Summer: Season of the Heart

When I think of June I always think of the beginning of long, hot summer days balanced out by a LOT of swimming in Deep Eddy or our neighborhood pools. Summer means we are moving out of Wood (Spring) and into the Fire phase of Chinese Medicine. In fact, the Summer Solstice was upon us this week on June 21st - the longest day of sunlight in the year! 

Summertime means warmth, light, activity, elation, and socializing. In Chinese medicine, summer is also the season of the heart organ, and during this season we should strive to balance the heart organ system with our food, actions, and intention.

The heart is seen as the emperor of the body, governing the blood and blood vessels, and storing our Spirit. It acts as a leader for the body and maintains order of thought and intention. If there is no order, chaos will occur and you may have anxiety, insomnia, inappropriate behavior, discomfort around people, heart palpitations, panic attacks, or stuttering. Just as blood pumped from the heart communicates with our cells, bringing them oxygen and nutrients, our heart is also responsible for social communication and thrives on love and warmth from people.

To keep the heart in balance during the hot summer months use the following foods: salads, fruits, beets, carrots, cucumbers, cabbage, melons, brown rice, tofu, celery, sesame, slightly bitter greens, or longan fruit. Eat less red meat, fats, and extremely spicy foods. Stay connected with family and friends. Balance the fire and activity of summer with enough rest and time in the water! Water balances Fire. Meditation is also a valuable tool for quieting the busy Fire-type mind.

Fall: Season of the Lungs

In traditional Chinese medicine, during fall we are most susceptible to dryness which can affect the lungs, skin (what we call the “outer lung”), and digestion. Common signs of disharmony in the fall are thirst, dry nose and skin, itching, and sore throat or cough. There are a number of things we can do to combat dryness and fortify our bodies for the coming winter months. These tips will help you stay balanced during the fall season, and prepare you for a healthy winter! 

1. Drink. More. Water. Sounds easy, but we often forget this simple act. Hydrating yourself well will prevent your body from getting too dry and help your organs stay healthy and happy. Your lungs especially like to stay “moist” and freak out when they get too dry - coughing, burning, bronchitis, etc can occur. So drink up! 

2. Incorporate moistening foods into your meals. Pears, apples, persimmons, figs, spinach, pumpkin and squash are all moistening foods. Eat these fall foods in abundance and you will set your body up for a healthy winter. Soups and steamed foods are helpful, as well as other “yin” foods like tofu, white fish, yams, & edamame. 

3. Sleep more. As the days grow shorter, allow your body to rest more. We are moving out of the highly active period of summer. Fall is the time to store up our energy for the harsher winter months ahead & going to bed earlier or practicing restorative exercise can benefit our health during this time. 

4. Organize, Cleanse, & Let go. Fall and Spring are both great seasons for organizing your life and letting go of what you don’t need. Try a gentle cleanse, clean out the kitchen or closets, and let go of old grudges or emotional grief. It’s a good time to gather yourself together and start a clean slate in preparation for winter. 

5. Cover up. Especially if you are one to get sick easily or catch colds in the cooler months, don’t leave home without your scarf or hat. Although it may still feel like summer to us now, windy and cooler days are ahead and cold fronts may sweep in suddenly. Our neck and head are most vulnerable to wind and pathogenic illnesses, so cover up and protect your qi from exposure to the elements. 

And…  get acupuncture, of course! Acupuncture will strengthen your resilience and help you make a healthy transition from fall to winter. 

(Thanks to AOMA and The Web That has No Weaver for content inspiration)

The farmer’s market always gives me inspiration for cooking on weeks I feel less than motivated to do much in the kitchen. No energy? No time? Bored with the usual meal rotation? Head to the market for a breath of fresh air and new ideas. Perfect heirloom tomatoes and fragrant basil made a divine caprese salad that I could eat daily until the end of the season. This is a great low-carb seasonal dish to throw together on nights when you don’t want to cook or want to indulge your taste buds in pure summer flavors. Healthy doesn’t have to mean labor intensive, bland, or boring. This is the perfect example of natural flavor bursting at the seams! So simple, delicious, beautiful and EASY. Crenshaw melons have a great crispness to them and are the classic melons to wrap with prosciutto and skewer several together like a kabob - then serve with this caprese salad for a full on Italian feast. Glass of rosé anyone?

Caprese Salad:

Ripe heirloom tomatoes or tomatoes on-the-vine, sliced

Fresh mozzarella, sliced in rounds

Fresh basil leaves

olive oil

balsamic vinegar

sea salt and freshly cracked pepper

Layer tomato, basil leaf, and mozzarella over and over again in a platter until you have as much as you can eat and more. You always need more than you think as it disappears FAST. Drizzle with good oil and aged balsamic, crack your salt and pepper and dig in. 

Seasonal Kitchen: Summer

Summer is upon us here in Texas. Memorial Day weekend always marks the beginning of these hot, sweltering, dog days of everyone’s favorite season. Part of cultivating your own Medicine Kitchen is to be aware of the seasonal bounty that nature gives us each year. In looking at food this way, you begin to notice how nature intended us to eat - and the farmer’s market is the perfect place to get a feel for what’s growing! Here are some perfect TX summer foods in which we can all over-indulge in the following weeks:

Peaches: “Every day begins and ends with a peach.” Use this as your mantra over the next few weeks and buy buy buy! Think peach salads, peach parfaits, peaches and cream, snack of peach with sea salt, peach jam, grilled peach, peach crumble or crisp…. are we clear?

Tomatoes: Tender skinned, perfectly ripe, juicy sweet. A perfect summer snack with just a sprinkle of salt, or grilled as a compliment to any main dish. 

Peppers: Poblano, shishito, red chili pepper, so many colors and varieties - just check the heat level before you commit to buying a whole bunch! Use the savory mild peppers in your crudités & the hotter ones grilled or paired with sweeter items like peach or tomato for balance. 

Summer squash: Yellow squash and green zucchini are flourishing everywhere & although you may look at them and think “boring” (like me), you cannot deny their versatility! Grill kabobs, steam, saute, eat raw, puree, or bake into gratin.