The fire element rules the heart and small intestine. According to Chinese medical definition the heart not only regulates blood circulation but also controls consciousness, spirit, sleep, memory, and houses the mind.
People who have healthy hearts are genuinely friendly. They are also humble, not out of convention but because they actually feel small in comparison to the wonders they perceive with their open hearts and aware minds. Clarity is a central attribute of those with a harmonious heart-mind. They seem to see effortlessly through problems to arrive at brilliant solutions.
Physiology
Seen as the center of our circulatory system and as governing the rhythm of our lives.
Damaged By
Excessive amounts of salt and animal foods, chaotic or erratic lifestyle, no rhythm in our lives.
Supported By
Having rhythm in our lives. Good quality excercise and laughter.
Diagnosis
Erratic behavior. Poor circulation in the hands and feet. Sometimes a ruddy complexion or a swollen nose.
General Symptoms of a Heart-Mind Imbalance
Scattered and confused mind, excess or no laughter, a ruddy or very pale face, speech problems (stuttering, excess verbiage, confused speech), depression, mental illness, loss of memory, poor circulation, weak spirit, aversion to heat.
Syndromes
Yin deficient signs: minor heat signs; a flesh-red tongue and cheeks, fast and thin pulse, hot palms and soles, and an abrupt or nervous manner. Avoid substances that deplete the yin such as coffee, alcohol, tobacco. To improve heart yin eat fresh wheat germ, wheat berries and mung beans. Please also see foods to help kidney yin. In addition to those add lily bulb or raw rehmannia root, and mandarin.
Deficient blood signs: pale tongue, face and nail beds, thin pulse and sluggishness. Herbs which specifically enrich the blood and transport it to the heart include Dang Qui root,(angelical sinensis), processed rehmannia root, Mandarin (dan shen) and red sage root.
Stagnant heart blood signs:
Stabbing pains, purple face or tongue, lassitude, palpatations and shortness of breath. Stagnant heart blood patterns occur in cases of coronary artery disease, heart inflammation and angina. Dang qui and red root sage are excellent anti stagnancy remedies.
Cold or Hot Mucus-Foam:
Hot mucus: thick tongue coating, abnormal behaviour and sometimes drooling.
Cold mucus: passivity, self-obsession, lack of good sense, a slow, stuck manner, and talking to oneself.
Both types of mucus can be improved by decreasing mucus forming foods such as milk and dairy products, eggs, meats, sugar, peanuts and refined foods such as white flour. To treat hot mucus, eat more warming foods and spices. Other habits that contribute to excessive mucus are eating complicated meals, failing to chew food well and drinking cold liquids with meals.
Healing the Heart
In the Chinese system calming and focusing the mind is the first step to a healthy heart. Avoid to many ingredients in meals, very spicy or rich foods, refined sugar, alcohol, coffee, late-night eating and large evening meals can cause insomnia as well as a profusion of mental chatter during the day. The following dietary supplements reduce nervousness, treat insomnia, and improve mental clarity.
Oyster Shell: excellent for building the yin of the heart. Look for oyster shell calcium supplement.
Grains: Whole wheat, brown rice and oats gently but profoundly calm the mind.
Mushrooms: nearly every form of fungi have cerebral effects, directly nurtures the heart, soothes the spirit, and calms the mind.
Silicon Foods: oatstraw tea, barley gruel, oat groat tea, cucumber, celery, lettuce and celery/lettuce juice. silicon foods improve calcium metabolism and strengthen nerve and heart tissue.
Fruit: mulberries and lemons calm the mind. Schisandra berries, mandarin calm the spirit and used for insomnia, memory recall and concentration.
Seeds: both jujube seed and mandarin seeds are used to calm the spirit and are thought to directly nourish the heart. Chia seeds also have sedative action.
Spices: Dill and basil both have a calming effect.
Herbs: chamomile, catnip, skullcap and valerian calms the nervous person are those with insomnia. Rose hips supplies Vit C helps soothe the nerves and can be taken with the other herbs.
Animal Products: quality cow and goat milk and clarified butter nourish the spirit of the heart. For insomnia take warm milk before going to bed.
Resources: Healing with Whole Foods by Paul Pitchford & Acupressure by Jon Sandifer
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