Early summer: Naturopathic Seasonal Support for The Fire Element
A change in season, a change in rhythm, a change in energy.
When we tune into the natural rhythms of nature we can see how they reflect our own natural rhythms. Can we see benefits or problems? Can we learn how to support these seasonal changes to bring a higher energy and clarity? When we tune in and listen to what we need and use natural ways to shift any stagnation, we can fully embrace a seasonal change.
Are you struggling with recent symptoms such as palpitations, dizzy or lightheadedness, rosacea, hot flushes, panic attacks, heavy sensation on the chest area or restlessness, insomnia or feelings of being burnt out?
This could be a seasonal imbalance that the body needs some support and strength to ease any discomfort.
As a Naturopath, I follow the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) system of The Five Elements that bring balance to our minds, body, emotions and spirit. They work in a cycle within us all and outside us in the seasons. The Five Elements are Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water. As individuals, we may resonate with one Element more than others and at various times a particular element can go out of balance which can bring up health issues and disturb our natural wellbeing.
We come into the Fire Element on the 21st of June and stay with it until the 1st of August when we come into the Earth Element. During this early summer season we can work on nurturing our own Fire Element which will not only support our health but also support our mind and mood too. The Fire Element has the shortest season to implement support. But if we don’t nurture our Fire, then we can enter the winter months feeling very depleted and can have issues with excess mucus, leaving us prone to bacterial and viral infections.
The Fire Element is about the heart and heart supporters (the pericardium, and triple burner), and the small intestine which helps us to digest and absorb nutrients. It is also about the health of the tongue and blood vessels. Often during the Fire Element we may see stronger symptoms in these areas during this season.
If you are struggling with some recent health symptoms that have come up for you, it could be because of a weakness in your Fire element which makes the change of season a challenge for you. Or do you always get ill at this time of year, then your Fire element needs strengthening, so you can be more resilient at this time. Could you have experienced a time of stress which can impact on the health of your Fire element?
The emotions of this element are happiness but also lack of joy. Laughter but also seriousness. Emotionally we may be feeling a need to be sociable, enjoying being around people or we could be feeling very vulnerable and feeling drained by too much attention and wanting to be isolated.
After the year we have had, our Fire Element may be really depleted having had a lack of social connections during lockdowns. We may be craving to be around friends and family to get the connection, to have human touch, to laugh, comfort and support those we care about. But we may also find, as restrictions are easing up, that we feel overwhelmed by too many people, feel the need to retreat back to those quieter, more isolating times. Finding the balance in this is essential. We need to nurture and nourish our Fire but not deplete it, if it is already lacking.
The Fire element is a short but a busy season where we want to be out and enjoying the heat of the sunshine. Enjoying being around people and having a need for contact or even attention. It’s a time of growth. Those seeds we have planted should be nurtured and cared for and be coming in to bloom or fruition soon, so it’s a time of really ‘bedding’ in those essential nutrients, ensuring we are absorbing everything we need so that come the late summer we can fully manifest all our dreams.
If we think of the Fire element as the flames of creativity and inspiration, our deep ambition or our passion or vocation that burns inside our bellies and needs to be stoked and nourished for us to feel fully ignited. We may be feeling like a beautifully, glowing fire that is mesmerising to watch, those flames dancing around and everyone is drawn to that warmth and comfort or we may have embers that simmer away but never truly ignite and flourish.
A feeling of damp rather than heat would really draw away our vitality. An imbalance could be seen in never being able to warm ourselves up from within or hot flushes, or flushed skin that comes and goes, a feeling of not being able to control that heat, to regulate it.
The Fire Element is vulnerable emotionally, we may be easily hurt, actually feeling pain in our hearts by a spiteful comment. Or we may be harsh and impatient with others. We may lash out or be unfeeling or have a stutter or not be able to express our hearts true emotions for fear of being ‘burnt’. Maybe we do too much at once, have a restless nature that has to be fuelled and satisfied but can then leave us feeling totally drained and burnt out from ‘burning that candle at both ends’
An imbalance in the Fire Element can manifest in heart issues such as high blood pressure, issues with our blood vessels, varicose veins, haemorrhoids or burning sensations in our mouth, hands and feet. We may have a tremble or suffer panic attacks or have a sensation of heaviness over the chest area. We may suffer with insomnia or feel restless or dizzy or light headed. Maybe suffering with a lack of sexual desire or impotency. We may suffer with stomach pains or have malabsorption issues - particularly issues with being deficient in magnesium, B12, iron, zinc and calcium.
When in balance, the Fire Element can help us to get out there in front of a crowd, hold their attention and ‘perform’ or be a great communicator. It can help us to think on our feet and be spontaneous and enthusiastic. We would relish excitement and be intuitive and interactive with those around us, networking well and making good connections. Out of balance we may be highly strung or have a nervous exhaustion and not able to relax or rest, we may have a continuous twitch or bouncy leg. People may be drawn to our warmth and energy or we may have a total lack of emotional warmth to others. We may be flirty and sexual or be very sexually cold.
A sure sign of an unhappy heart are palpitations or dizzy or panicky feelings. Getting ‘a second wind’ and being wide awake around 9pm - 11pm, feeling restless and not being able to relax and fidgety. Or getting stomach ache after lunch or feelings of being very cold after eating lunch around 1pm-3pm. Twitching or restless muscles or tingling or numbness in fingers and toes. Or even having a hot or sore mouth or tongue, a red hot tip to the tongue that is peeling or red and swollen.
If you are experiencing a flare up of these kind of symptoms, it is good to look inward and ask if there is any feelings of vulnerability or broken heartedness or feeling hurt by someone close to you. Historically we were much more in tune with how our emotions affected the health of our body. Ongoing, allowing these kind of emotions to be internalised will manifest in signs of ill health within the body. Finding ways to address emotional upset is important. Talking therapies, Reiki and Polarity therapy are great ways to rebalance the emotions.
So how can you support your fire element this season?
To stimulate the Fire Element we can eat more bitter foods which is said to be good for the heart and also aid digestion. Bitter foods can stimulate our natural digestive juices which aid overall digestion, easing stomach pains and flatulence. In Ayurvedic medicine, it is said that eating bitter foods can help with weight loss and control food cravings. Bitter foods are anti-inflammatory and can help reduce fat and aid muscle tone and strength. Also eating lots of warming spices like chilli, turmeric, cayenne and paprika is also really beneficial for warming the Fire energy.
We can also support our Fire element by:
Increasing raw foods, eating more salads especially with bitter leaves like rocket, chard, chicory, dandelion and arugula.
Enjoy sun dried tomatoes, red peppers, goji berries and radish.
Increase bitter foods such as; raw cacao, parsley, dark leafy greens such as mustard greens, collard greens, kale and Swiss chard and sesame seeds.
Good quality organic coffee or water filtered decaffeinated coffee (in small amounts).
Fruit: blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, red currant, pomegranates.
Teas for the season are dandelion root, burdock, peppermint and rose.
Epsom salt baths are a great way to heat the body, absorb magnesium directly into the blood stream and aid detoxification. Avoid in pregnancy, if you suffer with kidney issues and if you have varicose veins.
Boost your fire with exercise, massage and dry body brushing to stimulate the circulation. Saunas are great or of course being out in the sunshine (taking care not to burn) and warming yourself up from the outside in.
Spend time with friends, laugh and make time for whatever brings joy to your heart.
If you have too much heat then choose cooling foods such as cucumber and watermelon are helpful and enjoy your teas iced and eat more raw foods. Hibiscus tea is a lovely tea cooled and served with ice. If you struggle to heat up, then add spices to your foods, drink warming ginger root tea and avoid eating too many cold foods or have something warm with your salads such as a miso soup or herbal tea on the side
(As a caution excessive bitter foods can have contraindications and are not advised in large quantities especially if pregnant or breastfeeding).
Smoothie for the season
This smoothie contains a spice mix that actually counteracts heat spots in the body whether felt in the skin or inflammation in the joints. A powerful anti-inflammatory mix and great for the heart.
1/4 papaya
10 blueberries
Small handful of spinach or rocket leaves
An inch of peeled ginger root
Spice mix: 1/2 tsp of turmeric, 1/4 tsp of cayenne pepper, 1/4 tsp of ground cinnamon
1 tbsp of flaxseed oil or soaked flaxseeds
1 cup of coconut water.