Chinese Medicine And Your Heart

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Do you follow your heart or your head? When our heart element is in balance we possess the ability to follow our heart, integrate feelings, express our thoughts and experience the joy of being alive.

According to many centuries of Traditional Chinese Medicine, heart imbalances lead to palpitations, chest pain, ulcers, confusion, anxiety, poor memory, fever, delirium, panic attacks, sleeplessness or ceaseless chatter. The ancient Chinese physicians observed that the heart regulates the flow of blood throughout the entire body, much like an Emperor regulated his kingdom, surrounded by courtiers (other organs). They asserted that the heart also houses the “shen” (translated as both mind and spirit).

Throughout the twenty four hours of each day, every two hours each of our twelve organs experience an abundance of qi, known as the Qi cycle. The time of day associated with an abundance of heart qi is 11-1pm. In order to nurture our heart, and allow it to fulfill its function of housing the shen, 11-1pm is the best time to contemplate matters of the heart.

The heart meridian begins bi-laterally under the arm pit (level with the heart) and runs down the inner arms, ending at the inner little finger. An acupuncturist will insert acupuncture needles into this meridian if there is an imbalance, in order to encourage the heart qi of the body to realign itself. It is also helpful to practice some gentle arm stretches before going to bed, to prevent the heart qi from becoming constricted. Circling arms in three wide circles (in both directions) is an easy and effective exercise.

 

Summer Season:

Summer is the season related to the heart, the element is fire, the taste is bitter and its colour is red. In order to maintain strong heart energy, increase activity in summer as this is traditionally the time to play. Take advantage of the longer daylight hours with an early morning walk along the beach, absorb the sun’s nourishment, so full of yang energy and eat juicy fresh fruits.

 

Steam or simmer the abundant supply of vegetables as quickly as possible to guarantee as little depletion as possible of natural vitamins, minerals and enzymes. Eat smaller, lighter meals. Use less salt, but add spices such as ginger and cayenne to stimulate perspiration. Bitter is the healing flavour associated with the fire element, so add dandelion greens or nasturtium leaves to a salad as this will help boost your immune system.

In our fast food culture, it is tempting to consume cold, congesting foods (such as icy drinks and ice cream). According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, eating these foods introduces coldness into the system. Our digestion is weakened when summer heat is combined with too much cold food. Coldness creates contraction, which stops perspiration and traps heat inside. This process interferes with good digestion - it is like throwing water on a fire - and that’s exactly what happens to our digestive ‘fire’. Remember, the heart’s element is fire. A fire can burn too brightly or fizzle out if it is not monitored.

 

Foods which nourish the heart include:

Lychees, watermelon, dandelion greens, peanuts, cherries, red lentils, nasturtium leaves, radish, rhubarb, Longan fruit, oily fish, and red dates

 

 

Exercise:

The heart is there to pump freshly oxygenated blood to the peripheries and deoxygenated blood back to the lungs. Sitting watching television, the heart gets lazy, so go for a walk at least and give it a chance to strengthen and perform at its peak! Swing your arms, as the heart meridian runs along the inner arm, open the chest cavity where the heart resides, smile and breathe deeply.