Staying cool for Summer
Chinese Food Therapy
Sweet and cool flavors can be utilized during the hottest parts of the year to keep you cool and your “yin” nourished.
We often think about the clothes we wear or the locations or the activities we can do to keep us cool in the hottest temperatures. But did you know your diet can be the difference between sopping pits and butt sweat for days?
Chinese food therapy is hands down one of my favorite branches of TCM mainly because it’s the simplest and tastiest way to make a difference in your health. As TCM practitioners, we have many hats that we pull from when it comes to the treatment of disease. It’s not just about the needles or treating pain; but peering closely into someones lifestyle, habits and the foods people eat! Food is less intimidating to begin with and is very mild compared to many Chinese herbs which often times include insects, minerals and sometimes toxic herbs. Chinese herbal medicine is an art that takes decades to perfect and can seriously injure someone if improperly diagnosed which is why food is always my go to. It just may take a more consistent effort and the changes are gradual (slow and steady wins the race) but the results can be life altering.
Cooling and sweet foods can help the body nourish the “yin energy” (femininity, darkness, cold, deficient, compression, inward energy, moistening) which is the counterbalance of “yang energy” (masculine, full, expansive, heat, brightness, outward expressive energy). Summer is the peak of YANG energy so the cool-cold flavors should be utilized during this time of year. As a whole, fruits and vegetables all generally have a cooling nature to them. Of course there are exceptions to every rule, but this is a great place to start as you are building out your meal ideas for summer. You can start by thinking about increasing your vegetables and fruits while reducing the portion sizes of heavy animal proteins and dairy. For example, you’ll want to focusing on cooling and sweet foods such as lettuce, blueberries, cucumber, pineapple, pears, strawberries and mangoes ( I’ve also left an image above to help you as a guide to some options). You’ll want to be mindful about portioning out animal proteins such as beef, lamb, venison, elk ( which are very hot in nature), fried foods, and dairy products which can make you feel more sluggish/hot. Focusing on lighter proteins such as fish, shrimp and turkey will help keep the digestion light and energy high without weighing you down. Summer is about eating lightly and abundant energy!
Keep in mind, these principals are based on general seasonal eating but when working with your practitioner it’s important for us to assess you unique constitution first and then look at the season second. Balancing your key elements first are crucial for any food therapy plan.
If you would like to learn more about Chinese food therapy and work one on one to understand your constitutional needs feel free to book a free 20 min zoom consultation below. Happy summer and stay cool out there!
