The Power of Porridge
In clinic, and in my own life, I have seen the ways in which food truly is medicine. Our meals offer us a daily opportunity to tend to our Qi and lovingly care for our health. The combination of acupuncture and simple dietary changes can often make a world of difference to how we feel in the day-to-day.
As the weather cools off and brings us sweet relief from the heat, we are approaching the transitional phase between late summer and fall. This particular seasonal transition can often show up in our Earth element, that is, our Stomach and Spleen.
If you are feeling fatigue, heaviness in your limbs, or experiencing digestive discomfort, there are ways you can take better care of your Spleen and Stomach. Avoid excessive intake of cold foods (smoothies, ice cream, iced drinks.) Even though it is still warm outside, our stomachs struggle with ice-cold foods, because they inhibit our digestive fire. Warm tea in the morning with hot, soupy breakfast (porridge or congee) is a good way to give your stomach some sunshine every day.
Let’s Talk About Smoothies
A lot of people love smoothies for breakfast, and for good reason. It’s an easy way to get a lot of fruits and veggies in your day, and it’s a portable breakfast option for busy mornings.
But smoothies are cold—well, I’ve never one served hot (that would be really gross!) In addition, raw foods are considered cold in Chinese Medicine. Check out various kinds of Chinese cuisine—you may notice there aren’t a lot of raw foods on the menu. That’s because the stomach organ doesn’t like cold. Cold contracts muscles and impairs nutrient absorption. Warm foods assist the stomach in breaking down and making nutrients available from our food.
Support Your Stomach with a Hot Breakfast
Do you skip breakfast because you’re not hungry in the morning? Then this porridge advice is especially for you! Feeling nauseated or uninterested in food before lunch time is a sign that your Spleen and Stomach need extra support. If this is you, try drinking some warm ginger tea with honey when you wake up in the morning. If you’re a coffee or black tea drinker, have your ginger tea first. 🫚 ☕️
Eating a warm breakfast will help to build your Qi, strengthen your Stomach and Spleen, and generally improve your energy throughout the day.
Something as simple as a daily hot breakfast can also help to strengthen your whole body in the colder months, and can help boost your immunity to viruses. Hot foods help to protect the precious Yang Qi in our bodies—this is like our internal sunshine or fire that keeps us going.
My Favourite Porridge Recipe
Here is my favourite porridge recipe, it serves one (large bowl) or two (small bowls), so multiply if you’re feeding a crowd:
1.5 cups of water, brought to a boil
Pinch of salt
1 tsp cinnamon
Bring water to a boil and immediately turn the heat down to low. Add:
2/3 cup of large flake organic rolled oats
1 Tbsp hemp hearts
1 Tbsp ground flax seed
1 Tbsp each pumpkin and sunflower seeds
Serve with fresh fruit in the summer, or frozen berries in the winter (add them at the end of cooking, and make sure they are fully warmed up before eating.) You may like some drizzled honey if you like it sweet. I love a dollop of organic butter with mine! Nuts can be added for extra protein as well. I like a bit of oat milk on top of mine, but everyone has their porridge preferences, so do what works for you.
Wishing you all many delicious breakfasts!
~ Moss
