The Modern Sage

Welcome to an exploration of yang energy foods!  Whether or not you think about it, your food has energy. That's how it powers us to keep us going throughout the day. Calorie anyone? The idea of classifying the energies of different foods as yin or yang comes from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Today I'm taking a deeper look at some common yang foods you can easily add to your diet as well as the really great benefits they bring to our meals.   I kind of stumbled into this topic when my mom commented about being really hungry for spicy, pungent, yang foods. So I started paying attention to which foods were yin and yang and could definitely see a few places that needed to be balanced out. Hopefully you find today's post helpful. Yin and Yang in Traditional Chinese Medicine: This is an oversimplification, because Yin and Yang in TCM is big enough to write multiple books on. In the realm of traditional Chinese medicine, yin and yang are the two opposing energies that ke...

Not all fat is equal. Did you know there are different types of fat? Most people only know about subcutaneous and visceral fat. But today, I'm introducing you to  the world of brown fat, where your fat works for you and is actually a good thing!  Brown fat is a type of adipose tissue that's been making headlines for its ability to burn calories and generate heat, all while keeping you cozy and warm.  Unlike its flabby cousin, white fat (which is what most people think of when they hear "fat" think the white section of a strip of bacon), brown fat is packed with mitochondria and a special protein called UCP1 that can turn fat into energy.  But that's not all – brown fat has also been linked to a host of health benefits, from weight loss to improved insulin sensitivity and even a lower risk of cardiovascular disease.  What is Brown Fat? Ah, brown fat – the spunky little cousin of the flabby, lazy white fat that we all know and (probably) have a bit of a love ...