Keeping Cool = TCM Style

As you guys know - we ( Chinese medicine practitioners) don't like ice - and we judge people silently when they ask for ice in drinks!

The adage is that ice is good for 2 things:

1: gin and tonic

2: preserving dead people.

So with the weather as hot as it is - how do you keep cool!?

We need to protect our Yin in the summer and in the winter this would be our Yang energy that needs help.

Yin foods and drinks cool and nourish and balance the heat in the body - The focus is on clearing "summer heat," and preventing dampness which is caused by excessive consumption of dairy, greasy and sugary foods.

Summer is Yang - winter is Yin - so we balance the opposite way.

Summer belongs to the fire element which manifests in the heart, small intestines, and pericardium in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) theory.  While spring signals the beginning of birth and growth, summer fosters this growth to mature and reach its full potential.

Fire symbolizes a vibrant, life-giving energy and is emotionally connected to joy. When your fire is in harmony, you experience a warm and joyful energy in the summer.

A well-maintained fire enables you to flourish and shine. However, if you are not aligned with the energy of summer, this fire can go astray casuing issues - have you ever noticed how anxiety and irritation is worse in hot weather??? For some people, their skin issues can get worse - especially things like fungal infections around the groin or toes - hot sweaty areas are most prone - also heat rashes/ urticaria etc.

Eating according to season is important all year round - such as avoiding salads in winter. In the summer, we have a plethora of foods that will help our Yin cooling system.

Green tea is really popular for dispersing summer heat and can cool the internal heat and calm the mind down -

Watermelon is a go to - did you know though that the white of the water melon holds on to fluids whilst the red bit helps produce fluids - its also packed full of electrolytes such as magnesium and potassium which we need to replenish when we sweat.

Mung beans - not on everyone's shopping list that's true - but these fabulous little beans cool the body and can even help with skin issues.

The Chinese have recommended green tea during summer for centuries because it can disperse summer heat, and can expel toxins, cool the heart fire, calm the mind.

The white of the watermelon helps to hold on to fluids while the red produces fluids. It also contains essential minerals such as potassium and magnesium which we need to replenish when we sweat

Cucumber is full of water and helps cools us.

Bitter foods are also recommended - so Foods like bitter melon and celery, rocket and watercress are highly recommended to clear intense summer heat & reduce inflammation.

Then we think colour - yang, the summer and heat are red in nature so we would incorporate Red Foods:  like tomatoes, strawberries, and cherries, raspberries, red apples, red peppers and red grapes for example.

Although we can be the fun police when it comes to dietry stuff - we want you to enjoy yourselves also and the main principle of TCM is BALANCE! The old Yin and Yang - so have the odd ice-cream, the odd iced drink - but think moderation.

Oh - and wear sunscreen!