Summer Health Tips

In Chinese Medicine, summer represents the fire element, and the main associated organ is the Heart. As Chinese Medicine developed by observing nature and practicing alignment with it, we can also do so in our daily lives. We have longer days, so it is the time that we can get up earlier and maximize our time in the sunlight, exercise more, and be outdoors.

The summer fruits and cooling foods are

• Fruit: Apple, lemon, kiwi, watermelon, orange, pear, pineapple, tangerine

• Cooling foods: Cucumber, Belgian endive hearts, spinach, tomato, salads, yogurt, wheat, barley, fish, rabbit, mint, dill, cilantro

• Drinks: chilled mint and chamomile teas, green teas, watermelon and cucumber juice

While we can pay attention to seasonal changes and align our lifestyles accordingly, we also need to take into consideration of where we live and also our body's needs. As Bay Area residents know that even in the warmest season, (which is actually in September and October) our mornings and evenings are still cooler, so eating cooling foods on a foggy San Francisco evening would not be the best way of aligning ourselves to the season. Even on a very warm day, if you feel cold or experience digestive symptoms due to cold (could be bloating or abdominal pain, or loose stools with cold weather or cold food) your medicine would be a hot, ginger miso soup instead of yogurt fruit salad.

So to summarize, please pay attention to your body's needs as much as the changing seasons, that is the core of Chinese Medicine practice, aligning self with the nature (inner and outer).