5 Ways to Nurture Digestion in Late Summer (With Recipe)
*photo by Ansh Bhagania
The Fifth Season: Nourishing the Earth Within Us
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) recognises Late Summer as a season in its own right, the fifth (and shortest) of the year. What is the nature, and lesson, of Late Summer? We find a clue when we consider TCM’s theory of the Five Elements.
Briefly, this theory describes the elements that exist in nature - water, fire, metal, air, and earth - and the quality of the life force (or Qi) that flows through each of them. It examines the ways these elements (the macrocosm) relate to each other and express themselves through human beings (the microcosm). Through this framework (which includes correspondences to colour, flavour, direction, and an organ system), we observe these forces within us and learn to identify where imbalances in body, mind, and spirit lie.
The particular element that belongs to Late Summer is Earth, which provides us with our physical and emotional stability, and gives so generously of itself at this time of year. Its colour is the yellow-orange of the many squash and root vegetables available right now, and its taste is sweet, the flavour associated with milk, our first sustenance.
In the same way that Earth nurtures us, this season calls us to nourish and strengthen ourselves after the expansive growth and outer-directed movement of summer, to once again ground and centre ourselves.
*photo by Neslihan Gunaydin
Recognising Balanced & Unbalanced Earth: the Thieves of Late Summer
Our Stomach and Spleen (ST-SP), situated in the very centre of our bodies, have a relationship to Late Summer and the Earth element as well. They are our “hearth”, where we transform the food that we ingest into the very energy that sustains us, and therefore are the organs most in need of attention and regeneration during this season.
The ST-SP is also the system most vulnerable to chronic anxiety and worry, the emotions that reveal imbalanced Earth, when we untether ourselves from the present moment and fixate instead on a what-if, unknowable, future. These organs, as well as our ability to cultivate emotional stability, are supported by eating foods with a sweet essence (more on these stomach-spleen tonics, and a recipe too, below).
When the Earth within us is balanced by wholesome foods in our diet, we experience vibrant energy, strong muscles, good appetite, and regular digestion. We also are able to give (to others and to ourselves) and receive in an appropriate and easy manner, without becoming smothering, controlling or self-deprecating.
However, that same sweet flavour, when it comes in the form of refined sugars and flours, creates in our bodies dampness, also known in TCM as the “Thief of Late Summer”. Excessive dampness robs us of our digestive strength, and shows up as bloating, diarrhea, fatigue, and an inability to focus, as our ST-SP functioning is impaired, and our Earth becomes mud.
*photo by Blair Fraser
Re-establishing our Centre: Five Ways to Nurture our Digestion
This is the perfect time of year to use the following tools and medicines to nourish our ST-SP system and tonify our digestive powers.
Eat Seasonally: The subtly sweet vegetables available now are the very foods that build our Stomach-Spleen energy: pumpkin, carrots, corn, cauliflower and sweet potatoes. Millet, a round yellow grain, also has an affinity with the ST-SP.
Eat Warm: Our Stomach thrives with warm and cooked foods, and is compromised by too much cold and raw. Think simple, comforting, soups and porridges, and cooking methods such as stir frying, sauteeing, and boiling (in addition to summer’s stir-frying and steaming). Add cooked vegetables to salads and be sure to eat them as close to noon as possible, when our digestive fire is strongest.
Drink Warm: For a happy stomach, avoid cold drinks (at least near mealtime). Drinking hot water 30 minutes before eating ignites our digestion. Fennel or ginger tea is also helpful as a digestive aid.
Eat with Consistency: Set aside time to eat; avoid rushing through, or working during, meals. Try to keep regular mealtimes, as digestion is enhanced with a more predictable rhythm. It’s also super beneficial to finish eating at least three hours before bed (ideally having your final meal by 7pm), to give your stomach a chance to rest overnight.
Practice Presence: Sitting in meditation for even 10 minutes a day helps us develop the capacity to stay in the present moment, gently rerouting habits of worrying and overthinking that wreak havoc on our digestion. Acknowledging our blessings is another practice that can counter anxiety and restore a fuller, more grounded, perspective.
A Late Summer Miso Soup
nourishing our belly with sweetness
This adaptation of our beloved miso soup uses the bounty of the season to harmonise our Earth element and support strong digestive function.
1 ½ cup vegetable or mushroom broth (or water)
Small piece of kabocha squash, seeds removed, skin left intact, cut into thin pieces
1 cm piece of ginger, peeled and grated
Olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic
2-3 shiitake mushrooms, minced
Several leaves of chard, chopped finely
¾ cup cooked millet
¼ cup cooked chickpeas
Few sprigs fresh parsley, chopped
Tamari, sesame oil
White miso
Gomasio condiment or toasted sesame seeds
In a small saucepan, add the broth, squash and ginger; bring to a boil and let simmer until tender.
Meanwhile, in a warm skillet, add olive oil and onion and sautee until translucent. Add garlic and mushrooms and cook for several minutes; add chopped chard and continue sauteeing until tender. Add cooked millet and chickpeas; remove from heat once warm. Season to taste with tamari and sesame oil, add parsley, and place in a soup bowl.
When the squash has cooked, remove from heat and add a large spoonful of miso into the broth, stirring until fully dissolved. Pour atop millet and vegetables, and sprinkle with gomasio or sesame seeds.
May you fully utilise and be transformed by these gifts of nature in these last days of summer.