Summer: Living Seasonally through the Fire Element
It’s summertime and the living is easy……….
Yeah for now, right? Seems we have hit the weather jackpot lately in the greater Central Texas region with plenty of rain keeping our temps lower and lots of sunshine to keep our summertime gardens happy. However, good things don’t always last and soon we will most likely find ourselves in the throes of our typical scorching summer.
Summer Heat
Alongside high temps here in Texas we also get the bonus of high humidity. This combination can cause what we in TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) call Summer Heat. When the two forces combine they can create maladies that may present as fever, heaviness in the head and body, nausea, diarrhea, stuffiness of the chest, dizziness and irritability.
So what to do if you end up feeling this way? First, make sure you are not suffering from heat exhaustion or heat stroke (fainting, rapid heart beat, dark urine, throbbing headache, dry red skin, confusion). Seek medical attention if you are experiencing any heat exhaustion symptoms. The key is to bring balance to your body during this time by keeping cool and flushing the summer heat out of your body. While acupuncture and herbal therapy can help of course, the following 3 items are indispensable weapons to aid in your recovery. They can easily be found in your kitchen or the grocery store:
Watermelon: A summertime favorite and for good reason! Watermelon is cool and replenishes fluid but the white part- the rind- can help dispel this summer heat pathogen by flushing the pathogen through its diuretic action. If you're feeling any of the summer heat symptoms listed above, eat watermelon down to the rind as far as you can.
Mung Beans: these little green legumes are very good at dispelling summer heat. Take 1 cup of beans and simmer with 3 cups of water for 30 minutes. Drink the water. Their diuretic action can also help dispel summer heat sickness and are very detoxing!
Electrolytes: You are going to be sweating a lot, and while you are sweating you are losing precious electrolytes. Electrolytes are crucial for countless activities essential for life, including energy production, nerve transmission, muscle contractions, pH balance, fluid balance, and more. Our favorite go-to’s are coconut water and Pure Encapsulations Electrolyte Energy.
And If you do find yourself with a bout of the Summer Heat you just can’t shake, acupuncture and herbal therapy can help you get rid of it quickly!
Summer and the Fire Element
The summer season is also aligned with the Fire element in 5 element theory. This element is ruled by the Heart so it makes total sense to give as much love as possible to your heart this season. Some great herbs to incorporate through your tea ritual are listed below. If you are a patient of mine, I am sure you have heard of my “NO ICE” policy, as it is hard on your digestive fire, minimizes nutrient absorption and can exacerbate painful conditions, especially gynecological ones. BUT, in the heat of the summer I have a little more relaxed policy about having a cool drink to quench your thirst. And I can't think of a better way to bend the NO ICE rule than to make a freshly brewed batch of the herbs listed below and chill in the fridge to enjoy on a hot summer afternoon. Chilled, but NO ICE! If you can hang with room temp or even hot brewed tea even better!
These herbs are nourishing to the heart, and some are nervines meaning that they are relaxing and soothing to the nervous and cardiovascular systems. Some delicious and beneficial herbal teas to include into your daily summer life are:
Herbal Teas:
Hibiscus
Hawthorne Berry and Leaves
Holy Basil (or Tulsi)
Rose Petals
Chamomile
Lemon Balm
Foods that are good for the heart (Hint: can’t go wrong eating RED!)
Beets
Watermelon
Rhubarb
Strawberries
Tomatoes
Red Lentils
Cherries
Radish
Red Apple
Red Beans
Chili
Longan Berries
Movement Medicine for the Heart
Another way to honor your Heart during the season of the Fire element is to practice Heart affirming Qi-gong practices. There’s no better way to LOVE yourself than to cultivate regular self-care routines. Please enjoy this replenishing and relaxing Heart Centered Qi Gong practice by YoQi with Marisa Cranfill. They are short, easy to follow and I promise you will feel amazing afterwards!
Traditional Chinese Medicine is all about prevention and being in-tune with your body. Take some time to evaluate whether your Fire element and Heart are in balance. A few of the telltale signs that you may need some support are tendencies towards anxiety, nervousness, sleeplessness or insomnia, and palpitations. The heart is divinely connected to the tongue and speech as in “speaking from the heart”. Incessant talking, laughing at inappropriate moments, stuttering and aphasia (the inability to speak) are also demonstrative of heart imbalances. Check out the tip of your tongue, if it is red at the tip this can also be a symptom of imbalance.
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If you feel that you may need some gentle guidance or extra help in feeling your best ,please reach out to us at Luna Apothecary. We help modern health issues through ancient healing with acupuncture, herbal and dietary therapy, movement medicine and self-care practices.
Watermelon photo
Photo by Kenta Kikuchi
Qigong for Love with Marisa Cranfill