We welcome back Melissa Farran, a board certified and licensed Five-Element Acupuncturist, to dive deep into the summer element of Fire for this episode. She explains how the element shows up in people, how to know when it's in and out of balance and how to bring it back into balance. Melissa shares simple and practical tips on how to enjoy and stay healthy during the summer. 

In the "You Want Me To Do What??" section, Shanna highlights the importance of listening to what your body craves, whether it be food, exercise, rest or time outdoors. Nicole talks about how the conversation with Melissa helped her better understand the advice she's been getting from her Traditional Chinese Medicine Acupuncturist.

Episode Recap: Interview with Melissa Farran - 1:38, "You Want Me To Do What??" section - 49:24

 

Highlights:

• The five elements of Chinese medicine/acupuncture:
• • Water (element for winter)
  • Wood (element for spring)
  • Fire (element for summer)
  • Earth (element for late summer/harvest season)
  • Metal (element for fall)
• All elements found in nature can be found in people
• Fire shows up in someone as:
• • Color - red or ashy, especially next to the eyes
  • Sound - laughter
  • Odor - burnt smell
  • Emotion - joy or lack of joy
  • Taste - bitter
• The fire element can be out of balance by being too little or too much
• Fire relates to circulation
• • Always cold - might mean your fire element is out of balance, too little fire
• Communication is part of the fire element:
• • It's important to share your thoughts and feelings, especially with family and friends
  • It's important to be witnessed and to witness others
• Anxiety, depression and trouble sleeping can be associated with the fire element being out of balance within someone
• Balancing the fire element:
• • Using boundaries
  • Finding things to do that are social
  • Hydrating - drink plenty of water, especially during summer
  • Eating cooling foods, such as melon, dark leafy greens, green tea, cucumber
  • Eating lighter foods
  • Eating bitter foods (dark chocolate, coffee, asparagus, citrus foods) and blood building foods (ginseng, beets, berries, cherries)
  • Rising with the sun, getting outside, and being active
  • Going for a walk with a friend
  • Spending time by or in the water
  • Getting outside and being barefoot
• Top 3 Tips for Staying Healthy During the Summer:
• • Exercise
  • Get outside and connect with friends
  • Stay hydrated and eat cooling foods

Resources:

Where to find Melissa Farran:

• Instagram: @melissafarran
• Website: https://www.melissafarran.com/

Five-Element Acupuncture episode with Melissa Farran: https://www.nobswellnesspodcast.com/episode-58