Summer is the season we associate with fun, relaxation, and carefree living. Our days are less structured, so our kids tend to stay up and sleep in later. We often become more lax with our diets too, as restaurants visited on family vacations don’t always have the best quality food. To stay well in summer, it’s important not to fall into unhealthy habits. Learn how to stay healthy in summer with these simple guidelines, so you can enjoy this season to the fullest!
How to Stay Healthy This Summer with TCM
1. Adjust Your Activity Level – Don’t Overdo It!
The Yang energy of the sun reaches its maximum at the summer solstice on June 21. From there, it starts a gradual decline until the winter solstice in December.
What does that mean?
Since Yang is decreasing, Yin energy is increasing; we need to adjust our activity to become more Yin as well. Being “more Yin” means to embrace quiet, stillness, and our calm, receptive feminine nature.
While summer is often seen as a time for excitement and activity, this shift towards Yin energy suggests a gradual winding down as the season progresses. We can be lively in June and then start to ramp it down. By the end of August, hopefully, we’re all grounded enough that kids can adjust well to the new school year, and we can easily commit to our work life again.
Ignoring nature’s cues and going full force in the Summer Heat can lead to burnout, affecting our health in the Fall, making us more susceptible to illnesses due to the lack of restorative energy from Summer.
2. Get Some Morning Sun and Finish Activities Early
Part of adjusting your activity level includes the timing of your activities. If you live in a hot climate, you probably already do this:
Get your workouts, errands, gardening, and other outdoor obligations done early.
Resist the temptation to start the day slowly. Morning sun exposure will elevate your mood and energy levels, helping you be productive. Then, you can rest in the afternoon (the hottest part of the day as summer progresses) completely guilt-free.
3. Eat These Foods to Stay Healthy in Summer
Summer is packed with opportunities to eat out at restaurants, ballparks, amusement parks, family BBQs, etc. Since you may not always have control over these meals, it’s extra important to eat well at home.
Our digestion is stronger in summer. For many of us, that means that we can eat raw and cooling foods without experiencing gas, bloating, and loose stools.
(If that’s not true for you and you still have digestive discomfort, consider getting your gut health evaluated – we do GI-MAP testing in my Personalized Detox & Health Optimization Program that can benefit you greatly.)
These are the best foods to balance summer heat:
- Watermelon
- Cucumbers
- Mint
- Leafy greens
- Berries
Everyone should try to avoid foods that may increase heat in the body and cause inflammation, dryness, constipation, and headaches:
- Processed sugar
- Alcohol
- Deep-fried foods
- Caffeine (including excessive chocolate)
- Hot, spicy foods
For a thorough reset on your diet, consider doing my Nourish To Heal Diet & Lifestyle Cleanse, which has adjustments for all the seasons.
4. Be Cool and Refrain From Anger & Overexcitement
According to Chinese Medicine philosophy, anger and mania cause internal heat to rise and summer is the season associated with the FIRE element. Prolonged accumulation of internal heat can lead to disease. While anger and excitement are normal emotions, it’s important to be mindful of their triggers to avoid being continuously caught up in them.
Meditation helps us become less reactive and is a great practice to remain calm, cool, and level-headed. Get started by downloading my 3 Essential Meditations:
If you’re not ready to meditate, try processing your emotions through journaling or talking with a dear friend. Yin yoga, which is an active meditation, can also be beneficial. Additionally, essential oils can help manage your emotions and the heat that can arise.
Chinese Medicine teaches us the connection between ourselves and nature. Living in harmony with the rhythm of nature and preventing disease is the foundation of its philosophy. By adhering to these guidelines, or at least returning to them whenever you get off track with summer (and sometimes unhealthy) fun, you’ll maintain wellness longer.
If you enjoyed this article, please share it with your friends! Let me know what you think of these summer health tips in the comments. Well wishes to you…
