Summer is fine by the water, not with water retention

Although not everyone loves summer, it is generally the season most enjoyed by children. This includes, among other things, a lot of time spent by the water, which involves stripping down to swimsuits, soaking up the sun and often eating more or less unhealthy treats. Besides, we have the most energy in summer, the days are long, we spend a lot of time outdoors and we travel a lot. But what does summer look like from a Chinese medicine perspective?

The period of the reign of fire energy

According to the theory of the five elements, summer is ruled by the energy of fire, which rises upwards. Two organs are associated with fire in the concept of traditional Chinese medicine, the Heart and the Small Intestine, which is actually logical, because in summer, with the influx of energy and increased social contact, the heart imaginatively opens up. Also interesting is the connection with the Small Intestine, whose job is to separate the clean from the unclean and to help the Spleen, which is in charge of digesting food. And it is the Spleen, together with the Stomach, that gets a lot of work in certain kinds of summer eating. It's a bit of a vicious circle. The small intestine, with the help of the Spleen, disperses the obtained pure essence into the Heart and Lungs. The Heart, on the other hand, replenishes the Small Intestine with Yang, which in turn supports it with blood. If the Heart does not have enough blood, its Yang increases and heat enters the Intestine, from where fire rises, which can manifest itself, for example, in palpitations or aphthae on the tongue. As a result, the balance is disturbed and bitterness arises in the body. The disturbance of the circulation of the blood in the body is then also related to the swelling of the limbs, which in summer is especially suffered by people with a weak Spleen. Or, it's a soap opera, when to disturb the overall balance it is enough for one to "throw dirt" on the other and the whole cycle of problems starts.

Enjoy the summer in harmony

If you are prone to some of the mentioned (not only) summer problems, it is good to focus on your diet, which according to TCM principles should not contain fried and grilled foods that promote hotness and should not contain too much fat, coffee or salt. On the contrary, bitter and sharp tastes are suitable, which cool and open the pores to let the heat out. And also acidic and fresh foods. Here are a few tips for good summer foods: buckwheat, corn, sprouts, pasta, oats, mung beans, tofu, watery vegetables, ripe fruit, mint, basil or hot peppers.

Helpers who will support the establishment of balance

Sometimes, however, it is necessary to reach into the realm of pharmaceuticals for help. That's why today we're going to introduce three star mushrooms from the order of the chorizocephalic mushrooms, which excel in their ability to cool, clear damp heat and remove moisture. We'll start with the Phellinus mushroom, which has a very bitter taste. And those who were paying attention in the previous part of the article are now at home. According to TCM, the effects of fireweed, as the name suggests for its use in the summer fire season, include cleansing damp heat, cooling the stomach fire, draining phlegm, and reviving the blood. If we deal with ailments typical of the summer season, it can support us by regulating the immune system, relieving allergic reactions, in skin inflammation from damp heat, in the digestive process (diarrhea from improper diet), while it was also used as a diuretic in ancient China.

Women's favourite mushroom

Another mushroom, which by the way is a common ingredient in weight loss blends, is Poria cocos, commonly known as Poria cocos, or Fu Ling. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, one of the main effects of this mushroom is to drain accumulated fluids, which applies, for example, to swelling. Other problems such as diarrhea, discharge, heavy feet, premature seminal discharge or infertility are also related to the drainage of moisture. Another ability of the porn plant is to firm the Spleen (in the Chinese sense), which enables it to address Spleen deficiencies in the form of mushy stools or lack of appetite. Last but not least, there is Polyporus, which in TCM terms, in addition to removing moisture through urination that tends to accumulate in various parts of the body, typically around the ankles, can also support defensive Qi. Plus it contains biotin, which according to orthomolecular medicine supports hair quality and shine.

So don't be afraid to give Chinese medicine mushrooms a chance in addition to foraging in our forests. They won't make you a fry, but they will help you harmonise your body.

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