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Summertime According to Chinese Medicine
According to Chinese medical theory each season of the year corresponds with a different natural element and an organ system of the body. Summer is said to be associated with the element of fire and the organ system of the heart, as well as the color red, the direction south and the sensation heat. All this makes sense intuitively, unless you live in San Francisco, where, as Mark Twain once commented, "The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco." When you think about it, China, like the United States, is located in the northern hemisphere. As one travels southward (toward the equator) the weather tends to get warmer, hence the linking of the summer season with the direction south and a generally warmer climate. For folks living in the southern hemisphere everything is reversed: summer here is winter there. Thus we can see how things are relative—which brings us to the theory of yin and yang. But let's save that for next month's article.
Chinese medicine also relates physical and emotional factors to the seasons. The emotion that relates to the summer is joy, the body feature is the complexion, and the sense organ is the tongue. "The hazy, crazy, lazy days of summer" are hopefully relaxed and joyous ones; a time for vacations, barbecues, and enjoying the "fruits of our labors." In the summer plants ripen to maturity, and our taste buds delight in the bountiful supply of summer fruits and vegetables. Did you know that in China watermelon is used medicinally to treat heat exhaustion? Be sure to eat plenty when the mercury rises. This is also the time when our complexions are most vulnerable to the sun's rays, which are at their peak intensity. As the earth's protective ozone layer continues to degrade we should be especially aware of the need for sunscreen and sunglasses, which protect us from harmful ultraviolet radiation. Fair–skinned Caucasians like me need to be extra–careful, but even people of color need to exercise caution when exposing themselves for prolonged periods to the sun. I personally use the strongest sunblock I can find, as the rising rate of skin cancers makes me want to err on the side of caution. Also, please make sure your sunglasses have UV filters. Dark glasses without them allow the pupil to dilate and let in greater amounts of UV radiation, increasing the risk of cataracts and retinal damage.
On the emotional level, summer corresponds to the element of fire, and like Apollo, the Greek god of the sun, fire symbolizes consciousness and the development of wisdom and compassion. According to Chinese understanding, "the Heart is the home of the spirit (shen.)" While joy is especially associated with the heart/fire/summer, all emotions affect the heart. When we are in touch with our fire energy we burn brightly, think clearly and are compassionate and cheerful. When we get too stoked up our fire flares, and we tend to overheat, becoming impatient, manic and ungrounded until we finally burn out, becoming paranoid, stubborn and/or withdrawn. Chinese medicine teaches the need for balance and moderation to avoid burning the candle at both ends.
In conclusion, Chinese medicine encourages us to pay attention to the seasons and to how they affect us. By staying in harmony with our environment we are able to maximize our health and well–being. In this spirit, let me encourage everyone to celebrate the gifts of maturity, fullness and joy that the summer represents.
© 2001 Larry Forsberg. All rights reserved.
Articles posted on this Web site are for personal use only and remain the property of Larry Forsberg, L.Ac.
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