Is It Finally Time for Ice Cream?

As you know, if people are willing, I like to work with them on making healthy dietary choices. A large part of this draws on Chinese medical wisdom to match a person’s constitution and living environment with the right foods that are going to benefit them rather than burden them.

In general, Chinese Medicine tends to favor warm, cooked foods, since these are easier for the Spleen to digest and assimilate. You may remember that the Spleen is the main organ of digestion, energetically speaking, according to Chinese medicine. The Spleen prefers warm and light, rather than cold and dense. Since San Francisco is generally a cool, damp place with lots of summer fog, this is especially true.

So with the heat wave that is currently gripping the San Francisco and the Bay Area in general, is it finally time for ice cream and iced drinks? Well according to Chinese medicine, the answer is still probably no. In Chinese medicine terms, ice cream is probably the worst thing you could eat for the Spleen. It is the trifecta of physically cold, dense dairy and eggs, and sugar. Iced drinks are a little better, but they still can cause a shock of cold to our Spleen.

And yet they taste SO good!….

I’m ALSO a big proponent of moderation in general and indulging from time to time. Constantly denying yourself a pleasure that you love goes against the desire to enjoy life! Part of living life is celebrating from time to time. And if there was ever a time to indulge in these things, it is indeed NOW! Eating and drinking cold foods and beverages when it’s sweltering outside can help offset some of the burden that they place on the system.

So if you’re going to indulge, first find the best quality, best tasting version you can possibly get. Hopefully it’s one with REAL ingredients and nutrients. And then, REALLY taste it, and REALLY savor it and REALLY enjoy it. Forget about the “shoulds” or “should nots” and really slowly and deliberately, indulge! This too will help offset some of the negative effects on the Spleen.

I hope you’re having a great summer so far! Thanks for reading!