Energetic Summer according to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is the time period from May 6 to July 19. TCM’s astute observations beginning as early as the 14th–11th centuries BCE tell us that Summer encourages us to live in an emotional state of joy-in-balance. The element associated with Summer is Fire. The color is red and the organ is the heart.
Living in harmony with each season as it comes is integral to TCM philosophy. By doing so, we enjoy higher levels of health and vitality.
To create harmonious living with the season TCM also advocates incorporating the color red into our lives more prominently during Summer and this includes the consumption of red fruits and vegetables. Most red produce is seasonal to Summer, is actually somewhat heart-shaped, and most of it supports healthy heart function. (Remember that the heart is the organ of Summer.) Red fruits and vegetables indicate the presence of high levels of lycopene and other powerful antioxidants proven to be heart disease fighters.
Though all produce offers an entire array of nutritional and health benefits, in this article we’re looking at what red fruits and vegetables of Summer offer cardiovascular health.
Strawberries
With a high polyphenol content (plant compounds that act as antioxidants which neutralize harmful free radicals), strawberries are rich in anthocyanins and have been shown to remarkably help lower your risk of myocardial infarction.
The flavonoid quercetin in strawberries is a natural anti-inflammatory which appears to reduce the risk of atherosclerosis.
Finally, the healthy fiber and potassium content in strawberries supports heart health.
Cherries
“Emerging evidence links cherries to many important health benefits, including a reduction in risk factors for heart disease. A growing body of science links cherries’ red color (provided by the fruit’s powerful antioxidants (anthocyanins) to heart-health benefits related to reducing inflammation, total cholesterol, and belly fat. With more than 80 million Americans living with some form of heart disease, the heart-healthy qualities of eating red fruits and vegetables have more relevance than ever.” —Shari Steinbach, MS, RD in Cherries and Heart Health; https://fruitsandveggies.org/stories/iv-for-021511-shari-steinbach/
Raspberries
Disease-fighting compounds in red raspberries have the ability to fight back against oxidative stress thereby lowering the risk of atherosclerosis development, improving vasodilation of blood vessels, and reducing blood pressure.
What is particularly interesting about the research on red raspberries is “their potential to help reduce factors contributing to metabolic syndrome which has implications for diabetes development and overall cardiovascular and brain health,” so says Britt M. Burton-Freeman, PhD, of the Center for Nutrition Research, Institute for Food Safety and Health, Illinois Institute of Technology.
Tomatoes
Lycopene in tomatoes help lower your levels of LDL or “bad” cholesterol and they help regulate blood pressure, too. Both of these may lower your chances of heart disease. Other nutrients in tomatoes like vitamins B and E and flavonoid antioxidants work to boost heart health as well.
Red bell peppers
Full of lycopene (just mentioned above), consuming red bell peppers can be excellent for heart health. Antioxidant vitamins A and C abound in red bell peppers. If you choose the chili pepper varieties of red bell peppers, the phytochemical capsaicin helps reduce inflammation, another important factor for heart health.
Red beets
“A daily serving of beet juice may improve quality of life for heart failure patients, based on recent findings linking beetroot juice to blood pressure reductions and improved exercise endurance.” —Beet Juice Lowers Blood Pressure and Boosts Exercise Endurance in Heart Failure Patients
Based on recent findings published in JACC: Heart Failure, drinking beet juice may be an effective way for heart failure patients to improve exercise endurance and quality of life.
Red grapes
Resveratrol, a polyphenol in red grapes, have antioxidant, lipid-lowering, and anti-inflammatory properties that contribute to lessening your risk of cardiovascular disease. Eating red grapes helps the body to prevent platelet build-up and reduces blood pressure and the risk of irregular heart rhythms.
Pomegranate
The juice of pomegranate seeds appears to protect the heart and arteries. This sweet red juice helps to improve blood flow and keeps the arteries from becoming stiff and thick. It seems to help slow the growth of plaque and buildup of cholesterol in the arteries, studies show.
“Drinking pomegranate juice daily may also help lower systolic blood pressure. A comprehensive review of randomized controlled trials stated that it would be beneficial for heart health to include pomegranate juice daily.” —Mandy Ferreira and medically reviewed by Natalie Butler, RD, LD in Fifteen health benefits of pomegranate juice, Medical News Today
Red pears
Since pears are high in potassium, they have a significant impact on heart health. Potassium acts as an excellent vasodilator assisting to lower blood pressure. With improved blood flow to all parts of the body oxygen is well delivered to all organs causing them to function more effectively. The high fiber content of pears also ensures good heart health.
THE EMOTION OF JOY
In the seminal holistic healing book, You Can Heal Your Life by Louise Hay, she tells us how blood flow and joy are related. Anger constricts the flow of blood and makes a destructive impact on the heart. The heart and joy or lack of it exist in symbiosis. One begets the other.
Her “dictionary” of diseases and their associated emotions says this about the heart:
“…Represents the center of love and security.
– Heart Attack: Squeezing all the joy out of the heart in favor of money or position. Feeling alone and scared. 'I’m not good enough. I don’t do enough. I’ll never make it.'
– Heart Problems: Longstanding emotional problems. Lack of joy. Hardening of the heart. Belief in strain and stress.”
Summertime can be a joyful time of open hearts and love. Align with the energies of Summer and do everything you can to keep your heart pumping joyfully. Consuming red fruits and vegetables can help in more ways than one.
This blog was originally published on May 27, 2016 but has been extensively updated and expanded on June 18, 2021 for freshness and comprehensiveness.
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Endnotes:
“Strawberries: Benefits, Nutrition, and Risks.” Medical News Today, MediLexicon International, www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/271285#benefits.
“Cherries and Heart Health.” Have a Plant: Fruits and Veggies for Better Health, https://fruitsandveggies.org/stories/iv-for-021511-shari-steinbach/
“What Red Raspberries Can Do For Your Heart.” Labroots. https://www.labroots.com/trending/cardiology/2440/what-red-raspberries-can-do-your-heart
“Beet Juice Lowers Blood Pressure and Boosts Exercise Endurance in Heart Failure Patients. CardioSmart: American College of Cardiology. https://www.cardiosmart.org/news/2016/3/beet-juice-lowers-blood-pressure-and-boosts-exercise-endurance-in-heart-failure-patients
“What are the health benefits of grapes?” Medical News Today. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/271156
“Fifteen health benefits of pomegranate juice.” Medical News Today. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/318385
Hay, Louise. You Can Heal Your Life. Hay House. 2004.