The birds are chirping, the sun is shining and we are going into the longest day of the year. With this, more of us will be going outside and enjoying produce from the garden and from the Farmer’s Market. It’s time to celebrate!
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, this season is associated with the Fire element. In this practice, different elements are associated with different organ systems, feelings/emotions, and foods. With the fire element, you guessed it, one can be fiery! It can be a strength as this sparks one’s creativity, identity, expansion, and “luxurious growth.”1 Therefore it is important to nurture all aspects of this.
Fire, Organs and Emotions
The organ associated with Fire and thus the Summer is the heart. The heart is associated with the emotion of joy. Therefore, no matter what you find through the fire, choose joy! This reminds me of the scripture:
“These things I have spoken to you that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full” (John 15:10-11)
Why is this relevant? When out of balance, the fire element can lead to destruction. Think of an inferno! One can be anxious, scatterbrained, depressed, experience memory loss, and feel very unmotivated.1 Actively choosing to keep yourself rooted in this can ignite positive emotions of joy, passion, love; promote circulation and birth forth bursts of laughter. From the scripture above, we have an ability to love others beyond ourselves when we are walking in this. It is truly a time to blossom into our true selves and show the world who we are and what we are made of and recover the fullness.
Other organs associated with the small intestine and the lymphatic system, which if out of balance can affect assimilation and uptake up nutrients and drainage of dead material and toxins through the bloodstream and out of the body. Lack of detoxification or absorption of nutrients can hinder the body from reaping the benefits associated with this element. Therefore, it is important to nourish this element. Here are some ways to do it.
Food to Nourish the Fire Element
When you think of the heart, it is often associated with the color red. Thus, red foods and bitter foods are emphasized for nourishing this element.2 As mentioned before, a balanced fire element is associated with healthy lymph drainage and detoxification. Bitter foods help to nourish this organ system by clearing the body of extra waste, or through the process of detoxification. Contrary to popular belief, incorporating too many cold foods can inhibit digestion and make one “anxious”. It is also very important to include foods with nutrients that feed one’s well-being, particularly calcium and magnesium. With these principles in mind (no pun intended!), here are some amazing foods to incorporate during the summer months to nourish your fire element.
Red Foods: Cherries, tomatoes, peppers, cranberries, beets, cranberries, strawberries, raspberries, goji berries.2
Spices and Herbs: Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, dill, basil, chamomile.1
Bitter Foods: Cruciferous Vegetables (Broccoli Rabe, Arugula, Radish, Brussels Sprouts, etc.), dandelion greens, cocoa (AMEN to this one!), coffee, cranberries, citrus peel, bitter orange.2
Magnesium: Pumpkin Seeds, green leafy vegetables, avocados, broccoli, asparagus, nuts (cashews, almonds), seeds, legumes, whole grains, chocolate, tofu, whole grains, quinoa
Calcium: Green leafy vegetables, sesame seeds, tahini, molasses, nuts and seeds, figs, yogurt, dairy, navy beans, almonds, tofu, carob, milk, and dairy products
Use the Power of Nature
What’s better than to level this out with the water element? Water puts out a fire and thus being around areas of water such as the ocean can be very beneficial for one’s balance, particularly when it comes to the adrenals in several ways.
Direct contact with anything in nature, including the water, is better known as grounding or earthing. Grounding/earthing may be responsible for improving a sense of well-being and decreasing inflammation. One particular study assessing the effects of earthing on the subject with Delayed Onset of Muscle Soreness (DOMS). Inflammatory proteins such as neutrophils and the amount of cell-damaging Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) were decreased in the grounded subjects, ultimately accelerating recovery.3 At the beach, your body is in direct contact with natural elements from the sand and ocean, working in your favor.
What else is beneficial about the beach? The saltwater. Do you ever get that high or that burst of energy when you get out of the saltwater? This adds an additional “earthing” component being direct contact with nature and natural water. As the authors hypothesized in a recent review on earthing, the benefits may come from the ability of the earth to transfer mobile electrons through the body, acting as a natural antioxidant and neutralizing reactive oxygen species. This is attributed to the body’s ability to transfer electrons through a semiconductor network better known as “the living matrix.”3As mentioned in this study, your body is a redox (reduction-oxidation reactions) which requires the absorption and donation of these electrons for essential processes, such as those which contribute to immunity. The salt may just be an extra component contributing to this to further promote the reduction of inflammation and improve mood!
I’d like to thank my business partner and friend Leah Smith for her contribution and her amazing knowledge of healing one’s emotions through spiritual principles. Check her out on Instagram!
https://www.instagram.com/awenestlyessential/
References:
1) Pitchford, P. 1993. Healing with Whole Foods. North Atlantic Books.
2) Peters, K. Healing Foods: The Bitter Flavor and the Fire Element. Healthkart website. http://www.healthkart.com/resources/healing-foods-bitter-flavor-fire-element/#.YMyeAy2cafU. Accessed June 18, 2021
3) Oschman JL, Chevalier G, Brown R. The effects of grounding (earthing) on inflammation, the immune response, wound healing, and prevention and treatment of chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. J Inflamm Res. 2015;8:83‐96. Published 2015 Mar 24. doi:10.2147/JIR.S69656
