Summer Health Tips for A Hot & Dry So Cal Climate
In Chinese medicine, every organ in the body has a corresponding season and an element. The heart organ corresponds to the season of summer and the element of fire. It makes sense as the heart requires an electrical impulse to stimulate heart muscle contractions that in turn pump blood throughout the body. Our heart is literally on fire with each and every beat.
Higher summer temperatures might make one start to feel anxious, hot and bothered, flustered, or agitated. These are early signs of heart fire beginning to blaze. Other signs of excess heat in the body include redness, burning, inflammatory skin disease, high blood pressure, migraines, acid reflux, acne, and fiery emotion like irritability and/or anger.
Pathologies of the heart can occur when the heart overheats, which is common in the summer. For example, the TCM diagnosis of “Heart Fire Blazing” include signs and symptoms such as heat exhaustion, palpitations, tachycardia, anxiety, or mania. Whether you are in good health or with a heart condition, knowing how to cool your heart and body temperature is key in the summer, especially in a hot and dry climate like ours here in So Cal. Below are a few easy tips to keep your heart and body cool: eat foods that are cool in nature and use Sitali Pranayama to cool the body.
Excellent Foods to Balance Heat Excess
Balance excess heat by decreasing hot foods and drinks, eating cool vegetables, sweet fruits, and less red meat.
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Eat less pungent/spicy, fried, or oily foods, and decrease red meats.
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Unfortunately alcohol and coffee make us hot so, in the summer try and decrease the intake.
- Increase consumption of cooling teas.
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Eat more bitter vegetables and steaming or lightly sautéing the vegetable helps increase the body's ability to digest and absorb nutrients.
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Eat more cool-temperature fruits like bananas and watermelon.
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Detoxing therapies such as the aqua detox or fasting can also help reduce excess heat in the summer.
Below is a link to the temperature of many foods:
Breath to Cool Off
A specific breathing exercise called Sitali Pranayama, from the yoga tradition helps cool the body almost instantly. It is most effective if implemented at the onset of a hot flash, anxiety, irritability, or palpitations. Ideally performed in a quiet place, but you can do it anywhere. For 1-3 minutes curl your tongue into a taco shape and slightly stick it out. Close your lips around your tongue and breath in and out of the mouth as if you were sipping out of a straw. Draw the air in and out. Focus on smooth and steady inhalations and exhalations while letting the body soften and relax.
