June | Bold

Live on this precious earth, where the sun is strong and the water waves are gentle. -Haizi, “Living on this Precious Earth”

Wellness tips for the Summer Solstice

On the day of Summer Solstice (on June 21 this year), the sun almost directly shines on the Tropic of Cancer. Daytime lasts the longest in the northern hemisphere in the whole year, and after this day, daytime gets shorter and shorter in the northern hemisphere. For example, there are 15 hours of daytime in Beijing, the capital city of China.

The crops grow very fast after the Summer Solstice. Lotus flowers are blooming, and cicadas are singing. The ground is heated, air convection is strong, and thunderstorms are often formed in the afternoon and evening, which is why there is a famous phrase in Chinese—“Sunrise in the east and rain in the west.”

Eat Noodles at Summer Solstice

New wheat is harvested after the Summer Solstice; hence there is a custom of making and eating noodles made of wheat on the Summer Solstice. The long noodles resemble the long day of the Summer Solstice. In ancient times, hand-rolled noodles would be boiled, put into a basin filled with cool water, and then placed in a bowl after the noodles had cooled down. They would be topped with prepared marinade/toppings and served with small dishes.

Calm our mind to overcome Yin deficiency

Losing too much water due to too much sweat is likely to cause Yin deficiency in our body. As a result, we are easily agitated, lose our appetite, and are sleepy and tired. We should eat light diets and try calming our minds through methods such as reading books, doing yoga, and meditation.

Get hydrated regularly to prevent heatstroke

With the arrival of the Summer Solstice, many people experience general drowsiness and fatigue and headaches, also known as “heatstroke.” That is because the temperature is quite high during this period; the body can only sweat to dissipate heat. Also, the temperature outside the body is higher than the body surface temperature, causing a large amount of water loss in the body. If you do not replenish water in a timely manner, the body’s blood volume will decrease, and the brain will not have enough blood supply, which will result in dizziness and headaches. Many people are used to drinking iced drinks in summer, but please note this will increase the burden on the stomach and intestines, and you are more likely to get diarrhea. Therefore, it is better to drink room temperature or warm water.

Take a medicated bath and try mild exercises

A medicated bath opens pores, improves blood circulation, eliminates fatigue, improves immunity, eliminates accumulated toxins in the body, and helps restore and raise Yang energy. In terms of exercises, it is better to do workouts in the early morning or when the weather is cooler to exercise. Places such as parks, riversides or lakesides, where you can breathe fresh air, are good venues. Exercise time should not be too long, and intensity should not be too high. Try to choose milder exercises such as walking, jogging or yoga.

Special menu for the Summer Solstice

Bitter or sour food is recommended for the Summer Solstice diet. It can strengthen the spleen and protect the liver. In hot weather, people’s digestive function is relatively weak. Hence, the diet should be light and should not be too fatty or sweet.

Recommended food

Bitter gourd, duck, ginger, green beans, lotus root, lychee, plum, watermelon, eggplant, tomato

Diet during the Summer Solstice should not be too cold, and you should also eat more of the warm and tonic food. For example, ginger and green onions can drive away the Yin coldness in the stomach and can also supplement the Yang energy.

Food to avoid

Lamb, seafood, mao clam, raw garlic, chili

The weather is hot and unbearable, easily causing loss of appetite and sleepiness. Eating spicy food to increase your appetite is not recommended, as doing so will instead stimulate the stomach and intestines, causing gastrointestinal discomfort, diarrhea and other symptoms.

Recommended Recipe: Red bean and lotus seed soup

Ingredients: Red beans, lotus seeds, tangerine peels, rock candy, water

Wash red beans, soak them in cold water for 1 hour, and set aside.
Soften the tangerine peels and lotus seeds by soaking them in water and set aside.
Pour water into the rice cooker, put red beans, lotus seeds and tangerine peels into the rice cooker, and cook for about 1.5 hours.
Add rock candy, and you are done.

CHINA MOONSHOT RESOURCES

- To view more June China Moonshot Content, you can visit the following links: Ready for Harvest and Summer Solstice.
- Customize The Wellness Moonshot: Contact Kendra Kobler ([email protected]) for specific ways to tailor The Wellness Moonshot branding assets and educational materials to meet the needs and aspirations of your company, community or country.