Monday July 4th not only marks Independence Day, it also marks the second official week of summer! With warmer temperatures and longer days spent socializing, it’s important that you don’t forget about your health.
According to the Five Element Theory, summer is associated with the Fire element. Fire is the most active, lively and warming of the elements. It is represented in our body through circulation, warmth, consciousness, sleep, emotions / spirits, love, the nervous system and memory. It also corresponds to the heart (yin energy) and the small intestine (yang energy.)
To keep your fire element harmonized it is important that you eat foods and partake in activities that help keep the body cool and balanced. Below are four tips that you can easily incorporate into your daily routine.
Tip #1 Eat more watermelon
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, watermelon is classified as having a cooling nature. It is used to detoxify the body, quench thirst and relieve irritably caused by summer heat.
Tip #2 Add lemon to your water and meals
While sour in taste, lemon, like watermelon, also has a cooling effect on the body. Lemon helps replenish fluids (specifically yin), harmonize the stomach and aid in digestion.
Tip #3 Wake up earlier and go to sleep later
For those of you who are not early birds or night owls, this tip can be difficult. However, by waking up earlier and going to sleep later, you will be able to benefit from the sun’s nourishing rays, which are most bountiful during the summer.
Tip #4 Meditate
Through meditation you are able to strengthen your mind body connection, and lose feelings of stress, anxiety and anger, all of which weaken the fire element.
The heart is the “seat” of mind and therefore, its highest expression is love. So love yourself by staying healthy this summer and for life.