Summer is certainly here, gusty northerly winds, washed up marine stingers and of course the hot sunny humid environment the Gold Coast has to offer. We will also notice the grass, trees and plants will grow substantially faster than in the winter months. This is no different to how the human body reacts internally. During summer our blood vessels expand promoting circulation which requires the heart to work double time to pump blood around the body. In Traditional Chinese Medicine an over functioning heart restricts optimal lung function therefore advised to add pungent or spicy flavours to food.
Pungent Foods: Ginger, garlic, onion, chilli, cinnamon, cardomen, cumin, thyme, tumeric and wasabi.
The pungent taste will help kill bad gut bacteria, increase our metabolism and help burn the stagnant winter fat.
Lastly its important to anticipate dehydration and rehydrate after any excessive sweating. Sweat is the fluid of the heart, any excessive sweating strains the heart which weakens the mind as a result can cause one to be easily annoyed, restless and moody.
Remember everything in moderation even moderation itself, in other words use the pungent foods as a flavour enhancer, exercise early avoiding excessive sweating as it gets hotter during the day and drink coconut water to stay hydrated to maintain your optimal wellness over summer.
Written by Jonathan Yang, Acupuncturist, Chinese Herbalist and founder of Life Synergy