From a Chinese Medicine dietetics perspective, summer is best supported not simply by cold foods, but by foods with cooling thermal qualities. While icy drinks may feel refreshing initially, excessive cold foods are traditionally thought to trap heat internally and weaken digestion.
In Chinese Medicine dietetics, we recognise the thermal qualities of food. Food and beverages with cooling properties (rather than cool in temperature) can help cool you down in summer. Below are some suggestions to support your health and wellbeing during the summer months.
- Try consuming foods that have cooling thermal properties, such as apples, avocado, asparagus, barley, celery, chrysanthemum, cucumber, lemons, lettuce, limes, millet, radish, sprouts (e.g. mung, alfalfa and soy), seaweeds, tofu, tomato, watercress, watermelon, wheat, zucchini, as well as other white and green veggies with high water content.
- Tea has been used as a very effective body coolant for centuries. It creates sweat, which helps cool you down (as long as the sweat can evaporate from your skin). Try black, green, honeysuckle, chrysanthemum, lemongrass, peppermint and spearmint teas.
- If consuming alcohol, beer may be the best option as it has a cooling effect from a Chinese dietetics point of view. Most other alcohols have a heating effect on the body. Mineral water also has cooling properties (more than normal drinking water).
- Salads are wonderful in summer as they are mostly cooling. However, if your digestion is sluggish or challenged or your Traditional East Asian Medicine practitioner has informed you that you have a spleen deficiency, turn instead to lightly steamed or sautéed vegetables. Warm salads are a wonderful alternative.
- Moderate use of spices and flavours such as cardamon and fennel will help to release heat from the body and cool you down.
- Reduce energetically hot foods like coffee, black pepper, chilli pepper, ginger and cinnamon, as well as icy cold foods, such as ice cream, icy poles and slurpees as they may obstruct the stomach’s digestive energy and can trap heat inside the body.
- You can also balance the thermal quality of your foods. For example, if you eat a hot curry, pair it with some raita (vegan or sheep’s yoghurt with cucumber) to make a thermally neutral meal.
- For the best digestive health, allow cold food and drinks to warm to room temperature before consuming. Raw foods, cow’s dairy products and refined sugar can also weaken the digestion, so minimising these can promote digestive health and increase energy and vitality.
Personalised diet and lifestyle guidance can be included in a Traditional Japanese Medicine session. Small seasonal adjustments often create meaningful shifts over time. If you’d like tailored support, you’re very welcome to book a session.
Lee-Anne xx
