Sweetness is associated with the Earth Element.

Although a touch of sweetness can stimulate the spleen and pancreas, indulging in too much sweet food and drink can cause digestive issues and decrease energy levels. The primary dietary tip for this transitional time of year is to avoid sugars and sugary foods; however, local (raw) honey in small amounts nourishes the spleen, emanating the golden color of the season. 

All vegetables and fruits in earth tone colors benefit the Earth element.

Supplement the diet with squash, carrots, dates, figs, peaches, pears, sweet potatoes as alternatives to unhealthy refined sugars and sweets. Picking fruit and vegetables perfectly ripe from the tree, vine, bush or ground gifts our bodies the most perfect form for consumption.  So grow your own fruits and vegetables or frequent your local farmer’s markets!  Consider shopping for smaller quantities more frequently during this season of abundance.

It is important to avoid foods that cause dampness in the body like dairy and fried foods. I know we Southerners love our iced sweet tea, but cold foods and beverages, especially putting ice in drinks and ice cream, shock the spleen causing digestive issues. Room temperature water is best or constitutionally corrective herbal teas or infused waters cooled in the refrigerator if you must. Remember to chew your food well and eat slowly to support the spleen!

More thorough chewing releases and magnifies the taste of the season, sweet.

This is the ideal time to nurture your Earth energy with acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine. Also try yoga postures for your spleen and stomach as demonstrated here.  

What does the phrase ‘down to earth’ mean to you?

Earth Writing Exercise

Take a moment.

Find pen and paper.

Transcribe the phrase Down to Earth. 

Place both feet on the ground.

Take three deep breaths, expanding your ribs.

Write free associations of what ‘down to earth’ means to you for 90 seconds.

Wake the spleen, an earth organ with the exercise below. 

Repeat the automatic writing exercise.

Wake the Spleen

With both feet on the ground, raise your left arm.

Wake the spleen organ by tapping on your left side, one hand width below the arm pit.

Vocalize the sound of the spleen: whooooo (like the wise owl calling)- gutteral and brethless

Repeat eight times.

Shanren kan wo xinshi?  Wo xin shi!

Do I posses the earth attributes of integrity and deep trust?  Yes I do!

The phrase down to earth can refer to an approachable person.  Someone that is practical, plain spoken, honest, realistic, trustworthy, unassuming, unpretentious.

What did your list reveal? Which of those qualities do you posses? Which qualities would you like to strengthen?

If there is a quality you would like to embody or strengthen in yourself?

Try replacing the sound of the spleen with the quality that you wish to strengthen.  For example, tap ‘trust’ into your spleen.

Don’t worry, be happy.

How to soothe your nervous system:

• Take a cold shower or plunge
• Splash cold water on face & neck
• Sing, laugh, chant, hum, & hug
• Restore the microbe of the gut
• Relax jaw tension
• Meditate on loving kindness
• Positive Social Connect
  

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Stimulation of the vagus nerve plays an important role in the management of anxiety and mental health issues. The vagus nerve is the longest running cranial nerve in your body. It is one of ten paired cranial nerves and runs from the stem of your brain all the way down to your gut. The word “vagus” translates to “wandering” in Latin, and the vagus nerve certainly does that. 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.

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

Vagus Nerve Connects the Brain and Gut

The vegas nerve is 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. Poor vagal tone, however, is associated with chronic inflammation and basket load of subsequent health issues. Recent research presented by the European League Against Rheumatism indicate that vagus nerve stimulation significantly reduces symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.

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.

Relevant to Earth element health, I’ve collected these research links for you:

• Vagal mechanisms as neuromodulatory targets for the treatment of metabolic disease.
• Impact of blood glucose control on sympathetic and vagus nerve functional status in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
• Vagal afferents contribute to sympathoexcitation–driven metabolic dysfunctions.
• Role of the vagus nerve in the development and treatment of diet-induced diabetes.

The earth element, is involved with digestion and transformation of food. It can get bogged down with overthinking, oversitting, worry, anxiety. This can result in weight gain or indigestion.

When the earth element is weak we may say ‘yes’ when we mean ‘no’ or ‘can I get back to you on that? In this way, we create imbalance within by giving ourselves away to be liked or approved of, to avoid conflict, to fit into social norms or to get something from the other party. The earth season holds the energy of center, return, wholeness.

Many of us were raised to value external validation of self.  We formed a weak connection to our true self, our divine nature, our core, our internal earth. We slowly and repeatedly began to see ourselves as good when our parents or bosses said so and successful when we achieved society’s standards. In this method, our shadow side was punished, discouraged or banished. Conversely, we may have developed a personality that commands attention and gains success from being uncompromising, naughty, contrary, shocking.  What would inviting the opposite feel like?

The Earth receives everything equally. What would it look like if our Earth welcomed the darker, less encouraged parts of ourselves that have been split off? What would it look like if our edgy became smooth? What would it look like if our hard became soft? What does it feel like when we start to check in with our whole self first?

To balance the earth element within, send golden light to your spleen, stomach and pancreas area and vocalize a breathless, guttural “who” now. Tap the spleen and stomach channels.

Repeat five times, sending love to your spleen, pancreas and stomach area, releasing all the air from your lungs.

Ask yourself, if your ‘yes’ serves the balance. Listen to your organs for the answer.

The healing sounds are one of the most effective medical qigong practices. They clear heat and toxins, cool the body, release unfavorable energy and emotional qi, and build the connection to the natural virtue of the shen. The healing sounds are a powerful emotional transforming qi gong.

Sound is a powerful way to heal!  

Find a routine which invites healing vibration and sound into your world.  

What would it be like to play background sound as you get ready for work in the mornings or when you are preparing dinner?  

Maybe to celebrate the weekend upon waking? Find a healing sound routine!

SOUNDS OF EARTH FROM SPACE 

三焦

The fire element, which peaks during the summer season, not only governs the heart but also the small intestine, pericardium, and the TRIPLE BURNER. 

SO WHAT THE HECK IS A TRIPLE BURNER?

Subhuti Dharmananda, Ph.D., Director, Institute for Traditional Medicine in Portland, Oregon defines and discusses (click here) this mysterious organ recognized in Chinese Medicine.

The triple burner or triple warmer is a unique concept in Chinese Medicine and there is no similar organ in western medicine. It is a collective term describing the upper, middle, and lower burners. The Chinese word “triple burner” translates to “three parts which burn or scorch.”

The upper burner, located above the diaphragm, includes the heart and lungs. The middle burner includes the region above the naval and below the diaphragm encompassing the spleen and stomach. The lower burner, located below the naval, includes the liver, kidneys, large intestine, small intestine, and bladder. It is noteworthy that these location descriptions refer to a functional meaning of the triple burner and not actual physical locations.

The San Jiao in the body.

The triple burner/warmer is the only primary acupuncture point without a physical organ association.  It is classified as a yang organ, as it rules circulation and regulates energy movement throughout the entire anatomy and organ systems.  In Chinese Medicine, the body is divided into three jiaos (divisions):  upper, middle, and lower.  The triple burner or warmer acts on all three. The upper burner controls intake, the middle burner controls transformation, while the lower burner controls elimination.

Triple burner translates into western medicine concepts of:  immune, glands, lymph, metabolism, neurotransmitter, hormone as well as body composition and temperature.

Basically, processes that are shared among all organs.

All patients, in my practice, with auto immune concerns are treated with a special emphasis on the triple burner and the source organ of imbalance.

TRUE NATURE RADIO PODCAST

Dr. Heiner Fruehauf

I am especially happy to share a podcast featuring Dr. Heiner Fruehauf and Dr Laurie Regan discussing the triple burner 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 triple burner, give this podcast by True Nature Radio a listen.

TRIPLE BURNER MERIDIAN

The Triple Burner Meridian (also known as San Jiao, Triple Heater, Triple Energizer) is a yang meridian and is coupled with the Pericardium Meridian.

In the classic Chinese medical text, The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine, The Huang Di Nei Jing says that “The triple burner is the controller of the entire circulation of body fluid”. Therefore, imbalance of the triple burner leads to fluid retention (edema) and difficulty urinating. Treatment of these conditions focuses on restoring balance and harmony of the affected triple burner organs such as the lungs, spleen, or kidneys.

An abstract for the Heart Disease Research Foundation, New York, NY explores the meridian-like networks of internal organs and the corresponding Chinese 12 main meridians. Interesingly, the study found that the Triple Burner meridian had additional Testosterone (in the male) and Estrogen (especially Estriol and Estradiol in the female), while the heart had additional Atrial Natriuretic Peptide.

The triple burner meridian begins at the tip of the ring finger, by the outside corner of the nail, crosses between the knuckles of the fourth and fifth fingers, up to the wrist. From the wrist, it ascends between the radius and ulna bones of the forearm, through the elbow, and up the back of the arm to the shoulder. From the shoulder, it moves to the chest connecting with the pericardium, the upper burner, the abdomen and the middle and lower burners. The meridian then exits the chest at the collarbone and moves up the side of the neck and around to the back of the ear.

Examples of triple burner meridian ailments:

TW2 – Yemen – Headache, malaria, sore throat, eye redness, deafness, numb fingers

TW10 – Tianjing – Migraine, deafness, pain in elbow and arm, epilepsy

Not only does the triple burner meridian control the movement and transformation of solids and fluids in the body, it also governs the production and circulation of life nourishing and protective energy.

Triple Burner Imbalances: Issues with the head, ears, eyes and throat as well as diseases involving the parts of the body where the meridian runs including the gallbladder meridian, pericardium meridian, small intestine meridian.

Triple Burner Balanced: When the triple burner is in balance, a person displays characteristics of kindheartedness, social warmth and interaction, mental stability, and emotional joy.

PLACES OF POWER

In my opinion, our relationship with place is ruled by the triple burner/warmer.  Places have energetic, karmic, and historic imprints that resonance with each of us individually and collectively.  There are places on the globe in which we feel ‘grounded’ and other places in which we feel ‘scattered’; places where we thrive and places where we are challenged; places that bring our best qualities and places that bring out our worst qualities.  So be aware or become aware of how place influences your health, your success, your dreams. Find your sacred space.

This week, the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians celebrates at Nanih Waiya.  The sacred mound is the origin location of the Choctaw Nation.  It was returned to the Choctaw Nation in 2008 by the State of Mississippi after private landowners appreciated the cultural significance enough to deed it to the state as a park. An elder in the tribe shared the following with me: a very long time ago when the tribe was journeying, wandering, seeking a place to settle, the medicine man would stick a pole in the ground each night where they camped. Every morning he would lead his people in the direction that the was pole leaning. One morning the pole was standing upright. This site marks Nanih Waiya – the beginning of the Choctaw Nation (the end of their journey). This sacred site and nearby cave have powerful and rejuvenating energy as it is the birthplace of the tribe.

ENERGY MEDICINE

Teacher of energy medicine and author of Energy Medicine, Donna Eden teaches people to direct their energies for health and happiness, using methods similar to acupressure, therapeutic touch, and qi gong. According to Donna, the triple warmer affects the immune system and our ability to manage stress.  The exercises below, from Donna’s program, can help relieve tension and bring calmness. 

Triple Burner Exercises

• Place your fingers at your temples. Hold for one deep breath, breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth;
• On another deep breath, slowly slide your fingers up and around your ears, smoothing the skin while maintaining some pressure;
• On the out breath, slide your fingers down and behind your neck and hang them on your shoulders;
• Push your fingers into your shoulders, and when you are ready drag them over the top of your shoulders and smooth them to the middle of your chest over your heart.

This exercise can calm anxiety and worry.

• On the back side of your hand, find the groove between the ring and pinky fingers;
• Tap into the groove while thinking of stress (You can also rest your flat hand on your heart and tap in the groove.).

Take a minute to check out this video demonstrating how to use some of the techniques for the triple burner based on Donna Eden’s methods.

And last but not least!

The Triple Burner Benefits from Green Juice and Smoothies

The triple burner benefits from green juice, green smoothies and lots of clean, green infused waters. With the garden still producing cucumbers in abundance, mint in the ground, and pears on the trees, try a cucumber and pear smoothie blend.

I like to puree and freeze green produce in ice cubes to toss in the blender for a quick, light meal, or pick-me-up refreshment on the go. The night before I travel, I blend the perishables that don’t make it into my travel cooler, in this case lots of cucumbers. Ice cube trays are perfect to quick freeze, pop, and bag my fruit and veggie blends.   I get pretty creative with the blender and rarely use a recipe for my smoothies! 

• pear (or kiwi): seasonal sweetness
• cucumber: freshness, electrolytes
• mint:  digestive support
• seeds, chia or pumpkin, or nut butter, almond or  cashew:  protein energy (ideally soaked the night before)
• hemp protein powder: optional
• Add a dash of cinnamon or ginger for excitment
• Blend it all up with some unsweetened almond milk or green tea!

ENJOY!