Getting used to the heat.

[liminal_luke]

Does anybody have any advice or experience about getting used to hot weather? I´m thinking of moving to a hot and humid climate and am a little worried about whether I´ll be able to take it. Historically, I love the cool. When the temperature inches up into the 70s I already wish it was cooler.

 

Anyway, the obvious answer is don´t do it. Unfortunately, there are lots of other reasons why the move makes sense, and really the heat is the only thing holding me back. So...is this something I can acclimatize to over time?

 

Also concerned about the effects on my practice. Would my body build up chi with the same efficiency in a hot climate?

 

Thanks for your thoughts.

 

Liminal

[zanshin]

Good luck and I'm jealous. I am the opposite. Today low 80s and sticky and just getting warm enough. Bones ache with the cold. Now I just have to remember to keep a sweater in the car for the summer in case have to stop at grocery store or some place they crank the AC down. I don't have advice on how to change. Wish I could tolerate cold better, but am good for a few months.

[Andrei]

Definitely your metabolism will change, first of all you will drink less water because of the high moisture content in the atmosphere which you will absorb through breathing. But still you will need water to cool down the heart so instead to drink you could use cooling vegetables like chayote,fuzzy squash, bitter gourd or bitter melon and winter melon. You can make soups of these and hydrate yourself with which will help keeping the body cool because of the bitter taste. Also if you feel you have too much moisture absorbed through breathing you can cook with hot and spicy peppers like chilli, habanero or cayenne pepper. Hot and spicy dries the internal energy so you can maintain a balance between hot/cool and dry/humid. Tropical cultures like mexican cuisine or vietnamese cuisine are using these kind of foods.

 

By the way I am jealous too, I wish I live in a tropical climate. Where exactly will you move?

Edited May 28, 2014 by Andrei

[liminal_luke]

Thanks Andrei,

 

We´re thinking about moving to Puerto Vallarta. Lots of folks think it´s perfect as an escape from snowy climes in the middle of winter, but right now...oh boy, I¨m a little apprehensive. Very fun city with lots to do and plenty of good eats though.

 

It seems kind of counterintuitive, but I´ve heard that the hotter the climate, the more chile people tend to eat. I like spicy food so I´ll have to try that.

 

Do you have an opinion about airconditioning, fans? Even though they´d provide temporary relief, I´m thinking I¨m better off minimizing them from a feng shui as well as acclimatization stand point. Thinking of making myself get out for a walk everyday, probably in the morning, just to my body used to the sun.

 

Liminal

[zanshin]

I am curious if you happen to know and don't mind telling. What wuxing phase(s) predominate in your birth chart? Mine is heavy in metal and water. My younger son hates hot sticky weather, but loves the cold. He is fire predominant and in basement right now because I won't turn on AC- I do make some concessions at times. By wuxing, fiery foods maybe not so good, but if you are fiery person perhaps life near the sea would be.

Edited May 28, 2014 by zanshin

[GrandmasterP]

I worked in South India for five years.

Where we were they have just two seasons.

The hot season.

And

The hotter season.

 

Thing is to live as the locals live which for us meant very early starts to get work done before the cruel heat.

Do sod all between 11am and 4pm and as little as possible after that.

We had no air con but ceiling fans at least moved the hot air from one side to the other.

You do acclimatise eventually.

Coming home on furlough was the pits, I could never get warm in England.

Took me the best part of six months to get back into cold UK weather when the contract was up and I came back for good.

Edited May 28, 2014 by GrandmasterP

[liminal_luke]

Zanshin,

 

I´m not sure about my wuxing phases other than that Taomeow once told me I had almost no metal. I think lots of water although an acupuncturist I used to go to always told me my kidney energy was low. Got a reading from a shaman once (Malidoma Some) who told me I should always live near water. Makes sense. I love the water so maybe being by the ocean will be perfect for me that way.

 

Liminal

[liminal_luke]

GrandmasterP,

 

Interesting that your body changed so that you had a harder time with the cold in England afterwards. Yes, I think I´ll definately do the siesta thing midday. Very Mexican in any case.

 

Liminal

[Andrei]

I am predominantly yang wood and yang water in my birth chart. Which makes me repulsive to wind and cold, so air conditioning is my worst enemy. Too much wood in internal energy means too much wind, and if I have already internal wind, the external wind makes it worse. So I prefer hot and humid climate with very easy ocean breeze if possible. I even prefer cold and humid than cold and windy. In Ayurvedic medicine that makes me a Vata type - excessive air, or wind.

 

You said in another post that you are overweight, which makes me think you are kind of Kapha type (too much earth) and if you like the cold and dislike the heat you may be a kapha-pitta, or earth-fire element combo. So for you is good to eat anything green which relates to the wood-wind element and also bitter taste which cools the heart. Actually you may be suitable for a vegan diet, but a vegan diet with hot and spicy I don't see it how it can be done, except what I recommended you earlier, vegetables soups. Because usually the hot spice should be combined with meat or diary or something oily and greasy which is kapha (earth) by definition. So it's a matter of balance, between contrasts.

[liminal_luke]

Andrei,

 

Your ayurvedic take sounds right to me. The pitta anyway for sure. I have high blood pressure, probably from liver energy rising I think. Some unresolved anger although you wouldn´t know it to meet me--I´m more the holding it in type. The blood pressure resolves when I´m good on my grain-free paleo diet which, unfortunately I haven´t been lately.

 

Will try to include more greens and bitter foods and see what happens.

 

Thanks,

 

Liminal

[thelerner]

In general during meditation I was taught to breathe in and out through the nose. An exception being in a moist hot environment breath in w/ nose but out through the mouth.

[Andrei]

If you have liver issues maybe you should limit the hot and spicy and you may add some sour taste, like lemons, oranges, grapefruits, grapes, maybe vinegar in soups. Sour taste is contracting the energy and in my experience is cooling the liver. Hot and spicy is expanding and drying in the same time.