We naturally crave foods according to the season – comforting soups in the winter, sprouts and salads as spring starts to bloom, and – who are we kidding – ice cream in the summer! Our bodies are always seeking balance, so it makes sense that we’d crave foods to counteract the effect of the weather.

Ayurvedic practitioners, masters of seasonal eating, have these recommendations for eating cooling, summer food:

1. Favor foods that are cool and liquid. Minimize foods that are hot.
2. Favor foods that are sweet, bitter or astringent. Minimize foods that create heat (spicy, salty or sour).
3. Light proteins are best – fish and white meats in small amounts.
4. Coriander, mint, cardamom, and fennel are nice summer spices.
5. Stick with unrefined sweeteners, but minimize honey and molasses.

Since we naturally crave more raw foods in the summer, let’s take a closer look at the uber-cooling Raw Food Diet

You’ve probably heard the words “detox” and “cleanse” a lot recently. They’re pretty big buzzwords in the nutrition field. But what do they actually mean? The words themselves are pretty interchangeable. Let’s start with dictionary definitions from Merriam-Webster.

Cleanse: to rid of impurities by or as if by washing

Detox: to free from an intoxicating or an addictive substance, or dependence on such a substance

Pretty much the same thing, right? So “cleansing” and “detox” mean taking out toxins and addictive stuff, like sugar, nicotine, alcohol, caffeine and chemicals (coined “SNACCs” by detox doctor Elson Haas). But removing toxins is only one side of the cleansing equation. The other side, which is just as crucial, is adding in nutrient dense whole foods. So the formula is simple – reduce SNACCs, increase whole foods.

Now, keeping our formula in mind, there are different degrees of cleansing. You can go out in the desert and live on water for 40 days to cleanse, or you can simply eliminate one food that you rely on every day. It could be your morning bagel, your 3pm mocha latte or the fast-food drive through lane you find yourself in on the way home from work. (keep in mind “extreme” cleansing or fasting can be dangerous and is best done under the guidance of an expert)

Remember, eliminating toxins is only one side of the equation. So you’ve decided which SNACC you are getting rid of. Great! Now what do you add to your daily diet? I suggest green vegetables, and lots of them! Some examples of green vegetables are kale, collard greens, dandelion greens, spinach, and arugula. They are the foods most missing in modern diets, and are loaded with beneficial phytochemicals and cleansing fiber. You may be thinking “But I don’t have time to cook green vegetables.” Not to worry! This month’s Food Focus – wheatgrass – shows you a great shortcut to getting more green veggie power into your diet everyday. If you are opposed to wheatgrass or even in addition to it you should consider adding chlorella to your supplement regimen. Want some more info on greens? Send me a quick email and I will send you some free info!

Wheatgrass first became widely known in the West in the 1930s, when a man named Charles Schnabel began touting its benefits. Schnabel claimed “15 pounds of wheatgrass is equivalent to 350 pounds of the choicest vegetables.” Although science hasn’t proven that claim, it has proven that wheatgrass has one of the highest concentrations of nutrients and is the fastest and easiest grass to grow. The best to way to absorb its goodness is by extracting the juice.

Wheatgrass works by filling nutritional gaps in the diet and cleansing the blood. It is high in vitamins A, C and E, containing the same amount of vitamin C as an orange. It is also an excellent source of essential B vitamins, which are necessary for normal brain and body development. Wheatgrass juice also contains many essential minerals (calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron, sodium) necessary for healthy bones, teeth, hair and skin.

Wheatgrass juice contains natural enzymes, which help the body’s defense mechanism by strengthening cells and removing poisons from the blood stream. It helps eliminate toxins accumulated from eating processed food, breathing polluted air and drinking impure water. Wheatgrass is approximately 70% crude chlorophyll, which can alkalize the body and have a highly energizing effect.

Wheatgrass also has a dilating effect on the blood vessels, allowing blood to flow more easily. This improved circulation means valuable nutrients can be distributed more efficiently throughout the body. It also has an effect on red blood cells, increasing the iron content in the blood.

Where To Get Wheatgrass

- Juice bars sell shots of wheatgrass

- Whole Foods Markets carry frozen wheatgrass juices in individual containers

- Grow your own wheatgrass at home (http://www.growwheatgrass.com/)

How to Take Wheatgrass

- Take on an empty stomach

- Start with a quarter of a shot daily and build up to a full shot, gradually

- Follow with a glass of water

- Mix with other vegetable juices, such as celery, parsley and spinach

From www.wheatgrassforlife.com

Ingredients:

Stalk of celery

4 large spinach leaves

Half cup parsley

2-3 inch round of wheatgrass

1/4 cup water (optional)

Directions:

- Wash greens thoroughly, cut up celery and juice

- Dilute with water if desired

The detoxification formula – toxins out, whole nutrients in – applies to every facet of your life, not just food. Where in your life do you have emotional and physical toxins that you can cleanse? Now is the time to examine your career, your relationships, your exercise and your spirituality. Once you’ve identified toxins to remove from your life, ask yourself where you can add more soul-feeding joy.