By Monique G. Bain, MAC, LAC, Acupuncture Physician
In Chinese Medicine, we look at patients much like we look to nature in order to diagnose and find the body’s imbalances. According to Chinese philosophers, anything in the world can be broken down into 5 types of energy, The Five Elements: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water.
Summer is the season of abundance and the energy of creativity surrounds us. The Fire Element is associated with the summer season, which begins on the longest day of the year, June 21st, the summer solstice. This time of the year is a very busy and social time. Fire-type personality is passionate, energetic, loves to talk, relationships are important to them, dramatic, eloquent, expressive and very charismatic. Fire-type personality approaches life with an enthusiasm that is infectious, they love to love, sentimentalist and are unconcerned about material wealth. They love attention, they appear to be fun loving and romantic and dislike to be alone. By themselves, they can feel lifeless, but in the company of others, they become alive. On a deeper level and when in balance, the fire personalities express themselves as joy, love, laughter, and enthusiasm, but when their fire is low, it shows a lack of joy, the dependence of others, easily hurt, flat, cold, anxious, shy and lonely. However, when the fire is blazing, those same fire personalities will appear out of control, inappropriate, attention seekers, manic, self-destructive and no amount of attention will be enough.
Fire patient typically seek help when experiencing any combination of symptoms including but not limited to: trouble sleeping, insomnia, anxiety, irritability, hot flashes, depression, dry mouth, difficulty concentrating, tension in the chest, racing thoughts, circulation problems, varicose veins, hypertension, hemorrhoids, high cholesterol, constipation, nasal congestion, cough, lack of boundaries, neck and shoulder pain, sexual dysfunctions.
In our bodies, the fire element manifests in the heart, pericardium (protective membrane around the heart), triple heater (regulator of internal temperature) and small intestine. The color associated with Fire is red and the flavor is bitter.
Advice for Fire Type:
Writing on a journal helps when feeling frantic or sad.
Avoid foods that are too spicy and eat more cooling foods like cucumbers, avocados, melon, summer squash, and bananas. Add bitter foods to your diet like leafy greens.
Have fun on a regular basis and make it a priority.
Find your passion and, when you do, live it wholeheartedly and enjoy every minute of it!
Get your body moving, increase your circulation.
For more info about Five Element Wellness Center, call 954-657-8342,
visit www.5elementwellnesscenter.com
