When determining what a patient needs in the way of herbal medicines, one factor is the “temperature” of the herbs. Temperature in this case does not mean the what can be recorded with a thermometer. It refers to the perceived effect that the herb has on the body. Some herbs are cold and some are hot. When used properly a hot herb is used on a patient who feels cold or who has symptoms that are defined as related to cold function in the body. The reverse is also true, cold herbs are used when a patient is hot or has a fever.
Some common examples of this in foods are the use of cool foods like mint, lemon and watermelon in summer drinks. Hot spices, like pepper, horseradish, and cayenne peppers are commonly used with cold foods, like the use of wasabi with sushi. Sometimes hot spices are also used in hot climates to help spur the appetite because the digestive system is too cold relative to the hot environment.
The winter holidays are a time of warm spices. Spices are more than just flavorings to foods. They can trigger an emotional connection to times past as well as a spirit of family and of nourishing the heart and soul. As a result, the winter holidays are a time of nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. All of these spices provide a warming nature to the body without the harshness of the hot spices like cayenne and wasabi.
These warm spices speak to the needs of the body during the dark cold winter holidays. Through their use over many generations these spices also provide a taste and aromatic reminder of the warmth and caring of family, good health and good times. It has become tradition, a tradition that can just never be replaced by the Christmas watermelon.
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