Chinese medicine is generally not supportive of modern health trends, but summertime is an exception. Luckily for the foodies, it’s a medicine and culture that loves food and regular eating habits.
The heat of summer harms Yin and body fluids. TCM recommended eating cooling food by nature to disperse heat and build up body fluids. The bitter flavour corresponds to the fire element and summer, and bitter–cool foods should be consumed during the hot season, but moderately, as everything in TCM.
Diet suggestions for summer include:
· Cooling foods: Cucumber, Belgian endive hearts, spinach, tomato, salads, yogurt, wheat, barley, river fish, rabbit, mint, dill, cilantro
· Drinks: Lots of water, watermelon juice, green tea (it disperses summer heat and can expel toxins, cool the heart fire, calm the mind, remove heat from the liver and gallbladder, and relieve stomach and lung)
· Fruits: Strawberry, mulberry, peaches, watermelon, grapefruit, oranges, plums, kiwi, pineapple, mango
· Special summer recipe: Mint and Chrysanthemum both cool the body and skin and mildly support liver function. If you want to try something new, you could combine these as a tea and add a pinch of honeysuckle to create an excellent floral tea to keep you cool.
· Avoid: Hot and dry foods such as coffee, excessively spicy foods, and ice-cold foods like ice cream since they cause the digestive system to slow down
Change your diet as the seasons change and create more balance between your body and the external environment. Come for your seasonal check-up and get acupuncture, cupping, or moxibustion treatment to be in harmony with Nature.
Book your acupuncture appointment online on Shtepura.com or by phone 416-856-2535
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