Why Cold Foods Hurt Digestion (and What to Eat Instead) – TCM Perspective

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Bodhi TCM Acupuncture | Melbourne FL | Wellness list - 8/27/2025

Have you ever tried to bake a cake in your fridge?

It sounds ridiculous—but that’s exactly what your body is trying to do when you’re fueling it with cold, raw foods all the time.

Here’s what I mean:

In Chinese medicine, your digestive system (especially the Stomach and Spleen) is like a warm oven.It needs heat to “transform” food into energy and nutrients.

But if you’re constantly putting icy drinks, raw salads, cold smoothies, or sushi into your system—it’s like throwing cold water on a fire.Eventually, that fire dims.

Look—I love sushi. I enjoy it.And yes, I even like an iced coffee every now and then.

But I wouldn’t make it my everyday drink or meal.

I wouldn’t rely on raw salads or cold smoothies—because over time, that cools the Stomach even more.

And when that happens…

❌ Digestion issues start

❌ You stop absorbing nutrients

❌ You gain weight

❌ Bloating, brain fog, fatigue follow

Your gut is where health starts.When digestion breaks down, everything else suffers.

What’s in this email:

• Why cold foods weaken digestion• How to rekindle your digestive fire• Easy food and habit swaps• What we do at Bodhi to help

💡 Try this at home:

✅ Warm, cooked meals > raw, cold mealsSoups, stir-fries, roasted veggies, warm grains, broths, stews.Even leftovers—just reheat them.

✅ Skip iced drinksGo for room temp water, especially in the morning.Your Stomach is still “waking up.”

✅ Eat without multitaskingNo phones. No emails. Just eat. No stress. Be present.

Tell your boss I said you cannot longer do lunch and learns :)

Let your body digest in peace.

The fact is this matters even if you don’t have digestive symptoms...

If you’re dealing with chronic pain, fatigue, or healing from an injury, warm foods still matter.

Why?Because healing takes energy—and digestion is where energy begins.

When your digestion is cold and sluggish, your body struggles to:

❌ Pull nutrients from food

❌ Fuel the immune and nervous system

❌ Repair tissues and correct imbalances

Do yourself a favor:

Fuel with warm, easy-to-digest foods—at least until your gut is strong again.

What we do at Bodhi to help:

Re-starting your digestive system to optimal function may need some help. At Bodhi, we help patients restore digestion and rebuild their energy using a layered approach:

✅ Acupuncture to rebalance the gut-brain axis and improve motility, absorption, and inflammation

✅ CBMT (Cellular BioModulation Therapy) to energize and regulate your digestive system at the cellular level

✅ GI-MAP testing (a functional stool DNA test) when needed—to pinpoint microbiome imbalances

✅ Herbal formulas and supplements personalized to restore balance and accelerate healing

And no worries, even if I am treating you for pain all of my treatments are holistic, I am still adding points to help with overall balance and energy, including your digestive system.

In health,

Dr. Andrea Izquierdo, L.Ac.

👉 Digestive issues? Take the first step towards feeling better today:

Schedule Your Consultation by calling us at 321-312-0771 and discover how we can help you restore balance and achieve your ultimate health.