There is a shift coming soon…
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is built upon two foundational theories: yin-yang and five elements. The theory of the five-elements is called wǔ xíng- 五行 in Chinese. These five elements are the basic constituents of nature and are also phases of a cycle, which is why we sometimes referred to them as the five-phases. The five elements are wood, fire, earth, metal, and water. If we look at them as phases of a cycle, we can see that they generate each other. For example: when wood is burned, it becomes fire; fire results in ashes (earth); the earth is excavated for metal; when metal is melted, it turns into liquid (water); and water is needed to grow wood (See Fig.1). The five elements have correspondences in the human body, environment, and cosmos. Today I’m going to discuss the elements as stages of a seasonal cycle and what that means for our body!
Fig. 1- Generation Cycle
The seasonal changes are referred to as Equinoxes which mark the start of spring and fall and Solstices for summer and winter. In TCM 5-element theory:
Spring= wood; associated with birth and corresponds to the Liver organ
Summer= fire; associated with growth corresponds to the Heart organ
Autumn= metal; associated with harvest corresponds to the Lung organ
Winter= water; associated with storage corresponds to the Kidney organ
There is an additional season termed “late season,” which is related to the earth element, associated with transformation, and corresponds to the Spleen organ. The earth is positioned in the middle of this graph (Fig.2) to represent that it is not correlated with one season but all the season.
In the classic text Jin Gui Yao Lue 金匮要略 written by Zhang Zhong Jing in (AD 220) it says, “During the last period of each season, the spleen is strong enough to resist pathogenic factors.” Also noted in the Lei Jing 類經 written by Zhang Jie-Bin in (1624): “The spleen belongs to the earth element which pertains to the center, its influence manifests for 18 days at the end of each of the four seasons, and it does not pertain to any season on its own.”
Given this information, we can infer that the earth is related to late spring, late summer, late autumn, and late winter. Spring Equinox in the Northern hemisphere occurs on March 21st, so the 18-day “late winter” season will begin on March 3! During the late season, we turn back into our center (earth/spleen) to prepare us for transformation into the next season, in this case, spring! This prevents us from becoming susceptible to the pathogenic influences of the next season. The spring season is correlated with the almighty pathogenic factor, Wind, which hosts all sorts of imbalances in the body, notably the pesky allergic-type symptoms.
To combat these pernicious influences, we should strengthen the spleen during the 18-day late season. To strengthen the spleen is to strengthen digestion.
Foods to focus on:
Fig.2- Seasonal Cycle
Those of a yellow/orange color, especially those that grow underneath the earth (root vegetables): Carrots, sweet potatoes, yams, parsnips, ginger, squash, and pumpkin.
A slightly sweet and bland taste: Corn, rice, oats, and other grains. Avoid overly spicy & rich/greasy food.
Cooking methods: Lightly roast foods such as nuts and seeds before cooking. Avoid raw and cold foods such as uncooked vegetables and greens, ice-cold drinks, smoothies, and ice cream.
Eating hygiene: try not to skip a meal or eat at irregular times of the day. It is best to eat while not in a rush or under emotional tension.
Food therapy is a great place to start when adjusting to seasonal changes, but there are other factors in your lifestyle that should also be adjusted. Most of the time, it’ll come naturally. You may start to feel a little more energized, creative, social, and goal-oriented during the period before the spring season, which is marked by birth according to the five-elements. Acupuncture, herbal medicine, and other TCM modalities can ease you into a healthy transition and help you to be the best version of yourself all year round!