Summer is not the best time for an internal cleanse. But it is a time to really hydrate and nourish the body. Always consume the naturally growing foods of the season. And particularly in Summer, eat light, nutrient-rich, easily digestible foods and beverages. Stay away from cold and icy and use just a touch of spice.
Both Ayurveda and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) similarly view the effects of hot Summer and its corresponding element of Fire on our overall well-being. They find consuming various foods for hot weather a primary way the body feels either great or lethargic.
Dry longer, bright sunshiny days combined with Summertime lifestyle changes can wreak havoc on our energy levels. We get more prone to restless sleep and insomnia, digestive complaints, and even dryness depending on where we live.
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Foods for hot weather don’t include cold and icy food and drinks.
We know that sounds counter-intuitive but TCM has proven these diminish your necessary inner fire. Cold and icy are not foods for hot weather. Ayurveda says the same thing too.
If you reduce the icy cold food and drink and stick to regular mealtimes with smaller portions you can keep your inner fire balanced.
And because we celebrate more during Summer, many of us increase our alcohol and/or caffeine intake and eat less nutritious food while eating more erratically in general. These too diminish inner fire. So make sure you’re not overdoing anywhere.
Foods for hot weather don’t include bitter foods and drinks.
Bitters can drain heat the body requires.
Consume more pungent foods for hot weather. They support your internal heat and energy. Garlic, onion and chilies are examples of pungent foods. They will come out through your pores and even aid in repelling pesky insects.
Favor foods for hot weather that make you feel lighter and you find easy to digest. If you feel like you want to take a nap after eating during Summer, it’s a sign you’ve eaten food that’s a little too heavy for the season.
Foods for hot weather mean water rich produce.
Most of us sweat more during Summer. At the same time we lower our overall water consumption replacing them with Summer drinks.
Some people purposely drink less water so they don’t have to urinate as often while they’re enjoying Summer outdoor activities.
Hot weather is when we need to focus on keeping up adequate water consumption.
In addition to drinking lots and lots of pure water, each water rich produce of the season: melons, cucumbers, tomatoes, peaches, nectarines, plums, mangos, lettuces. It’s an excellent way to supplement your diet with nature’s next most perfect source of water your body needs.
Summer’s a season of hot weather and thus natural dehydration. Serious dehydration can lead serious sicknesses like heat stroke and sun poisoning.
Sweat is the fluid of the heart and heart’s vitality. If you sweat too much without replacing your water fluid, you can deplete your heart’s vitality.
Exercising in the sun provokes heart fire and depletes the body of fluids.
All this said, don’t be rigid with these guidelines. Feel your way through them and determine for yourself if your choices are healthy or if they’re cravings coming from emotional neediness.
If you identify a craving, satisfy it briefly and then move on. Don’t make a big deal out of it and judge yourself. Ayurveda says the greatest imbalance is to have knowledge and then go against it.
Simply strive to make your foods for hot weather choices healthy ones.
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Endnotes:
Shea, Bridgette. Handbook of Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda: An Integrated Practice of Ancient Healing Traditions. Healing Arts Press, 2018.
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