BALANCING YOUR HEALTH IN SUMMER

Summer is the season of fire in Chinese medicine. In Chinese medicine, each season is associated with one of the five phases – wood, fire, earth, metal, and water. These phases are the basic model for the Chinese paradigm of systematic correspondence. According to five-phase theory, each season, each flavor, each emotion, each organ, and in fact, each everything, can be organized into one of five categories. These categories reflect a quality of sameness, or resonance, of the included items. Five-phase theory is only one of many systems of categorization in Chinese medicine, but it is one of the most useful in understanding the relationships between our health and the seasons.

The fire phase includes the Heart, Small Intestine, Pericardium and Triple Heater. It is associated with the element of heat, the emotion of joy, and the flavor of bitter. The fire phase is governed by the Heart, which is viewed in Chinese medicine as the ruler of the body. Healthy Heart function means not only cardiovascular health, but also the expression of appropriateness, order and synchronicity. The ability to sort out and retain, both physically and mentally, what is useful and necessary in life from what is not, is the role of the Heart’s minister, the Small Intestine. The Pericardium and Triple Heater are the gate-keepers of the heart, regulating the body’s metabolism and allowing for appropriate openness and protection.

Overall, fire imbalances are evidenced by poor circulation, fatigue, bloating and indigestion, difficult focus and concentration, chronic anxiety or depression, unregulated or extreme body temperature, bitterness, a tendency for accidents, and issues with boundaries and intimacy.

To benefit the Heart in summer:

• Eat small amounts of bitter foods such as dandelion greens, carrot tops, parsley, radiccio, collards and grapefruit.
• Eat dark red and green foods such as beets, cherries, plums, red chard and red cabbage.
• Use light cooking techniques such as stir-frying and steaming to prepare your food.
• Avoid excessive perspiration.
• Drink at least several glasses of water each day.
• Practice daily qigong and self-massage techniques to strengthen the Heart. Hold stretches or massage points for 3 breaths, then relax. Repeat each exercise 3 times.

1. Loosely lock your fingers together and stretch your arms, palms up, over your head.
2. Extend your arms straight out to the side, palms up, and rotate them from the shoulder in small circles. Reverse directions.
3. Twist your hips side to side and let your arms wrap around your waist.
4. Massage your breastbone directly in the center of your chest using light pressure and small, clockwise, circular motion with your fingertips.
5. Massage the center of your palms with the opposite thumb.

Giving special attention to each organ system during its corresponding season using diet, exercise, acupuncture and herbs is the traditional Chinese way to maintain health and promote longevity.