Why I stopped eating raw foods
Going from creating beautiful salads in a daily basis with regular frozen smoothies and juices has come to a screeching haunt with my current health issue I’m doing everything I can to heal and nourishing my body is looking a little different lately. I couldn’t imagine how my body is depleted considering how I eat nutrient rich meals and smoothies regularly yet have come to find out when the adrenals are depleted and the body, hormones and immune system are all out of whack from running on overdrive despite its signals to slow down. Learning my raw spinach has been blocking the absorption of iron because of the oxalates yet cooking it will help my body absorb the iron also learning to cook the spinach and freeze it before adding it to a smoothie, which I haven’t had in over two weeks now. I do remember taking an Ayurveda class and cooking kitchari and the instructor telling me that my smoothies should be warmed up. Yet love my frozen wild blueberry smoothie, I have let my green smoothie reach room temp before drinking, yet I’m going to have to make some adjustments till my body heals.
After extensive reading and research I am finding that foods are generally preferred and highly recommended for healing HPA axis dysfunction and adrenal fatigue in Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), and other Eastern medical systems. Here’s a detailed explanation of why, rooted in both ancient wisdom and modern integrative health:
🥣 Why Cooked Foods Are Better for HPA Axis Dysfunction & Adrenal Fatigue
🔥 1. They’re Easier to Digest
When the HPA axis is dysregulated, digestion is often compromised:
•Low cortisol = weak digestive fire (“Agni” in Ayurveda; “Spleen Qi” in TCM)
•Cold, raw foods are harder to break down, requiring more metabolic energy
•Cooked foods are pre-digested by heat, reducing stress on your gut and adrenals
Ayurvedic View: “Weak Agni leads to Ama (toxins).” Cooked foods keep Agni strong and prevent burden on the system.
TCM View: Weak digestion = Spleen Qi deficiency. Warm, cooked foods nourish Qi and prevent Damp accumulation.
🧬 2. They Preserve and Deliver Vital Energy (Prana/Qi) Gently
•Gently cooked foods are seen as life-supportive and grounding
•They retain nutrients while being more bioavailable to depleted bodies
•Stews, broths, congees, and lightly sautéed veggies deliver stable Qi without “scattering” energy like raw foods can
“Let food be warm and nurturing, not cold and shocking.”
💨 3. They Calm the Nervous System
•Warm foods send a parasympathetic signal to the brain—“you’re safe now”
•Cold, raw foods stimulate the sympathetic response (“fight or flight”)
•Cooked meals, especially those with warming herbs (ginger, turmeric, cardamom), help you shift into the rest and digest state necessary for adrenal recovery
💧 4. They Hydrate & Ground the Body
•Soups, stews, and teas hydrate cells without taxing digestion
•Ayurveda views moist, warm, oily foods (like kitchari, bone broth) as balancing for Vata and Pitta, which are often elevated in stress states
•In TCM, warming foods nourish Yin and Blood, which are depleted in long-term stress and trauma
❄️ Why Raw Foods Can Be Harmful in HPA Dysfunction
•They cool and dampen digestion, especially in women with fatigue, cold hands/feet, bloating, and low vitality
•They often worsen bloating, fatigue, brain fog, or make you feel heavy or jittery
•Smoothies, salads, and raw veggie snacks are too stimulating or depleting if consumed often during adrenal healing
✅ Best Cooked Foods for Adrenal Healing
Food Group
Best Cooked Options
Vegetables-Lightly steamed or sautéed kale, carrots, squash, zucchini, spinach
Proteins-Bone broth, grass-fed meats, eggs, slow-cooked lamb or chicken
Grains-Warm quinoa, amaranth, millet, or kitchari (mung dal + basmati rice)
Fats-Ghee, sesame oil, olive oil—nourishing and grounding
Spices-Ginger, turmeric, cumin, cardamom, fennel—support digestion and adrenal recovery
Drinks-Warm golden milk, tulsi tea, roasted dandelion root tea, ginger tea
🕊 Healing Meal Example (Ayurvedic & Adrenal-Supportive)
🥣 Warming Kitchari with ghee, turmeric, cumin, and cooked greens + ginger tea
Soothing, detoxifying, and deeply replenishing for depleted nervous systems.
🌿 Final Thought
When you’re healing from adrenal fatigue or HPA axis burnout, you want every bite of food to feel like a warm embrace for your nervous system. Cooked foods provide digestive ease, energetic warmth, and deep nourishment, helping you restore energy without overstimulating or depleting your body.
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While Ayurveda is an ancient system rooted in holistic and energetic principles, modern science increasingly supports many of its core dietary practices, especially those beneficial for HPA axis dysfunction and adrenal fatigue. Below are scientific studies and clinical evidence that align with key aspects of the Ayurvedic adrenal healing approach:
🔬 SCIENTIFIC SUPPORT FOR AYURVEDIC PRINCIPLES IN ADRENAL + HPA AXIS HEALING
🌡️ 1. Warm, Cooked Foods Improve Digestion & Lower Stress Response
Ayurvedic Claim: Cooked foods are easier to digest and restore “Agni” (digestive fire), which is often weak in adrenal fatigue.
📚 Evidence:
Warm, cooked meals require less gastric energy for digestion, reducing metabolic strain.
Eating warm meals has been shown to increase parasympathetic (rest and digest) activity.
Study: Riera CE, et al. (2014). The thermic effect of food and sympathetic nervous system activation. Nature Communications.
👉 Link
🧘♀️ 2.Kitchari and Dal-Based Meals Lower Inflammation & Aid Gut Health
Ayurvedic Claim: Kitchari and lentil-based dishes support digestion, reduce inflammation, and detoxify gently.
📚 Evidence:
Legumes like mung dal are rich in prebiotic fiber and polyphenols that reduce inflammation and promote a healthy gut-brain-adrenal axis.
A low-inflammatory, high-fiber diet improves cortisol regulation and HPA resilience.
Study: Marques FZ, et al. (2017). Gut microbiota and HPA axis regulation: implications for stress and inflammation. Clinical Therapeutics.
👉 Link
🌿 3. Digestive Spices (Ginger, Turmeric, Cumin) Regulate Cortisol & Inflammation
Ayurvedic Claim: Spices enhance Agni, reduce “Ama” (toxins), and support adrenal balance.
📚 Evidence:
Ginger and turmeric are shown to reduce pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6) and help balance cortisol.
Cumin enhances digestion and reduces gastric inflammation, helping nutrient absorption during adrenal repair.
Study: Grzanna R, et al. (2005). Ginger—an herbal medicinal product with broad anti-inflammatory actions. J Med Food.
👉 Link
Study: Chainani-Wu N. (2003). Safety and anti-inflammatory activity of curcumin. Adv Exp Med Biol.
👉 Link
🥣 4. Ghee Nourishes Ojas (Vital Energy) and Hormones
Ayurvedic Claim: Ghee strengthens tissues, builds resilience, and supports hormonal balance.
📚 Evidence:
Ghee is rich in butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid that supports gut lining, reduces inflammation, and modulates cortisol response.
Butyrate also supports brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), improving stress resilience.
Study: Canani RB, et al. (2011). Potential beneficial effects of butyrate in intestinal and systemic inflammation. World J Gastroenterol.
👉 Link
🌿 5. Adaptogenic Herbs (Ashwagandha, Tulsi, Licorice) Lower Cortisol & Enhance HPA Function
Ayurvedic Claim: Rasayana herbs rebuild depleted energy and balance the stress response.
📚 Evidence:
Ashwagandha: Clinically shown to lower serum cortisol and reduce fatigue in stressed adults.
Study: Chandrasekhar K, et al. (2012). A prospective study of Ashwagandha for stress and anxiety. Indian J Psychol Med.
👉 LinkTulsi (Holy Basil): Reduces anxiety, supports immunity, and modulates the HPA axis.
Study: Jamshidi N, Cohen MM. (2017). The Clinical Efficacy and Safety of Tulsi in Humans. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med.
👉 LinkLicorice Root: Extends the half-life of cortisol and supports blood pressure in adrenal depletion.
Study: Methlie P, et al. (2011). The effect of licorice on serum cortisol and cortisone. J Endocrinol Invest.
👉 Link
