Staying Cool and Cool Headed this Summer with Chinese Medicine Sydney Summer is well and truly here! In Chinese Medicine this is thetime of year that is considered most yang.
High yang means heat, maximum activity, and moving outward with our lives and into nature.
In TCM, every season has an element associated with it. Fire is the element of summer.
Associations with the fire element and Chinese medicine:
* The colour Red
* The emotion of Joy
* Bitter Tasting Foods
* The body organs associated are the Heart and Small Intestine
When the fire element is in balance, your heart is strong and healthy, your mind is calm and your sleep is sound. On the other hand, when the fire element is not balanced, you may either lack joy (depression) or have an excess of joy (mania). Indicators of an imbalance in the fire element include:
Excessive perspiration, or lack of perspiration
Rashes, hives, or hot skin eruptions
Sleep disturbances, insomnia, and restless sleep
Palpitations, or an irregular heartbeat
Restless, agitated, or explosive energy
Inappropriate laughter
Anxiety and irrational fears and phobias
heartburn
Because summer is the hottest season, to balance the heat, you need a diet that is cooling in nature. Fresh fruits and vegetables are great choices.
Chinese nutrition classifies food according to its energetic qualities of temperature, taste, and ability to moisten and strengthen the body.
Food with cool and cold properties can clear heat, reduce toxins, and generate body fluids.
In general, cooling foods tend towards the green end of the spectrum – lettuce, cucumbers, and watercress are some of the coolest. Few vegetables are warming. Fish and seafood are also cooling, while most meats are warming.
Eat more cooling foods, such as watermelon, strawberries, asparagus, sprouts, corn, cucumber, spinach, and mint.
Summer is a poor time to overdo spicy foods, alcohol, or caffeine because all of these foods heat you up rather than cool you down.
Tips for Summer Health
To prevent an imbalance of the fire element and remain in harmony with the environment of Summer (maximising your Summer Fun), Chinese Medicine Practitioners advise:
Wake up earlier in the morning.
Go to bed later in the evening.
Rest at midday. Siesta’s!
Drink plenty of fluids.
Add pungent flavours to your diet.
Refrain from anger; keep calm and even-tempered.
Seeing a Chinese Medicine Practitioner for regular treatment can help keep your body in balance throughout Summer. For more information and to make a booking with our Acupuncturists Andrea and Chloe call 02-84060679 or visit www.nbip.com.au
