Staying and Healthy All Year Round
We’ve talked about the energy pathways most active in summer and the importance of staying balanced both physically and emotionally to promote optimum health. The advice for the summer season includes staying hydrated with fluids and eating cooling foods such as fruits and salads to maintain a comfortable body temperature.
The importance of eating healthy food cannot be understated to maintain good health. It is also important to minimize the ingestion of stimulating foods every season of the year. Foods such as coffee, sugar, and chocolate, which are also addicting, if overdone will deplete our adrenal glands.
In today’s world where so many people are multitasking and subject to deadlines; coffee, chocolate, and sugar can be very comforting. When these foods are used as an energy source adrenal exhaustion which may lead to chronic fatigue and a weakened immune system may result.
The adage “everything in moderation” still makes sense. Have fun outside during the beautiful weather!
The Triple Warmer in Traditional Chinese Medicine is not associated with an organ, but this energy flow is responsible for moving and transforming various fluids and solids throughout the body. It also plays a huge role in maintaining and creating the body’s protective energy or immune system.
Summer is the most energetically active of all the seasons with expansion, growth, and activity. It represents the fire element which is associated with the heart and small intestine. The color is red, the emotion is joy and it is a time to bring to manifestation all that we have been planning during the spring.
The weather is finally beautiful and with that comes an abundance of local fresh fruits and vegetables. Though fresh fruit and vegetables are considered to be an integral part of a healthy diet, buying non-GMO, organic produce or carefully washing your non-organic produce is extremely important. The overabundance of GMO food and pesticide spraying has compromised our food supply. So much of our corn and soybean production is genetically modified. These seeds have been changed to resist pesticides, drought, and insects and there is much controversy over the safety of this practice. Many of the studies on this subject have been financed by the biotechnological companies who produce the GMO seeds. To err on the side of safety seems to be a good idea. The pesticides used in farming can also pose a problem. Delicate fruit such as raspberries and strawberries soak up pesticide that is sprayed on them like a sponge. When buying non-organic fruit, it is better to choose thick-skinned fruit such as melon or oranges.
The season of spring is fast approaching with days getting longer and glimpses of warm weather here and there. It’s time to review the recommendations of Traditional Chinese Medicine for optimum health in springtime. TCM is based on a holistic approach of man (woman) as an integral part of their environment and nature. We are greatly influenced by changes in weather both directly and indirectly and have to adapt in order to maintain good health and live harmoniously.
It is represented by the water element and it crosses all the other meridians and greatly influences them. Physically it is responsible for storing and excreting the urinary waste fluids passed down from the kidneys but energetically it is closely related to the functions and balance of the autonomic nervous system. The bladder meridian runs the entire length of the back with two parallel branches on each side of the spine. These four branches of the bladder meridian greatly influence the sympathetic and parasympathetic functions of the autonomic nervous system. The peak hours for bladder meridian energy are between 3-5 pm. It is important to stay hydrated for optimum function of this meridian.
The winter solstice is fast approaching and with it the beginning of the winter season. In nature, the trees and plants have pulled their energy back into their roots to survive the colder weather. The season of winter in nature is cold, damp, and inactive. The ancient Chinese believed that in order to stay healthy humans should live in harmony with their natural surroundings. The cold and shorter days of winter signal us to slow down, reflect on our health, conserve our strength and replenish our energy.
Last week we discussed the Large Intestine Meridian. Today I want to talk about its partner the Lung Meridian. The Lung energy pathway is associated with the emotion of sadness or grief, the skin, boundaries, and the immune system. Since most pathogens enter through the respiratory and digestive systems, healthy lungs and large intestines are very important to overall health.