How to Attune to Summer through a Chinese medicine lens
Welcome Summer of 2021… finally! Needless to say, I think so many of us have been waiting for this moment, it looks like things are finally getting back to normal and hopefully they will stay that way, getting better and better with each passing day! So as we move into summer, how do we attune? Summer is a Yang season and is associated with the Heart, Pericardium, AKA “the Heart wrapper”, Small Intestine and the Triple Burner (a Chinese organ that closely resembles the 2nd, 3rd and 4th chakras). Summer is all about luxurious growth and variety. The outside heat and long hours boosts our body naturally and provide additional energy. Summer offers abundance in many forms, including the diet, so many choices with so many things in season! I’m currently munching on fresh strawberries from the farm down the street! Chinese medicine tips! Change up your diet or take a mineral supplement since minerals and oils are sweated out of the body during this season, their loss can cause weakness if they are not replaced by a varied diet. To be in harmony with the atmosphere of summer, awaken very early in the morning, preferably at sunrise. To be more comfortable, drink hot liquids and take warm showers to induce sudden sweating and to cool the body. (Quite opposite of what we normally think!) Don’t overdo raw, cold foods. Summer heat combined with too much cold food like salads and raw fruits can actually weaken the digestive organs, coldness causes contraction and interferes with digestion. Iced drinks and ice cream actually contract the stomach and stop digestion. So enjoy and practice moderation. Cooking tips! Use plenty of brightly colored summer fruits and vegetables. Cook lightly and regularly add a LITTLE spicy, pungent, or even fiery flavor, but not too much! When sautéing, use high heat for a very short time. Side note: olive oil is an unstable oil and under high heat can cause free radicals, try some new stable oils, like coconut (great for the thyroid and detoxifying the blood) or rice bran oil (GREAT oil that has become more popular lately, available at Trader Joe’s. Steam and simmer foods as quickly as possible. Use little salt and more water. Cooling fresh foods for summer are salads, sprouts (mung, soy and alfalfa), fruit, cucumber, tofu (not too much if you have estrogen dominance), flower and leaf teas (mint, chrysanthemum and chamomile), watermelon, lemons and limes. Last note: The hot flavored spices are also considered appropriate in the warmest weather, at first their effect is to bring warmth, but ultimately they bring body heat out to the surface to be dispersed. With heat on the surface, one’s body mirrors the summer climate and therefore will be less affected by it. Red and green hot peppers, cayenne red pepper, fresh ginger, horseradish, black pepper are all idea for this purpose, but if you are allergic to nightshades, do not use peppers, however black pepper is fine since it is not a nightshade. However, be mindful if too many dispersing foods are taken, then weakness and loss of yang will result, and the ability to stay warm and vital in the cooler seasons is lost. That’s all for now. Wishing you a wonderful, fun summer! In health, Christina
The summer season is upon us…
The summer season is upon us… Even though the Bay area doesn’t quite have summer like the rest of the country, the energy and properties of summer still apply! Summer is a yang season and is associated with the Heart, Pericardium (“the Heart wrapper”), Small Intestine and the Triple Burner (a Chinese organ that closely resembles the 2nd, 3rd and 4th chakras). Summer is a period of luxurious growth. To be in harmony with the atmosphere of summer, awaken early in the morning and reach to the sun for nourishment. Summer offers abundant variety and the diet should reflect this. Minerals and oils are sweated out of the body, and their loss can cause weakness if they are not replaced by a varied diet. To be more comfortable, drink hot liquids and take warm showers to induce sudden sweating and to cool the body. Summer heat combined with too much cold food (Ex. salads and raw fruits, remember moderation!) can weaken the digestive organs, coldness causes contraction and interferes with digestion. Iced drinks and ice cream actually contract the stomach and stop digestion. Use plenty of brightly colored summer fruits and vegetables. Cook lightly and regularly, add a LITTLE spicy, pungent, or even fiery flavor, but not too much! When sautéing, use high heat for a very short time and keep in mind, olive oil is an unstable oil and under high heat can cause free radicals, try some new stable oils, like coconut (great for the thyroid and detoxifying the blood), canola and rice bran oil. Also, steam and simmer foods as quickly as possible. Use little salt and more water. Cooling fresh foods for summer are salads, sprouts (mung, soy and alfalfa), fruit, cucumber, tofu (not too much if you have estrogen dominance!), flower and leaf teas (mint, chrysanthemum and chamomile), watermelon, lemons and limes. The hot flavored spices are also considered appropriate in the warmest weather, at first their effect is to bring warmth, but ultimately they bring body heat out to the surface to be dispersed. With heat on the surface, one’s body mirrors the summer climate and therefore will be less affected by it. Red and green hot peppers, cayenne red pepper, fresh ginger, horseradish, black pepper are all ideal for this purpose, but if you are allergic to nightshades, do not use peppers. However, if too many dispersing foods are taken, then weakness and loss of yang will result, and the ability to stay warm and vital in the cooler seasons is lost. CALMING AND FOCUSING THE MIND… The Fire element rules the Heart in Chinese Medicine. This, not only, includes the organ itself but also the concept of the Heart as a mental/emotional center. Those with healthy hearts are friendly and humble. Clarity is a central attribute, they seem to see effortlessly through problems to arrive at brilliant solutions. Symptoms of a heart imbalance are: scattered and confused mind, excess or no laughter, confused speech, depression, loss of memory, poor circulation, insomnia, headache, irritability, palpitations/irregular heartbeat or excessive dreams. We of the ‘information age’ tend to have mental hyperactivity. Energy from excessive thought and worry races through the head while the heart is impoverished. A simple diet with occasional light fasting goes a long way. Avoid VERY spicy foods, refined sugar, alcohol, coffee, late night eating and large evening meals. The following reduce nervousness, treat insomnia and improve mental focus: Oyster Shell (Oyster shell calcium), whole wheat, brown rice, oats, mushrooms (esp. Reishi), oatstraw tea, cucumber, celery, lettuce, quality cow and goat milk, ghee (clarified butter), mulberries, lemons, Chia seeds, dill, basil, chamomile, catnip, skullcap and valerian. Of course, for insomnia, the classic remedy…drinking a cup of milk warm before bed works wonders. Stay cool, Christina Martin, L.Ac. Tao to Wellness Berkeley, CA 510.883.0383
Feeling BBQ’ed out already? Awesome Black Bean Burgers!
Feeling BBQ’ed out already? Awesome Black Bean Burgers! Tao to Wellness In Chinese medicine, we LOVE protein… typically acupuncturists are meat eaters. Meat helps build blood, ground the body and the emotions and regulates the brain (hormones too!) with it’s essential amino acids. Buuuuut, in my older years I’m feeling like eating less and less meat and let’s face it SOY with it’s estrogenic qualities are not a good option, but beans are! These are pure YUM… INGREDIENTS: 2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained 4 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided 1 medium onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup) 1 large poblano pepper, finely chopped (about 1 cup) 3 medium cloves garlic, minced 1 chipotle chili in adobo sauce, finely chopped, plus 1 teaspoon sauce 3/4 cup roasted cashews 1/2 cup finely crumbled feta or cotija cheese 2 tablespoons mayonnaise 1 whole egg 3/4 cup panko bread crumbs Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper Cheese as desired, such as pepper jack, cheddar, muenster, or Swiss (optional) 6 to 8 hearty hamburger buns, toasted (or forget the buns and just have it on lettuce!) Adjust oven rack to center position and preheat oven to 350°F. Spread black beans in a single layer on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Place in oven and roast until beans are mostly split open and outer skins are beginning to get crunchy, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly. While beans roast, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onion and poblano and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add chipotle chili and sauce and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Transfer mixture to a large bowl. Place cashews in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until chopped into pieces no larger than 1/3-inch, about 12 short pulses. Add to bowl with onions and peppers. When beans are slightly cooled, transfer to food processor. Add cheese. Pulse until beans are roughly chopped (the largest pieces should be about 1/3 of a full bean in size). Transfer to bowl with onion/pepper mixture. Add mayonnaise, egg, and bread crumbs and season with salt and pepper. Fold together gently but thoroughly with hands. Patty mixture can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days at this stage. To cook on the grill: Light 2/3 chimney full of charcoal. When all the charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, pour out and arrange the coals on one side of the charcoal grate. Set cooking grate in place, cover grill and allow to preheat for 5 minutes. Alternatively, set half the burners on a gas grill to the medium-high setting, cover, and preheat for 10 minutes. Clean and oil the grilling grate. Form bean mixture into 6 to 8 patties as wide as your burger buns and brush top sides with oil. Place on hot side of grill oiled-side down and cook without moving until first side is well browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Brush tops of burgers with oil. Carefully flip and continue cooking until second side is browned, 3 to 5 minutes longer, topping with cheese if desired To cook indoors: Form bean mixture into 6 to 8 patties as wide as your burger buns. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large non-stick or cast iron skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add 4 patties and cook, swirling pan occasionally, until well browned and crisp on first side, about 5 minutes. Carefully flip and cook until second side is browned, about 5 minutes longer, adding cheese if desired. If cooking more than 4 burgers, cook in batches, keeping cooked burgers on a rack set in a rimmed baking sheet in a 200°F oven while second batch cooks. Spread top and bottom buns with chipotle mayonnaise or other condiments as desired. Add toppings to top or bottom bun as desired. Place patties on bottom buns, close burgers, and serve immediately. Enjoy! Christina Martin, L.Ac. Tao to Wellness Acupuncture Center Berkeley, California