01 General Principle

In the summer, even when we are not sick, we generally have to take in more nutrients. The additional nutrients should come from plant food, scientifically balanced, especially for the old and weak.

As practitioners of life cultivation, we usually elect to eat more protein from fish, meat, eggs, and beans. We also eat more mixed meat-and-vegetable soup. We also eat more fruits in season.

We also tend to eat porridge made from mung beans, red beans, lotus seeds, yam, lily, and red dates. We may mix the ingredients together, depending on our personal taste.

02 Nourish the Spleen

As practitioners of life cultivation, we try to nourish the spleen in the Summer. In other words, we will eat food that will be good for our digestive system. We generally will eat the following porridge.

Spleen porridge

It is prepared with the following ingredients: ginseng, atractylodes, poria, licorice, and white rice.

Combination porridge

It is prepared with the following ingredients: ginseng 9 grams, atractylodes 9 gm, poria 9 gm, licorice 6 gm. We may prepare porridge with the addition of white rice. We may also prepare a soup with the listed ingredients. It is reputed to invigorate the spleen and nourish the stomach.

03 Reduce Inner Moisture

As practitioners of life cultivation, we all guard against excessive moisture in our body in the Summer. The number one dish for getting rid of excessive moisture is Winter Melon Soup. It is reputed to aid in urination, get rid of excessive moisture in the body, reduce swelling, and reduce excessive heat.

The soup is prepared from winter melon (wax gourd) and Japanese yam (Shanyao). The winter melon has tough skin, and the Japanese yam has yellow skin. We are advised to keep the skin on the winter melon, but it takes longer to cook. The yellow skin of the yam has to be peeled off like potato skin.

04 Recommended food dishes

As practitioners of life cultivation, the following dishes are our favorites. Most of them will reduce inner heat for the hot Summer.

Bitter gourd dish. A stew made of minced pork and mustard gourd (bitter gourd). Reputed to dispel summer heat, reduce inner heat, cool blood and detoxify.

Turtle dish. A stew made of turtle meat and ophiopogon japonicus. Reputed to increase body fluid and blood.

Winter melon dish. A stew made of winter melon and corn. Reputed to clear and relieve summer heat, reducing high blood pressure.

Pigeon dish. A stew made of pigeon meat and codonopsis. Reputed to invigorate energy, reduce inner moisture, and lower blood pressure.

Ginkgo dish. A stew made of diced chicken meat and ginkgo fruit. Reputed to lubricate lungs, fortify kidneys, improve breathing, and reduce deficiency.

Lily dish. A stew made of sliced chicken meat and lily bulb (fresh or dried). Reputed to clear inner heat, quench thirst, help in urination, and detoxify the body.

Barley dish. A soup made of barley and winter melon. Reputed to clear inner heat, reduce inner moisture, detoxify the body, and anti-aging.

Pork belly dish. A stew made of pork belly and lily bulb(fresh or dried). It is reputed to improve immunity and may have anti-cancer properties.

Duck dish. A stew made of duck and cloves. It is reputed to increase body fluid and helps with male energy.

Sea cucumber dish. A stew made of sea cucumber, huaishan (dried Japanese yam), and goji berry. Reputed to fortify the kidneys, nourishes the blood, moistens the body, and helps with male energy.

Winter melon dish. A congee made of winter melon and white rice. Reputed to reduce inner heat, cool the blood, detoxify the body, and smooth the vital energy flow.

Gastrodia dish. A congee made of gastrodia (tianma), chrysanthemum and white rice. Reputed to reduce fear, reduce male energy, sooth the liver, and suppress the wind. It is used when we are scared or in fear or in shock.