Keeping your Cool this Summer and I’m Moving!

Finding your Optimal Health this Summer

Summer is here! It takes a little longer in Portland to arrive, but we can all be grateful for the sunny weather and warm days we have been experiencing lately. Summer is a time of growth and abundant energy. Following the natural rhythms in nature, we should mirror the movement and growth that we see around us. Gardens are flourishing, trees are full of leaves, animals in the wild move about freely, plants are blooming and movement and growth are all around us.

Summer is about the fire element and the time of the year when yang energy is at its peak. In Oriental medicine the element of fire represents moving outward (like fire raises up and moves outward), heat, maximum energy or yang, being more outgoing, having more passion, enthusiasm, drive and a higher level of energy. We need to harvest this energy and also cultivate our yang.

The fire element also relates to the heart as it provides a residence for our mind and spirit or shen. The heart is the ruler of all the organs and like western medicine is responsible for pumping blood to all the organs, but is also involved in mental and emotional processes in Oriental medicine. When the heart is properly nourished and balanced it maintains our innate wisdom, contentment, and emotional balance and will allow us to be more focused, calm, have a clearer memory, and sleep well. When it is out of balance a person may experience insomnia, anxiety, restlessness, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, sweating easily, mental restlessness, talking too fast or too much, insomnia, forgetfulness, chest pain, sores on the mouth and tongue, and excessive joy such as laughing inappropriately or for no reason.

Living and eating according to the seasons can help us maintain the necessary balance of our organs and elements. In the summer, because there is so much yang energy or heat, it is best to consume some yin or cooling foods and beverages to provide the necessary balance. Inherently cooling foods tend towards the green end of the spectrum.  Few vegetables are warming. Essentially eating foods that are in abundance in nature right now.

Recommendations for Summer Eating and other Helpful Tips

These fruits and vegetables will help your body adjust its temperature and protect you during the long, hot summer days: Apricot, Asparagus, Bamboo, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Cantaloupe, Chinese Cabbage, Cilantro, Corn, Cucumber, Dill, Fish, Lemon, Mint, Mung Beans, Orange, Peach , Seaweed, Spinach, Sprouts, Snow Peas, Summer Squash, Tomato, Watercress, Watermelon and White Mushrooms

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