In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the following Table of Five Elements shows the inter-connectivity of different elements in nature. This model has been used by medical practitioners for thousands of years.

Water, wood, fire, earth and metal all have associated organs, traits, foods and mental/emotional connections.  The following chart simplifies and outlines the connections.

In addition to Chinese medicine, other disciplines also reference Five Elements, including Tai Chi (a martial art), Feng Shui, and cosmology.

Table of Five Elements

Summer season is again here with long days and loads of sunshine. Thought there are many ways of staying healthy and taking care of ourselves, let’s have a look at the ancient Chinese traditions for staying fit and healthy throughout the summer.

According to Chinese traditions, this is the most yang time of year. Yang energy that inspires development, expansion, actions and creativity.

During summer season, our body undergoes vigorous metabolic processes. The Chinese tradition teaches us that this season belongs to fire, which represents maximum activity or supreme yang. The heart, mind and spirit in human anatomy are ruled by the fire element. Thus in summers, Chinese medicine systems give top priority to the heart, mind and spirit in order to stay healthy throughout the hot summer months

We all know that our heart’s key task is to circulate oxygen-rich blood throughout the body. In Chinese medicine, all types of mental activities such as our memory, thought process, emotional security, and consciousness – all associated with the heart and hence the fire element.

Ancient Chinese physicians have established that when the fire element is balanced, our heart is healthy, our mind is peaceful and we sleep soundly. But when it is imbalanced, we may lack joy in life and feel depressed. Sometimes we may even have an excess of joy and feel maniac. The symptoms of imbalance in the fire element are indicated by anxiety, uneasiness, heartburn, and sleeplessness.
To prevent summer-time ailments to create havoc in your life, you should follow the advices of ancient Chinese physicians which revolve around the principles of remaining in harmony with the summer environment.

Here are a few things you can do throughout the summer:

• Get up earlier in the morning
• Go to bed later in the evening
• Take a short nap, or be lazy at midday
• Drink plenty of fluids, water is the best
• Add spicy flavors to your food
• Look for moments of joy, bliss and happiness
• focus on changes in your life, on person and spiritual growth