Embracing Summer and the Fire Element in Chinese Medicine: Key Topics and Effective Acupuncture Solutions
Hello friends,
Joy is the emotion associated with the fire element and the photo above is just that. Thank you all so much for supporting me with Warming Hut Acupuncture and coming to see me in the clinic!
Understanding the Benefits of Acupuncture for Pain Relief
I just wanted to remind you of the benefits of acupuncture and how it can help you with your pain and ailments. Acupuncture is a somatic therapy that directly influences and stimulates the nervous and circulatory systems.
Just some of the conditions I see and treat daily:
body pain, muscle tightness, upper body tension, tension headaches, lower back pain, knee pain, arthritis
IBS, Crohn’s disease, abdominal pain, bloating, constipation, diarrhea
irregular menstruation, painful periods, infertility
eczema, hives, psoriasis
mental health issues, anxiety, depression
conditions no one has solutions for
Why Consistent Acupuncture Sessions Are Essential
Just like physical therapy or Chiropractic care - Acupuncture and East Asian Medicine are rarely a one-visit fix. Depending on your condition, Health conditions improve the more frequently you come in for treatment. One Acupuncture session is one dose of medicine.
The Heart and Small Intestine Connection in Chinese Medicine
Moreover, the Fire Phase predominantly corresponds to the Heart (心) and Small Intestine (小肠) organs. These two organs have a relationship called interior-exterior organs (biǎo lǐ 表 裏). In this relationship, the Heart is the interior organ while the Small Intestine is the exterior within the Fire element.
In chapter 8 of the Huangdi Neijing (yellow emperor’s inner canon) there is a whole discussion about organ function. Before answering the nitty gritty details of each organ, the answers are concisely given by way of expressing them in terms of the political-social society at the time of the Han dynasty 2nd century bce.
Chapter 8 says, “The heart (心) holds the office of emperor and is the issuer of spirit clarity”
The heart moves the blood throughout the cardiovascular system and through smaller collateral vessels to provide circulation and microcirculation. Any sluggish blood movement here can lead to blood stagnation which can cause heat. Long-term stagnation may lead to mental disorders, memory problems, stroke, and speech difficulties.
Balancing Heart Qi: Reducing Anxiety and Insomnia
The circulatory system is everywhere. it is crazy. The pipes (vessels) can get crowded, and acupuncture helps to promote blood circulation.
The heart stores the spirit. Here spirit means the intelligence of life itself and the ability to clearly recognize the world around us and make clear decisions from this space of recognition. Any disturbances here can lead to anxiety, irritability, restlessness, or insomnia. In Chinese Medicine and Daoism the Heart is often referred to as the Heart-Mind. When the mind is calm the heart is still, and when something abruptly startles us, our heart races and gets overly-stimulated. In our culture today, there is a lot of stimuli that keep us on edge and prevent us from cultivating a still heart-mind. “The Human Heart-Mind is fond of stillness, but desires meddle with it.”
The heart opens to the tongue. The tongue is the external manifestation and the sense organ of the internal heart organ. This function is associated with the function of spirit recognition within the heart. An agitated heart might lead us to think and speak without clarity. When we are upset, we may say something we might regret later rather than sitting in contemplation or talking it over with someone outside of the situation. Another example is when a person suffers from a stroke, their entire brain function is impacted. This may impair their recognition of the world as well as their capabilities to speak clearly because it can impact their speech. This can be treated by regulating the heart with acupuncture. Plug: there are large TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) hospitals in China that specialize and focus on treating Post-Stroke patients with acupuncture and other Chinese Medicine modalities.
The Role of the Small Intestine in Digestion and Health
“The small intestine (小肠) holds the office of transport master, issuing change and transformation”
The small intestine transforms and maintains the blood meaning that some of the nutrients that are separated from the waste material in the small intestine are reabsorbed into the blood.
It provides essential substance for the physiological functioning of food assimilation which is related to its functions above in transforming and maintaining the blood. It separates nutrients from waste to be transformed back into essential fluids in the body. In Chinese Medicine, this is referred to as separating the clear from the turbid.
It removes excess water and waste in the body. Continuing to separate clear from turbid, the small intestine expels turbid fluids to the large intestine and urinary bladder for removal from the body.
The small intestine is responsible for separating the clear from the turbid, the Small Intestine plays a role in digestion and absorption of nutrients. It sorts and distributes substances, both physical and emotional. The small intestine is directly influenced by the exterior environment through its functions in sorting and passing through food and fluids that come from outside of the body. It carries a big load and discards as needed.
How Acupuncture Influences Organ Health and Qi Dynamics
Acupuncture is beneficial for mental health, mental emotional issues, general anxiety, stress, insomnia, and irritability to just name a few. A lot of these symptoms and patterns of disease are due to heart qi imbalances and they are treated by regulating the heart and small intestine. Acupuncture directly influences the organs, meridians, and qi dynamics within the organs.
Visit Warming Hut Acupuncture for Holistic Healing
To learn more about how acupuncture can benefit you, visit our clinic or book an appointment today. Let’s work together towards a healthier, happier you!
