Seasonal Health: Summer

Dear Friends,

Summer. Expansive. Yang. We have touched on how the different seasons play an intricate role in our health. How do the summer months affect our health here in St. Louis?

There are two basic energies in the universe, yin and yang; concentrating and expanding energies. Energy concentrates in the colder months and expands in the warmer months. We attempt, through lifestyle and diet, to obey and synchronize with these natural laws, and if we don’t, we experience dis-ease or even illness.

We encourage you to listen to your body. As the weather becomes warmer and warmer, what foods or drink do you crave? If you start to crave more fruits and vegetables and more raw food then you’re on track. If you crave less meats and lighter proteins, such as, fish or grain proteins, then you’re on track. If you drink more water in general then you’re on track. During the summer months, the days are longer, and you may feel more active until later in the evening. You may even sleep less but not feel more tired. If you feel low, either energetically or emotionally, you may notice that you recuperate more quickly. These are all responses of the Yang season, summer.

So as we head into summer pay attention to your body, to your emotions and mental state, to your cravings. If you find that you are off track, make some adjustments. The changes you make or don’t make in this season will affect you in the following season. In the warmer months, especially summer, due to the expansive, yang aspect of our energy, we often will be able to push our bodies, even ‘disobey’ the natural laws I just spoke of and not get ill during the summer. However, if you pay attention, you may find that early the following season, you don’t feel so well, perhaps even get sick. It is quite possible that this is due to overdoing it in the summer, not listening to the natural laws.

Being attentive to yourself, to your emotional and mental state, your lifestyle and diet, and making adjustments as needed, is, in essence, preventative health care. Coming in for an energetic alignment towards the end of the season and receiving your Meridian Acupuncture treatment is also preventative health work. I’ll leave you for now with one of my favorite preventative health care quotes from the Yellow Emperor’s Classic from 500 B.C., the oldest known Oriental medical text:

“To administer medicines to diseases which have already developed and thereby suppress bodily chaos which has already occurred is comparable to the behavior of those who would begin to dig a well after they have grown thirsty, or those who would begin to cast weapons after they have engaged in battle. Would these actions not be too late?”

Keep in touch and let Dr. Duckworth or I know if we can be of assistance to you and your family with your health care needs and goals.

Enjoy your summer!

With gratitude,

Jason R. Hackler, Dipl.Ac, L.Ac.

Thomas Duckworth, DKM, L.Ac.