In general, it is essential to include local and seasonal veggies and fruits in your diet. Summer is the season of utmost Yang, and Yang is known to be light and floating. Because of this, your diet should also be lighter in the summer than in other seasons. It even is appropriate to eat a small amount of mildly spicy food, as it induces an upward and outward movement of qi in the body and mimics the movements of summer. Perspiring after eating spicy food can help the body clear heat from the surface too. However, it is important to not eat too much of it otherwise the body may shift into an overly-heated state.
Bitter flavors are commonly associated with the fire element in the summer season. Because of this, bitter foods are best consumed in hot weather!
Some foods to include in your summer diet include:
Apple, lemon, kiwi, watermelon, orange, pear, pineapple, tangerine, cucumber, spinach, tomato, yogurt, wheat, barley, fish, rabbit, mint, dill, cilantro
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