Consciously engaging with the environment’s seasonal transitions is an insightful way to align our physical bodies with the natural world. Chinese Medicine believes that incorporating proper seasonal nutrition and lifestyle practices into our daily lives can help us regulate disharmony in our bodies.
Chinese Medicine recognizes five distinct seasons: winter, spring, summer, late summer, and autumn. Summer belongs to the element of fire. It is the most yang time of year because it is the season that is overflowing with abundant energy, sunshine, hot weather, longer days, and shorter nights. It is said that the heart, mind, and spirit are ruled by the fire element and joy is its emotional expression. It is the time to engage with life and embody the yang attributes of the self. Summer is about expansion, growth, activity, and creativity. It is a time of year that reminds us to live our lives to the fullest.
Lifestyle practices that help us cultivate our inner fire element include dancing, creative movement, singing, and other forms of outward self-expression. Allow yourself to stay out a little later, socialize with people who bring you joy, make time to go on an adventure, and cultivate creativity.
During summer, wake up earlier in the morning to take advantage of the full yang energy of daytime and go to bed later in the evening. There is plenty of time to rest in the winter with its darker and shorter days. Take an afternoon siesta during the warmest parts of the day to help rejuvenate you from the heat.
Eating more yin-type foods will cool down the body in the hot weather. Yin foods include lettuce, cucumbers, watercress, endives, spinach, tomato, yogurt, mint, dill, cilantro, apple, kiwi, lemon, watermelon, and pineapple. Try to avoid excessively spicy foods because they add too much heat to the body.
Drink plenty of fluids and stay hydrated. Some nourishing drinks aside from water include watermelon juice and lemon or cucumber-infused water. Other beverages that cool the body down include green, mint, and Chrysanthemum teas.
Chrysanthemum flowers have been used for thousands of years in Chinese medicine to treat respiratory problems, high blood pressure, and hyperthyroidism. To add more of a “cooling” effect on the body, an adaptogen- American ginseng, can be used in this tea blend to maximize health benefits.
Cooling Golden Flower Summer Tea Recipe
2 cups of dried chrysanthemum flowers
2 tablespoons of American Ginseng powder
1/4 cup dried Goji Berries
10 cups of water
Honey or sugar to sweeten as needed
Directions
Bring chrysanthemum flowers and water to a boil in a pot. Reduce heat and simmer for less than a minute. Take out the chrysanthemum using a strainer. Add ginseng and simmer for another 5 minutes. Take out ginseng using a strainer. Add honey or sugar to taste. Fill the pitcher with ice and pour the tea into the pitcher.
Watermelon Mint Salad
6 cups cubed seedless watermelon
2 tablespoons minced fresh mint
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
Directions
Add all ingredients to a large bowl and gently toss.
Natasha Kubis is a licensed acupuncturist and certified yoga teacher.
For more information, visit acuwellhealth.com