Sylvie Martin’s journey into Chinese Medicine began with cold feet. An acupuncture treatment cured her of the sensation of wearing “ice boots,” and Sylvie warmed to the ancient practice that’s recognized as a means of preventing and treating disease.
Sylvie trained at the College of Integrated Chinese Medicine in the UK, and at Eight Branches Academy of Eastern Medicine in Toronto, delving into dietary therapy, herbal medicine, cupping, acupuncture, Chi Gong and more. After an internship in China and working in the UK, Sylvie started practicing Acupuncture at The Health Haven Clinic at St Clair and Kenwood.
When shopping, Sylvie focuses on seasonality and an awareness of how people’s different body constitutions mean people need different foods to meet their needs.
At the core, Sylvie says:
“You want your food to be fresh, healthy, and nutritious. You want it to be enjoyable. You want it to look nice. You want it to have the right colours because different colours relate to different elements.”
How I Shop in Summer
In the summer, I focus on cooling and hydrating foods. I buy greens like watercress to nourish blood and remove toxins. I also stock up on fruit like watermelon and cooling legumes like mung beans. Bitter foods like rhubarb, amaranth, and kale clear dampness and help reduce excessive heat.
We’re instinctively drawn to fruit in the summer because it’s fresh, local, and delicious. Still, different kinds of fruit affect different body parts, which also relate to mental, emotional and spiritual health.
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I also add spices like pepper, chilli flakes or Tajin to meals because they bring heat to the body’s surface and help my body temperature match the temperature outside. This reduces the temperature differential from interior to exterior, which makes the heat more comfortable. That’s why people in places like Morocco sip hot tea or why spicy food is eaten in a region known for high humidity, like in the Szechuan province of China. Hot foods, in moderation, help cool the body.
My Secret Ingredient
Capers! Those cute Mediterranean green buds aren’t only delicious–they promote flow and help drain dampness that I might accumulate due to my sweet tooth!
You can throw capers into anything from salad to fish to chicken, and you’re suddenly halfway to chef status :).
How I Eat Throughout the Day
The Chinese medicine clock says that energy moves through different channel systems at different times of the day.
- Morning: This is stomach time, so I tend to eat some protein—I love chia pudding.
- Lunch: 11 am-1 pm is the time of the heart, so I eat a light meal and often have a cup of tea like Chrysanthemum or Peppermint.
- Dinner: This is the time of the kidneys so it’s best to eat something light. A stirfry or fish dish is perfect to wind down the day.
Five Items I can’t live Without
- Capers: Any type will do, but I buy Krinos brand
- Tajin: This Mexican blend of chilli peppers, lime, and sea salt can be used on fruit, veggies, protein, or even popcorn—how can you go wrong?
- Chia seeds: I buy mine ground and use them in chia pudding, adding almond butter, cocoa, coconut milk, banana, cinnamon, and sometimes a bit of maple syrup or vanilla extract.
- Tofu: I haven’t eaten beef since I was 14. I choose organic tofu made from non-GM soybeans.
- Watermelon: It’s hydrating, it’s cooling and it screams summer.