Welcome to Summer everyone! From the Five Element perspective the season of Summer belongs to the element of fire and it sure feels like it this year!
Summer-heat is a type of imbalance that presents under the Chinese medicine system. The usual symptoms that can show up are palpitations, dry mouth, constipation, irritability, dizziness, nausea, muscle cramps, and profuse sweating.
You can even check yourself for excessive internal heat by using the Traditional Chinese diagnostic method of looking at your tongue. If it is red instead of pink, especially at the tip, then you most likely have too much heat residing in your body.
Though there are many foods that will cool your body down, the best one by far to treat and prevent heat exhaustion is watermelon! It is known as Xi Gua in Chinese, and it is used as an herb in the panacea of Chinese Medicine. It’s not only delicious, but the super cooling nature of the fruit helps remove heat from the body and also moistens the intestines.
Lemon, apple, cucumber, cantaloupe, zucchini, and summer squash are also wonderful to protect your body from excessive heat. So enjoy plenty of those this Summer and stay cool!
