It’s the heart of summer in the northern hemisphere and things are literally and metaphorically heating up. As temperatures across the world hit record highs and wildfires continually flare up, it’s important to keep from overheating. Here are some hacks to help you stay cool, both internally and externally.
Summer According to Chinese Medicine
In Chinese Medicine, the summer season is the most yang and energetic time of the year. In the Five Phases, summer represents the fire element as well as the energies of joy, expansion, vitality, passion, growth, creativity, and movement. Summer rules the Heart and the Small Intestine and influences the functions of circulation and heat in the body. The color red and the direction of the south are aligned with this season.
According to the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine, if you are living in harmony and balance with this season, you will experience good physiological heart function, sound sleep, joy, and a positive and calm mind. When things are out of balance in this season there is often physiological heart dysfunction, depression, agitation, restlessness, overindulgence, and insomnia.
Cooling With Food
There are many great ways to cool off and clear heat internally with food. It is a great time to eat lighter meals, more fresh fruits and vegetables, less heavy meats with super starchy carbs, and to stay adequately hydrated. Cooling foods include cucumbers, apples, lettuces, citrus, watermelon, mint, bananas, coconut, seaweed, pineapple, celery, crab, lime, barley, yogurt, and dill. Bitter greens such as arugula, endives, and swiss chard helps both to drain heat from the body as well as benefiting the heart. Eating cooling and bitter foods will make the rising temperatures more bearable.
Eating water-rich fruits such as watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew melon, and oranges can help you stay hydrated. Soup actually helps you to stay hydrated as well–try gazpacho! Coconut water offers a lot of electrolytes while being refreshing and adding a cucumber slice to your water helps with both hydration and cooling.
As always, it’s important to eat a balanced variety of foods. In the summertime you can get away with indulging in more cold foods and icy beverages as we experience more external heat. However, overindulgence or overreliance of colder foods and beverages, and especially too much ice, can cause a lot of digestive problems. So enjoy everything in moderation!
Cooling With Activity
Summer is the most yang time of the year, making it an incredible time to practice yin generating activities to bring equilibrium. Yin activities include walks, meditation, yin yoga, breathwork, and being outdoors in nature. Swimming and being near bodies of water is also a fantastic way to cultivate yin. Water is the essence of yin and helps to ease the tension of the fire element and relieve the actual heat.
Summer is an amazing time for nature and connection. Having fun in the sun with loved ones is the embodiment of the season. Keep a reverence for the power of the sun top of mind. Be aware of how much time you are spending in the sun and utilize hats, umbrellas, shade, and whatever other appropriate protective measures are available.
Since the season rules over the heart and cardiovascular system, it is an especially important time for exercise, movement, and sweating. This helps remove toxins, promotes a healthy cardiovascular system, strengthens the mind and the brain, moves qi, and helps move stuck and pent up emotions.
Cooling With Self Care
Jade and rose quartz are great crystal allies to have readily available to use in your summertime facial gua sha rituals. They both have cooling properties and rose quartz is extremely nourishing and calming to the heart and emotions.
My favorite summertime essential oil blend is lime, lemongrass, lavender, and neroli. It helps to cool things down, sooth irritability, and calm the mind. Added benefit, this blend will also help repel insects! Rose oil is great for cooling heat in the body clearing heat specifically from the heart and emotional tensions. Acupuncture and cupping are also great tools for cooling down and regulating the internal thermometers.
Enjoy Balanced Living
Summer is an exciting time of the year. By living in accordance with the seasons, you’ll experience life and wellness in a smoother manner while supporting your mind, body and spirit. So get outside, take a cooling dip, indulge in the summertime harvest, connect with loved ones, and remember to laugh!
