Using Seasonal Changes in Your Diet to Balance Your Health
The teachings of Traditional Medicine map out five unique seasons, rather than the four we in the US are accustomed to, with the insertion of a ‘Late Summer’ differentiated from regular Summer.
In this Traditional Medicine modality, eating with the seasons and fortifying yourself, specifically when one season moves to another, is an important part to keeping yourself healthy. This ancient knowledge from the East provides dietary guidance for healthy living, based on organ (Zang-Fu) imbalances. Ancient practitioners identified five elements that correspond with the seasons: fire, earth, metal, water, and wood.
Late Summer: August 16th thru September 22nd
This late ‘second’ summer begins in mid-August and runs through the Autumn Equinox on September 22. It’s a season of grounding, nurturing, and reflection, rooted in the Earth element. Pay attention to appetite and stress and how it could be impacting healthy digestion during late summer heat.
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Late Summer Nutritional Guidelines
“The Tao of Nutrition: Harmonizing the Seasons” by Cathy McNease
This is the transition season between the heat of Spring and Summer and the coolness of Fall and Winter; associated with the Earth element, and our digestive system. By balancing your energies, the body heals itself. Balance is the key to health. Dampness may present easily now, so the diet must be “Spleen-friendly”.
Be sure to include:
Complex carbohydrates, whole grains, legumes
Plenty of vegetables
Some animal protein
Limit the dampening foods:
Fruit juices
Salads
Refined sweets
Herbs to strengthen the Spleen and Stomach:
Codonopsis (Dang Shen)
Poria (Fu Ling)
Dioscorea (Shan Yao)
Licorice (Gan Cao).
Herbs & Seeds to facilitate digestion:
Hawthorn (Shan Zha)
Citrus Peel (Chen Pi)
Ginger (Sheng Jiang)
Cardamom (all types)
Fennel
Anise
Caraway
Coriander
Cumin
Use these tips as you cook during the next few months as the summer heat wanes to the cooler fall weather. Also, be sure to watch for our upcoming guidelines as we move into the cooler weather.
For additional assistance on digestive issues, check out this blog on digestive health.