They believe that aligning our diet with the natural rhythms of the seasons can help promote balance and well-being. With that in mind, here are some healthy summer eating tips to keep you nourished and energized during this vibrant season:
Focus on Fresh Produce
Take advantage of the abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables available during the summer months. Incorporate a variety of colorful produce into your meals, such as berries, watermelon, tomatoes, cucumbers, and leafy greens. These foods are not only delicious but also packed with essential nutrients and antioxidants.
Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate:
Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water throughout the day. In addition to water, you can also enjoy refreshing beverages like infused water, herbal iced tea, or homemade fruit smoothies. Limit your intake of sugary drinks and opt for natural hydrating options instead.
Grill Healthily
Grilling is a popular summer cooking method, but it’s essential to make healthier choices. Choose lean meats like chicken, fish, or turkey burgers, and include plenty of grilled vegetables like zucchini, bell peppers, and corn. Marinate your proteins in flavorful herbs and spices instead of heavy sauces to reduce added calories and sodium.
Embrace Lighter Meals
As the temperature rises, lighten up your meals by incorporating more salads, wraps, and chilled soups into your menu. Experiment with different combinations of fresh ingredients, like adding spinach to pasta or using lettuce wraps for sandwiches. These lighter options will help keep you satisfied without weighing you down.
Snack Smartly
When snacking, opt for nutritious choices like fresh fruits, nuts, seeds, or Greek yogurt with berries. Avoid reaching for processed snacks high in salt, sugar, and unhealthy fats. Having portable, healthy snacks on hand will help you stay fueled and satisfied throughout the day.
Practice Portion Control
While enjoying the delicious offerings of summer, be mindful of portion sizes. It’s easy to overindulge during social gatherings and cookouts. Aim to fill half your plate with vegetables, a quarter with lean protein, and the remaining quarter with whole grains or starchy vegetables. This balanced approach will help you maintain a healthy diet without feeling deprived.
Remember, these tips are general guidelines, and it’s essential to listen to your body’s unique needs and consult with a healthcare professional or registered dietitian for personalized advice. Embrace the abundance of wholesome summer foods, savor the flavors, and nourish yourself from within.
Summer Season
Summer is all about growth. It is a period for development, creativity, and outward action. It’s a time to be happy, easygoing, and free of grudges. These months represent the culmination and maturation of all that has been planted and growing before. They are a moment when the inner self and the outer world may freely flow.
During the summer, the Chinese classics advise us to get up early and go to bed late, remaining physically active and engaged with our environment. They also believe that summer is the most incredible season for more sex (yep, the classics are correct).
How Does This Relate To The Summer?
Quite a bit. According to Chinese Medicine philosophy, we do not isolate food and eating from the rest of life or more significant patterns of living and being.
What we eat in the summer is part of the larger picture of seasonal adaptation. This attunement – in all areas – promotes health and energy throughout the year.
Individual variables play a role in the summer, as they do in any other season. In other words, eating for every season is just one element to consider when designing your ideal diet. When I work one-on-one with clients, I believe a variety of factors, including personal objectives.
You may be asking, “How can I integrate Traditional Chinese Medicine into my kitchen?”
Here Are 5 Strategies To Remain Healthy Using Chinese Medicine This Summer:
1. Summer is a time to eat less, be lighter, and be more simple.
In comparison to other seasons of the year, servings should be smaller and meals lighter in character, reflecting the yang energy of the season.
Avoid the heavy, thick meals of winter, instead opting for essential proteins accompanied by many vegetables. Greens, cucumbers, and fennel are excellent choices.
Also, make meal choices and preparation simple, uncomplicated, and summery.
2. Cook meals for a shorter period at higher temperatures.
Shorter cooking times at higher temperatures will keep cooling meals somewhat warmer, your veggies crisp, and your Middle Burner hot.
By cooling, I don’t simply mean the physical characteristics; every component has an inherent thermal nature and effect on the body after eating. As the temperature heats, we may want more “cooling” meals, but we must be mindful of the impact this may have on our digestion.
The warm summer months are ideal for individuals whose constitutions enable them to consume fresh veggies. In general, I suggest gently boiling or sautéing the bulk of your vegetables – you’ll keep your Middle Burner happy, and your body will be able to absorb the nutrients more readily.
3. Add spicy foods and spices that travel outward and upward.
The expanding, rising characteristics of the intense flavor complement the season’s general, outward attitude. Pungent also attracts heat to the surface, allowing it to escape via the pores.
Consider onions, leeks, radishes, spicy greens, ginger, garlic, pepper, and mint.
One caveat: If you have a lot of upward, outward, flaming energy, a lot of intense (even in the summer) may make matters worse. If this describes you, go easy on the spicy sauce!
4. Keep yourself hydrated (but not how you might think).
Drink lots of room temperature or warm drinks when the weather is hot. (In other words, skip the iced latte.)
Too much cold inhibits digestion. It may also induce contractions in the body, trapping heat within. Trust your thirst and avoid drinking too much fluids (especially with meals).
5. Lean on herbal assistance to boost your seasonal game!
Perhaps more than any other time of year, the change of seasons can make us feel a little off-kilter. This is normal – our bodies and brains desire to be in balance, but they need a moment to adapt.
Chinese herbal formulations are an excellent, simple method to ease the transition and promote seasonal alignment:
- Do you have an upset stomach as a result of overeating ice cream? Try Digestive Harmony.
- Summer vacation with the kids may be enjoyable but sometimes stressful. Consider Emotional Balance.
- Do summer flowers give you a runny nose? Immunity Support has your back.
- Are your back and knees suffering as a result of your warm-weather activities? Joint Vitality is the one!
- Hormones out of whack as a result of changing schedules and routines? Women’s Formula restores regularity and balance.
- Are you having trouble sleeping during the yang season? Try the Mental Tranquility Sleep Remedy (or Physical Tranquility Sleep Remedy if your nights are sweaty and restless).
Choosing the appropriate Formula for you will supplement food and lifestyle changes, allowing you to feel your best this summer and beyond!
About The Doc
With a commitment to helping others actualize their greatest potential and well-being, Dr. East has been a licensed acupuncturist since 1999 and professor of Chinese Medicine at the Pacific College of Health Sciences since 2004. Specializing in MIE: Motivation, Inspiration, and Encouragement, Dr. East helps practitioners of alternative medicine align with their three P’s: Purpose, Passion, and Prosperity. In 2019 she published the book More Than a Treatment, which held the Amazon bestseller’s list in Practice Management for several weeks. She currently resides in Del Mar, CA with her husband and two kids and continues to help patients, students, other practitioners, and the general public with her lectures, workshops, books, events, coaching programs, and wellness-related products.
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