“Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to dig a well.” Zhu Xi, Chinese philosopher
Preventative Self-Care
This statement can easily be applied to preventative medicine. Here in North Idaho, summer has finally arrived (after a long and cold spring that didn’t want to let go)! The short summer in the PNW makes many of us anxious to get the most out of every ray of sun.
While we’re basking in the warmth of the summer sun, most of us aren’t thinking about the upcoming flu season that Fall often brings. And while it’s such a blessing to enjoy these carefree summer days, there is something to be said about keeping a regular health routine. It’s easy to allow ourselves a “break” from self-care and to just live in the moment, but I believe that we can do both! Our health routine doesn’t have to fall by the wayside in order to enjoy the outdoors and all that it has to offer.
Huang Di’s Advice
The ancient Chinese text, Huang Di Nei Jing, offers this advice for summer health.
1. Stay physically active, to keep the Qi from stagnating.
2. Arise early and enjoy the longer days of sunshine by retiring later in the evenings.
3. Stay happy, easygoing, and let go of any grudges.
It goes onto say that by doing these things, illness can be averted in the Fall.
Summer Element and Organs
Those that follow Chinese Medicine know that the Summer is the season of Heart & Small Intestine. These organs are associated with the element of Fire. Therefore, the Huang Di says that health problems in the Summer will cause injury to the heart and will manifest in the autumn.
If we take this a step further and look at the full cycle of 5 elements, we can also see that injury to the Heart can lead to issues with the Lung and Kidneys. Heart will tend to overact on the Lungs and in turn, the Lung cannot adequately nurture the Kidney. This imbalance can lead to lowered immunity in the Fall season, and therefore a higher chance of catching the common cold or the flu.
Other Summer tips
Some other tips to keep in mind for summer:
1. Enjoy the fruits & veggies that are in season – One way to do this is here in North Idaho, is to go to one of the many U-Pick fruit & veggie operations. I enjoy Berry Blossom Farms, where I just picked 3 lbs of fresh strawberries that aren’t sprayed with pesticides.
2. Although tempting, avoid drinking too many cold beverages. Drink hot tea instead to keep your pores open and the Qi moving. It will also induce a light sweat to keep you cool.
3. Bring a jacket or scarf if you’re going to be going in & out of places with A/C – Yes, you heard me right! I know that it’s HOT but that means that stores are going to be COLD and it’s not good to go from one extreme to the other, without keeping your neck and back covered.
4. Keep up with regular acupuncture treatments. With the longer days, you will still have plenty of hours of sunlight after a 45-minute acu-nap!
If you enjoyed this article, you may also want to read last years post about beating the Summer Heat.
If you are interested in finding out what imbalances may be causing health concerns for you then call our clinic at (208) 416-7405 or click here to book online.