Home | Learn Ayurveda | 10 Good Eating Habits | Eating for the Season

Dog Days of Summer: Why Our Appetite Gets Lazy Written by John Joseph Immel, Asheville, NC

While we enjoy summertime laziness amongst the abundant harvest of fruits and foods our bodies inner workings are busy adapting to the heat! Just beneath the skin capillaries are dilated and filled with blood releasing sweat and heat through the pores. The hot dog days of summer pull our blood to the surface of the body. Cheeks get red and flushed and the heart beats faster.

Blood supply is limited in the body. Wherever you see redness it means the blood is working there. Blood likes focus! In summer keeping the body cool takes priority over eating. When blood comes to the surface there's less blood for the digestive tract. When the summertime heat is high, appetites are low!

Large meals should be avoided. Vata will still need heavy and protein rich foods but they should be eaten in the cool mornings instead of lunch. Lunch should be lighter and cooling with cilantro, dark leafy greens. Pomegranate juice with lime and salt is an excellent way to quench thirst in the afternoons. Dinner should be light.