Today we welcome the starting of the next solar term - Grain of Ear (Mang Zhong). We are now into the third solar term of Summer which is the period when the Yang energy is at its prime. Though the temperature is not at its hottest peak, it is on the rise along with the humidity. The stuffy feeling can make one more easily irritated, fatigued, have decreased appetite, etc. Therefore it is important to stay hydrated and keep our inner fire steady.
How to Maintain -- Taking care of the Heart Meridian & Purging Heart Fire
It is stated in Huang Di Nei Jing: “the heart commands all of the organs and viscera, houses the spirit, and controls the emotions”. Besides the physical heart itself (in which it controls the circulation and distribution of blood), it also represents the mind (thoughts and emotions). The heart correlates with the Fire element and summer is the perfect time to charge the heart with the Yang energy. On the other hand, if the fire gets out of hand (which can be fanned by the outer environment of heat), it can cause damage to the body, which may require some purging.
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| https://www.smarterhealing.com/heart-meridian/ |
Diet
During the period of Grain of Ear (Mang Zhong), continue to eat light. Eat foods that are replenishing, food that can remove heat and encourage the production and replenishing of fluids used due to high heat. These foods include but are not limited to chrysanthemum, bamboo shoot, cucumber, sponge gourd, winter melon, bitter melon, watermelon, soybean, mung bean, barley, etc. It is also good to eat some sour foods such as plum and hawthorn. According to TCM, sour properties have the ability to astringe, which can remove dampness from the body as well as replenish the Yin fluids.
Again, we should continue to eat foods that are easy to digest and try to avoid eating oil, greasy, or salty foods that may be a burden to the stomach.
For herbal tea, you can mix and match dried bitter melon, chrysanthemum, cassia, goji berry, ginseng, dried hawthorn, dried plum, mint, etc.
For example:
- goji berry + chrysanthemum can brighten eyes (vision) and lower inner fire
- bitter melon tea can help lower blood pressure
- dried hawthorn + dried plum can help with digestion
Overall, during Grain of Ear (Mang Zhong), keep yourself hydrated. When enjoying water or any of the herbal teas mentioned above, it is best to drink them warm or at room temperature. As mentioned in the last post, try to keep cold beverages at a minimum and to drink slowly. Do not chug it down too quickly for it’ll cause a rapid vasoconstriction and lead to pain on both sides of your head, aka brain freeze.
**Simple Cooking - 5 Grain Rice Milk **
Ingredients:
Five-grain rice 90 grams (1/2 cup)
Water 1000ml
Rock candy
Directions:
- Rinse the five-grain rice and soak in water for about 2 hours (if you want to drink other flavors of rice milk, you can replace with other kinds of rice).
- Use a blender to mix the soaked five-grain rice with 400ml of water evenly. If you like a more smooth taste, you can mix for a longer time so that the five-grain rice is fully broken down and grinned.
- Bring 600ml of water to a boil, turn to medium heat, add the beaten rice water and continue to boil
- Keep stirring until the rice milk thickens, then turn off the heat and let cool
- Add appropriate amount of rock sugar to taste according to personal preference (if you want to drink it sugar free that's totally fine).
- After cooling, it can be bottled and stored in the refrigerator. It is best to finish drinking within a month.
Lifestyle
Maintain moderate amounts of exercise and try to avoid being overly exposed under direct sunlight for long periods of time. After a workout, it is best to cool down and wipe down any sweat before taking a shower. It is good to take a nap during the day (15~30min) to help restore energy and to not feel fatigued in the afternoon. Even though the high temperatures may make you feel uncomfortable, try to calm the heart. Do some breathing exercises or meditation so you can have a joyful heart and positive attitude throughout the day.
Essential Oil Blend -- Hand Shaoyin Heart Meridian
* for massage
Rosewood (5 drops)
Palo Santo (2 drops)
Khella (1 drops)
Rose (2 drops)
[Arabian] Jasmine (2 drop)
Bergamot (8 drop)
Sea buckthorn (1 drop)
Cold-pressed sesame oil (20ml)
In the morning, apply the blend onto REN 17 (see image 1-1) and tap lightly with your fingers on that point while implementing breathing exercises.
Before sleep, apply the blend along the Heart Meridian and massage starting from HT 1 (the armpit area) all the meridian to the center of the palm.
* for aromatherapy
Rosewood (5 drops)
Palo Santo (3 drops)
Khella (1 drops)
Rose (2 drops)
[Arabian] Jasmine (1 drop)
Tangarine (15 drop)
Petitgrain (2 drop)
When taking breaks during the day, an aromatherapy session with the blend mentioned above can be performed (put a few drops of the blend onto a perfume paper and leave it 3 cm away from the nose. Keep your eyes closed while inhaling and exhaling 5 seconds each. Do this for 1 minute).
Before sleep, another aromatherapy can be repeated again to help promote better sleep.
If you have a diffuser, you can add a few drops to diffuse throughout the day or when doing exercises such as qigong, yoga, etc. (slow motion ones).
Notes:
I purchase the majority of my essential oils from doTERRA and I’ve also been trying my own blends that can be as effective. For the Heart Meridian, I find the Passion and Peace blend to work quite well. Therefore, if you would like to save the trouble of mixing your own blend, or finding it hard to obtain some of the single oils, then you’re more than welcome to give Passion a try. There's also the Passion Touch where it’s already mixed with base oil and in a roller! Feel free to check out the site: doTERRA
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Thank you Yu Wei Huang L.Ac for designing the character for Mang Zhong and providing all of the great suggestions for this time period.
The essential oil blends are based off of the book "Four Seasons of Aromatherapy" by Elizabeth S.
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歡迎各位到暑季的第三個節氣-- 芒種。
節氣進入芒種後，氣溫和濕度也到達了一定的高點。這個時節因為溫度高、濕度高、氣壓低，人體汗液不易排出，出汗後也不易蒸發，身體難以散熱，會使人感到悶熱難受，出現煩躁、疲倦、食欲不振等情況。所以一定要注意補充水分，避免中暑。
芒種的保養重點：益氣養心，祛溼清暑
可以吃／喝什麼？
飲食方面以清補為主，食用具有祛暑生津功效的食物來補充因為高溫造成的消耗，如茼蒿、竹筍、小黃瓜、絲瓜、冬瓜、苦瓜、西瓜、黃豆、綠豆、薏仁等，此外，還可以吃一些酸性食物，在中醫裡酸味有收斂的作用，因此可以在去除身體溼氣的同時滋養陰液，有生津止渴的功效，如烏梅、山楂等。此時應還是以清淡、好消化為主。
禁忌：忌食油膩厚味的食物避免增加腸胃的負擔。
茶飲可用苦瓜乾、菊花、決明子、枸杞子、西洋蔘、山楂乾、烏梅乾、薄荷葉等來做搭配。如枸杞菊花茶可明目降火，苦瓜茶還可降血壓，山楂烏梅汁可幫助消化。
節氣食譜－五穀米漿
材料：
五穀米 90克（1/2杯）
水 1000ml
冰糖 適量
五穀米洗淨後泡水約2小時（若想喝其他口味的米漿可以替換，不一定要使用五穀米）
使用攪拌機將泡好的五穀米與400ml的水打勻，喜歡細緻口感就攪拌時間就長一點，讓五穀米充分被打碎
將600ml的水煮沸，轉中火加入打好的五穀米水繼續煮
須持續攪拌，直到米漿變濃稠，即可關火放涼
依照個人喜好加入適量冰糖調味，不加糖也可以
放涼後可裝瓶儲放在冰箱冷藏，最好在一個月內喝完喔
生活習慣方面注意適度運動，避免在陽光曝曬。活動出汗後應稍微休息一下再去洗澡。適時午睡也能幫助身體從疲勞狀態恢復。維持心情的愉悅也是很重要的喔！
精油配方－手少陰心經
*按摩配方
花梨木 (5 滴)
祕魯聖木 (2 滴)
阿密茴 (1 滴)
千葉玫瑰 (2 滴)
阿拉伯茉莉 (2 滴)
佛手柑 (8 滴)
沙棘油 (1 滴)
冷壓芝麻油 (20ml)
早上可以塗抹一點在膻中穴上並敲打此穴 → 可幫助增加呼吸深度。
睡前按摩心經可以提升睡眠品質。
*嗅吸擴香配方
花梨木 (5 滴)
祕魯聖木 (3 滴)
阿密茴 (1 滴)
千葉玫瑰 (2 滴)
阿拉伯茉莉 (1 滴)
甜橘 (15 滴)
苦橙葉 (1 滴)
休息時間，靜坐， 睡前是都可以用嗅吸法（聞香紙）/擴香（擴香儀器）法來安神。
中醫小知識－心經
今天稍微為大家介紹一下十二經絡裡的心經，也是本次精油按摩的重點經脈。中醫認為心通夏季，五行屬火，而心又主神明、主血脈。
心經的巡行路線從心中開始，連接心臟。其支脈從心臟向上至咽喉部位，再往上聯繫眼部。它的主脈從心系上行至肺部，向下出于腋下，沿上臂內側後緣，下向手肘內，前臂內側後緣，到手腕、手掌內後邊，向小指的內側出于末端，接小腸經。
古人認為心具有掌管腦部中樞神經系統以及調控心臟及血液循環的功能，人體臟腑及氣血在心的功能的統帥下，進行統一協調的生理活動，因此心又被稱呼為君主之官。
當心有病變時，可能會出現和精神情志相關的疾病，還有眼睛不適，喉嚨痛，心區疼痛，上臂、前臂內側後邊痛或發冷和手掌心熱痛等症狀。也會引響其他臟腑的功能。
所以大家要好好養心喔！
備註：
我個人在用的精油主要都是從多特瑞購買的。 另外， 針對心臟，讓自己更有動力， 和用來按摩心經，
我個人覺得多特瑞的【熱情複方精油】效果很好。 他們家另外有呵護系列是已經有調和基底油並且是
有滾輪株的， 可以直接輕鬆地塗在心臟和心經上。
如果大家有興趣試試看，或是覺得自己調配比較不方便 歡迎到多特瑞的網站上.
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非常感謝中醫師黃昱瑋所提供有關【芒種】時期的養生方法還有可愛的插畫。
精油配方是來自沈莉莎的24節氣經絡芳療自療全書
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