Summer and Chinese Medicine

As the summer rolls around again, it’s good to get a reminder on how hot weather affects your body. The more you know, the better you can adjust.

Seasons and the Elements. Each season is associated with an Element/Phase in Chinese Medicine. Summer is ruled by the Fire element and is expressed in nature as well as the body. Growth, joy, and spiritual awareness between the heart and the mind are the focus during this season.

Summer-heat belongs to the element of fire and is predominant during the summer season. The element is associated with the Heart, Pericardium, Small Intestines and related to the tongue. Emotionally, this element is associated with the mind and its stability. The Heart is the “seat” of the mind and therefore, its highest expression is love. Enthusiasm, warmth in human relationships and conscious awareness.

Imbalance. When unbalanced, we either lack joy (depression) or have an excess of joy (manic). Fire is symbolic of maximum activity or greatest Yang; nature is at its peak of growth, and motion is upward. Anxiety, agitation, nervous exhaustion, heartburn and insomnia are other indicators of imbalance in this area.

Equilibrium. Physically, when the fire element is balanced, the heart properly governs and circulates the blood and insures proper assimilation of the beginning breakdown of food in the intestines. Emotionally, when the Heart is balanced, sensitivity and expression, true fulfillment and equilibrium between heart and mind are our greatest rewards.

Getting an acupuncture treatment. It is really worth your time to come in for a treatment at least once a season, to make sure you can stay balanced and maintain optimal health.