Hey LA Kind Lifers, are you interested in learning more about being superhero? Or more about macrobiotics? I have posted about Warren Kramer’s cooking classes and lectures before but I just wanted to reiterate how awesome they are! Warren is a macrobiotics wizard who travels around the country sharing health wisdom and cooking delicious food. It’s so inspiring and fun to enjoy a community dinner and find out answers to all the health questions on your mind. It’s just great. Come! We Kind Lifers can even discuss post-lecture what kind of topics we would like him to cover next time he’s back in LA and arrange it!
I am so thrilled to have Warren guest blog today! He will be back this July hosting a lecture about challenges people face in eating well day to day AND a hands on cooking workshop. For more info and to sign up, view the flyer below and/or email warrenkramer@live.com. Over to Warren!
 
—–
Our daily food choices play a significant role in our health and especially our ability to adapt to our environment.  Over time, eating according to the seasons builds natural immunity and increases our vitality.
Naturally as the weather gets warmer we are looking for ways to stay cool and comfortable.  According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, the heart and small intestines are the paired organs that are more active in the summer and are going through a healing process.  It is very helpful to do what we can to support them this time of the year.
The following adjustments will help us transition to summer: reduce oven cooked foods and especially baked flour products, reduce the amount of long cooked dishes, reduce the amount of sea salt, soy sauce and miso in cooking, reduce pressure cooking, reduce the amount of root vegetables used. Increase blanched vegetable salads, steaming, pressed and raw salads and quick sauté. Quick pickles are helpful to keep us fresh during the heat.  Boiled medium and long grain rices as well as basmati rice are helpful.  The lightness of hato mugi and cracked grains like bulgur and polenta will keep us cool. Grain salads and noodle salads are perfect when the weather gets warmer. Lighter soups using sweet white miso or chickpea are wonderful.
Beans prepared in salads and pates are great to balance the heat. Tofu and tempeh do not require much cooking.  Seasonal fruits like berries used in kanten are perfect now.  Try to incorporate the bitter taste to support the heart and small intestine.  This includes: bitter  greens like dandelion and mustard.  Sesame seeds, tahini and quinoa are all bitter.   Pickled vegetables are a must for the small intestine and good absorption.  There is nothing like exercise, laughter and  getting outdoors for a healthy heart.
Enjoy the warmer weather!

Photo Credit: Wild in Arizona