Have you decided to make simple changes to support your long-term health goals? Smart decision! Deep down, you know that when it comes staying well and avoiding illness and disease, quick hacks or shortcuts are not the real answer.

One easy shift that can create big changes is the way you approach your diet. Sure, you can make better choices by reducing sugar, fat and excessive amounts of the “wrong” foods, but here’s one sneaky culprit that is easy to address—temperature. That’s right! When it comes to eating and drinking, temperature matters; so does continually eating raw foods and downing cold drinks, especially during winter months. Why? This habit creates a huge drain on your Qi—your energy or power source for all your body’s functions.

Are your meals composed mainly of cold cuts, salads, iced drinks and other cold foods? Before your stomach can even begin to digest these things, it has to call up enough of your body’s energy to warm or “cook” what you’ve just eaten. Then, additional energy is required to start digesting what’s sitting in your stomach. Feeling sluggish after eating, or feeling bloated and belching a lot are signs that your body is unhappy with your diet. If you have any of these signs or simply feel off, we highly recommend this simple shift in your diet. See what happens when you include nourishing soups and warming foods on a daily basis. By eating warming foods, you can reduce the amount of energy needed to digest the food and instead, allow your body to store energy for other purposes. Try this lifestyle shift for a week. See what kinds of benefits you notice.

If you’re ready, we are too. We’re offering a 7-Day Qigong and Soup Cleanse complete with recipes, videos and how-tos. Learn more.