The Other Half of Skincare: Energetic Skincare

If you're not using energetic skincare products, you're not getting the other half of what your body and skin require: high frequencies through what we call energetic ingredients.

You may be using products with some sort of lower frequency, but not the high life- and youth-promoting frequencies as found in energetic skincare using high grade plant-based, natural essential oils. 

Scour the internet and you'll be hard pressed to find skincare manufacturers who create what's known as 'energetic skincare.' PHYTO5 is a very rare manufacturer of truly holistic energetic skincare.

Energetic skincare is based on the principles of energy medicine.

Energetic skincare raises the science to a level beyond ordinary conventional skincare utilizing vibrational ingredients and taking cycles of nature into account.

All energy medicines have a common basis: The body is not simply matter, but vital energy as well. 

An electro-energetic envelope known as the aura envelopes your body. The energy and vibratory rate of every organ, bone, gland, organ, blood vessel, and fluid of your body can actually be measured with a variety of highly advanced bio-resonance machines available today. 

Swedish radiologist Bjorn Nordenstrom discovered in the early 80s that the human body had electropositive and electronegative energy fields.

Studies conducted in 1992 by Tainio Technology, as an independent division of Eastern State University in Cheny, Washington, found that when a person's frequency drops below the optimum healthy range, the immune system is compromised. Just a small sampling of their findings indicate:

• Human cells begin to mutate when their frequency drops below 62 MHz

• We develop a cold or flu when our body’s frequency is at 58 MHz.

• Candida : 55 MHz

• Epstein-Barr virus : 52 MHz

• Cancer presents : 42 MHz

• Death process begins : around 20 MHz

We are much more than what we see on the surface, so we should care for our bodies, including our skin, more profoundly with energetic/vibrational therapies and products.

In fact, a fundamental principle is that it is vital energy that causes matter to become vital matter. It not only gives vitality to matter but information as well. Vital energy provides the blueprint of cell development in the embryo as cells become tissues; and tissues become specialized organs, glands, nerves, bones, etc.

The role of vital energy continues throughout our life and is not only the orchestra leader in the myriad of physiological functions that keep us vital; it is a participant as well. Unfortunately, there are numerous opportunities for our body to suffer energetic blockages that frustrate the harmonious functions of vital energy. It is particularly prevalent as we age. The leitmotiv of all energy medicines is to restore a free flow of vital energy to the body. The different energetic modalities are characterized by the ways they go about it.

Because of the way vital energy connects all the parts of the body it follows that the skin, recognized as the largest organ of the human body, connected to all its inner parts, act as a medium of silent but visible information. Trained estheticians and other skincare or spa therapists can learn ways to read the condition of the skin as well as of body shapes to gain some basic but fundamental information pointing out to possible energetic blockages. 

Fortunately for us, there are some ways provided by nature, including essential oils, that can be used in skincare products to gain a critical value-added to the traditional treatments, namely an improved flow of vital energy that will have beneficial effect on both how we feel and how we look. This approach is what we have pioneered for over 40 years. We call it: Energetic Skincare, a modality based on energetic concepts.

To read more on this subject including how the Damask Rose essential oil which is used in many PHYTO5® skincare products vibrates exceptionally high, go here.

Stay Well. Don't Ignore the Transition Period Between Summer and Fall.

In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), we strive to live in harmony with the seasons: Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. But TCM also has a fifth season which occurs four times a year. These are TCM’s 18-day "between seasons" periods called Earth that form bridges of energy from one season to the next.

"...the Earth element governs the change in the seasons, and ... thus the Earth element’s season, by definition, is the transition point between all seasons. By this logic, a weakness in the Earth energy of the body (which governs our Spleen, Stomach, and digestive function), could lead the body to be susceptible to outside illnesses when it is dominant–the time between all seasons." – from "Why Do I Get Sick When the Seasons Change?" by Marcie Griffith Bower, Lic.Ac., MAOM, Dipl. OM

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We are an inherent part of nature. We are not separate from it. Logically speaking, living in harmony with nature will assist us to have physical bodies that are in harmony in all its internal systems. We will eat in a certain way, exercise in a certain way, sleep and wake accordingly, give, love, contemplate, and nurture ourselves in alignment with the ways of the Earth season in TCM. Not only our physical bodies will benefit with health and vitality thereby preventing illness, our mental, emotional and spiritual aspects will be kept on balance and thrive as well.

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The element associated with this transition period is Earth, the color is yellow, the organs are stomach and spleen, and it's now the time to think about harvesting what we have sown throughout the summer. It's a time of "decrease" or slowing down and at the same time, abundance, when we can:

• realize the fruits of our labor (in the relationships we enjoyed this summer, in our exuberance of life, in the care of our hearts, both literally and figuratively);

• begin again to nurture ourselves in whatever way that looks;

• to intend to digest not only our food very well but our thoughts and emotions enabling them to reach our minds and spirits;

• start slowing down and gathering in all that we have created throughout the Summer;

• recognize the bounty of the earth as harvest is about to begin and to see how we can be bounteous in our lives in our giving to others;

• contemplate the harvest aspect of our lives to see the areas that are bearing fruit and which are not; then to determine in the Fall (beginning August 7) which ones can be let go or given focus;

• determine what is truly necessary in our lives and what is superfluous and a distraction then take steps in alignment with our discoveries; this is important as we prepare to enter the Fall season where letting go is paramount;

• observe and mirror nature at this time of year; the metaphor of the cycles of nature has much to teach us; now is the time to begin contemplating how the seeds we plant (both physically and metaphorically) reap corresponding harvests; we can contemplate the seeds we have sown and realize that every harvest bears the seeds for the next one.

The Four 18-Day Transition Periods Between TCM's Seasons and How to Harmonize With Them

There are four Earth energetic seasons in the Five Element Theory and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).

These are 18-day transition periods between each of Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. TCM principles tell us the energy of that seasons element “returns to earth." For example, the Fire element of Summer returns to Earth to be transformed into the energy of the Metal element for upcoming Fall.

This concept of transitional seasons repeats another three times during the other three transitional periods in the year from one season to another. Together, those four periods of 18 days each every 12 months constitute the full Earth energetic season, the fifth energetic season of TCM.

The Earth season is particularly important as it is a stillpoint in the yin/yang dance of energy throughout the year. In particular, from July 20 to August 6, the yang of Wood (Spring season) and of Fire (Summer season) has faded, and the yin energy of Metal (Fall season) that will peak during Water (Winter season) is poised to rise.

The color for Earth is yellow.

Yellow fruit and vegetables are highly recommended to consume during the transitional Earth season in order to be more in alignment with the energy of the season.

A more toxic body condition found more in some people than in others is what TCM refers to as an Earth condition, or imbalance.

Earth imbalance in the skin usually manifests as:

• blemishes, toxicity, acne, psoriasis, enlarged pores

• heavy looking hair, pimples on scalp

• lymph circulation problems (Lymph is the fluid associated with Earth.)

Acne is an Earth condition that needs to be treated with targeted Earth skincare and therapies. Severe conditions will require a pointed series of treatments to balance the energetic root cause. Drainage of the lymph is essential, not only on the face but also all over the body, especially in severe cases of acne. The condition of acne tends to flare up during the four yearly transitional periods described above (the Earth season).

Lymph drainage is essential.

When waste does not fully migrate out of cells, we manifest the most typical cellulite—an Earth energy deficiency. Cells have become increasingly more bloated with waste material. The condition is aggravated when there is already too much waste in the interstitial fluid. In this case also, lymph drainage is sorely required.

Although there are a few contraindications for lymph drainage, it is safe to say that, in general, most people will benefit from regular drainage, particularly people of the Earth type. A good drainage gives instantly visible results making lymphatic drainage a worthwhile spa treatment.

If your body is very toxic which is very common with Earth types, it is advised to do the entire body in two or more sessions as toxins released too quickly over a large surface might induce fatigue and headaches. It is always imperative for everyone to drink plenty of water before and after any body drainage treatment.

The energetic drainage is not painful at all. In fact, it is considered very pleasant and relaxing. Most people feel quite rejuvenated at the end of the treatment.

In light therapy, also known as chromatherapy by PHYTO5, we use blue light to target the fluid of Earth, lymph, with our award-winning light technologies.

The morphology* associated with Earth can be described as:

• good proportions between upper and lower body (yin and yang in balance).

• likely to develop a belly

• thinking type with stable demeanor

• can be nervous when problems occur

• sensitive to humidity.

The elements in TCM are also associated with epochs in our lives. Earth tends to be the time for more mature adults while Fire, for example, is the time of young adulthood.

The PHYTO5® facial for the transitional periods between seasons/Earth element addresses energetic imbalance with two energetically potent products–the high vibration Earth serum (Phyt’Ether) and the Yellow Colored Clay Mask.

Spleen and stomach are the organs of the Earth seasons.

Spleen has a critical and ongoing management function in Chinese medicine converting and distributing energy from nourishment. It also regulates lymph flow, a major actor in toxin removal from tissues and a critical function of the immune defense system.

Earth is a time to regain our physical and psychological balance and to be prepared to sustain the energetic influences of the next season.

Indeed, during each of the other four seasons, either yin or yang will be on the rise or on the decline.

Each one of us will react to the changes in our own particular ways that can lead to imbalance, but Earth provides the perfect time to detoxify both our physical body and our mental/emotional one. It is the time to be grounded, and to cherish our CHI.

*Morphology is the study of body shapes. Your physical appearance is the specific manifestation of the sum total of all hidden and subtle energetic influences at work within you—what you were born with as well as what results from where and how you live your life. While there is an infinite number of body shapes, they can be classified according to TCM into five groups based on specific characteristics. To each of the five elements corresponds a body type—a specific morphology.

Earth Season Morphology

#tcm #morphology #acne #lymph #toxicity #skincare #Swiss #organic #natural #drainage #lymphatic drainage #holistic

18 Avenues for Releasing Stored Emotional Pain

All emotions, pain in particular, are recorded at the cellular level. Emotions stem from the body’s experiences and its mental interpretation of those experiences. Because of this, emotions are closely related to our bodies. They’re actually an extension of our bodies.

There is also evidence that mental pain and anguish have an impact on the body as if they were physical bodily injuries. This helps to explain why many massage therapists have experienced involuntary emotional reactions from their clients like unexplainable cries, shrieks, or tears. These happen when there is a release of a painful event which has been stored in the physical body as a physical and/or energetic blockage.

It's a good thing to get these blocks of energy released otherwise they might cause a physical illness down the road. Think about it: When energy is blocked from flowing in the body, how can that be good? It causes pain, dysfunction and illness.

Partake of the mystique of quantum energetic formulated plant-based skincare for your exalted natural beauty and well-being. Subscribe for a discount promo code, plus get truly unique beauty tips and offers.

Make it a habit, within the constraints of your budget, to see a holistic healthcare giver on a regular basis. If they are truly holistic, they will take your ability to pay into account and create a sliding scale for you. This is the meaning of holistic–taking all aspects of a person into account when treating, including the means to pay for services. Bring it up to your therapist if this is the case for you.

Here's a partial list of types of holistic practitioners* you might want to look into for yourself:

1. Massage therapist, of course, but preferably one with knowledge of balancing chakras

2. Doctor of Oriental Medicine or Acupuncturist

3. Energy medicine practitioner

4. Ayurvedic practitioner

5. Reiki practitioner

6. Biofeedback specialist

7. Chromatherapy specialist

8. Guided imagery practitioner

9. Therapeutic touch therapist

10. Doctor of Homeopathy

11. Thai yoga teacher/practitioner

12. Bach flower remedy specialist

13. Rolfer

14. Pranic healing specialist

15. Rebirthing expert

16. Sound therapist

17. Myofascial/trigger point therapist

18. Chakra balancing expert

*Some of these healthcare givers may require licenses to practice. Be sure to verify before accepting treatment.

The 7 Types of Ayurvedic Massage

Abhyangam
A full body hot oil massage with medicated herbal oil in the patient's particular dosha (dosha: each of three energies believed to circulate in the body and govern physiological activity). A comfortably warm temperature is maintained in the room and energy centers are stimulated to assist the body in releasing deep seated toxins.

Udvartana
In Udvartana massage, an herbal paste or dried herbal powders are applied oppositethe hairgrowth i.e. in an upward direction. This breaks down the adipose tissues in the body, increases circulation and releases toxins.

Garshana
The Garshana massage is a process of stimulating the body using raw silk gloves only minus the application of any lubricant. Light and vigorous movements eliminate toxins from the body by stimulating the lymphatic system and fat cells in the body break Dead skin cells are sloughed off leaving the skin clean and radiant.

Njavarkijhi
This massage increases perspiration in the body. A pressurized massage is given with the help of small cotton ‘blouses’ filled with a special type of cooked rice called Njavara. During the massage, these blouses are dipped in cow’s milk and a special herbal paste and applied to produce sweat. It is de-stressing and revitalizing.

Shirodhara
Here a stimulation of the nerves in the scalp is activated by pouring herbal oil on the head in a constant stream or ‘dhara,' thus relieving mental fatigue, increasing focus and clarity and alleviating headaches.

Ubtaan and Elakijhi
Various herbal or animal centric materials are used to vitalize the skin texture and nourish the body.

2 Effective and Natural Ways to Fight Potential Superbugs

On May 26, 2016 Sanjay Gupta, MD of CNN reported, "New ‘superbug’ no antibiotic can combat arrives in U.S." We've all heard how antibiotics aren't working like they used to. Microbes are adapting. They're learning how to survive the attacks of antibiotics.

In another CNN interview with a microbiologist, the health pundit was asked what new approach we could use to combat superbugs and he answered, PROBIOTICS. He said we have to start looking at probiotics for our health. Hello?! Where has he been?! I guess just steeped in the world of allopathic medicine but it's nice to hear they're more and more willing to give a real alternative like probiotics a good hard look.

What a simple, affordable and really healthy way to fight such pathogens! Keep your intestines populated with probiotics (also known as friendly flora).

Another microbiologist, Larry Harris, formerly of the CIA, was asked on national television several years ago about how we can effectively combat lethal pathogens and he said:

The only natural substance I know of that is effective against these microbes is colloidal silver. I tested that myself when I was with the CIA, and found it effective against both anthrax and the bubonic plague pathogens. –Former CIA microbiologist Larry Wayne Harris

The Ultimate Colloidal Silver Manual. Barwick, Steve. Peoria, AZ: Life and Health Research Group, n.d. Print.

Concerning PROBIOTICS: Get a good one at the health food store. They are usually sold in the refrigerated section. Keep them refrigerated so that as many as possible of the millions and millions of friendly flora organisms stay alive. Don't take too much. Just take what the bottle says every day, at least until you learn how your body responds to them. There will be other benefits including much better waste elimination, glowing skin, resistance to colds, flu, healthier bones, nicer breath and more!

On COLLOIDAL SILVER: Again, get a good brand at the health food store, preferably one that uses nanotechnology. You want a silver with nanoparticles because nanoparticles are so small they can penetrate your mucous membranes far more effectively than regular colloidal silver. You can buy it in spray form or liquid dropper form. I use the liquid dropper form. It tastes fine.

Just put the prescribed amount under your tongue, hold it there for 20 seconds or so and swallow. Don't overdo colloidal silver either. Just take the amount prescribed on the label. And remember this mantra when taking colloidal silver, "Less is more and more is less." This means that if you take a much larger amount of silver than is suggested, it will be ineffective. But you can take it several times throughout the day.

We've all heard of rare people who turned blue after going wild on colloidal silver. Though this is rare, be smart. There's nothing to fear even if you take it every day.

Not only are probiotics and colloidal silver effective at outsmarting bugs and superbugs, they're a whole lot cheaper and with no ill side effects.

#superbugs #health #holistic #healing #probiotics #colloidalsilver #beauty #skincare

The Incredible Benefits of Red Fruits and Vegetables for Heart Health During Energetic Summer and All Year ‘Round

Energetic Summer according to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is the time period from May 6 to July 19. TCM’s astute observations beginning as early as the 14th–11th centuries BCE tell us that Summer encourages us to live in an emotional state of joy-in-balance. The element associated with Summer is Fire. The color is red and the organ is the heart.

Living in harmony with each season as it comes is integral to TCM philosophy. By doing so, we enjoy higher levels of health and vitality.

To create harmonious living with the season TCM also advocates incorporating the color red into our lives more prominently during Summer and this includes the consumption of red fruits and vegetables. Most red produce is seasonal to Summer, is actually somewhat heart-shaped, and most of it supports healthy heart function. (Remember that the heart is the organ of Summer.) Red fruits and vegetables indicate the presence of high levels of lycopene and other powerful antioxidants proven to be heart disease fighters.

Though all produce offers an entire array of nutritional and health benefits, in this article we’re looking at what red fruits and vegetables of Summer offer cardiovascular health.

Strawberries

With a high polyphenol content (plant compounds that act as antioxidants which neutralize harmful free radicals), strawberries are rich in anthocyanins and have been shown to remarkably help lower your risk of myocardial infarction.

The flavonoid quercetin in strawberries is a natural anti-inflammatory which appears to reduce the risk of atherosclerosis.

Finally, the healthy fiber and potassium content in strawberries supports heart health.

Cherries

“Emerging evidence links cherries to many important health benefits, including a reduction in risk factors for heart disease. A growing body of science links cherries’ red color (provided by the fruit’s powerful antioxidants (anthocyanins) to heart-health benefits related to reducing inflammation, total cholesterol, and belly fat. With more than 80 million Americans living with some form of heart disease, the heart-healthy qualities of eating red fruits and vegetables have more relevance than ever.” —Shari Steinbach, MS, RD in Cherries and Heart Health; https://fruitsandveggies.org/stories/iv-for-021511-shari-steinbach/

Raspberries

Disease-fighting compounds in red raspberries have the ability to fight back against oxidative stress thereby lowering the risk of atherosclerosis development, improving vasodilation of blood vessels, and reducing blood pressure.

What is particularly interesting about the research on red raspberries is “their potential to help reduce factors contributing to metabolic syndrome which has implications for diabetes development and overall cardiovascular and brain health,” so says Britt M. Burton-Freeman, PhD, of the Center for Nutrition Research, Institute for Food Safety and Health, Illinois Institute of Technology.

Tomatoes

Lycopene in tomatoes help lower your levels of LDL or “bad” cholesterol and they help regulate blood pressure, too. Both of these may lower your chances of heart disease. Other nutrients in tomatoes like vitamins B and E and flavonoid antioxidants work to boost heart health as well.

Red bell peppers

Full of lycopene (just mentioned above), consuming red bell peppers can be excellent for heart health. Antioxidant vitamins A and C abound in red bell peppers. If you choose the chili pepper varieties of red bell peppers, the phytochemical capsaicin helps reduce inflammation, another important factor for heart health.

Red beets

“A daily serving of beet juice may improve quality of life for heart failure patients, based on recent findings linking beetroot juice to blood pressure reductions and improved exercise endurance.” —Beet Juice Lowers Blood Pressure and Boosts Exercise Endurance in Heart Failure Patients

Based on recent findings published in JACC: Heart Failure, drinking beet juice may be an effective way for heart failure patients to improve exercise endurance and quality of life.

Red grapes

Resveratrol, a polyphenol in red grapes, have antioxidant, lipid-lowering, and anti-inflammatory properties that contribute to lessening your risk of cardiovascular disease. Eating red grapes helps the body to prevent platelet build-up and reduces blood pressure and the risk of irregular heart rhythms.

Pomegranate

The juice of pomegranate seeds appears to protect the heart and arteries. This sweet red juice helps to improve blood flow and keeps the arteries from becoming stiff and thick. It seems to help slow the growth of plaque and buildup of cholesterol in the arteries, studies show.

“Drinking pomegranate juice daily may also help lower systolic blood pressure. A comprehensive review of randomized controlled trials stated that it would be beneficial for heart health to include pomegranate juice daily.” —Mandy Ferreira and medically reviewed by Natalie Butler, RD, LD in Fifteen health benefits of pomegranate juice, Medical News Today

Red pears

Since pears are high in potassium, they have a significant impact on heart health. Potassium acts as an excellent vasodilator assisting to lower blood pressure. With improved blood flow to all parts of the body oxygen is well delivered to all organs causing them to function more effectively. The high fiber content of pears also ensures good heart health.

THE EMOTION OF JOY

In the seminal holistic healing book, You Can Heal Your Life by Louise Hay, she tells us how blood flow and joy are related. Anger constricts the flow of blood and makes a destructive impact on the heart. The heart and joy or lack of it exist in symbiosis. One begets the other.

Her “dictionary” of diseases and their associated emotions says this about the heart:

“…Represents the center of love and security.

– Heart Attack: Squeezing all the joy out of the heart in favor of money or position. Feeling alone and scared. 'I’m not good enough. I don’t do enough. I’ll never make it.'

– Heart Problems: Longstanding emotional problems. Lack of joy. Hardening of the heart. Belief in strain and stress.”

Summertime can be a joyful time of open hearts and love. Align with the energies of Summer and do everything you can to keep your heart pumping joyfully. Consuming red fruits and vegetables can help in more ways than one.

This blog was originally published on May 27, 2016 but has been extensively updated and expanded on June 18, 2021 for freshness and comprehensiveness.

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Endnotes:

“Strawberries: Benefits, Nutrition, and Risks.” Medical News Today, MediLexicon International, www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/271285#benefits. 

“Cherries and Heart Health.” Have a Plant: Fruits and Veggies for Better Health, https://fruitsandveggies.org/stories/iv-for-021511-shari-steinbach/

“What Red Raspberries Can Do For Your Heart.” Labroots. https://www.labroots.com/trending/cardiology/2440/what-red-raspberries-can-do-your-heart

“Beet Juice Lowers Blood Pressure and Boosts Exercise Endurance in Heart Failure Patients. CardioSmart: American College of Cardiology. https://www.cardiosmart.org/news/2016/3/beet-juice-lowers-blood-pressure-and-boosts-exercise-endurance-in-heart-failure-patients

“What are the health benefits of grapes?” Medical News Today. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/271156

“Fifteen health benefits of pomegranate juice.” Medical News Today. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/318385

Hay, Louise. You Can Heal Your Life. Hay House. 2004.

6 Important Foods to Keep You Cool as a Cucumber This Summer

The heart and small intestine are partners in the human physiology according to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Heat disperses and eliminates itself from the body through increased urination. This is why you want to stay hydrated and cool with these six foods. They'll help you keep heart in balance during the lazy hazy days of Summer.

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6 Cooling Foods for Summer Heat (No spicy-greasy here!)

1. Coconut milk; slightly sweet and a relatively neutral food. Buy the better brands in the health food stores. You can make your own in a high speed blender by blending some young Thai coconut meat with pure water. It is very nourishing to the spleen, stomach and kidneys, generating fluid and relieving thirst.

2. Mung beans; they're great sprouted. Learn to sprout them. They only take a couple days or else find them in the produce aisle in the grocery store. Mung beans are sweet and cooling and they nourish both heart and stomach. They're rich in protein, iron and fiber and they help lower blood fat and strengthen arteries. They help clear toxic heat and promote urination.

3. Cucumber, of course! This fruit is sweet and cold, and very nourishing to the stomach and small intestine. It helps relieve thirst, promote urination and clear toxins.

4. Eggplant; it grows in abundance in the summer–you just have to learn how to prepare it to make it taste great. Eggplant is relatively sweet and cooling, and renews the spleen, nourishes the liver and keeps the stomach regulated. It helps reduce swelling and promotes urination.

5. Watermelon, absolutely! Sweet and cold, watermelon is great for the heart, bladder and stomach. Believe it or not, it helps eliminate restlessness. It's thirst relieving and promotes urination.

6. Bitters*;  so good for you, they're actually important to eat every day. See list below for veg examples of bitters. And hey! have some Jägermeister, but not too much! It's a German digestif made with 56 herbs and spices at a strength of 35% alcohol by volume. Bitters such as Jägermeister are used as a medicinal substance to promote digestion.

*amaranth, arugula, beet greens, broccoli raab, chard, chicory, cress, collard greens, curly endive, dandelion greens, kale, endive, escarole, frisée, mizuna, mustard greens, nettles, puntarelle, radicchio, rapini, rocket, spinach, turnip greens, watercress

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8 Tips for a Radiant Summer Heart

Summer is the season of the heart and small intestine (in Traditional Chinese Medicine on whose tenets we base our PHYTO5 skincare philosophy). Today, we're looking at how to keep our heart in tip top shape taking advantage of the Summer's energy.

In Western medicine, the heart does nothing more than pump blood. In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), the heart is so much more. In Chinese medicine, life is more than form just as are our lives which include relationships, career, emotions, traumas, education, finances, love, and joy.

Fire Element • Summer Season • Heart Organ

In TCM, they are one and when aligned with each other, we live in harmony and our vitality results in every aspect of our lives.

When there is too much fire in any fire pile, heat blazes upwards. In the human, anger bubbles up, emotions get charged and the face and neck turn red.

When there is too little fire, warmth begins to dissipate and so does its light. In the human, necessary heat cannot reach the head as well and the face becomes pale and the person lethargic. Heart palpitations may occur intermittently.

With just the right amount of fire, all systems are go! The blood is circulating optimally and the human feels at ease, relaxed and happy. His or her facial complexion looks balanced and robust.

In TCM, the heart is the Emperor Fire, governing the blood and blood vessels and actually housing the mind which interprets our feelings and emotions. It is the king of all organs meaning all the other organs will sacrifice for the heart so that balance may be achieved.

The small intestine is partner to the heart and the liver is known as the mother of the heart. They both work to support the heart.

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So how do we keep the heart in balance? Take care of the liver and the stomach! Let's begin with the liver. Here are several arenas to focus on for liver health:

1. Consume bitters. They strengthen digestion by causing a reflexive secretion of gastric juices and they tone the muscles of the digestive tract.

2. Take herbal purgatives, if necessary, to keep your bowels moving. There are tasty teas in the health food stores designed for this purpose.

3. Take liver tonics such as what your Doctor of Oriental Medicine will prescribe for you. Or consume milk thistle, commonly found in health food stores.

4. Do juice fasting. If the liver is burdened, fasting will assist it to bounce back resiliently.

5. Eat high fiber foods and keep well hydrated. Both of these keep the bowels moving.

6. Practice breathing. Stress can exacerbate liver congestion. Breathing is very calming.

7. Avoid overeating and putting undue stress on the liver. We really don't need to eat as much as we do!

8. Cut the chemicals. Chemicals can overload the liver especially if we've never done a liver cleanse or if we don't consciously read product labels and buy with discernment.

Top Cooling Foods of Summer with Bonus Recipe

“The wise nourish life by flowing with the seasons and adapting to cold or heat, by harmonizing joy and anger in a tranquil dwelling, by balancing yin and yang, and what is hard and soft.”

— The Neijing Suwen, an ancient Chinese medical text that has been treated as the fundamental doctrinal source for Chinese medicine for more than two millennia.

We have entered the energetic season of Summer and the Fire element (May 6 to July 9) according to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).

In the summer, we tend to naturally gravitate to cooling (yin) foods. Now is the time when local cooling organic fruits and vegetables are in abundance. If you eat in harmony with the season, you're going to feel and do better!

The warming and cooling properties of a food have less to do with actual temperature, cooking temperature, spiciness or even individual ingredients—and more to do with the food’s balance and contrast among ingredients and the effect of these on the body when the food is ingested. (http://bottomlineinc.com/yin-yang-foods-that-make-you-feel-better/)

Here's a list of Cooling Foods for the Summer Courtesy of ChineseMedicineLiving.com

1. Apricot

2. Cantaloupe

3. Watermelon

4. Strawberries

5. Tomatoes

6. Lemon

7. Peach

8. Cucumber

9. Orange

10. Asparagus

11. Sprouts

12. Bamboo

13. Bok choy

14. Broccoli

15. Chinese cabbage

16. Corn

17. White mushroom

18. Snow peas

19. Spinach

20. Summer squash

21. Watercress

22. Seaweed

23. Mung means

24. Cilantro

25. Mint

26. Dill

27. Bitter gourd

28. Mung beans

29. Wax gourd

30. Lotus root

31. Lotus seed

32. Job’s tears

33. Bean sprouts

34. Duck

35. Fish

Watermelon Cooler Recipe

• 2 cups watermelon flesh

• 1 cup young Thai coconut water (C2O brand in health food stores is good!)

• 1/4 cup lime juice

• raw blue agave to sweeten and to taste

Run a few seconds in a high speed blender with some ice and enjoy.

8 Refreshing Uses of Lavender to Cool and Soothe for Summer

Lavender essential oil is massively utilized in the cosmetics industry. It’s also a principle unique ingredient in PHYTO5’s Fire element skin and hair care line because of its ability to cool and soothe the body (skin and scalp), the mind and emotions, and the spirit.

Though you may think lavender is a flower, it isn't. It's an evergreen fragrant shrub of the mint family.

The root of the word 'lavender' (latin: ‘lavare’) means to wash or to cleanse. In the Middle Ages it was associated with washing because the plant was used to scent washed fabrics. The Romans used lavender in bathing rituals recognizing its purifying ability which today we define as antiseptic and disinfectant.

In ancient Egypt, lavender was used in the mummification process. And in Elizabethan times, lavender was used to perfume clothes and bed linen since baths were not the common practice they are today.

Partake of the mystique of quantum energetic formulated plant-based skincare for your exalted natural beauty and well-being. Subscribe for a discount promo code, plus get truly unique beauty tips and offers.

In addition to its refreshing clean fragrance, lavender has wonderful cooling and soothing properties and though there are a myriad of ways to use lavender, here are a few:

1. In skincare for cleansing and soothing the skin;

2. In medicine to soothe burns and wounds;

3. To repel mice, flies, mosquitoes and other pests;

4. In cuisine such as in lavender lemonade, dried bloom sprinkles on dessert, in cakes, as tea, and as a component of salty meals combined with cheese;

5. For relieving insomnia by rubbing a few drops of lavender essential oil on the temples;

6. To aromatize your dresser drawers with sachets made of dried lavender;

7. In glorious flower arrangements to uplift the spirit;

8. For calming nerves, anxiety, depression, fatigue, and a troubled and busy mind; Arnica-Lavender Massage Oil by PHYTO5 is excellent for this and it’s certified organic;

9. When feeling lonely and missing mother; its fragrance is a comforting analog for mother.

Lavender Lemonade

from SmallFootprintFamily dot com

Ingredients

• 1 cup raw honey (local if you can get it)

• 5 cups pure water

• 1 Tbsp. dried, organic culinary lavender (or 1/4 cup fresh lavender blossoms, crushed) (where to find online)

•  1 cup fresh-squeezed, organic lemon juice, strained

• Ice cubes

• Lavender sprigs for garnish

Instructions:

Bring 2 1/2 cups water to boil in a medium pan. Remove from heat and add honey, stirring to dissolve. Add the lavender to the honey water, cover, and let steep at least 20 minutes or up to several hours, to taste.

Strain mixture and discard lavender. Pour infusion into a glass pitcher. Add lemon juice and another 2 1/2 cups of cold water. Stir well. Refrigerate until ready to use, or pour into tall glasses half-filled with ice, then garnish with lavender sprigs.

Soothing and cooling lavender essential oil is formulated into the following PHYTO5 quantum energetic products in the Fire element line:

• Fire Skin Toner

• Day Cream

• Night Cream,

• Phyt’Ether Serum

• Red Clay Mask

• Selextreme Swiss Mountain Exfoliating Salts

• Yogi Body Gel

• Shampoo

• Organic certified Arnica-Lavender Massage Oil.

The First Day of Summer Is May 6 According to Traditional Chinese Medicine. Here's Why.

June 20, the Summer Solstice, is widely regarded as the first day of Summer. The Summer Solstice marks the longest day of the year but it’s not necessarily the best indicator of the first day of Summer.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), a time-honored practice dating back to more than two centuries before the common era, follows the principles set forth in the Wu Xing, also known as the Five Element Theory.

In the Wu Xing, we are given the dates for the four seasons plus the periods "between seasons.”

Traditional Chinese thinkers were fond of pondering the cyclical aspects of nature with the repetition of days, moons, seasons and years as they observed the effects of those cycles on all living organisms. 

Humans, like animals and plants, are affected by nature’s cycles, so it is not surprising that the study of nature was the first basis in their understanding of vital energy. Knowing that there can be no effect without a cause, the predictable seasonal patterns pointed to the existence of a cause.

Unlike ancient Greeks and Egyptians who attributed cause to the whims of various gods, the Chinese simply saw chi (energy) as the mover of matter but not as a deity. They saw this energy being responsible for cyclical and predictable stages and changes. They evolved the more complex and subtle Law of the Five Elements which includes the energies symbolically named Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water and the multiple aspects of their interrelationship.

The ancient Chinese saw how the cycles of the seasons profoundly impact everything from weather to plants and crops, animals and even human mental well-being.

They surmised that to each season corresponds a specific energy that influences all life forms. They concluded that in addition to the cyclical movement of yin and yang, there must also be changing energies causing, and therefore related to, seasonal changes. They subdivided yin and yang into five phases, also called elements that they named: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water. These five phases are also known as the Wu Xing.

In the Wu Xing, summer begins May 7 and ends July 19. Shortly thereafter and until August 6 is a "between seasons" period leading up to the Fall season.

According to the Wu Xing, the 72 days of Summer is a period of swelling and flowering, full of energy and fire. The heart and the small intestine are the organs that require focus at this time so that their function may be balanced and in harmony with the season. 

The element of Summer according to TCM is Fire. The out-of-balance-with-Fire skin condition presents as red, irritated, sensitive, blotchy, allergic skin. PHYTO5’s Fire skin and hair care line strives to bring those symptoms back into balance as it soothes and calms. 

The emotionality of Summer is joy, but more so, joy in balance. This means that if joy goes overboard or is expressed as wild exuberance, the emotion is out of balance. To live in harmony with any of the five seasons of TCM means we are in balance with all its attributes. An in-balance Summer type would very much tend to be joyful but in a balanced way.

This Summer, be sure to have fun and be balanced in your joy. Your time for seriousness comes in the Fall.

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Photo by cottonbro at Pexels.com.

This article, originally published on May 10, 2016 was updated on May 16, 2021 for freshness and comprehensiveness.

The Energy of Spring Can Help You Lose Weight

The Spring season according to the Five Element Theory of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) runs from February 5 to April 17. Spring is the season of the Wood element in TCM philosophy.  It represents the rise of yang energy that will eventually culminate in the Fire/ Summer season. The Wood organs are liver and gall bladder. We want to focus on encouraging our yang energy which is naturally rising during the Spring. It’s also wise to support the liver for optimum cultivation of health during the season. Our goal is to live in harmony with the vigor and the upward tendency of yang energy that we witness in nature everywhere as buds begin to poke through the weathered soil of Winter.

Get the most out of energetic Spring and support your weight loss goals with the following best practices for the season according to TCM.

Rest and go inward as much as possible. Your time to get up and go in Summer is just around the corner.

Go to bed a little later and get up a little earlier every morning.

The body’s metabolism tends to speed up in Spring. If you'd like to lose weight, take advantage of Spring's natural easing of appetite and increased metabolism. Work with your body's desire to move energy by increasing your physical activity. Try to enjoy some walks in the morning sunlight and focus on gently unfolding and lengthening your body as you do.

Do a simple daily cleanse during the Spring for liver and gall bladder. Such a cleanse can be based on certain teas or juices.

Consume food and drink with generative and raising properties. Highly nutritious green vegetables and fruits are important to strengthen constitution and resist sickness, and fruits in season such as strawberries are beneficial as well.

Include bitter foods in your diet. These are fruits, vegetables, and herbs having a sharp, pungent taste or smell, not sweet.

Nourish your liver daily or as often as possible with hot/warm water and lemon.

Drink beverages with generative and yang energy raising properties. Scented teas, for example, dissipate cold pathogens which have accumulated in the body over Winter. Honey added boosts chi energy.

Apply PHYTO5’s Wood element Phyt’Ether to the liver and gall bladder reflex zones on the face. The liver zone is the area between the eyebrows extending from the bridge of the nose upward approximately one and a half inches. The gall bladder zone runs along the outer side of the eye in the temple area to the hairline. (See illustration, right.) Also apply Wood Yogi Body Gel to the outside of the legs which will support circulation on the gall bladder meridian. 

If your skin is oily, has blackheads and/or hyperpigmentation,  cleanse well and massage in a drop of PHYTO5’s Wood element on the affected areas and apply Wood element Day Cream. If your skin is well balanced taking your age into account, now is the time of year for you, too, to enjoy Wood Day Cream. Extract of wheat and essential oils of lemon and rosemary activate the natural defenses of the skin to combat the effects of poor diet and/or lack of cellular oxygenation. Essential oils in this cream are antiseptic, toning and stimulating and help provide protection from weather’s high and low pressure and windy and changeable weather associated with Spring.

This article was originally published on April 4, 2016 and has been updated with additional information for greater comprehensiveness.

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Liu, Zhanwen, et al. Health Cultivation in Chinese Medicine. People's Medical Publishing House, 2012.