Seasonal Changes

[Guest guest]

Chinese Traditional Medicine, " Judy Fitzgerald " <victoria_dragon@h...>

wrote:

 

>Healthy people are in tune with the seasons. In a way, it's like we

recharge and

> store Yin energy at that time of year. (This is a very simplified

picture.)

> If the person does not partake of and refuses to be in tune with

the

> predominate energy at a certain time of year, it can trigger

imbalances and

> deficiencies later on.

 

This would be my dog. He's healthy, nothing is wrong with him. Thus

he seems to do best when I follow the advice of Henry C. Lu, feeding

him more cooling foods in winter and more warming foods in summer. I

have focused however on foods that share the same energy as the

season ... that target the Spleen and Stomach. This is the center of

all activity. I understand that in the old days Chinese physicians

primary goals were to keep people healthy (as opposed to waiting

until people developed diseases before treatment). They often used

emotional signs as clues as to what was out of balance since there

weren't obvious physical symptoms. This is one reason why I pay so

much attention to my dogs behavior and temperament. It reveals

alot. The scratching has always seemed to just be too much heat

going berserk.

 

I agree with you that treatment certainly needs to be tailored to the

individual. I suspect that very few of us are in balance. What I have

found for myself however is that we can be more specific in our

treatments and food choices rather than simply eating more warming or

cooling foods depending on our needs.

 

For instance with myself. I am Yin and Yang deficient too. The

palest part of my tongue is the Liver area and most of my symptoms

revolve around deficient Liver blood. I also have a hot stomach! I

could eat all day long and still never gain weight.

 

Cool/Cold supplements in the Fall and winter ... Warm/Hot supplements

in the spring and summer.

 

Warm/Hot drains in the fall and winter ... Cool/Cold drains in the

spring and summer.

 

I want to supplement my Liver and drain from my Stomach to acheive

balance (and yes this is a simplified version but the general big

picture).

 

Thus I have found that I make improvements in my condition when I

choose foods and herbs that are warm and target the Spleen/Stomach in

the winter (drain) and cool foods and herbs that target the Liver in

the winter (supplement). By combining these properties with the

sweet taste in those categories, I don't deplete deficiency. I do

however add some bitter or spicy where and when needed for dampness

and qi regulation. I am just careful to not have more bitter or

spicy so that I don't aggravate deficiencies. All sweet naturally

just creates congestion.

 

I am finding that I am doing well now in the spring by reversing

that ... Choosing warm foods and herbs that target the Liver

(supplement) and cool/cold foods and herbs that target the Stomach

(drain). I am adding more bitter and spicy than usual at the moment

to control the recent dampness, but still focusing on sweet.

 

This way I believe would balance your internal environment along with

attuning to the seasons.

 

I also agree with you Victoria when you stated that one needs to pay

attention the the weather, that even though the seasons have distinct

energies, everything varies from place to place. I live in an area

that typically has hot and very humid summers. Even though I stated

in a previous post that Ayurveda considers the dry season to start in

mid-July ... if it is still very humid here then, I would continue

with that little extra bit of spicy and bitter. I will however try

to remain aware that it could change. If the humidity lessens after

mid-July, I will want to be careful to go easy on the bitter and

spicy, if at all.

 

Lynn