Summer is in full swing!
It is the time of year when most plans include travel, outside activities … maybe water-related. This is the energy of Summertime – abundant, hot, and lively. And there is no denying the July summer heat has arrived here in Nashville.
Our body craves shade, water, cooling foods, and drink. Emotionally we crave socializing and want to be with family and friends.This is a natural flow of seasonal energy.
The teachings of Macrobiotic living are about creating balance in our environment. Helping the body flow from season to season will keep you mentally clear and immune strong. Coordinating with nature’s energy at each season and with the abundance it provides will support our body’s seasonal transition. One easy way to do this is by understanding what grows indigenous to our area and eating those foods.
Summer is one of the seasons that provides an abundant harvest of vegetables and fruit; it’s the best time to get as much variety into the diet as possible. This is the time to eat pungent-spicy foods such as arugula, turnip greens, and radishes that promote energy and activity. These types of food produce a cooling effect on the body to balance the summer heat. Spicy foods are to be used sparingly to provide outward dispersing energy which helps cool the body. If you are sensitive to spicy, you can use a milder version, such as lemon pepper or banana peppers.
In Chinese medicine, we learn that each season influences the next. That free-flowing spring Liver energy now can feed the organ system of Summer: the Heart and the Small Intestine. The Heart energy is all about feeling alive – from the physical heart beating in our chest to the flow of blood through our veins, to our mental ability to stay present and focused, and our emotional selves feeling whole and complete. When this energy transfer is balanced, we feel mentally clear and able to process experiences and manifest our Heart’s desires.
When we lack joy in our lives, our heart suffers and we can feel stuck and mentally chaotic. Over-stimulated heart energy can also cause agitation, insomnia, and palpitations. When thoughts and emotions are not properly “digested,” our small intestines become unsettled and digestive disturbances are felt such as flatulence, untimely hunger, pain and pressure, bloatedness, and lack of appetite.
In this month’s cooking class, I will address the heart’s and small intestine’s energy cycle and how to best support them physically through proper food choices and preparations. I’ll also have tips on how to best create mental clarity and manage relaxation with less stress. The heart is an emotional center that carries information to the small intestines. The food we eat directly affects not only our physical function but the way filter our emotions.The small intestines then filter that information by breaking down nutrients through digestibility. How are you feeling? Does your heart feel light or heavy? How is your digestive process?
Join us on Saturday, July 22, for the seasonal cooking class and participate in a palate-satisfying summer meal. I will be discussing details on how to best manage yourself this time of year with an interactive discussion to help answer your questions.Wishing you a fun and safe July!
-Virginia
