Summer holidays and the effect on our digestion

The target reader of this article

Of course, I believe that there are many conscious individuals among our readers who eat responsibly towards their bodies and do not succumb to summer temptations. They may be shaking their heads in disgust right now. However, our article is directed more towards those who are tempted from time to time, or regularly, and then splurge a little on the earnings. However, it can also be read by those interested in the traditional Chinese medicine perspective on potential summer intestinal and stomach problems.

The upcoming summer holidays can be a work peak for our digestion

At first glance, you might wonder what that confusing headline is. In the summer, when lots of healthy local foods are ripening and people have the chance to eat light meals made with fresh ingredients, it's not possible for our digestion to suffer in any way, is it? Now hand on heart, who amongst us hasn't craved a well chilled 12 pack at some point (or more often) while cycling through the countryside? How about some drowned pork or pickled ermine to go with it? Or better yet, how about something on the grill? Or imagine a situation where you linger by the water, get hungry, and there's only a stand on hand where you can either have something fried or take a risk and have a meal that won't be cooked enough in hot weather. Not to mention the fact that over the summer we somehow naturally lose some of our hygiene habits consistently observed during flu seasons.

Summer digestion from the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine

Without going into details, which would be too long, let's just say briefly that summer digestive problems are often associated with a hot Stomach (to distinguish the TCM concept we will capitalize the organs from our "Western" ones), and then also with a weakening of the Spleen, which is responsible for digesting food. As summer is the time of holidays, often various nausea is also associated with excessive "excitement" for the holiday, which is a very emotional issue especially for women, in some cases leading to digestive or bladder problems. In such situations the problems can be traced to the Heart or the Yatra, which are intertwined with emotions in TCM. Not to be outdone, for men, intestinal problems in summer are associated with the release of work stress, when the body finally has some time to go on strike. And that's the end of the gender imbalance.

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What about it?

Summer is the season of the greatest Yang, when Qi is directed upwards and shines sideways. At such a time of year, we should live actively and spend as much time outdoors as possible, preferring short frying or cooking with more water rather than fried "delicacies". We should also limit, for example, fats, salt, coffee and anything with a hot nature that could lead to a hot Stomach. We should include bitter and pungent tastes and foods that are sour and fresh in our diet. To illustrate, here are some general examples of beneficial foods and beverages: buckwheat, corn, sprouts, pasta, oats, mung beans, tofu, watery vegetables, ripe fruits, mint, basil, hot peppers, green tea, or fresh fruit and vegetable juices. Of course, you could argue that we also have Spleen, who doesn't like raw foods very much. Don't worry, she can handle it in the summer.

Magic mushroom supporting the digestive system

In the spirit of Traditional Chinese Medicine, we would also reach for medicinal herbs, including the Chaga mushroom parasitic on deciduous trees, which nourishes the Spleen, promotes defensive Qi, and removes poison and damp heat from the body, which also benefits the Stomach. Its overall effects target the digestive system, while for women it will also support their emotional Liver. If you want to benefit your digestion by using Chaga mushroom, we recommend using only high quality raw material, ideally obtained by the double extraction method.

Synergy of beneficial substances

Because the situation sometimes requires a more complex solution, in such cases it is necessary to reach for a mixture of several medicines. One of them is Mycogastro containing a combination of vital mushroom Hericium, aloe vera, chlorella and liquorice. In terms of Chinese medicine, this blend is used for hot Stomach conditions when its Qi needs to be regulated. Because it simultaneously cools and nourishes Yin, it is an ideal summer blend for digestion. Licorice, in the Western medicine view, supports metabolism, while aloe vera detoxifies and cleanses and chlorella supports vitality and immunity.

What about the kids?

Sometimes digestive problems do not avoid children, who in some cases also suffer from lack of appetite. Because young children require special care, there is a Lamb syrup for them, which from the TCM perspective helps to harmonize the various imbalances of the child's organism by strengthening the energy of the Spleen, harmonizing digestion and promoting appetite.

Finally, we just want to wish you a wonderful summer and a relaxing holiday season for your digestion as well.

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