In Chinese Medicine, living in tune with nature and its seasons is key. This means eating seasonal foods and changing up your daily routines—like sleep and activity levels—to match the seasons.
Each season affects not just your physical health but also your emotions and organ systems.
With Summer, it is all about yang energy – the dynamic, active, warm, and outward-expanding force in Chinese philosophy.
It is a time for growth, lots of light, and increased activity. Getting in sync with summer’s natural rhythms is important to maintain health and well-being – according to Chinese medicine. For example, try waking up early to soak up the sun’s energy, just like plants do. And whether you’re working or playing, aim for activities that bring joy, happiness, and inner peace, mirroring the natural abundance around us. Summer is linked to the heart and the Fire phase in Chinese medicine, so eating foods that support heart health and emotional balance is essential.
A Season of Abundance
Summer gives us a wide variety of foods to help replenish fluids, minerals, and oils lost through activity and sweating. Unlike Western practices, Chinese medicine advises against eating too many cold foods because they can weaken digestion and harm the stomach and spleen. Many raw foods are considered "cold" energy foods in Chinese nutrition. They have a strong cooling effect and are used to clear excess heat and inflammation, but can weaken digestion if over consumed. Cool energy foods – as in Chinese nutrition – also help to balance heat but are gentler and can be consumed regularly without harming the digestive system. So opt for “cooling” foods like salads, sprouts, fruits, or hydrating herbal teas like chrysanthemum and mint.
Balancing Heat with Spices
On the hottest days, eating foods with hot spices—like black pepper, cayenne, fresh ginger, and red or green peppers—can actually help. These spices create warmth in the body at first, but then help disperse heat to the skin’s surface, cooling you down. Just remember to use them in moderation, because too much heat dispersal can deplete your body’s yang energy and throw off your balance, making you more prone to illness.
Top 5 Summer Foods
During summer, it's a great time to eat foods that support your heart and emotional health. When your heart energy is off, you might feel anxious, depressed, have trouble sleeping, cold hands, or mental restlessness. Here are some great choices to add to your summer diet to keep your heart strong:
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Strawberries: Packed with antioxidants, strawberries and other berries are great for heart health and improving cardiovascular markers.
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Cucumbers: Known for their cooling properties, cucumbers help with heat-related symptoms like restlessness and insomnia. They also provide essential nutrients like Vitamins C, K, and A, along with magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and vitamin B5.
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Watermelon: This classic summer fruit hydrates and replenishes fluids lost through sweating. It's rich in antioxidants, including Vitamins C and A.
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Swiss Chard: Full of magnesium, Swiss chard helps heart health by easing anxiety, palpitations, and insomnia. It’s full of nutrients, including Vitamins K, C, A, E, B6, magnesium, manganese, potassium, iron, sodium, and copper.
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Kale: With its impressive nutritional profile, including vitamins and antioxidants, kale helps ground excess energy and support heart health. It's especially good for managing mental health conditions like anxiety and mood disorders.
Strawberries, Swiss Chard and Kale should be purchased organic if possible as they have shown high levels of pesticides (Source: EWG).
Embracing Chinese nutrition principles during summer means celebrating the abundance of seasonal foods and preparing meals that support both your physical and emotional health. By aligning with the natural rhythms of summer and choosing foods that nourish your heart and body, you can cultivate a sense of harmony and well-being throughout the season.
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