Stop Eating Salads If You Want to Feel Better This January
- Kim Moynihan
- Jan 22
- 4 min read
Why cold foods can strain digestion in winter — and what to eat instead
January Is Salad Season — And That’s Often the Problem
Every January, salads make a comeback.
Lighter meals. Raw vegetables. Fewer calories.
On paper, it looks like the healthiest choice.
But in practice, I see the opposite — especially this time of year.
Women come in eating “perfectly” and tell me they feel:
Colder than usual
More tired
Bloated or uncomfortable after meals
More anxious or wired
Frustrated that nothing seems to be working
They’re eating clean.
They’re being disciplined.
And they feel worse.
The issue isn’t effort.
It’s that clean eating and nourishment are not the same thing — and winter digestion makes that difference much more obvious.
Many people search this time of year for answers to bloating, fatigue, and digestive discomfort after eating healthy foods. In winter, digestion naturally slows, and foods like salads and raw vegetables can be harder for the body to break down. Understanding how seasonal changes affect digestion can make a significant difference in how you feel.
Why Salads (and Other “Clean” Foods) Can Backfire in Winter
Salads aren’t inherently bad.But they are cold, light, and harder to digest — especially in January.
Our bodies naturally slow down in colder months. Digestion, circulation, and metabolic activity become more conservative in winter, which means raw, cold foods require more digestive effort at a time when the body is trying to conserve energy.
When digestion is already under strain from:
Stress
Poor sleep
Blood sugar swings
Mineral depletion
Adding large amounts of raw, cold food can tip the system further out of balance.
This is one of the most common winter digestion issues I see — and it has nothing to do with willpower.
What the Body Does When It Senses Scarcity
When nourishment drops — even unintentionally — the body adapts to protect you.
That often looks like:
Rising cortisol
Blood sugar instability
Increased cravings
Lighter, more disrupted sleep
Stalled or reversed weight loss
This isn’t a failure.
It’s physiology doing exactly what it’s designed to do.
Trying to fix these symptoms by eating less or tightening food rules usually makes things worse, not better.
Clean Eating vs. Nourishment: The Missing Conversation
Clean eating focuses on restriction. Nourishment focuses on support.
Clean eating focuses on what’s removed:
Sugar
Gluten
Dairy
Processed foods
Nourishment focuses on what’s supplied:
Enough protein to stabilize blood sugar
Enough calories to signal safety
Enough minerals to support the nervous system
Enough digestive support to absorb nutrients
You can eat very “healthy” foods and still be under-nourished — especially during winter when digestion naturally slows.
And the body will always prioritize survival over aesthetics.
When Symptoms Are Signals — Not Failures
One of the most important mindset shifts I help clients make is this:
Symptoms are not punishments.
They are information.
Fatigue often reflects mineral depletion.
Cravings often point to unstable blood sugar.
Bloating often signals weak digestion rather than “bad food choices.”
When we stop fighting these signals and start responding to them, the body often settles far more quickly.
If you’ve noticed that eating “healthy” feels harder in winter, this is where to start.
What to Do Instead (This Week — Not Someday)
Supporting digestion in winter doesn’t require a complete overhaul.
Small, stabilizing changes often make the biggest difference.
Here’s where I recommend starting:
1. Eat Protein Before Coffee
Even 15–20 grams first thing in the morning can stabilize blood sugar for the rest of the day.
Simple options:
Eggs
Leftover meat
Greek yogurt or cottage cheese
This alone often reduces:
Morning anxiety
Midday energy crashes
Cravings later in the day
2. Warm One Meal Per Day
Cold, raw foods are harder to digest — especially in winter.
Choose just one:
Soup or stew
Roasted vegetables
Warm grains or root vegetables
You don’t have to eliminate salads entirely.They just shouldn’t be the foundation right now.
3. Add Minerals Before You Add Supplements
Many “nutrient deficiencies” aren’t about intake — they’re about absorption.
Warm, mineral-rich foods are often easier for the body to absorb during winter. Bone broth is one of my favorite foundations for supporting digestion and replenishment — especially when it’s made in a simple, low-effort way like this set-it-and-forget-it bone broth method:
Other simple starting points:
Cooked leafy greens and mineral-rich vegetables
A pinch of quality mineral salt in water
Gentle herbal nourishment instead of more pills
Minerals help calm the nervous system and allow other nutrients to actually be used.
4. Stop Cutting Calories When You’re Already Tired
Fatigue is not a sign to eat less.
It’s often a sign to rebuild.
If energy, sleep, or mood feels off:
Eat enough
Eat consistently
Avoid extremes
Stability comes before progress.
A Different Way to Think About January
January doesn’t need to be about restriction to be effective.
For many people, winter is a time for:
Rebuilding
Warming
Stabilizing digestion
Restoring what was depleted
When nourishment comes first:
Energy improves
Cravings soften
Digestion becomes more resilient
The body becomes more responsive overall
This foundation is what allows everything else — including herbs, supplements, and lifestyle changes — to actually work.
Time To Change Your Thinking
If you’ve been “doing everything right” and still feel off, this may be your sign to stop tightening the rules and start supporting your body instead.
Sometimes the most effective change isn’t doing more.
It’s nourishing better.
The information shared in this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. It is not a substitute for personalized medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional regarding your individual health needs, especially if you have a medical condition, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or are taking medications.