TCM, Summer + the Fire Element

Happy Summer!

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), each season is associated with specific elements, organs, emotions, and health practices to maintain harmony and balance. Summer, governed by the Fire element, is a time of abundance, activity, and outward energy.

Here’s how TCM approaches health during the toasty summer season:

Characteristics of Summer in TCM

Element: Fire

The Fire element represents heat, growth, and movement. It’s the most yang of all elements, indicating maximum activity and expansion.

Organ Systems: Heart and Small Intestine

The Heart is considered the "Emperor" of the organs, governing blood circulation and housing the Shen (spirit or mind).

The Small Intestine helps separate clear from turbid, playing a crucial role in digestion and assimilation.

Emotion: Joy

Joy is the emotion associated with the Fire element and summer. Balanced joy supports emotional health, while excess or deficiency can lead to disturbances such as mania or depression.

Color: Red

Red symbolizes the vibrant energy of summer and the Fire element.

Climate: Heat

Summer is characterized by warmth and heat, which can invigorate but also deplete bodily fluids and energy if excessive.

Health Practices for Summer in TCM

Food Therapy:

Emphasize light, cooling foods to counterbalance the heat. These include watermelon, cucumber, tomatoes, and leafy greens.

Incorporate bitter foods like dandelion greens and bitter melon to promote heart health and digestive functions.

Avoid overly spicy, greasy, and heavy foods, as they can add internal heat and burden the digestive system.

Hydrate!!

Increase fluid intake to replenish the body's moisture lost through perspiration. Herbal teas, such as chrysanthemum tea, can have cooling properties. Include electrolytes like coconut water, as well.

Avoid excessive consumption of cold drinks and ice, which can impair digestion by introducing cold and damp to the digestive system- this puts out our digestive fire!

Activity and Lifestyle:

Engage in moderate outdoor activities to align with the yang energy of the season, but avoid excessive exertion during peak heat times.

Rise early and go to bed later, mirroring the longer daylight hours. Take midday breaks to rest and prevent heat exhaustion.

Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine:

Focus on points and herbs that support the Heart and Small Intestine, regulate heat, and enhance blood circulation.

Common points used include Heart 7 (Shenmen) for calming the spirit and Small Intestine 3 (Houxi) for clearing heat.

Herbs like mint (Bo He), honeysuckle (Jin Yin Hua), and chrysanthemum (Ju Hua) are often used to clear heat and toxins.

Emotional and Mental Health:

Foster activities that bring joy and social interaction, as summer is a time for outward expression and connectivity.

Practice mindfulness and relaxation techniques to balance the high energy and prevent overstimulation.

Seasonal Disorders and TCM Approaches

Heatstroke: Symptoms include dizziness, headache, and nausea. TCM recommends rest, hydration, and cooling herbs.

Skin Issues: Heat and dampness can lead to rashes and other skin problems. TCM uses cooling herbs and acupuncture to clear heat and resolve dampness.

Digestive Problems: Overindulgence in cold and raw foods can impair digestion. Herbs like ginger and acupuncture points on the stomach meridian can help restore balance.

By following these principles and adjusting lifestyle and dietary habits, TCM aims to harmonize the body with the season, promoting health and well-being during the vibrant summer months. And of course, contact your acupuncturist if you could use a seasonal tune-up! (843) 790-4295

TCM Food Therapy for Summer Wellness

Summer is just around the corner! Beach days, barbecues, and pool hangs are calling our name. The energy of the season is all about joy, connection, expansiveness, and fun. To enjoy the season to its fullest, TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) teaches us how to live in harmony with the season and the feisty element of Fire. Whether you thrive in the heat or want to melt away, this TCM Summer Food Therapy guide is for you!

“Without the knowledge of proper diet, it is hardly possible to enjoy good health.”

— Sun Si Miao, Tang Dyansty Dietitian

Food therapy plays a major role in how we can maintain good health year round. In Chinese Medicine, every food has its own property and temperature and powerful medicinal ability. The key to thriving in the Summer is to include a diet that clears heat, resolves dampness, and strengthens the digestive system and Spleen Qi.

Summer is the most Yang time of year. That means both nature and our bodies are at its pinnacle of warmth and activity. Here in the Lowcountry, Summer brings a good dose of heat and humidity on the daily. In Chinese Medicine, we refer to this as Summer-Heat. It’s not just hot. There’s a damp quality, too, that can leave us feeling lethargic and sluggish on the brightest, sunniest days.

Summer corresponds to the Fire element and the Heart and Small Intestine meridian system. Late Summer brings in the Earth element, and the Spleen and Stomach meridian systems. If our body is in balance, we feel joyful and energized by the summer’s sun and maintain good health.

Signs that our body is out of balance with the Summer season include increased anxiety and agitation (an unsettled heart/spirit), rashes and skin irritation, GI issues, fatigue and lethargy, swelling/edema, and insomnia and sleep disturbance. Eating the right foods can help our body find its homeostasis and being us back into balance.

Following TCM Dietary Guidelines does wonders for our seasonal health and physical/emotional well-being. Enjoy our free guide for Summer-time food therapy!

Why Fall is the Perfect Time to Tidy Up

(as published in Dao Labs’ “The Way”, Sept. 2021, by Lauren Becker, L.Ac.)

We’re all familiar with spring cleaning, but from a Traditional Chinese Medicine perspective, fall is a perfect time to de-clutter and tidy up! Here’s why.

Fall welcomes the Metal Element phase. In Five Element theory, each element (Fire, Earth, Metal, Water, and Wood) has special associations with particular areas of life, certain emotions, personalities, shapes, colors, seasons, and organ systems in the human body. Understanding the five elements allows us to bring harmony in our home and in ourselves. The Metal Element is all about a lesson in letting go. 

THE METAL ELEMENT REPRESENTS TRANSFORMATION

Fall is a season of transition, the time in between summer and winter, when Yang transforms to Yin. You can see this transformation happening in the environment: leaves fall off the trees and the days are shorter and cooler. Resonating with the energy of the season, it’s natural to feel that urge to transform our own living space, as well.

THE POWER OF METAL IS TO DECREASE

After the growth of spring (Wood), the abundance of summer (Fire), and the harvest of late summer (Earth), we come to fall (Metal), a time to decrease. When summer transitions to fall, we can feel the weight of excess accumulation in the form of mental and physical clutter. Decluttering our space will help to let go of excess and find levity in our space.

THE METAL ELEMENT LIKES STRUCTURE

Following the endless summer days, fall brings back routine and structure. The school year begins, summer travel ends, and its back to the day planner. The Metal Element thrives with structure, organization, and methodical planning. Now is the time to bring that metal energy into your home!

In her book The Holistic Home, Laura Benko explains that fall is a time of harvesting and gathering your ideas: “Use this time to prepare yourself for future goals like researching for a book, collecting ideas for redecorating, or planning a wedding or trip.” Decreasing clutter invites space that fosters ideas, planning, and preparation.

Note: if you need some organizational or decor ideas, consider incorporating some Metal Element feng shui. The color of metal is white, and its shape is a dome. Incorporate items made of metals, rocks, and minerals into your home. Examples are bronze picture frames, stainless steel kitchen containers, white desk organizers, and geode bookends.

GRIEF IS THE EMOTION OF METAL

Fall is the season when the Qi (energy) moves inward, and days become shorter and darker. Grief is part of the Qi of the season: there is decay in nature, and a strong sense of letting go as nature prepares for new life.  Cleaning out our closets can allow feelings of sadness and loss to move through in a healthy way.

THE METAL ELEMENT ORGAN SYSTEMS INSPIRE AND LET GO

The lungs and the large intestine are the organ systems associated with the metal element and the fall season. The lungs are about inspiration, and the large intestine is about elimination.  Our lungs take in cleansing breaths and exhale carbon dioxide. The large intestine eliminates waste from digestion.  Both organs let go of toxins and absorb essential nutrients needed for life. 

Staying in sync with the seasons, we should bring this theme of discernment into our home come fall.  What is valuable, what is not? Consider the energetics of the lungs: cleansing, purification, and inspiration. Create a space that inspires you! Consider the energetics of the large intestine: elimination. Let go of excess and things that are no longer needed, and tackle spaces that make you feel weighed down. 

We acquire a lot of material possessions during our lifetime. Many spiritual teachers recommend that people continuously let go and pass through life, contrary to our tendency to hold, posses, and hang on to things. When we hold on to things for too long, there is lack of movement and change, and the Qi (energy) in our home becomes stagnant and our personal energy can feel compromised.

Organizing, decluttering, and perfecting the home will come more naturally to people with more metal energy in their elemental make-up (hello, Marie Kondo!). But achieving a minimalist, highly organized space is not for everyone. The fall clean-up is more about cleaning out your closets, creating a space where you feel inspired, a space where you can BREATHE, a space that feels lighter, and a space that fosters the Qi of ideas and creativity to flow.

RESOURCES

Benko, Laura. “The Holistic Home: Feng Shui for Mind, Body, Spirit, Space” (2016).

Hicks, Angela. “Five Element Constitutional Acupuncture" (2004).

Morris, Laura. “Clutter vs. Mess”: www.mindfuldesignschool.com. March 4, 2019.

Lauren Becker, L.Ac., is an acupuncturist, herbalist, and the founder of Balance Acupuncture. She successfully used acupuncture to support her own health beginning in her teens for allergies and asthma, and has since been dedicated to the medicine. Learn more about her at (https://balancecharleston.com/).

TCM Tips for a Healthy Summer

Things are warming up and we've got your TCM tips to help you enjoy a happy and healthy summer! 

The transition from Spring to Summer is represented by the wood element moving into the FIRE element. The new growth and budding energy of spring is now exploding into summer vibrance and abundance. Whether you thrive in the heat or want to melt away, self-care is essential this time of year:

SYNC UP YOUR SLEEP SCHEDULE. Chinese Medicine suggests aligning your sleep schedule with seasonal changes will help you have the most energy throughout your day. In the summer, take advantage of the long days by rising early, napping in the afternoon, and staying up later. This practice will help keep balance within your circadian rhythm AND get the benefits of being in the sun before the rays get too hot and strong. 

EAT WITH THE SEASON. In these hotter months, our diet should be light, cooling, nutrient-dense, brightly colored, and hydrating.  Good options include: apricot, bananas, apples, lettuce, cantaloupe, watermelon, strawberries, tomatoes, citrus, peaches, cucumber, zucchini, asparagus, bok choy, water chestnut, corn, snow peas, and mint. These foods are plentiful this time of year, so be sure to incorporate them into your diet on a regular basis to offset the summer heat.

HYDRATE! Balancing fire with water is essential to staying healthy in the summer. This means to be sure to drink plenty of water and keep the mineral and electrolyte balance in check. Chronic dehydration can have more to do with electrolyte and mineral depletion rather than how much water you're actually drinking. Try coconut water on hot days or adding a pinch of sea salt or trace mineral drops to your glass of water. TCM also recommends watermelon juice for cooling the body and cleansing the system.

NOURISH THE SPIRIT AND CULTIVATE JOY. This is the essence- or the qi- of the season! Summer also corresponds with the Heart and Small Intestine organ systems, so symptoms like poor memory, anxiety, agitation, insomnia, UTIs, heartburn, or depression will indicate imbalance of these organ systems this time of year. If you're struggling with any of these, it's time to schedule an acupuncture treatment!

SCHEDULE AN ACUPUNCTURE APPOINTMENT. Acupuncture quickly and effectively brings balance in our body and helps our internal rhythms adjust to change. No surprise here, that acupuncture is our #1 go-to for self-care, especially with regards to seasonal transition. 

Contact us to learn more about seasonal wellness and Chinese Medicine or to book your seasonal tune-up! (843) 790-4295