Chinese Nutritional Therapy Recommendations For Summer
Chinese nutritional therapy in Jacksonville is a very important branch of traditional Chinese medicine. This method uses certain foods to deliberately cause changes in the body. The ancient Chinese divided the various kinds of foods into categories based on their drying or moistening effects, their ability to cool and heat the body, and by way they taste. They were able to do so by simply observing the various effects foods had on the body. Understanding the influences of different foods could be utilized to maintain balance in your body as the seasons change.
Summer Energy
The hottest or the most Yang of the seasons is summer. The days are full of sunshine and long during this period. Naturally, fire is the element associated with Summer. The heart is the organ related to fire. The heart governs sleep and consciousness. We feel restless when we have too much fire in our bodies which causes us to suffer from dream disturbed sleep and insomnia. The energy of Yang fire rises easily and is quite strong, so your heart’s health can be reflected on your face. Signs and symptoms such as shortness of breath, constipation, nose bleeds, acne, a bright reddish tongue with yellow coating, red eyes, and red face means that your body has too much fire within.
When there is balance in the Yin and Yang of your body, you enjoy good health. You may add Yin foods to your diet to stay hydrated and cool during hot weather. Those foods can help generate body fluids and remove toxins and heat in your body.
Eating for the summer
Eat More: cucumber, mung beans, melon, barley, lotus root, bitter melon, bean sprouts, and chrysanthemum tea. Drink lots of water during summer!
Eat Less: fried foods, lamb, onion, chili peppers, garlic, black pepper, cinnamon, and ginger. Icy drinks and frozen foods tend to increase dampness in your body and need to be taken in moderation. Never leave your food out for too long because it will spoil faster.
Summer Recipe
(???) – Mung Bean Dessert Soup
Ingredients:
Two oz. brown sugar or rock sugar, (do not use white sugar, because the beans may taste)
Five oz. mung beans
Four cups water
To Prepare:
Thoroughly rinse the beans
Soak for four 4 hours in water, remove the rinse water
Place beans in a pot and add four cups water
Bring to a boil
Cover and simmer for thirty to forty minutes
Turn off the heat when you see all of the beans open and you can see their insides
Use sugar and stir until the has sugar melted
Serve
When the color of your tongue returns to normal, you have successfully removed the extra heat in your body, and you don’t need to eat the soup any more.
Eating in accordance with the seasons is a very good example of living in harmony with nature. You can use food as medicine to maintain balance in your body. When you apply this knowledge, you can enjoy a healthy and strong body, and can help you lead a happy and long life.