Foreword and introduction:
Warmth, cold and balance.
My mother always said: Listen to your body, it is talking to you.
In the old Persian art of healing, everything begins with two basic forces: Garm (warm) and Sard (cold).
It is not about the temperature of the food on your plate, but about the energy the food carries – and how it affects your body, mind and emotions afterwards.
The same dish can warm one person and cool another. We give you the knowledge to get to know your inner balance.
What do garm & sard mean?
Warm = Garm:
Warming, uplifting, activating. Good when you feel cold, tired or have poor circulation.
Cold = Sard:
Cooling, soothing, calming. Good when the body is overheated, restless or inflamed.
The Balance Compass: Take a self-test (quick and easy)
Answer YES or NO to each question and count your “yes” answers in each column.
Questions that point to GARM (warm signs):
• Do you easily get red in the face or warm quickly?
• Do you feel restless, irritable or easily agitated?
• Do you crave cooling fruit and yogurt?
• Do you sweat easily or feel heat in your body?
Questions that point to cold signs ( SARD )
• Are your hands and feet often cold?
• Do you feel heavy or sluggish in your body?
• Do you long for warm soups and teas?
• Do you easily get stiff or have slow digestion?
WARM SIGNS (GARM = WARM)
If most of your YES answers were WARM signs
(GARM). Then choose more cooling and calming food.
Examples of warm signs:
Heat
Anxiety
Inflammation
Trouble sleeping due to overheating
Quick food list :
• Drinks/teas: Rose tea, mint, lemon balm, cucumber water, pomegranate juice.
• Fruit & vegetables:
Watermelon, cucumber, apple, pear, citrus, pomegranate.
• Dairy & grains:
Yogurt with chopped cucumber, ayran, rice and oats.
• Protein: White fish, chicken (mild), lentils, chickpeas.
• Spices/herbs: Choose mild herbs such as parsley, cilantro and dill.
Quick tips:
• Breakfast: oatmeal with yogurt and apple.
• Lunch: cold rice salad with cucumber and herbs.
• Evening: Choose a cold soup made from
3/4 cup (2 dl) yogurt – ½ finely chopped cucumber,
1 tbsp raisins,
1 tbsp chopped mint
1 tbsp chopped walnuts,
Crumble in a little crispbread, add a pinch of salt and 1/2 cup (1 dl) water. Stir and wait about 5 minutes – your cold soup is ready.
What should I avoid?
Avoid sugar, alcohol, strong spices and greasy food.
COLD SIGNS (SARD = COLD)
If most of your YES answers were COLD signs (SARD). Then start with more warming and activating foods.
Examples of cold signs:
Feeling chilled
Low energy
Cold circulation
Low moods caused by cold.
Quick food list:
• Drinks/teas: Ginger tea, cinnamon tea, cardamom tea, warm milk with honey.
• Fruit & dried fruit: Dates, figs, apricots, raisins.
• Nuts: Walnuts, almonds, tahini.
• Protein & dishes: Lamb, eggs, spiced stews, for example walnut stew with chicken or poultry (fesenjan with extra spices).
• Spices: Saffron, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, nutmeg.
Quick tips:
• Morning : warm lemon water, ginger water.
• Lunch: lamb stew or spiced lentil soup.
• Evening: Meat stew, potatoes, soup or chicken.
What should I avoid?
Too many cold, raw salads, large amounts of cold fruit on an empty stomach, cold drinks.
Quick facts
Persian medicine sees a person in context: season, emotional state and diet belong together. Here you get concrete, simple routines to stay in balance.
The seasons & what they ask of you
Winter
When you feel cold, it is important to become warm (garm) by eating more warming meals, such as soups, and warming spices such as turmeric, cinnamon, cardamom and pepper.
Spring
When spring comes, you cleanse the body with a gentle transition of herbs, leafy greens and lighter meals.
Summer
Summer is a period of a lot of heat. Then it is important to focus on cold (sard), for example cooling fruit, yogurt and plenty of fluids.
Autumn
When autumn comes, dryness arrives. This means you need moisture and mild warmth, such as balanced stews and oils. Emotions steer the temperature.
Grief: Often lowers your warmth, and then you need dates, lamb and lighter soups, such as spinach, broccoli and asparagus soup.
Anger: Heats up the body – so cool it with a mix of mint, cucumber and yogurt.
Stress/exhaustion
Can bring both cold and heat. Start with simple teas such as green, rooibos and chamomile, and remember to rest and observe your body.
A three-day mini plan – test it and feel the difference
Day 1 (Identify): Take the Balance Compass
and note three meals.
Day 2 (Adjust): Choose food according to your dominance (sard/garm). Write down how you feel after each meal.
Day 3 (Refine): remove what makes you feel worse, add what gives you energy – repeat every month.
Practical “rescue moves” when something feels acutely off:
Do you feel hot, restless or irritated (Garm)?
Cold compresses around the neck, mint or cucumber water, avoid strong food.
Do you feel chilled and tired (Sard)?
Warm the body: a warm drink with ginger + a warm stew. Move for 10 minutes.
Food talks – listen.
Learn your body in small steps: one self-test, a three-day experiment, one habit a week. Once you understand whether you are sard or garm, food becomes medicine – simple, practical and life-changing.