Summertime Tips from Chinese Medicine (Hint: Acupuncture for Anxiety and Depression is Supercharged Now)
Since my days as a Girl Scout, I have always loved camping. I try to get out and pitch my tent under the stars (or, let’s admit it, fog) at least a few times every year. This past weekend, my sweetie and I loaded up our gear and headed up to the Plumas National Forest. We had daylight until nearly 9pm, and as our (safely permitted) campfire grew stronger, it seemed I was in the perfect place to celebrate the summer solstice, coming right up on June 21.
In Chinese medicine, summer is related to the Fire element and to the Heart organ and its energetics. This includes the physical heart and cardiovascular system as well as the Shen–the “spirit” of the heart that is fundamental to our physical, mental, and emotional health. The summer solstice, the longest day of the year, is also symbolic of the peak of yang energy. Yang is long days, hot weather, and joyful activity.
Because the Heart energy is predominant in the summer, the time around the solstice offers a special opportunity to heal the heart and balance the body’s fire with Chinese medicine–boosting it if it is too low, or sedating it if it’s burning too hot. This can make acupuncture for anxiety and depression particularly effective during this Fire element season.
All of my patients get Heart-balancing acupuncture treatments on the days surrounding the summer solstice. These treatments are customized to individual needs, but will include treating the “Fire” points on the four “Fire” meridians of the body–all points at the hands and wrists.
What does that look like? Well, one such Fire point, called Heart 8, or “Lesser Palace,” found on the palm of the hand, is treated to diminish excessive Heart heat, and is especially potent when treated on the solstice.
Pro tip: if the tip of your tongue is redder than the rest of your tongue (I probably see this in around 25-30% of my patients)--you’ve probably got Heart heat. Agitation, restlessness, and insomnia are other signs. The point can also treat its opposite–a deficiency of Heart fire, associated with depression, apathy, and a lack of joy.
In Chinese medicine, each element (Fire, Earth, Metal, Water, and Wood) is not only correlated with a season and an organ, but also with a taste, color, and emotion. These correspondences provide a framework for Chinese medicine’s seasonal approach to holistic wellness. Apply these tips at home, along with your regular balancing acupuncture treatments, to maximize the healing energetics of summer:
Nutrition: Bitter is the flavor associated with the Fire element. Eating bitter foods, which tend to be underrepresented in our society’s diets, helps balance the heat of Fire energy. Your best source is leafy greens, like kale, dandelion greens, and spinach. Lettuce and celery are also good choices. Now’s the time to indulge in a little dark chocolate or coffee if you’re so inclined.
Red foods are also good for the heart–think cherries, or teas made with hibiscus.
Exercise: Getting your heart rate up with regular cardiovascular exercise is critical to long term health. A baseline recommendation is at least 30 minutes of cardio, 5x/week. The long days of summer make it easier to get outside and go for runs, bike rides, and swim–whatever you enjoy, get outside and get a little sweaty.
Joy: The emotion associated with the Fire element is joy. Summer reminds us to take time to socialize with friends and family, play with our animal companions, and get out in nature and feel the sun on our faces. Cultivating joy is our summertime homework!
Interested in booking a seasonal balancing acupuncture tune-up? Need support for anxiety and depression? Book your appointment for an acupuncture appointment or telehealth herbal consult.
Dr. Lisa Franzetta is a licensed acupuncturist and herbalist in Oakland with a focus on emotional wellness, pain management, sports medicine, and integrative cancer support.