Mindfullness, The Heart and Summer Season 2010

Mindfullness, The Heart and Summer Season 2010

Summertime, and the living is easy — for those of us who have the opportunity to take some time off and get away from our daily routines. If vacation is not an option, still take some time to "stop and smell the roses." The summer solstice, or the beginning of summer, is at 7:23 a.m. June 21.

Summer is when the heat is turned up. The season of fire, it is a time of transformation of what started growing in the spring into maturity. It is a time of growth, impulse, consciousness, spirit and mental processing.

According to Chinese medicine's five-element theory, the heart and its yin and yang energies are directly affected during this time. Ancient medicinal philosophies regard the emotional, mental and physical aspects of nature and man as one entity. There is no separation, and these aspects are interdependent .

In summer, the most affected organs are the heart and the small intestine. The heart is the yin organ, or "the wife," and the small intestine is the yang organ, or "the husband."

Chinese medicine advises people to be especially mindful of the heart from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. As a yin organ, it could be injured by the strong yang energy at this time of day, which correlates to the sun's strongest yang aspect.

From 1-3 p.m., the small intestine is most active, separating useful food from waste. During this time, be sure to allow things to digest fully, be conscious of what you are eating and don't rush. Take a mindful walk or or meditate; it aids in the assimilation of everything.

Our bodies also have another set of yin and yang functions operating under the auspices of the heart's energy. One of these is the pericardium, or the sac that protects the heart. It is a feminine and nurturing yin organ. The other is the yang triple warmer, an energetic passageway that integrates our internal organs and their activities into an harmonious whole.

The triple warmer is a concept unique to Chinese medicine. Like a long cocoon, it encompasses all the internal organs from the neck down to the reproductive organs, maintaining their correct temperatures.

From 7-9 p.m., the pericardium is most active, as it governs communication, relationships and sexuality. Meals should be finished by 7 p.m. or earlier, so the upper body can be clear of foods to prepare for a restful sleep. The triple warmer's time is 9-11 p.m. This is when we should wind down our activities and harmonize so the triple warmer can work effectively.

In Chinese medicine, the heart is known as "the emperor." An embodiment of heaven and Earth, it has the dual function of governing the blood and housing the spirit-mind known as shen. This is where peace, order and rulership radiate. The heart manifests in our ability to relate to the world. Depletion or injury to the heart may provoke inappropriate responses, since the heart opens to the tongue and is expressed as speech.

Good shen can be seen in those with sparkling eyes and glowing faces. The energies from what we eat (grain qi) are transformed into the blood, which embraces and anchors the mind, or spirit-shen. If our blood is not enhanced by a balanced diet, rest and emotional well-being, our heart-mind cannot be grounded.

When our fluids are depleted by sweating in excessive heat or dryness, a myriad of resulting imbalances may affect our spiritual and mental functions. When heat attacks the pericardium, high fever and red tongue result.

Overheating and over-perspiring have a dramatic impact on our heart's health and well-being. Dehydration, palpitations, anxiety, blushing and flustered feelings may result. Because we are in a very yang season, we must take care not to drain our yin body fluids, including blood.

There are many ways to prevent heat injury to our hearts:

• Reduce heat and sun exposure from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

• Easy-to-moderate exercise, such as walking, should be done very early in the day or later in the afternoon. Excessive exercise can further deplete the body.

• Focused or mindful exercises are recommended, such as qi gong, tai chi, yoga and meditation.

• Hydrate and replace fluids to maintain mineral balance. Stay away from icy cold beverages as they shock the body, drinking beverages at a slightly cool temperature during the summer .
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• Watermelon is a nutritious and cooling fruit. Eat it separately from other fruits after a meal containing protein. Protein should always be the first food we ingest in a meal — it takes the longest to digest and provides steady long- term energy. Vegetables are the best thing to eat with protein.

• Consume other summer fruits, such as melons, in moderation. Sugars in fruits break down the fastest and raise our blood sugar dramatically — leading to an inevitable crash. It is better to provide ourselves with a good protein foundation before eating any sweets so the proteins sustain us and the sugars don't burn us out. Viruses and yeasts feed on sugar, which is one reason sugar harms our immune systems.

• Replace depleted minerals by eating lots of greens. They are yin and cooling.

• Take advantage of the heart's herbal allies, including Hawthorn berry, motherwort, angelica root (dong quai) and longan berry.

Finally, but most importantly, connect with nature. This is where you and your shen reside. Drink in summer's beauty, lighten your step and fill your heart with gratitude for all the gifts this time of year has to offer.

Lorraine Hughes is an herbalist who lives in Wappingers Falls. She integrates Western, Chinese and Ayurvedic nutritional and herbal remedies and their philosophical approach as guides for wellness. Visit her website at www.EmpoweredByNature.webs.com