Seasonal Healthy Eatings for Optimum Health

Just like we change our clothing for the season, we need to change our food too. Traditional healing systems such as Ayurvedic and Traditional Chinese Medicine have recognized temperatures as one of the major influences on our health. External temperatures are not seen as only having a temporary effect but in some cases actually trapping heat or cold in the body affecting energy, weight, immune function and mood.
Seasonal Food Selection
Eating right for the season will not only help increase your health and physically/mentally adapt better to the current season, but it will help you to eat local and seasonal foods – the way nature intended us to eat!
Hot Weather
We need more hydration in the heat and should eat “expansive foods”, which have a cooling effect on the body.
LIMIT: 
Large proportions of food
Fats (butter, too much oil of any sort)
Excessive protein
Hot, hearty cooked foods
Root vegetables in large amounts
EAT:
Plenty of raw vegetables and leafy green vegetables (salads)
Fruit and fresh fruit juices/smoothies
Low fat animal protein (white fish, chicken, turkey)
Low fat yogurt and kefir, cottage cheese and goats cheese
Sprouts, beans
Ground flax, chia seeds
Whole grains like millet, quinoa, wheat berries
Cooling herbs and spices: coriander, turmeric, dill, parsley, *curry, hot peppers

COOKING TECHNIQUE:
Steaming, stir-frying, pickling, raw.

Cold Weather
Eating “contractive foods”, which have a warming effect on the body, help to maintain balance and keep our digestion and metabolism functioning optimally.
AVOID:
Too much raw fruit and juices
Too many salads
Cold foods (ice water, ice cream)
Sugar and sweets
Too much coffee

EAT:
Root vegetables, winter squashes
Stews, casseroles, bean soups
Steel cut oatmeal/brown rice porridge
Free-range eggs
Whole grains like kasha, barley, brown rice
Cooked/stewed fruits
Fermented foods (sauerkraut, miso, tempeh)
Small amounts of aged cheese
Moderate amounts of fat from nuts and seeds
Moderate amounts of fatty fish (salmon, tuna)
Small amounts of beef, organ meats
Warming herbs and spices: garlic, ginger, cumin, black pepper, cinnamon, cloves, basil

COOKING TECHNIQUE:
Boiling, sautéing, baking, dry roasting

*Some foods like curry may taste hot, but in contrary, are actually cooling.  These foods initially feel hot because they expand the capillaries allowing blood to rush to the surface of the skin. However, this promotes sweating -- and when sweat evaporates, the effect on the body is cooling.