The next step is to notice which foods suit which climate. Intuition and common sense are important here. Your body had its own infinite wisdom, and will usually crave more salads and fruits in the hot summer months, and more soups and casseroles in the winter. Nature also has her infinite wisdom, and the fruit and vegetables that grow at a certain time in a particular climate suit the body at that time. Thus eating parsnips and potatoes in winter suits the body, and tomatoes and lettuce are good in the summer.
With modern supermarkets it can be difficult to know what is in season- it is now possible to eat watermelon in December in the UK, but doing this frequently would drastically cool the body and make it less able to cope with the cold weather. Local produce shops, farm shops and organic box delivery are better ways to make sure you are eating with the climate. You will find if you do this that your body suffers much less with seasonal illnesses, such as coughs and colds.
Once this is in flow, if you are still feeling out of balance, you can look at your own body using the seasonal pattern. Observe your own internal climate! Does your body always feel too cold, or too hot? Is it too watery, too damp, too dry, or too windy? For example, if your body is too cold even in summer, then you may need to eat more wintery foods such as soups and warm foods. The following table gives some example of possible imbalances and foods to help:
If you have difficulty balancing your patterns, there are experts who specialize in Oriental Nutrition, who are able to help you assess your internal climate and find foods to suit you.
Because Oriental Nutrition is about balance, using this system gently restores health by finding harmony. Thus each individual can find the foods that reduce symptoms of illness, can eat to flow smoothly with seasonal change and will find a harmonious state of health to be in. This harmony is different for each person, and thus will have a bodyweight that suits, an ideal energy level, a certain requirement for sleep etc. Health is not measured by reaching a certain measurement, but by the absence of illness and a feeling of wholeness and balance.
© Shashi Solluna 2006