Managing Summer Heat, TCM Perspectives

 

More people suffer, and die, from hyperthermia than the combined morbidities and mortalities associated with other extreme environmental events and catastrophes, like cyclones, floods, and hypothermia.
On the East Coast, the South, and the Midwest (USA) increased humidty (Damp) adds to the suffering. Increased humidity reduces our ability to cool our bodies by sweating and panting, while the Heat dries us out.

The combination of internal Damp + Heat pathogen patterns, often manifest  as chronic and resistant inflammation patterns when EPIs become Resident Evils, are some of the hardest conditions to treat.

Chinese medical theory recognizes Summerheat as an External / Environmental Pathogenic Influence (EPI).  TCM physicians have used both physical approaches and herbs (foods) to survive, and to mitigate, the severity of its attacks.  There is even an ancient herbal formula to help those experiencing the bloat from overeating during the summer.

The ‘inner nature’ of foods (plants) that guides herb/food selection by TCM physicians has apparently been lost to current Western food therapies.

Prevention of dis-ease, as always, is the first solution.

 

Heat attacks can compromise and damage internal bio-electrochemical flows, and both the Chi (Yang) aspects like Shen / cognition and the Blood, Body Fluid (Yin) compartments can be affected.

The Heart and Lung organ network (TCM) functions are directly compromised when first level cooling processes (i.e., increased blood flow, sweating) begin to dry up, so to say.  Weakened Upper Burner (Heart, Lung) functions lead to distress. Breathing becomes difficult as the density and viscosity of the air increase. Blood pressure (BP) rises as body fluids decrease, potentially compromising cardiovascular (endothelial) integrity and supply capacity (output).

Damage to the proper functioning of the Spleen – Stomach coupled network, representing the ability to absorb nutrition from the foods we eat (Earth Phase), will follow, as the Heat enters deeper layers.

 

Rising temperatures speed up (bio) chemical reactions.  At a time when we need more energy, the collapse of our digestive processes, linked to Damp Heat invasion of the Spleen – Stomach networks, leads to reduced appetites and a reduced, or lack of, desire to drink water. Both behaviors are maladaptive, for obvious reasons.

This pattern – which affects weaker and vulnerable cohorts to a greater extent, e.g., those suffering from the adverse iatrogenic impacts of polypharmacy – will further reduce their resilience, their ability to survive attacks by external environmental patterns (fields).

 

From a biophysical / thermodynamic perspective, we experience symptoms that present when a larger ecosystem, representing the Earth local energetic fields, ‘trespasses’ on our identity matrix, a much smaller ecosystem, (bio)field.
As the invasion continues, there is a rise in feelings of inner turmoil and disorientation, followed by feelings of physical weakness, and of being out of control.

 

Being unable to sweat while feeling hot is a very dangerous sign.  Water, managed by the Kidney (TCM) organ network, is now unable to overcome the excessive Heat, leaking to internal Dryness. Immediate rehydration with key electrolytes (ions) and external cooling (careful) methods will be needed for recovery.

A period of recuperation, following the return of biomarkers like BP and body temp (core) to normal, may also be needed.  This is especially true for people who work outdoors all day doing physically intensive work, like farm workers, and/or engage in high risk activities to protect the public and their properties, like firefighters.

 

Reading our body’s signals to environmental perturbations accurately is one way to keep calm, to keep the lid on when the going gets weird, so to say.  How does this awareness work?

Reading our body signals and feelings accurately, and fixing our health concerns/ problems without visiting the local drugs pusher, gives us the confidence to call BS on drugs being pushed by clueless diagnosticians.

Cognition Status & Communications Skills
Researchers have long noted that children with superior language skills at a young age (< 3 y.o.) manage their adolescent transitions better. This developmental pattern is attributed to higher childhood confidence, associated with their statements being understood by family, friends, and the community at large, when compared to children who lacked the resources ($$$) in their socio-environmental matrix to develop these skills.

People with higher levels of self confidence tend to get upset less often about the weather.

 

Of course, honing this process of discovery and delight will take work, i.e., regular investments in Self cleansing (Body <> Mind) practices that will continue to strengthen us as we grow up, and grow old.

Common self care practices – like washing/moistening our skin and brushing our teeth – are discussed in all traditional systems of medicine, as the need for personal accountability to achieve good health, i.e., healthspan.

With Chi Kung and Yoga, we have Asian communal / shared systems of knowledge, accumulated by many hundreds of generations of practitioners and adepts.
Western health+ care systems often neglect integrative Body <> Mind perspectives, lacking both the depth and breadth that these systems of knowledge can provide us, during this decades long period of Earth in Transition.

Advanced practices for Self Discovery – i.e., access to our inner self if we choose to make the necessary effort – are available to all, regardless of religion, station, or education.

To each, their own path.