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The Heart
The Emperor: governs blood circulation, regulates rhythm, and houses the Shen (spirit, mind, and consciousness). It is responsible for maintaining emotional harmony and mental clarity.
The Heart in Traditional Chinese Medicine
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the Heart is much more than the anatomical heart. It is a comprehensive system of functions that govern blood, our spirit and joy, and our mental clarity. It functions as the central processor, and is usually spelled with a capital H to denote the difference. Signs indicating heart health show up in the tongue, on our face, and as sweat.
Together with the Small Intestine, they regulate emotions.
Associated with summer and fire
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the heart is associated with summer and fire, and the color red. The summer sun embody fire, which symbolizes warmth, illumination, and movement. It is yang in nature, meaning that the energy is high, active, and expansive. In the summer, nature is in full bloom and the energy is at its highest of the year, so our heart is running at full force.
Associated with movement and expansion
The summer’s energy naturally expands from the cooler months of spring, and expresses in warmth and liveliness. Our hearts tend to expand with joy as we reach out to friends and family, spend time outdoors, and participate in social gatherings.
However, when this expansion goes unchecked, we can experience an excess of “fire” in the heart. This can be common as we feel the heat around us as well as the heat built up inside us. Our metabolism, Heart, and circulation system typically work much harder to keep the rest of the body cool so it is easy to get overheated. Maintaining an active flame at the right intensity is the key to not getting burned out.
External heat feedback loop
In the summer, the heat can permeate into our bodies and stimulate our heart to work harder to cool ourselves.
Symptoms can be temporary, but they can also get worse each time heat goes through the feedback loop. The symptoms can develop into chronic, systemic issues that extend beyond the summer season. Heat can also exacerbate existing health conditions.
Symptoms of having too much heat in the body
Suggestions for cooling off in the summer
Aids in digestion
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, hawthorn is primarily used for digestion, especially greasy, fatty foods and animal protein. The berries help relieve indigestion and heartburn.
Hawthorn also has been shown to reduce atherosclerosis, which is a build-up of plaque made of cholesterol, fat, and other substances within the arteries. Its ability to digest fats most likely contributes to its ability to remove plaque and fat build-up within the arteries, thereby clearing circulatory pathways.
Parts used & ways to use
Parts used
Berry
Leaf
Flower
Herbal actions & Parts used
Taste
Temperature
Moisture
Herbal Actions
Sweet, Sour, Astringent
Slightly warm
Dry
Excitation
Atrophy
Relaxation