Grounded in the Glow of Late Summer

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We are all starting to feel it, the heat is still with us, but something in the air is shifting. The light has softened, the gardens are heavy with fruit, and the pace, though still warm and bright, begins to draw us gently inward. Yang begins to yield to Yin, bringing with it a lingering dampness. Late Summer season is that sweet in-between: a pause between the high energy of summer and the crisp newness of autumn.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, this is The Fifth Season - Late Summer - governed by the Earth element and anchored in the Spleen and Stomach. Earth energy invites us to center, nourish, and ground ourselves. It’s the season of ripening—when we “digest” not just food, but all we’ve taken in over the past months, physically, mentally, and emotionally.

When Earth is balanced, we feel steady, clear, and supported. Digestion flows easily, our mind feels focused, and we move through life with a sense of satisfaction and stability.

When unbalanced, the Spleen’s emotion, thought, can tip into overthinking or worry. This often shows up as fatigue, anxiety, digestive upset, or even a lack of self-care and boundaries. The damp heat of this time of year can also show up as swelling, sluggishness, or skin congestion.

Late Summer is our opportunity to reset and realign, supporting the body’s center so we can move into autumn feeling calm, centered, strong, and grounded.

Ground in the glow of late summer and stay centered with these seasonal tips:

Diet

  • Support Your Digestion – This is the season to favor cooked, warm, and easy-to-digest foods over icy drinks or heavy raw meals, which can burden the Spleen and Stomach.

  • Embrace Seasonal Sweetness – In TCM, the “sweet” flavor (think naturally sweet, not refined sugar) nourishes Earth. Enjoy ripe peaches, melons, cherries, corn, and sweet potatoes in moderation.

  • Damp-Draining & Balancing Foods – Incorporate mushrooms, celery, radish, zucchini, asparagus, spinach, and seaweed to help clear excess dampness from the body. Cooling proteins like turkey, white fish, clams and lentils support balance in late summer heat.

  • Breakfast with Intention – Between 7–9 am, the Stomach’s energy is strongest. Start the day with a warm, substantial breakfast such as congee, oatmeal, or eggs with greens.

  • Daily Digestive Allies – Fire Cider’s: The Digestive and Adrenal Support help strengthen the body’s resilience and keep digestion flowing during seasonal transitions.

Lifestyle

  • Find Your Center – Earth energy thrives on routine. As summer’s spontaneity begins to shift, reestablish regular meal times, restful sleep, and daily routines that ground you.

  • Mindful Intake—Beyond Food – The Spleen and Stomach also “digest” information and experiences. Too much thought or worry can drain this system. Reduce excess screen time, step back from draining news cycles, and choose content that uplifts and inspires. Take some time to sit in stillness. Try our Shower Affirmations Cards: Grounding for a simple way to weave stability into daily self-care.

  • Nurture & Be Nurtured – Late Summer calls us to both give and receive care. Share meals with loved ones, visit your local farmers’ market, or spend slow, meaningful time with people who fill your cup.

  • Calm the Nervous System – Charlotte’s Web: Calm Gummies and Loosely Teas: The Calm offer daily support for stress and anxiety, helping to quiet the mind, ease overthinking, and bring the body back to balance.

Activity

  • Move in the Morning – Between 9–11 am, the Spleen’s energy is strongest, making this an ideal time for gentle but strengthening movement—yoga, Pilates, walking, or light resistance work to keep muscles and circulation vibrant.

  • Seasonal Reset with Acupuncture – Late Summer is the perfect moment to support your Spleen and Stomach with Seasonal Acupuncture. These treatments ease worry and overthinking and anxiety, improve digestion, strengthen immunity, giving you a sense of calm and balance.

  • Seasonal Skincare Reset – Sun and humidity can leave late summer skin dull or congested. Our Vibrance-C Brightening Facial is the perfect treatment to revive and brighten summer’s sun-kissed skin, leaving you looking and feeling firmer, more radiant, and refreshed.

  • Replenish with Magnesium – Our locally made Mg EASE formula blends bio-available magnesium with nutrient-rich grass-fed tallow for deep absorption. Magnesium supports over 300 biochemical functions—including muscle recovery, sleep quality, and stress resilience—making it an ideal ally for the Earth season. Our Magnesium Series includes Magnesium Cupping, Mg EASE Reflexology & Mg EASE Massage.

Late Summer is Earth season: a time to pause, nourish, and strengthen your center. By supporting your Spleen and Stomach, you not only ease digestion but also calm worry, clarify thought, and reestablish the boundaries that help you thrive.