Summer is the season of the Fire Element and this week in southern Australia the full heat of summer is baking us to a crisp. In a four-day heatwave this week, temperatures in Adelaide reached 43 degrees on two of the days. I have certainly not turned on my oven to add to the baking, nor am I thinking of hot soups and stews. These were the fare of winter, that cold season that seems impossible to conceive amidst the heat of summer.
Heat is one of the six pathogenic factors that can enter the body in several ways. Firstly, through prevailing climate, often accompanied by wind or damp; secondly, an imbalance in the organs or a deficiency of fluids; and thirdly through eating foods that generate heat, or exacerbate existing internal heat.
Five of these six environmental factors align with the Five Elements, cold to Water, wind to Wood, heat to Fire, damp to Earth, and dryness to Metal. The sixth factor is summer heat which is specific to hot climates, and which is roughly equivalent to the effects of heat stroke. Regulating heat and fluid balance in the body is a function of the Triple Heater, one of the four Fire organs.
As warming foods are recommended to counter the cold of winter, so cooling foods balance the external heat of summer. Foods to avoid in the summer heat include oily, fried and spicy foods which are all hot. Rather, eat food that is raw, lightly steamed or rapidly stir-fried. These cooking methods are less likely to create heat. Fruits that are cool or cold include apple, avocado, banana, blueberry, grapefruit, kiwi, all citrus, mango, pear, strawberry and watermelon. As for the cool vegetables, go for asparagus, beets, bok choy, celery, cauliflower, cucumber, eggplant, lettuce, mung bean sprouts and zucchini. Grains that are cooling include barley, buckwheat, millet, and wheat. Teas that are cooling are mint, lemon balm, hibiscus, jasmine, matcha and green tea. Alcohol is hot so consume in moderation and in combination with cooling foods.
As we saw in the Winter Food post, most animal protein is warming, especially lamb and beef. Protein sources that are cooling or neutral include tofu, seitan (wheat protein), most fish, pork, liver, rabbit, eggs, cheese and yoghurt.
The flavour of Fire is bitter, and bitter foods benefit the Fire organs of Heart and Small Intestine. Many bitter foods are medicinal including bitter greens such as rocket (arugula), mustard greens, dandelion, collards, radicchio, endive, chicory and watercress. Cacao and dark chocolate are helpful in small amounts. But as with any food, overindulgence has negative effects, often on other organs.
The Neijing Suwen chapter 10 observes, “It is said that the heart is benefited by the bitter taste, However, this never implies that one may overindulge. Overindulgence in bitter food will cause the skin to become shrivelled and dry and the body hair to fall out.” Elsewhere in chapter 3 it warns, “Too much bitter taste disrupts the spleen’s ability to transform and transport food and causes the stomach to digest ineffectively and become distended. The muscles and tendons may become scattered.”
The colour of the Fire Element is red, so red foods support the Heart and Small Intestine. Tomatoes, beets, red lentils, strawberries, goji berries and watermelon are particularly helpful as they are also cooling or neutral. Other red-coloured foods such as red pepper (capsicum), cherries and raspberries, while warming, provide the splash of red colour that brings a dish to life.
Above all it is crucial to stay hydrated in the heat. If your urine starts to turn dark, it’s time to drink cool fluids. Avoid very cold drinks and drink fluids frequently in smaller amounts. Chugging a litre of water quickly will be less hydrating than sipping it over a couple of hours.
Enjoy the rest of the summer. Stay cool, and I’ll be back soon for a look at the foods of the Earth Element whose province is the late summer.
