Montpellier experiences increasingly intense heatwaves every summer, and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) offers lesser-known approaches in the West to help the body better cope with heat.
Far from usual reflexes—full air conditioning, ice-cold drinks, cold showers—Chinese medicine in Montpellier offers a more subtle approach, based on diet, lifestyle habits, and massage, to maintain a livable internal temperature without exhausting the body.
Discover how Chinese dietary therapy can help you naturally cool your body, which foods to favor or avoid, simple habits to adopt during heat peaks, as well as the benefits of Chinese Tuina massage, Chi Nei Tsang and foot reflexology to better experience summer.
How does Traditional Chinese Medicine help the body better cope with summer heat?
During my Chinese Massage sessions in Montpellier, a personalized energetic assessment allows you to be guided with advice in Chinese dietary therapy, in order to prolong the effects of the treatment and promote a return to balance, according to the principles of TCM.
Here are some Chinese dietary therapy tips adapted for summer.
Chinese dietary therapy to cool the body in summer
Traditional Chinese Medicine is notably based on the theory of the Five Elements: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water, which continuously interact within the body.
During heatwave periods, TCM considers that Fire is in excess, which can cause agitation, fatigue, sleep disorders, or a feeling of internal overheating.
The goal is then to rebalance the body by acting on three complementary axes:
- supporting the Water element to temper Fire
- activating the Metal element to promote regulation and elimination
- strengthening the Earth element to stabilize digestion and energy
木 Wood: slowing down movement to avoid intensifying internal heat
Wood is associated with movement and expansion. In summer, excessive activity can intensify the rise of internal heat.
It is therefore recommended:
- to reduce intense physical exertion (to avoid dispersing Qi and depleting Blood)
- to prioritize rest and gentle movements (to allow Qi to recentre and stabilize energy)
- to practice light stretching (to circulate Qi without causing an excessive rise in energy)
In terms of diet, sour flavours and green foods can be beneficial (they help support Liver function and the circulation of Qi), but they should be balanced to avoid worsening internal agitation and stress.
火 Fire: limiting foods and cooking methods that increase internal heat
Highly heating foods such as coffee, strong spices or grilled foods should be consumed in moderation, as they increase internal heat and tire the body. Conversely, drinks such as green tea can help cool the body without exhausting it.
Red-coloured foods are traditionally associated with the Fire energy in Traditional Chinese Medicine. It is therefore preferable to choose those that are both red and rich in water, such as bell peppers, cherries or red fruits, in order to nourish this energy without excess.
Finally, gentle cooking methods such as steaming, boiling, or light dishes should be preferred, as they preserve the Yin of foods (hydration, freshness) and limit the formation of internal heat.
土 Earth: supporting digestion to promote the elimination of heat
Heat strongly tires the digestive system. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, tonifying the Earth means strengthening the Spleen and the digestive system, which are responsible for extracting and transforming nutrients and fluids.
Simple and easy-to-digest foods should be favored:
- cereals: rice, oats, buckwheat (easy to convert into stable energy without overloading digestion)
- soft fruits: melon, apricot (hydrating and gentle on the Spleen, they provide freshness without blocking digestion)
- light cooked vegetables (already “pre-digested” by cooking, they require less energy from the digestive system)
属 Metal: promoting the natural elimination of heat and toxins
Contrary to popular belief, spicy foods are not always warming. Red chilli pepper, for example, has a rather cooling effect: its pungent taste pushes outward, opens the pores and promotes sweating, which helps to release heat from the body.
We will favor foods that are both spicy and cooling: radishes, horseradish, fresh onions.
These foods help move Qi outward and release excess heat from the body.
水 Water: hydrating and remineralizing the body to better cope with heat
The Water element is nourished by seafood products—fish, seaweed—as well as black foods (traditionally associated with the Kidneys in TCM), such as black sesame, black rice, black beans, and black mushrooms (such as shiitake).
Legumes also play a key role: their mild to bland taste tonifies the Earth, their cooking provides a lot of water to the body, and they are rich in minerals.
Why should excessive cold be avoided during hot weather according to Traditional Chinese Medicine?
- A common reflex is to consume more cold foods and iced drinks to fight the heat. Traditional Chinese Medicine warns against this habit: the body functions internally at 37°C, a temperature it constantly strives to maintain.
By consuming too much cold, the body must expend energy to rewarm itself internally, which weakens its ability to digest and regulate its temperature.
Long-term result:
- digestive disorders
- water retention
- fatigue
- loose stools
Discomforts that can persist well beyond summer, into autumn, winter and the following spring.
- The solution is not to eat very hot foods, but to favor warm, cooked foods, so as to remain cooling without shocking the digestive system with cold.
Chinese Medicine in Montpellier: massages to better cope with heat
Before discussing Chinese Medicine Massage, it is interesting to understand certain areas of the body that are particularly sensitive to heat.
In TCM, certain superficial regions, where blood vessels are close to the skin, make it easier to promote thermal regulation and are therefore key areas for cooling the body:
- joints (elbows, knees, wrists, ankles)
- the base of the neck
- the crown of the head
- along the spine
- Applying a cool cloth or lukewarm water to these areas—wrists, inner elbows, behind the knees, neck or crown of the head—can help relieve the sensation of heat and support the body’s natural regulation.
The neck in particular holds an important place in Traditional Chinese Medicine, as cooling it helps bring excess heat down toward the lower part of the body.
Tuina Massage
Tuina is a massage technique from Traditional Chinese Medicine that acts on meridians and acupuncture points through pressure, kneading, and body mobilisations.
During heatwaves, Tui Na can be oriented towards dispersing internal heat and regulating the energetic system. The work focuses in particular on certain key points traditionally used in TCM to cool the body and calm excess Fire.
Among them, for example:
- Quchi LI11, located at the elbow crease, known for its action on heat and inflammation
- Hegu LI4, between the thumb and index finger, often used to regulate the circulation of Qi and disperse heat
- Dazhui DU14, at the base of the neck, an important point for releasing excess heat from the body
- Neiguan PC6, on the forearm, which helps calm internal agitation and regulate the heart
Treatment can also include drainage areas such as along the spine and the Bladder and Large Intestine meridians, in order to promote circulation and the elimination of excess related to summer heat.
Finally, the use of Chinese cupping (hijama, cupping therapy, cupping massage) is also a key technique to expel heat from the body during a Tui Na massage in summer.
Chi Nei Tsang abdominal massage
Chi Nei Tsang is an energetic massage from Traditional Chinese Medicine that acts directly on the abdominal area, considered the centre of transformation and regulation of emotions and digestion.
It is a deep abdominal massage aimed at harmonising the internal organs, particularly the Spleen and Stomach, which are essential for proper digestion without becoming exhausted during summer.
During periods of intense heat in Montpellier, digestion is often more fragile; this treatment helps restore proper circulation of energy and fluids in the abdomen, and reduce bloating linked to a sometimes overly cold diet.
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, impaired digestion can lead to the accumulation of internal heat and dampness, resulting in:
- restlessness
- heaviness
- mental agitation
- a general feeling of overheating
- constipation or diarrhea
- abdominal pain or distension
Chi Nei Tsang therefore aims to release deep tensions in the abdomen, stimulate the internal organs (Spleen, Stomach, Liver and intestines), and improve the circulation of Qi in the abdominal area.
Through gentle, deep and progressive pressure, this massage helps to relieve congestion in the digestive system, reduce feelings of heaviness, and support the body’s ability to regulate its internal temperature.
Chinese foot reflexology
Chinese foot reflexology is a massage technique that works by stimulating reflex zones located on the feet, which are connected to all the organs and systems of the body according to the principles of Chinese Medicine.
In foot reflexology, stimulating the areas corresponding to the Heart, Kidneys and Spleen helps act simultaneously on several essential mechanisms: calming Fire, strengthening Water and supporting Earth, in order to better regulate internal balance during periods of intense heat.
During heatwaves in Montpellier, this treatment is particularly beneficial, as the feet are often an area where heat and fatigue accumulate at the end of the day.
Working on reflex zones helps support the elimination of excess internal heat, improve drainage, and promote an overall feeling of lightness.
These zones are particularly targeted during foot massage:
- the Kidney area, linked to fluid regulation and internal hydration
- the Heart area, involved in managing internal heat and mental agitation
- the Spleen and Stomach area, essential for preventing the accumulation of dampness and heaviness
Foot reflexology is therefore a particularly pleasant treatment during the summer in Montpellier.
Traditional Chinese Medicine tips for better coping with summer in Montpellier
Adopting these principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine makes it possible to face heatwaves in Montpellier with a better-prepared body, capable of regulating its own temperature without becoming exhausted.
These approaches, passed down for centuries, offer a complementary alternative to Western reflexes in the face of heat, by working with the body’s natural functioning rather than against it.
- Reduce intense physical activity and prioritize rest and gentle stretching.
- Limit coffee, warming spices, grilled foods, and fried foods.
- Favor boiling, steaming, or blanching methods.
- Add a touch of fresh spiciness (radish, onion, mild chilli) to open the pores.
- Eat grains and soft fruits in moderation to support digestion.
- Remineralize with sea salt and legumes.
- Avoid excessive ice and very cold drinks.
- Cool on the surface (wrists, neck, crown of the head) rather than internally.
- Get a massage!
I welcome you to my Chinese Massage studio in Montpellier, located near the Bois de Montmaur. There you will discover a calm, authentic and soothing environment, conducive to relaxation and reconnection with oneself.
Studio’s Adress
2146 route de Mende, 34090 Montpellier
(Tramway 5 – CNRS / Zoo de Lunaret stop – Bois de Montmaur parking lot)
Home visits are available within a 20 km radius of Montpellier, provided that convenient parking is available nearby, the property is easily accessible (with a lift if located on an upper floor), and there is a quiet, clean, and sufficiently spacious area for the session.
This article presents principles derived from Traditional Chinese Medicine for informational purposes and does not replace professional medical advice, particularly in cases of extreme heat or risk of heatstroke.
Chinese massages do not in any case constitute a medical diagnosis. They do not replace physiotherapy or medical follow-up provided by a general practitioner, specialist, or any other qualified healthcare professional.
Traditional Chinese Medicine is recognised by the WHO, alongside naturopathy and Ayurvedic medicine.
