Summer heat - How to keep your cool
Welp, it's officially here.. The debilitating heat. Luckily, it took until mid-July to arrive in full force, but personally, I’m suffering, and I know that I'm not the only one!
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the elements can also relate to a specific pathology that causes different symptoms in the body. So what does that mean? It's like getting a “cold” in the winter time, but during the summer, we get something called “summer heat.” Symptoms of summer heat include lethargy with a low appetite, heavy limbs, nausea, irritability, digestive problems, dizziness, and surprise-surprise, feeling H-O-T.
If that sounds familiar…
Know that I’m experiencing many of those symptoms myself. Primarily the feelings of heat (mainly because we don’t have AC in our home) and irritability (see previous reason). But also, I have a much lower appetite when it's this hot. Trying to self-preserve a little bit, my walks and time outside have gotten shorter and my water intake has gotten higher. I’m trying to conserve energy so I don’t get too zapped, which is hard with a high energy dog and toddler who LOVE the outdoors.
When it comes to eating, think cool, but not over-doing it with raw foods. That can be a slippery slope for those that have a sensitive digestive tract. I recommend finding a healthy balance with cooked foods that are stored cold in the fridge. Here are some examples:
Watermelon!! My number one summer go-to.
Cold pick-up veggies like sliced cucumber, bell peppers, and jicama.
Fresh salads with cool, cooked lentils.
Salmon salad with dill, served with crackers. (Ask me for the recipe, this is one of our summer favorites)!
And of course, 1 LMNT electrolyte packet a day, over ice or cool mint tea.
IF you’re feeling extreme symptoms of summer heat, there are a few symptoms to be aware of: excess thirst and nausea, vomiting, red complexion, fainting, delirium, and dark urine. If you’re experiencing any of these, it's important to seek medical attention right away!
Hopefully this heat doesn’t get you down. And if it does, acupuncture can help! Excited to hear how y’all are keeping your cool this summer.
Chill out :)
Sarah
