Summer is the time for cold drinks, pool days and endless popsicles to keep cool. But loading your body will ice cold things may have the opposite effect on your temperature and could even impact your health.
In eastern medicine, there are
“warming foods” and “cooling foods” which have different effects on the body. In the summer months when the temperature is the highest, it is actually better for your body to eat more “warming foods” - however strange that may sound. The reason being, foods that warm the body bring heat that has gone to the extremities and head back to the core. This reestablishes the natural balance of the body by increasing circulation and the flow of ki energy.
This perfect summer salad has a good balance between long-term hydrating foods and warming foods that have the added benefits of flushing toxins and assisting fat in leaving the body while also hydrating deeply!
Watermelon Salad with Cucumber and Mint
Ingredients:
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1 small or ½ of large watermelon cut into bite-sized chunks
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½ cucumber peeled and cut into small pieces (smaller than the watermelon chunks)
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½ red onion finely chopped
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¼ cup fresh mint leaves
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Juice of ½ a lemon
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¼ cup of extra virgin, organic olive oil
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Dash of salt and pepper
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¼ cup of Feta or mozzarella cheese (can be removed for vegan/lactose intolerant diet)
Combine all the chopped/peeled/ready to eat ingredients into a large mixing bowl and put into the refrigerator for 20-minutes so the flavors can absorb and the salad is nice and chill.
Sounds tasty, right? But how do these ingredients work to balance the body’s internal temperature, flush toxins and assist fat in leaving the body?
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Lemons help clear out waste, boost energy, aid in digestion, alkalize, and may even reduce hunger cravings
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Watermelons are 92% water, keeping the body hydrated, and full of nutrients like vitamins A, B6 and C, lots of lycopene, antioxidants and amino acids.
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Cucumbers are 95% water, rich in fiber and have natural diuretic properties which help your body stop retaining water and ease excess bloat. They will also help you feel full so you eat less.
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Mint leaves aid in digestion by reducing symptoms of IBS, relax intestinal muscles so gas can pass (reducing bloating), and improve flow of bile.
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Olive Oil lubricates the digestive tract and binds to waste to improve bowel movements and remove waste lodged in the intestines.
In order for the body to rid itself of toxins, excess waste, fat and even bloating, it must be hydrated. It is easy to become even slightly dehydrated in the summer, so by eating foods that are mostly comprised of water, the tissues and intestines are lubricated and toxins and fat can easily leave the body.
Between the weight loss benefits and the refreshing and delicious flavors, this salad will surely make those hot summer days a little more tolerable.
Do you have a favorite summer dish in your house that helps you stay cool? Share with us and our community below!