Late Summer Digestion Reset

Late summer is the fifth season in TCM, when the summer days are still long, but the chill of fall is right around the corner. Associated with the Earth element, this between season is focused on emotional and physical grounding, nourishment, and balance. The spleen, which transforms food and drink into the Qi that fuels our bodies, and the stomach, which receives nourishment and begins the process of digestion, must be properly nourished in order to efficiently digest and for overall health and wellness to flourish. When the spleen and stomach are in balance, you will feel energized and focused. When imbalanced, symptoms of dampness like bloating, indigestion, inflammation, fatigue, and brain fog will overwhelm the mind and body. Symptoms of dampness occur from excessive consumption of processed sweets, alcohol, stress, little exercise, and prolonged exposure to a cold or wet environment. With a proper diet, exercise, herbs, and acupuncture, you can bring the spleen and stomach back into harmony so you can enjoy the last few warm days of summer in comfort and peace.

Ailments and Cures
Common ailments associated with an imbalanced spleen and stomach include bloating, acid reflux, belching, constipation, diarrhea, over thinking, worry, fatigue, brain fog, fluid retention, and congestion. To harmonize the spleen and stomach, you must support proper digestion through eating the right foods and herbs, exercising, and acupuncture.

Meals should be lightly cooked and eaten while warm, like steamed vegetables or brothy soups. Yellow foods like sweet potatoes, carrots, corn, and butternut and acorn squash are plentiful this time of year, and are high in vitamin A which helps improve immune function. Other easy to digest foods include peaches, beets, parsnips, ginger, millet, rice, oats, barley, chickpeas, lentils, peas, pears, figs, dates, and green tea are all foods that are high in fiber and vitamins. The spleen can also cause sweet cravings, so it is important to eat full sweets like fruits and vegetables with a naturally sweet flavor instead of processed sweets like cookies and candy. It is best to avoid icy drinks, excess dairy, fried foods, and highly processed foods, all of which cause dampness by being hard to properly digest. Herbs like Liu Jun Zi Wan, Ping Wei Wan, and Shen Ling Bai Zhi Pian strengthens the spleen Qi, resolves dampness, tonifies the stomach and spleen, supports digestion, and relieves symptoms like diarrhea and fatigue.

Gentle exercise like walking, qigong, or yoga help move Qi, move stagnation, dispel dampness, strengthen the core, and boost energy levels. While at rest, nurture your mind through journaling, meditation, or making space for quiet moments with the intention of easing worry and restoring mindfulness.

Acupuncture is a gentle but effective treatment for expelling dampness. By stimulating spleen and stomach points, acupuncture can improve digestion, calm inflammation, and aid in nutrient absorption. Points on your head can relieve brain fog and fatigue, promoting clarity and restfulness. Heart and liver points can help alleviate emotional symptoms of dampness like worry and over thinking. An acupuncturist may also use your tongue to diagnose dampness. If your tongue is pale with a thick white or yellow coating, tooth marks along the edge, and swelling, it is likely you have an imbalance causing dampness. A healthy tongue will be light pink with a thin coating and no teeth marks.

This season between seasons is essentially a bridge between summer’s outward expansion of Yang energy and fall’s inward draw of Yin. The next season is associated with the Metal element, the lungs, and the large intestine. The strength of digestion that the Earth element, spleen, and stomach brings to the next season supports the lungs and liver. The more we nourish our bodies in late summer, the healthier we will feel moving into fall. A proper diet of easy to digest foods like squash, sweet fruits, and lightly cooked meals, gentle exercise like yoga, herbal supplements, and acupuncture are all accessible treatments for the sluggish symptoms of late summer. Grab a glass of room temperature water, a nice blank journal, and find a shady seat to prepare your body and mind for the season to come. The more rest and nourishment you get now will mean a healthier fall.

References

● https://cherryblossomhealingarts.com/tcm/the-fifth-season-in-tcm

● https://encircleacupuncture.com/blog/chinese-medicine-fifth-season

● https://www.mayway.com/blogs/articles/late-summer-the-earth-element

● https://forestparkwellness.com/acupuncture-can-help-regulate-your-body-boost-energy-and-tame-allergies/

● https://opencarecommunity.com/blog/dampness-in-the-body-tcm-explained

Urticaria: Natural Treatment + Prevention

Natural Treatment for Hives

The itchy red welts known as urticaria, or hives, are a common bodily reaction to either allergen stimuli or chronic underlying health issues. They can affect anyone, and can have a negative impact on daily life. TCM tries to identify the underlying health conditions that cause hives, and offers natural treatments like diet changes, herbs, and lifestyle practices to help ease the unpleasant symptoms. In Western medicine, hives are most commonly treated with an antihistamine, sometimes accompanied by a corticosteroid if the antihistamine causes symptoms like fatigue, headache, or drowsiness. If that doesn’t work, then immunosuppressants may be prescribed. This treatment plan treats all hives as an allergy, whereas TCM attempts to dig deeper and understand the root cause of the hives by looking at the patient’s overall health. The strength and health of the patient’s Wei Qi, or protective defenses, like the lungs and skin, are observed to see which external pathogenic factors have taken root in the body. Wind and heat are two common types of factors that cause acute and chronic hives, and treating the symptoms associated with these factors can eliminate the body’s stress response that produces hives.

Types of Hives

Acute Urticaria:
Acute hives are an immediate reaction to allergens introduced to the body through ingestion or skin contact. Immune cells in the skin called mast cells react by releasing histamine, creating welt-like hives. They manifest as raised welts that can suddenly appear anywhere on your body. The welts are typically red, but white in the center if pressed, are persistently itchy, and are often accompanied by painful swelling around the eyes, lips, and throat. It is not uncommon for the cause of these hives to be unidentifiable, making them difficult to manage and treat.

Triggers: Foods like nuts, shellfish, and some fruits, medications like antibiotics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or pain relievers, environmental factors like sun exposure, heat, cold, pollen, animal dander, or latex, and physical factors like stress, infections, or tight clothing.

Chronic Urticaria:
Chronic hives can last longer than six weeks and are not triggered by discernable allergen factors, making identifying the cause more difficult. While chronic hives share many similarities with acute hives, like itchiness and raised red welts, they differ in persistence and impact. These hives reappear frequently over months or years, they can change size and shape, they move around to different parts of the body, and can flare up due to heat, stress, or physical activity, complicating daily life. Acute hives are a result of external environmental factors, whereas chronic hives tend to be the result of internal health imbalances.

Triggers:
An autoimmune response that causes the body’s immune system to attack healthy tissue believing it to be harmful, chronic infections like bacterial or viral can underlie persistent hives, underlying health conditions like thyroid disease or lupus, or idiopathic causes which are spontaneous hives with no identifiable cause.

Pathogenic Factors
The concept of Wei Qi refers to the body’s protective defenses, which stem mainly from the lungs and skin. When Wei Qi is weakened, pathogenic factors enter the body, causing illness. Wind and Heat are common factors that contribute to the presence of hives. Hives are recognized as the body’s way of releasing built up wind or heat stagnation through the skin, seeking to restore balance. While uncomfortable, the presence of hives can actually indicate deeper inner healing is occurring.

Wind Heat/Wind Cold:
Wind heat hives are acute, meaning they come and go, as if blown by the wind. They are often itchy, and correspond to a triggered immune response to stress, allergens, or temperature changes. They may be accompanied by a fever or sore throat. Wind cold hives are pale pink welts that get worse with exposure to cold, accompanied by chills. Treatment focuses on expelling wind, clearing heat in wind heat cases, or warming in wind cold cases, and restoring balance between Wei Qi and the skin.

Blood Heat/Stagnation:
Blood heat hives are red, warm, and inflamed, reflecting internal stress and stagnation. If there is too much inflammation in the body, any exposure to allergens or triggers overwhelms the body, resulting in a breakout. Liver stagnation can build up when the body is under prolonged stress, preventing the body from processing minor irritants. When overtaxed, the liver and kidneys struggle to filter toxins out of the body, so the body will try to expel excess heat through the skin, resulting in hives. Treatment focuses on nourishing the blood, expelling wind, draining dampness, and bringing the internal organs into balance. Clearing stagnation, circulating blood, and restoring Qi helps reduce flare-ups because the body does not have to work so hard to properly process internal and external irritants.

Remedies

Diet:
To calm an overactive immune response, reduce inflammation, and support the immune system, eat foods that are cooling and detoxifying. Add in fresh fruits and vegetables, especially those with a high water content, like watermelon and cucumber. Try to avoid spicy or greasy foods that may heat your body and exacerbate symptoms. Herbal teas like chamomile and peppermint soothe the system. Drink plenty of water to eliminate dryness within the body. Eat plenty of anti-inflammatory foods like leafy greens, berries, omega-3 rich fish

• Wind-Heat: cucumber, watermelon, chrysanthemum tea
  

• Damp-Heat: adzuki beans, job's tears (yi yi ren), pumpkin
  

• Blood Heat: celery, mung beans, white fungus
  

Acupuncture:
The practice of acupuncture is a gentle but powerful therapy that restores balance to the body by circulating Qi and clearing stagnation. This practice increases blood circulation, releases muscle tension, calms the nervous system, relieves pain and inflammation, promotes better sleep, aids digestion, improves mood, and boosts overall vitality. The clearing of stagnation allows the body to better process any irritants or allergens that may stress the body, preventing the formation of hives. To treat hives, the specific points that are stimulated clear heat and cool the blood, and expel external wind and heat to boost the Wei Qi by supporting the immune system. Cupping is also helpful in treating hives because it exfoliates the skin, draws out toxins, and cools down an outbreak. Acupuncture and cupping are often paired with herbs to strengthen the lungs and the liver, which strengthen the Wei Qi.

Practices to relieve and prevent hives:
It is important to recognize your personal triggers and minimize exposure. This may look like changing your diet, reducing stress, practicing yoga and mindfulness, and paying attention to the weather and how it could affect your skin. Choose clothing that does not irritate your skin, avoid food allergens, and use organic, fragrance free skin care products that are gentle on your skin. Adapt to the seasons; in winter, the body is meant to experience cold, but instead people keep their heat on all season, creating a consistently warm environment. This leads to dry air, causing people without any allergies to feel itchy and dry.

Another common practice in the winter is to take long, hot showers that can actually destroy the skin’s protective layers, causing it to be raw and easily irritated. To avoid this, take shorter showers that are warm instead of hot, and allow some exposure to the cold without catching a chill. Walking keeps your blood circulating while also reducing stress, and quality sleep is essential to rebuild Wei Qi.

Hives are uncomfortable, but preventable if you understand the root cause and treat them accordingly. Learn your triggers, whether they are environmental like cold or hot weather, or internal, like blood or liver stagnation. Their longevity is a sign of their cause, and the first step in creating a customized treatment plan. Try acupuncture to clear wind and heat, and support your body with proper diet, rest, and relaxation. Hives are a sign of an overtaxed system, so relief comes from bolstering Wei Qi and restoring harmony.

Resources

● https://enokclinic.com/blog/tcm-hives-understanding-and-managing-hives-with-traditional-chinese-medicine/

● https://sieam.edu/research-blog/2020/1/20/urticaria

● https://eraneven.com/2011/06/30/two-cases-of-wind-rash-urticaria/

● https://www.petersheng.com/hives/

● https://tangsclinical.com/blog/understanding-two-different-types-of-hives-from-a-tcm-perspective-acute-vs-chronic/

● https://myartofwellness.com/how-to-treat-hives-with-acupuncture-and-tcm/

● https://olakinohealthcenter.com/blog/---calming-overactive-immune-responses--traditional-chinese-medicine-insights-on-rashes-and-hivese

● https://www.entandallergy.com/blog/2026/march/cold-and-heat-urticaria-what-triggers-

Midsummer: Exploring the Lore of my Ancestors

Practicing as a guest in a traditional medicine is genuinely an honor. Years of following the seasonal rhythms and practices steeped in taoist tradition and East Asian healing practices has ultimately connected me more deeply with my own heritage. Being so innately drawn to a healing system that communes with nature for guidance, the roots of my own ancestry feel more in sync with my ancestral practices from long ago.

Midsummer: The Traditions of Northern European Pagans
Midsummer is the ancient Northern European pagan celebration of the summer solstice, the longest day and shortest night of the year. As the sun sets on June 23-24, people come alive with magic, ancient traditions, folklore, fire, music, singing, dancing, and spending time with friends and family. Celebrated as a national holiday in Sweden, Latvia, Lithuania, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Norway, this tradition dates back to the Neolithic Era, from 10,000 BC to c. 2,000 BC.

As these traditions gained popularity and spread from Scandinavia throughout Europe, they blended with Christianity, aligning them with the feast of St. John the Baptist on June 24. This night is believed to hold special powers, with people often casting love and fertility spells, or even getting married. Though there is a connection to Christianity in St. John’s Day, the ancient Midsummer traditions of celebrating light, fertility, love, harvest, and life long predate Christianity. Up until 1952, Midsummer Eve was celebrated on June 23. Because of how close the day fell to the celebration of John the Baptist on June 24, the Midsummer Eve celebration was moved to fall on the Friday between June 19-25.

Rituals

Bonfires: Lit as the sun sets, bonfires are an essential ritual to celebrate the shortest night of the year. They burn through the short night, until the sun rises, and are lit to spread light, fertility, and good fortune as far as possible. In Finland, it is believed that loudly singing and dancing would bring luck and drive away evil spirits. The Danes celebrate Sankt Aften (St. John’s Eve) by lighting large bonfires topped with straw effigies of witches to drive away evil spirits and protect the community. The Finnish build bonfires on the lake shore, taking dips in the cool water throughout the night. In Latvia, fires are lit to represent the sun’s power, and jumping over the flames is believed to cleanse negative energy and bring good luck.

Food and drink: Cheese and beer are the two most essential foods for a Midsummer celebration. Jāņu siers, or Midsummer cheese, is a fresh sour-milk cheese made from milk, curd, and caraway seeds. Beer is the beverage of choice, with local and homemade brews made special for the celebrations. In Sweden, popular Midsummer foods include fresh new potatoes lightly boiled with dill, pickled herring, Swedish meatballs, crisp bread, butter, cheese, and a glass of Aquavit. Dessert includes Swedish strawberries served with whipped cream or in a strawberry cake, called jordgubbstårta.

Singing and dancing: There are two types of Midsummer singing, the first of which is Līgošana. These songs are about fertility and good fortune. Aplīgošana are fun and friendly songs about teasing friends, family, and neighbors. In Denmark, the Midsommervisen is a cherished hymn that celebrates the brilliance of summer’s light. Paired with toasts of Aquavit, there are over 12,ooo recorded Swedish drinking songs. The Latvian folk songs are often sang in sing along form, with “Līgo!” being a popular refrain.

Games: No party is complete without games, and the Swedish have many that they play once the Midsummer feast is done. Femkamp is a set of 5 playful challenges, ranging from sack races, egg and spoon runs, to made up games involving blindfolds. Kubb is a wood block game with the objective of knocking over 10 blocks to finally knock over the king. Played on the lawn, each family has their own house rules, and the lively debate that arises is part of the fun.

Maypole: The midsommarstången, or maypole, is the most famous symbol associated with the Midsummer celebration. Though the maypole tradition originated in Germany during the Middle Ages in connection to their celebration of May Day, the practice came to Sweden and became part of their Midsummer traditions. The maypole was a tall tree trunk decorated with greenery and positioned in the village green at the start of the festival. Dancing around the maypole with ribbons is an old custom to welcome in the summer. Modern dancers weave ribbons around a pole instead of a tree, and are positioned in pairs of boys and girls. The dance creates a multicolored pattern which weaves itself down the pole as the dance progresses. To undo the ribbons, dancers reverse their steps. This dance represents the lengthening of the days of summer.

Different countries have different maypole traditions. In Austria and Germany, the pole is called a maibaum and is painted with the Bavarian blue and white stripes. Villagers position the pole in the village where it is decorated after a procession.

Wildflower wreaths: Women make and wear flower crowns woven from daisies, cornflowers, and clover. In Latvia, homes and barns were decorated with birch, oak, rowan branches, ferns, oxeye daisies, bents,fresh greenery, thistles, nettles, and flowers. Nettles and thistles were attached to door frames specifically to keep out evil spirits. Wearing a wreath or crown of flowers symbolized fertility and rebirth. To prolong the flower’s powers, the wreaths and crowns were dried and used to keep the family healthy throughout winter.

Oak leaf wreaths: Men wear wreaths woven from oak leaves to symbolize strength.

Folk Beliefs:

- Stay awake all night, or risk sleeping through the rest of the year. You are meant to great the sunrise in the morning.

- Jumping over the Midsummer fire will prevent mosquitos from biting you for the rest of the summer.

- Flower wreaths should be made of nice different flowers, with nine blooms of each flower. If you sleep with the wreath on your head, you will dream of your future betrothed.

- Throw your wreath into an apple, and the number of times it falls is the number of years you have until marriage.

- If you bathe naked in the morning as the sun rises after solstice night, you will be healthy and beautiful.

- If you find the mythical fern flower, you will have good luck and fortune.

- Place seven different types of flowers under your pillow to dream of your future spouse. But stay silent as you pick, or the magic will not work.

- Promote good health by walking in the dew as night turns to dawn.

- Couples who hold hands while jumping over a bonfire will be bound together.

A stunning celebration of love and life, Midsummer is all about welcoming summer, sharing food and drink with friends and family, and practicing magic with the belief it will bring good fortune for the rest of the year. From weaving flower crowns to dancing around the maypole, people for generations have been celebrating with their traditions and customs to bless their harvest, bring good luck, and even fall in love. Though an ancient practice, celebrating

Midsummer is still just as relevant today as it was centuries ago, and is open to all those who feel that special magic on the longest day of the year.

References

● https://baltictours.com/midsummer-in-the-baltics-st-johns-day

● https://www.heirloomartco.com/blogs/journal/a-modern-midsummer-finding-meaning-in-ancestral-traditions

● https://visitsweden.com/what-to-do/culture-history-and-art/swedish-traditions/midsummer-tradition/midsummer-sweden-something-another-world/

● https://www.visitfinland.com/en/articles/everything-need-to-know-about-midsummer/

● https://www.letthejourneybegin.eu/celebrating-midsummer-in-latvia/

● https://eng.lsm.lv/article/features/features/20.06.2022-latvian-midsummer-festival-basics-explained.a462276/

● https://www.almanac.com/content/midsummer-day\

● https://www.latvia.travel/en/summer-solstice-celebrations

● https://www.efdss.org/learning/resources/beginners-guides/37-english-folk-dance/2191-maypole

● https://www.efdss.org/learning/resources/beginners-guides/37-english-folk-dance/2191-maypole#

● https://www.oakhousefoods.co.uk/blog/blog/2019/05/03/the-maypole-what-does-is-it-and-what-does-it-signify/?srsltid=AfmBOoqkj9asErQ8ARMT6O5io83fpSt2nd6ACGEpdMZc6WGC30YrwpgJ