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Coping With Summer Heat
By: Dr. Margret Holland, B.Sc., N.D.
Summer is upon us and the heat can be a definite problem for some. The Chinese have a wonderfully simple method of combating the heat. A broth made from mung or adzuki beans and rock sugar can be extremely effective at decreasing your susceptibility to the hot summer days.
Symptoms of "heat invasion" range from constipation, strong odour to the stools, bloated abdomen, bad breath, lassitude from exposure to the sunshine, flushed face and thirst.
If you find yourself experiencing these symptoms and feeling heavy and tired during the warm summer days you are probably suffering from "heat invasion". If however you experience some of the above symptoms but you have problems with loose stool rather than constipation and you find yourself perspiring a lot and not being particularly thirsty then you suffer from "damp heat invasion".
For damp heat invasion the remedy of choice is adzuki beans. Mung beans are more effective on heat invasion without the concomitant symptoms of the dampness (i.e. lack of thirst, loose stools and profuse perspiration).
The recipe is simple:
1/2 cup mung OR adzuki beans (dependant on symptoms)
1/8 cup rock sugar (available at Fairways market in Nanaimo)
8 cups water.
Wash and soak the beans overnight. Next day add the beans to the 8 cups of water with the rock sugar and bring to a boil. Simmer for several hours until the beans are very soft. Strain the liquid through a coffee filter. Drink 1-2 cups of the liquid per day during the hot spell. You will find yourself not wilting quite the same way, your stools will improve and your breath will sweeten up nicely.
For a consultation, please call me at 752-2732.
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