As the longest and most complex of all the cranial nerves, it starts at the stem of the brain, behind the ears before it meanders down the sides of the neck, through the chest, and eventually ends in the abdomen linking the brain to the heart, lungs, throat, and gut. It helps to regulate our heart rate, blood pressure, digestion, sweating, and speech.

When we are in parasympathetic dominance we are able to rest and heal.

Vagus Nerve Connects the Brain and Gut

The vagus nerve and it’s feedback are the sensory network that informs the brain of what’s going on in our organs, most specially the digestive tract (stomach and intestines), lungs and heart, spleen, liver, and kidneys.

People with good vagal tone can relax faster after a stress and are more capable of regulating blood glucose levels, reducing chances of diabetes, stroke and cardiovascular disease. Recent research presented by the European League Against Rheumatism indicate that vagus nerve stimulation significantly reduces symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.

Symptoms are messages from our body that something is wrong. Poor vagal tone can express as ongoing high levels of stress, anxiety, depression, overwhelm, an inability to focus or regulate emotions and inflammation. The nerve can become damaged express deeper dysfunction such as abnormal heart rate, blood pressure or glucose.  Digestion or speech may be become compromised.

It is essential to listen to our bodies. Winter is the perfect season to slow down and take notice of our capacity to reset, restore and recharge.

This study on loving kindness meditation improved healthy vagal tone in participants. Being present and acknowledging that everything in the moment is okay reduces anxiety.

Significant and important research has been making the news about a microbiota-gut-brain axis. Read up on this fascinating subject here. Also this article discusses the science behind gut microbiota, brain function and stress related disorders.

Pericardium

The Heart Protector

(Xin-Bao)

心包

The fire element, which peaks during the summer season, not only governs the heart but also the small intestine, triple burner and the PERICARDIUM.

WHAT IS THE PERICARDIUM?

The word pericardium is derived from Latin Peri (around) and Cardium (heart). Known in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) as the “Heart Protector” or “Circulation-Sex” Meridian, the pericardium is associated with the FIRE element and the HEART. The pericardium protects the heart from emotional trauma, constricts the chest to protect the heart, and helps to express the joy of the heart. The pericardium protects the heart from potential damage caused from the strong fluctuations in energy caused by emotional ups and downs of the day. The pericardium also helps in the regulation of blood circulating in and out of the heart. The pericardium is considered a yin organ paired with the yang organ, San Jiao.

The network of the pericardium includes the pericardial sac, the pericardium meridian, the small intestine, and parts of the brain associated with the pericardium channel.

The pericardium consists of two layers; an outer and inner coat. The outer layer of the pericardium is called the parietal pericardium. The inner part of the pericardium that closely envelops the heart is called the visceral pericardium or epicardium. The tough and thickened parietal pericardium loosely covers the heart and is attached to the central part of the diaphragm and the back of the sternum (breastbone). The visceral pericardium is a double layered with one layer closely adherent to the heart while the other lines the inner surface of the outer coat with the intervening space being filled with fluid. The potential space between these two layers is called the pericardial cavity. This space normally contains 15 to 50 ml of serous fluid, which serves as a lubricant to reduce friction and as a barrier against infection.

The pericardium is  the heart opener, as well as the heart protector.  It relates to both intimacy and trauma, particularly to family dynamics of  adoption, separation, abuse, sexual improprieties, death. If the heart is not protected, love and joy disappear allowing sadness and fear to rise. We lose our spiritual connection and we may experience internal disorder. An unprotected heart may be vulnerable and easily hurt or “heartbroken.” When the Heart Protector is doing its job, it keeps out those things that are harmful and allows those to pass into the heart that are trustworthy, loving, fun, and good for our fire. I went to a continuing education class in Vermont with a practitioner that could detect a divorce in the pericardium pulse position.  For real y’all!.  I haven’t mastered that party trick but it’s possible.

TRUE NATURE RADIO PODCAST

I am once again sharing a podcast featuring Dr. Heiner Fruehauf. This episode of Nature Radio features a discussion of the pericardium network in Chinese Medicine.  Dr. Heiner Fruehauf has studied Chinese medicine for more than 30 years and is a founding professor at my alma mater, the National University of Natural Medicine, Portland, Oregon.

For an audio discussion of the pericardium, give this podcast by True Nature Radio a listen.

PERICARDIUM MERIDIAN

The PERICARDIUM Meridian is a yin meridian and is coupled with the yang Triple Burner Meridian.

Companion Meridian: Triple Warmer

Element: Fire

Physical Imbalances: Heart disorder, chest discomfort, issues with the stomach and mind

Emotional Imbalances: Difficulty feeling and expressing emotions, depression, and phobias

When Balanced: Joy, happiness and healthy relationships

Peak Hours: 7 pm – 9 pm

This meridian begins in the middle of the chest, at the pericardium. A branch descends internally through the diaphragm to the upper, middle, and lower burners – Triple Warmer. From the starting point a branch of the main channel crosses the chest to emerge just outside the nipple. It then ascends on the surface around the front of the armpit and extends down the arm, through the biceps muscle. At the elbow crease, it passes just to the inside of the biceps tendon, then down the middle of the front of the forearm, between the heart and lung channels to the wrist. It crosses the middle of the palm to PC8 where it divides. The main channel continues to the outer corner of the middle fingernail.

Examples of pericardium meridian ailments:

PC1 – Tianchi – Laryngitis, mastitis, breast feeding problems, cough, chest congestion, asthma

PC3 – Quze – Angina pectoris, palpitation, stomach ache, vomiting, diarrhea

PC4 Xi –Imbalances in the heart and circulatory system.

*PC6 – Neiguan – Angina pectoris, palpitation, stomach ache, vomiting, hiccup, insomnia, dizziness, epilepsy, migraine * Click here for acupressure instructions.   We commonly prescribe sea bands – which work on this acupoint – for travel sickness or persistent nausea related to pregnancy or cyclic vomiting syndromes!

PC7 Great Mound –Mental conditions, insomnia, schizophrenia, and bi-polar conditions

PC8 – Laogong – Angina pectoris, palpitation, vomiting, foul breath, oral ulcer, sunstroke, mania, epilepsy, toothache.  This is a master qi gong love emission point! So channel that luminous heart love into the world.

Emotionally, pericardium energy is related to the loving feelings associated with sex and is linked to the physical and emotional aspects of sexual activity.

Pericardium energy is related to the loving feelings associated with sex

Pericardium Imbalances: A pericardium imbalance manifests as chronic unhealthy relationship patterns, chest inflammation and discomfort, fluid around the heart, stiff neck, nausea, vomiting, and vertigo and very often irregular heartbeat. Other emotional signs of imbalance include frigid emotions, unhealthy vulnerability, excessive joy, inappropriate and excessive laughter, mental disturbance, phobias, inappropriate sexual behaviors and fear of intimacy, depression. A pericardium excess can give cause uncontrollable laughter, while a deficiency can manifest as profound sadness.

Pericardium Balanced: Like the triple burner, when the pericardium is in balance, a person displays characteristics of emotional joy, healthy sexual lifestyle and personal relationships, mental stability, and emotional joy.

Medical Qigong

Dr. George Love, Jr., DOM., founder of LOVE CHINESE MEDICINE is a Florida licensed primary care physician and certified Acupuncture Physician since 1986. He received his Qigong Master certification from Ju Shi Lin Taoist Scholars Council in 1994. He has been a teacher of Blue Dragon Qigong since 1983. He is author of ten self-healing manuals, producer of multiple Qigong videos and radio talk show host for 20 years.  

Medical Qigong utilizes breathing, meditation, exercise, and self-massage to heal bones, joints and internal organs.

Take a few minutes to check out this video of Dr. Love, Master of Blue Dragon Immortal Qigong, demonstrating exercises for the heart and small intestines meridian and exercises for the pericardium and triple warmer meridians. Typically, Qigong, traditions are rooted in martial or shamanic styles.  This is a martial style.  My training is from a shamanic lineage.  Both styles, activate the meridians and begin balancing the system.  

Qigong is considered an ‘internal’ tai chi.  Meaning, that the focus is on balancing the internal meridian, organs, and body systems. There is evidence for acute physiological and psychological effects of qigong exercise in older practitioners. I am currently working with a Qi Gong sequence from my cohort, Rachel Eppinga, ND, LAc that was gifted to me this February in Hara Mara, Nayarit, México.  When the time is right, I will be sharing this love sequence with our community.  I encourage you to visit her site, explore her story of Love Heals. Period., and be inspired by her love notes and medicine. Dr. Rachel Eppinga’s soul story is told in the film linked below.

TAKE CARE OF YOUR PERICARDIUM

Summer is the season associated with the pericardium, the element is fire, and the taste is bitter. To support pericardium energy, increase activity and play this summer season. Take an early morning walk and enjoy nature, absorb the sunshine, and eat juicy fresh fruits.

Foods that nourish the pericardium include: watermelon, bitter greens, peanuts, cherries, red lentils, nasturtium leaves, radish, rhubarb, oily fish, dates.

Dr. Jennifer Rodriguez is an interventional cardiologist at Cardiovascular Institute of the South in Meridian, Mississippi

Dr. Rodriquez and Dr. Cox

We asked Dr. Rodriquez a few questions about pericardial and heart health. See our Q&A below.

Q: What are the early warning signs for pericardial disease?

A. Symptoms include chest pain, typically sharp, can be worse with deep breaths, and is usually better when sitting up and leaning forward.  A slow build up of fluid, or scarring from prior irritation, can present as shortness of breath or dizziness.  Sometimes people have a flu-like respiratory or gastrointestinal viral syndrome beforehand.

Q: We have both had friends/colleagues with viral pericarditis, how and which viruses damage the pericardium and why does that happen?

A: Pericardial disease can be from a long list of viruses, bacteria, systemic conditions like rheumatology disease, renal disease, malignancy, trauma, radiation, and medication. The mechanism is irritation in the pericardium, which can lead to a fluid collection. The size and rate of accumulation affect how problematic this is. 

Q: What would you like folks to know about cardiovascular health?

A: For cardiovascular health, most risk factors stem from three behaviors (or lack thereof):  diet, exercise, and tobacco use.

The Five Elements system is ancient and comprises a holistic way of approaching health and wellness that organizes all natural phenomena into five groups. The five groups, Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water, each have an association with a season, a direction, climate, organs, emotion, taste, color, and sound among many, many, many other associations. Each element pushes and pulls the natural order of our bodies into states of excess or deficiency. This approach is to ensures that there is balance with no disharmony between the elemental factors. For this week’s blog, we are offer summer wellness tips by association to help you stay in healthy for the fire element season. Several tips and ideas are recycled from previous post for those just now joining our blog. Welcome!

Fire Element Organ

Imperial Fire ~ Heart (yin) and Small Intestine (yang): The fire element governs the heart and small intestine.

Ministerial Fire ~ Pericardium (yin) and San Jiao/Triple Warmer (yang): The fire element also governs the pericardium and triple warmer.

Fire Sensory Organ: The tongue is the sensory organ related to the heart and the tongue’s appearance reflects the condition of the heart and other organs. The tongue is a healthy red color when the fire element is in balance; whereas, the tongue will be pale if there is insufficient blood circulation in the heart. Cracks or lines down the center of the tongue also suggest a heart health issue. Engorged veins under the tongue represent stagnation. The coating reveals the body’s ability to regulate fluid and heat.

The tongue can be divided into zones representing the elements. The tip of the tongue is the fire element zone, which corresponds to the heart-small intestine network. Emotional issues of the heart, such as stress and anxiety, are indicated by a red color and red dots on the tip of the tongue.

TIP 1: Take care of your heart by reducing stress, increasing cardiovascular exercise and syncing with the luminous yellow dwarf star that illuminates our days. Start your morning off with yoga by practicing Sun Salutation. The Sun Salutation originated as a series of prostrations to the sun, honoring Surya as the source of energy and light for the world. Known in Sanskrit as surya namaskar. Traditionally, it is performed at dawn, facing the rising sun. See our previous post for instruction in Sun Salutation. Rise early ~ start your day with  a sunrise.  Take a break during the heat of the day.  Enjoy long evenings and watch a magical sunset and the glorious afterglow!

Incorporate play and exercise by hooping!

Incorporate play and exercise by hooping and dancing in circular movements. Not only is it aerobic for our hearts, it uses muscles otherwise neglected in our everyday workouts and it gives our small intestine and triple warmer a good workout. Our favorite local Birmingham hooping outfit is Hoop for Fitness. Hoop for Fitness brings hoop dance classes to the greater Birmingham area. I met Hoop for Fitness founder, Robbie Lewis, at a bluegrass music festival years ago, where she offered hoop lessons.  She helped me create my own personalized hoop (or four – hehe). We keep hoops around the office for quick breaks on beautiful days. Hoop for Fitness conducts hoop classes for exercise as well as hooping for birthday parties with games, hoop dance moves, and instruction. You can also find them hooping for fitness at St. Vincent’s One Nineteen every Tuesday and Thursday. See their website for class schedules and more information about parties (yes they travel to Tuscaloosa!), school programs, and create-a-hoop workshops. 

Don’t miss our Q&A with Robbie below! 

TIP 2: Treat your small intestines right by opting for green juice or a smoothie brought from home instead of the sugary donuts and cakes often found at work places, social events, and school class rooms. See last week’s post about no-recipe green smoothies. At the AOW, kiwis are just about ripe and almost ready for you to U Pick!  They are the perfect sweet tart for including in green smoothies. For summer travel, pack a travel cooler by bringing fruits and veggies from home and restocking on the road at grocery stores and fresh food/markets.

Kiwis are almost ripe at AOW!

 Fire Element Sound-Laughter releases endorphins into the blood stream bringing with it a rush of good feelings. A deep belly laugh is medicine and we can purposefully include laughter in our lives to promote good health.  Studies show that laughter and humor have a positive effect on anxiety, depression, and sleep so practice the fire element sound by vocalizing a deep~Haaaaw!

Our fur babies bring joy and laughter to life.

TIP 3: Watch a funny movie or cat video, go see a comedic play or stand up performance, tickle your loved ones, spend time with children and pets, which are endless sources of comedic relief. Pet lovers, you know what I’m talking about, right? Laughter is heart healthy! A recent study by Turkish medical professionals suggests that watching comedy movies has a positive effect on postoperative pain and anxiety in surgical oncology patients.

Know any good jokes?

Fire Element Emotion-Joy: In balance, the fire element manifests as joy, happiness, and love; while out of balance, it manifests as hatred, coldness and depression. Excessive fire element may display as over-excitement. Living a joyful, honest, life and expressing your emotions will keep your heart full and your body healthy.

Research shows that daily experiences of awe, curiosity, gratitude, joy, and love can put the average person on a trajectory of growth, success, and positive social connection, and can also prevent those who are suffering from following a downward spiral.

TIP 4: Go play! Get out there and enjoy life. Spend time outdoors. Do whatever suits your fancy and brings you joy. It may be spending time with family, hiking, camping, road tripping, gardening, singing, playing music, listening to music, dancing, cooking, swimming, skiing, picnicking, sailing, flying a kite, flying a plane, scuba diving, volunteering, reading to children…..get the picture? An active and playful lifestyle season brings joy. So go get to it!

Enjoy life! Dance like your heart depends on it.

Fire Element Color-Red: The color red nourishes the heart. A face turns a healthy reddish glow when the heart is exuberant and joyful, or a person with a heart imbalance may have a reddish/ruddy complexion.

TIP 5: In Chinese dietetics, we suggest that you eat a heart healthy diet of red foods such as tomatoes (not recommended for some people with intolerance to the nightshade family), cherries, beets, radishes, strawberries (not for those with histamine concerns), red beans, red lentils, red spices, and locally grown, grass fed beef (in condiment proportions).

Fire Element Flavor-Bitter: Bitter is the flavor of the fire element and goes directly to the heart. It is even used colloquially by saying someone is “bitter”, which is a fire element imbalance. Bitter flavors stimulate digestion and increase appetite and a cascade of digestive enzymes. Bitter teas, herbs, and tinctures aid in the digestive process by creating movement in a slow and sluggish digestion system. Studies also show bitter flavor helps in treating diabetes. 

Bitter foods and beverages to include in your diet this fire season: Bitter melon, citrus peel, green tea, hibiscus, lavender, turmeric, white pepper, bitter greens and lettuces.

TWO WORDS: EDIBLE FLOWERS!

Squash blooms

Fire expresses itself as life in full bloom. Blooming flowers surround us this time of year and they are a visual, aromatic, and culinary  expression of summer fire, joy, and growth. Edible flowers such as marigold, nasturtium, chamomile, rose, hibiscus and many other edible flowers have a bit of the bitter flavor to them. Other edible flowers to try at your summer table include squash blooms and the flowers from our favorite herbs such as calendula, mint, lavender, rosemary, and basil.

Sprinkle flower petals on a salad, add them to cocktails and mocktails, freeze them in ice cubes, embellish cakes with their beautiful blooms. I’m a Aries and adore decorating my birthday cake with spring flowers every year!! Keep flowers all year long by preserving them in vinegars, dressings and wines or liquors. Edible flowers add a touch of fabulous-ness to your summer parties and picnics! A bouquet of edible flowers is available in the South in every season! Roses are in bloom around this time or you may enjoy an encore bloom later in the summer. Roses are cherished for their strong floral scent and enchanting unfurling. Although their flavor is subtle and fruity, rose is considered a bitter flavor resonating the fire element. Roses complement most everything from salads to teas, water, deserts, spritzes for the body and ritual bathing. Of course, be sure any flower blooms used for food are grown chemical free.

Rose petals sprinkled on a carrot cake make a beautiful display.

To learn more about which seasonal blooms to cultivate around your home, check out University of Texas, Austin Lady Bird Johnson’s Wildflower Center.  You can filter by bloom color/time, state, sun/shade, moisture, height, etc  Warning:  this site is bliss.

Impress your guests by serving edible flowers frozen in ice cubes.

Q&A with Hoop for Fitness Founder and Hoop Dance Instructor Robbie Lewis. 

Hoop for Fitness Founder and Hoop Dance Instructor, Robbie Lewis.

Q: When and why did you start hooping?

A: I started hooping in 2000. I went to a musical festival in Atlanta where I saw a girl with a huge hoop, and I was just mesmerized. I thought I have to have one! So I tried to find one online with no success, but I found a site that gave instructions on how to make hoops. It was not until 2007 that I saw somebody hooping at the Acoustic Café music festival, and she taught me how to move the hoop from my waist to over my head. At that point, I started hoop dancing and began to make hoops.

Q: How did it come about that you are offering classes at St. Vincent’s One-Nineteen?

A:  I began offering hoop classes at St. Vincent’s One Nineteen in 2008. I work in the wellness department for St. Vincent’s Health System as a registered dietitian, and my supervisor suggested that I start a hoop dance class for exercise at St. Vincent’s One-Nineteen. In class, we laugh a lot and have fun learning different dance moves with our hoops. Hoop dance becomes a means of self-expression with the hoop being your dance partner.

Q: I know that you raised your girls hooping. What advice or wisdom can you offer about including hooping for young girls as self-expression during the sexual development stages of life?

A:  I love to teach hooping for young girls! By the age of about 7, girls are developmentally able to push the hoop on their waist and are able to learn hoop dance. Hooping is a wonderful way to boost self-esteem for developing girls, as they are able to be successful at body movement and incorporate music into exercise. It opens their minds to a non-traditional form of exercise that is fun and has the “cool factor.” To be successful at hooping, it is important for a young person to have the right hoop. A 50 lb. girl will need a different hoop than a 80 lb. girl. The same is true for adults.

Q: How far will you travel for parties and hoop making workshops?

A:  Hoop for Fitness offers birthday parties and school programs for hoop dance instruction and Create-A-Hoop workshops. Although we are based out of Birmingham, we will travel to Tuscaloosa! A typical party includes about 20 minutes of a hoop-making craft so that each girl (or boy!) can make their own hoops followed by hoop dance instruction for the remaining hour. It’s lots of fun and allows kids to exercise and enjoy dance movement collectively.

FYI: hula hoop is trademark speak so we call it hooping or hoop dancing!

Check out this video of Robbie hooping fire dance hooping! You too can catch a Community Fire Jam at Avondale Brewery in Birmingham Oct 21, Nov 21 and Dec 19.  Follow this FB link for more information!

THE SEPARATOR OF PURE FROM IMPURE

            As most of the planet is enduring and even setting heat records during the peak of the fiery summer season, in the Southern U.S., we are experiencing an unseasonably cool period this week.  Here we continue with our seasonal theme of the fire element and the elemental organ system. The element of fire embodies the bright, light, energetic essence of yang. However, fire without the grounding influence of Earth easily flares out of control.  The 2nd century dictionary Shuowen jiezi defines the heart as an Earth element, predating the concept of Heart as Fire in the modern Five Element construct.  Anxiety, from the perspective of heart, is most effectively remedied with a counterbalance of downward energy and therapy to settle, calm, stabilize and return to its original nature of yin. Think ‘talking some one down off the cliff’, down time’, and even coming back ‘down to earth’.  The earth provides a multiplicity of glorious medicines for supporting our hearts like

HIBISCUS AND HAWTHORN

Click the link above to learn how modern research supports the use of these traditional plants in cardiovascular health by Dr Tori Hudson, ND

Take a couple of minutes and watch this video from Bennett Nurseries in Huntsville, Alabama about growing native hibiscus in Alabama! 

At Alberta Orchard Wellness, we have successfully grown Red Thai Rosella (Hibiscus sabdariffa)  last summer and Gongura (Hibiscus cannabinus) this summer in our hugelkulture mound. Both are edible and showy plants, requiring little water. From our gardens, we save and replant their seeds yearly as these Hibiscus varieties are annuals in our climate . These flowers may look familiar to you as they are in the mallow (Malvaceae) family, like okra and cotton, and thrive in similar climates. So if you already grow okra, also plant Hibiscus next time!

Supplemental HAWTHORNE is available online at fullscript, our electronic pharmacy, that delivers professional grade supplements directly to your doors (free shipping $50+). It just takes just a minute to create a new account or log into your existing account:

My favorite Hawthorne supplement is Wise Woman’s solid extract 

Small Intestine Meridian

The small intestine meridian is the yang meridian paired with the heart yin meridian.  Like the heart, the small intestine is also associated with the emotions of joy or agitation. The heart is responsible for almost all mental functions, including emotions, thoughts, consciousness, and sleep patterns. These mental and emotional activities rely on our ability to make sound judgments, which is controlled by the small intestine. The small intestine is where most of the physical nutrition of our food gets absorbed into our body.  Likewise, the small intestine asks you to be aware of what is surrounding you. What you are absorbing? What company do you keep? What nourishes you mentally, emotionally, and spiritually?

Much like references to the heart as an emotional organ, the small intestines are also referenced similarly, such as the common expressions of “having a gut feeling” or “butterflies in the stomach”, which indicate a mental and emotional connection.

The Small Intestine Meridian starts from the tip of the little finger and crosses the wrist. It runs up along the back side of the forearm up to the back of shoulder, traversing our “wings” or scapula then crossing the neck and cheek as it reaches the outer corner of the eye, finally ending at the ear.

Image Sourced from Traditional Chinese Medicine World Foundation

Examples of acupuncture/acupressure for the small intestine include:

SI17 – Tianrong – Tinnitus, deafness, sore throat, swelling and pain of the neck

SI16 – Sore throat, sudden loss of voice, pain and stiffness of the neck, tinnitus, deafness

SI15 – Jianzhongshu – Cough, asthma, shoulder and back pain

SI13 – Quyuan – Shoulder and scapular pain

SI12 – Bingfeng – Shoulder and scapular pain as well as aching and numbness in the upper extremities

Separator of the Pure from the Impure

As the small intestine is responsible for separating clear from turbid on a physiological level, it also governs the mental ability to separate what is right and wrong on a mental level.  Physiologically speaking, the small intestine

• Receives bile from the gallbladder, fluid from the pancreas which includes enzymes and enzyme precursors: anylase, nucleases and enzyme precursors, trypsinogen and chymotrypsinogen
• Breaks down and digests carbohydrates and proteins
• Converts fats to fatty acids
• Orders secretions from gall bladder and pancreas
• Kills microbes via lymph follicles
• Absorbs nutrients, vitamins and minerals, and water
• Moves digested food by peristalsis obtaining rhythm commands from the migrating motor complex and mediated by the Vegas nerve during parasympathy (rest and digest)

The small intestine sorts the pure from the impure

When the small intestine is injured with food poisonings or is compromised with low acid,  pharmaceutical acid blockers, weak sphincters, or chronic constipation, parasites may set up housekeeping and we become sick (SIBO). In other instances, the small intestine loses its ability to absorb when the microvilli fingers are flattened as in celiac disease.  Damage or decreased tone of the vagal nerve intervention of the small intestine can manifest as depression, PTSD (gut-brain axis mechanism), as well as inflammatory bowel disease. Hyper reactivity, increased histamine, and food allergies occur when intestinal permeability is present, increasing exposure and response to foreign particles during the digestion process. In my clinical practice, I find small intestine disease very often overlooked and under diagnosed as a culprit of digestive based physical, mental, and emotional symptoms.  So much so that I have categorized these as “mystery diseases” ~ patients still suffer after having been to loads of doctors and yet received no definitive diagnosis or successful treatments.

Ayurveda – Digestive Fire

In Ayurveda, the small intestine and stomach are ruled by the fire element ~ Pitta and is also known as the body’s digestive fire.  While it is the most well known ‘agni’, the digestive agni is just one of the 40 subtypes.  Angi is the divine intelligence present in each and every cell, every process in the body. Agni is any activity involving heat, light, transformation, transmutation, or conversion. Agni is the creative flame of intelligence. Agni is the spark of life, the sparkle in the eye, the light of the heart. The body’s ability to transform external items into fuel, energy and vitality depends on the health and balance of the digestive fire as it physically transforms the food into energy and power.

Keys to keeping your digestive fire healthy:

• Eat moderate amounts based on your constitution, mindfully
• Eat routinely with 90-240 minutes between meals to allow a complete cycle of the migrating motor complex 
• Eat fruit away from other foods
• Avoid cold drinks and minime water with meals to allow for best concentration of digestive enzymes and fluids
• Drink warm herbal teas like ginger, chamomile, peppermint, fennel tea to support digestion
• Eat in a relaxed state 
• Use digestive spices in cooking:  ginger, cardamom, cumin, fennel, cinnamon, turmeric and black pepper.
• Eat like a queen/king for breakfast, a prince/princess for lunch, and a pauper for dinner

Nauli Kriya – fire washing the intestines is an incredibly powerful practice to strengthen the digestive fire and release toxins and negative patterning to encourage unrestricted, natural movement of the internal organs. These videos break the exercise into basic steps that can be developed over time. Note:  not for use during pregnancy, with hernias or intestinal ulcers due to increased abdominal pressure. I have linked both a female and male example of the practice with slight variations that may work for you:

youtube.com/watch?v=wYYGj544mPEhow-to-do-nauli-kriya

youtube.com/watch?v=wYYGj544mPE

Three Levels of Sorting

The small intestine sorts on three levels: physically, mentally, and spiritually; 1) physically, it draws out the nutrients from the food we eat by separating the pure from the impure; 2) it mentally sorts the constant bombardment of our modern environment by eliminating aspects of life such as crime, violence, hatred, and aggression that cause our minds to be impure with negativity; 3) on a spiritual level, our small intestine sorts the deep and dark elements of life that overwhelm the essence of love and joy. The small intestine has the power to separate the goodness from the evil and nasty aspects of life.

FIRE OF THE HEART HEATS UP THE SMALL INTESTINES!

The Small Intestine is indirectly affected by emotions such as anger that causes Qi to stagnate. The fire of the heart heats up the small intestine and signs of excess heat in the small intestine include:

   Abdominal pain

   Small Intestine heat

   Tongue ulcers

   Scanty, dark, painful, or bloody urination

   Heated fluids

   Insomnia, mental restlessness, throat pain, thirst

   Sudden hearing loss

   Red tongue with a swollen red tip and a yellow coat

   Rapid pulse

SMALL INTESTINE DEFICIENCY AND COLD

   Abdominal Pain, relieved by warm and pressure

   Cold obstructing intestines

   Diarrhea

   Weak spleen yang

   Pale and scant urination

   Desire for warm liquids

   Pale tongue with a white coat

   Deep, slow, and weak pulse

SUPPORT YOUR Small Intestine BY TRYING BONE BROTH

Follow this link to a delicious bone broth recipe by Dr Allison Siebecker, ND

for her full text article about bone broth click here

Rich in nutrients, bone broth contains protein, cartilage (remove before cooking if SIBO), calcium and minerals. Our bodies easily digest bone broth, its yummy, and brings a calming and restorative energy to our homes and minds all while repairing our gut lining.

Try bone broth to support the small intestine

“If the spirit is at peace, the heart is in  harmony;  when  the  heart  is  in  harmony,  the body  is  whole;  if  the  spirit  becomes  aggravated the heart wavers, and when the heart wavers the body  becomes  injured;  if  one  seeks  to  heal  the physical  body,  therefore,  one  needs  to  regulate the  spirit  first.”

~ Liu Zhou, a 6th century Chinese philosopher.

Every organ in our bodies has functions and responsibilities. Some are physical while others are psychological and spiritual.  The fire element, which peaks during the summer season, governs the HEART as well as the small intestine, pericardium, and triple burner.  In Chinese medicine, the heart is considered the ruler or empress/emperor of all the other organs. The emotion of joy is associated with fire and when the heart is in balance, it manifests as joy and an enthusiasm for life; while out of balance, it may present as anxiety, depression, emotional coldness or hatred.

Even in our modern society with a focus on Western medicine, we refer to the heart as an organ of feeling and emotion by saying someone has a “broken heart”, knowing something “by heart”, “pulling on our heartstrings” and being “wholehearted”, “coldhearted” or “heartfelt”. And of course, as we say in the South~ “bless your heart” and “bless their heart”. These common phrases speak to an emotional organ instead of a muscle that only pumps blood. 

Joy and Hatred

General symptoms of a heart imbalance may include excess or lack of laughter, emotional coldness and even hatred, reddish/ruddy complexion or a pale face, speech problems, social awkwardness, depression, mental illness, memory loss, poor circulation, weak spirit, and heat intolerance. Fire heats up the blood and organs and too much heat in our bodies, particularly the heart, causes edginess, anxiety, insomnia, headaches, and high blood pressure. The tongue is an indicator of heart healt with a red tip suggesting excess heat or deficiency heat flaring upward. Interestingly, incessant talking, inappropriate laughter, stuttering and an inability to speak also indicate a heart imbalance.  People with healthy hearts are usually friendly, humble, and have a strong sense of mental clarity and propriety.  

The circulation and balance of energy throughout the entire meridian system generates optimum health.

The meridian system, a fundamental concept of Chinese medicine, directs the flow of energy along specific pathways throughout the body much like the circulatory system transports blood. When this energy, also known as the life force, or qi (chi), becomes blocked or out of balance, health issues and disease occur. The concept of yin and yang helps us to understand the meridian system, which is subdivided into yin and yang groups. Twelve primary meridians are laterally and symmetrically distributed along the entire body.  Six meridians, three yin and three yang, traverse each side of our bodies and these meridians connect all major organ systems. The six yin meridians run along the inner side of the body’s limbs, on the chest and abdomen; while the yang meridians run along the outer side of the limbs and along the head, face, and torso.  Each meridian plays a specific and critical role in the health of the entire body.

The heart meridian is relatively short with only nine acupuncture points. The heart meridian starts in the middle of the arm pit, goes down the inside of the arm, to the tip of the pinky finger. The heart meridian is also known as the Hand Shao Yin Meridian, which is connected to the Foot Shao Yin Meridian, the kidneys meridian. The heart represents the fire in the body and the kidneys are water, thus, creating a relationship in our bodies between the heart and kidneys. See upcoming winter posts for more about the kidneys.

An example of common acupuncture points used on the heart meridian  include:

HT-3- clears mucus and heat from the heart

HT-6- helps with night sweats and tones the heart blood

HT-7- The most commonly used point along the heart channel, it is used to treat insomnia, heart imbalances, palpitations, emotional distress, and memory and focus issues. The Shen Men ear point (discussed below) functions in much the same way as the HT-7 point.

The heart meridian extends from armpit to tip of pinky finger.

GET HEART HEALTHY!

Exercises that stretch and strength the arms are recommended for heart health because the heart meridians start in the armpit and extend along the inside of the arm. You can also try a simple exercise of clenching and relaxing your fists! Sit up straight and allow your arms to hang comfortably between your legs. Take even and slow breathes while slowly making fists with your hands. Clench your fists while exhaling and vocalizing the sound of the heart in the back of the throat:  haaaaw. Loosen fists and relax deeply when inhaling. Repeat at least 8 times. This simple exercise stimulates blood flow and activates the heart meridian.

Reverse Heart Disease with Ornish Lifestyle Medicine

The Ornish Lifestyle Medicine program was developed by world renowned cardiologist, Dr. Dean Ornish, the founder and president of the non-profit Preventive Medicine Research Institute and Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco.

Dr. Ornish is the first physician to prove with scientific evidence that heart disease can be reversed by natural methods, including specific dietary and lifestyle changes. Ornish’s program consists of an ultra-low fat diet, yoga, meditation , therapy/support groups, and no smoking. The Ornish diet reduces blood cholesterol levels and reverses atherosclerosis, or obstruction of the arteries, making it a highly effective therapy for treating and preventing heart disease, strokes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. The Ornish diet is also a successful weight loss program.

The closest medical provider or facility that uses Ornish Lifestyle Medicine is the St. Dominic-Jackson Memorial Hospital in Jackson, Mississippi. Follow this link for more information about the Ornish program at St. Dominic.

Check out Dr. Ornish talking about reversing heart and lifestyle diseases below.

The Shen

The heart and associated meridian not only control blood circulation but also control our emotional and spiritual realms of consciousness, sleep, memory, and our minds. In Western medicine, we usually think of the heart as an organ that pumps blood, however, in Chinese medicine, the heart is the organ system that houses the Shen. The Shen is defined as our spirit, mind, consciousness or awareness. Some people compare Shen to the “spirit”.  All the spiritual aspects of the organs are called ‘the five Shen’ in Chinese medicine, each representing different aspects of our consciousness.

The Shen of the Heart is an awareness of oneself and living in the moment. It is virtuous. The heart must be at peace and absent of any distressing emotions in order to possess the Shen.  The health of a person’s heart is reflected in their face and a person’s eyes reflect their spirit, or Shen.

Maybe most important for heart health is a focus on reducing stress and fostering joy. A joyful and happy life leads to a healthy heart and body. For a quick and effective stress reliever, I use a simple treatment of Point Zero (also known as Point Wonderful) and Shen Men, a point on the ear that translates to “Gateway to Heaven” or “Spirit Gate”.  Shen Men is located at the apex of the triangular fossa region (the upper mid center of the ear, just above the opening canal and the surrounding concentric folds) of the ear. Used in treating almost any health condition, pressing this point helps to relieve stress, anxiety, allergies, headaches, addiction, inflammation, depression, and pain. Shen Men is similar to the HT 7 acupuncture point along the heart meridian.

I also like to send patients home with “acupuncture to go” tiny, stainless steel balls (originally perilla seeds) taped at Shen Men with instructions to press the seeds multiple times per day.  Simply having the ‘seeds’ set in the ear provide light pressure and activate the heart via the holographic representation of the body on the ear. My patients love this simple tool for decompressing at home and for busy times on the go! In the clinic we have taught many folks to apply these points at home.  We are glad to set ear seeds for you in the office or get you set up with your own home self care kit with seeds, a special prod to check tenderness, and a map of points useful for your unique balance!

In Chinese dietetics, we suggest you keep your heart in balance by eating a healthy diet of heart nourishing red foods such as tomatoes (not recommended for some people with intolerance to the nightshade family), cherries, beets, radishes, strawberries (not for those with histamine concerns), red beans, red lentils, red spices, and locally grown, grass fed beef (in condiment proportions).

Heart healthy red foods.