All things for wellness

May 5^th marks the beginning of the summer/fire energy in Chinese Medicine.  Summer time is full of yang energy which allows for things to grow and flourish beautifully. The energy from the heaven descends down to earth and the energy from earth ascends to meet heaven’s energy, they interact and cause things to blossom and bear fruit. The sunlight also facilitates the growth of the body. The classics state that we should be more physically active during summer; therefore one should go to sleep later and wake up earlier. One should not get angry during the summer; it could be harmful to the heart, the fire organ. Summer’s energy is outwardly moving; therefore one should let energy move out of the body through perspiration.                

Summer’s energy is fire which affects the heart and small intestine. One should not miss out on the growing and flourishing of the summer energy otherwise it may lead to deficient heart fire and the body will not be prepared to cope with the coolness of autumn which will lead to disease in the autumn. If you develop a cold during summer means that you did not live in harmony with spring’s energy.

                “To live in harmony with yin and yang means life; to live against it means death. To live in harmony will bring about peace; to live against it will bring about chaos and disease.” “It is important to prevent disease before its attack, which will save time and efforts. When one is healthy, one should not fail to take steps to prevent the possible attack of disease.” (Huang Di Nei Jing; Su Wen Chapter 2)

The Heart – the summer organ

The heart houses our Shen, or mind/spirit. It is also known as the emperor of all the organs in the body. The Heart-mind is responsible for many different mental activities including: thinking, memory, consciousness, insight, emotional life, cognition, sleep, intelligence, wisdom and ideas. It is also responsible for all senses: hearing, sight, touch, taste and smell. Therefore, when the Heart is not in balance all aspects of the body can develop pathologies such as: insomnia, poor memory, depression, mania and speech problems.

Associated Characteristics of Summer/Fire Element

Summer Foods

During the summer enjoy consuming the vibrant colored fruits and vegetables that are in season. Your plate of food should resemble a beautiful, colorful artwork. During the summer, more fluids are lost through sweating; therefore it is important to replace vitamins and minerals with a variety of fruits and vegetables. Cook foods lightly by sautéing or steaming them with a little bit of spiciness and bitterness to keep things moving and ascending. Avoid any heavy foods such as dairy, lots of meats and alcohol. Avoid iced beverages and ice creams as the cold contracts the stomach, stops digestion and causes things to be held in.

Foods that nourish the heart:

Arugula

Asparagus

Cucumbers

Dandelion greens

Kohlrabi

Artichokes

Beets

Olives

Sweet potatoes

Celery root

Radicchio

Brussels sprouts

Dark chocolate

Cocoa

Poppy seeds

Pomegranates

Cherries

Apricots

Almonds

Watermelon

Grilled meats

Flaxseeds

Oats

Paprika

Saffron

Nutmeg

Horseradish

Spring is related to the liver organ in the Chinese organ system. The liver is like an army general, it is in charge of storing blood and ensuring a smooth flow of qi (energy) throughout the body. The qi of the Liver is one of upward and outward movement; it does not like to be constrained. Therefore, during spring it is important to exercise in order to move liver qi and nourish the ligaments and tendons. You can also move liver qi with Qigong, Tai Chi and other breathing exercises. The liver is also very important in our emotional and spiritual life by providing inspiration, creativity, life dreams and a sense of direction in life. If the liver becomes constrained or is not properly nourished then symptoms such as: anger, frustration, menstrual problems, eye problems, and injuries to ligaments and/or tendons may develop.

Associated characteristics of spring:

What the acupuncture classics say about Spring:

“The three months of spring are the period in which things begin to grow out of energy of the past winter. The heavens begin to generate warm energy, the earth begins to develop it and ten thousand things begin to flourish. In spring, it is desirable to sleep late at night, get up early in the morning, and take a slow walk in the yard. In spring one should loosen up one’s hairs and relax one’s body to facilitate the development of one’s emotions. The spring possesses the will to generate. After things have been generated, do not destroy them. One should assist things rather than taking them away; one should award the growth rather than punishing it. This is the rejuvenating lifestyle for rejuvenation to maintain in response to spring. To live a lifestyle contrary to the spring will cause injuries to the liver and one will suffer a cold disease in the summer that follows.”

(Source: Huang Di Nei Jing Su Wen Chapter 2 translated by Henry Liu)

 

Spring foods that focus on detoxifying and strengthening the liver and gallbladder:

Liver of any animal

Vinegars

Lemons

Oranges

Sour cherries

Blackberries

Blueberries

Strawberries

Lychees

Sesame seeds

Butternut squash

Artichokes

Arugula

Bamboo shoots

Beets

Chard

Cucumbers

Dandelion greens

Pickles

Spinach

Tomatoes

Foods to avoid:

Alcohol

Coffee

Dairy

Food colorings

High saturated fats

Margarine

Pizza

Preservatives

Sugar

The Fall Season and Chinese Medicine

“The three months of autumn which run from fall equinox (September 23) to winter solstice (December 22) is a time which the shapes of everything are formed gloriously and peacefully. The cold energy is moving up swiftly, and yang energy is descending.  Autumn energy is peaceful and clear, which is why it is desirable to sleep early and wake up early in order to enjoy the clear energy of the early morning.  The lung corresponds to autumn, whose emotion is sadness and grief. The lungs should remain clean and clear to stay in harmony with the autumn energy. When we suffer sadness and grief during autumn it causes harm to our peaceful energy which may lead to disease. A good lifestyle to follow for autumn is rejuvenation and harvesting, harvesting and storage of the warm, yang qi of summer.  If autumn fails to harvest then there will be nothing in storage for winter and when winter arrives there will not be enough warm, yang qi and one will suffer diarrhea with undigested foods”. (Source: Huang Di Nei Jing Su Wen – Chapter 2 by Henry Lu).

As indicated by ancient texts, one of the beautiful features of Asian Medicine is learning how to live harmoniously with our environment and seasons. We can look to nature to learn what fall is about and how to adapt our lifestyle for fall. As the energy in trees begins to retreat inwards, we see the changing of colors and drying out of the leaves. Eventually those leaves fall down, back to the earth, to provide warmth and protection in order for the roots in the ground to survive through the cold of winter. The bare trees go dormant for the winter, conserving its energy for a flourishing spring season.

Fall is the time of transition and change. It is between summer (warm/yang energy) and winter (cold/yin energy) when your Wei qi (immune system) becomes weaker and unstable. It is corresponds with the Metal element which is associated with organization, communication and “letting go”. This is the time when we start retreating inwards, physically and emotionally.  For many, this inward retreating (reflecting) triggers sadness, the emotion of the lungs in Asian Medicine. If the lungs are weak, one will experience inappropriate amounts of sadness or no emotion at all. This is a good time to organize thoughts and emotions and let go of any negative emotions you may be hanging on to. Otherwise the lungs will further be weakened by sadness and grief and disease will manifest.

When the lungs are weak one will be more susceptible to respiratory illnesses such as: colds, flus, coughs, allergies and asthma. The paired organ to the lung is the large intestine. If the lungs are weak, it may also affect the large intestine leading to constipation and other bowel problems.

Dryness is also associated with the fall season in Asian medicine. Symptoms of dryness include: cough, dry skin, dry lips and scalp, dry nose, sore throat or dry stools. These can be alleviated by eating yin nourishing and moistening foods.

Here are some warm and nourishing foods and herbs to add to your fall diet:

    Apple

    Banana

    Beets

    Bell pepper

    Bok choy

    Broccoli

    Brussels sprouts

    Cabbage

    Carrot

    Cauliflower

    Cinnamon

    Cranberry

    Figs

    Garlic

    Ginger

    Grapes

    Horseradish

    Leeks

    Pears

    Persimmons

    Plums

    Pomegranate

    Pumpkin

    Red cabbage

    Rosemary

    Sage

    Spinach

    Thyme

    Whole grains

    Wild rice

    Winter squash

    Yam