support Liver and Gallbladder function for instance.

I write and post winter healthy recipes on my website for your enjoyment. Check the grains, beans, soups and vegetables ones especially.

Have a wonderful February!