Health tips for summer - from 2500 years ago.

Last Spring you were introduced to the Yellow Emperor - a fabled leader and sage of China's ancient history. The accumulated knowledge gathered from thousands of years of observation and written documention was recorded in the 'Yellow Emperor's Classic of Medicine', first published 2500 years ago.
Good health was important in ancient China, there were no life saving drugs or surgery available and so preventing illness was a finely developed skill, mainly achieved by maintaining a high level of general health. One aspect of achieving and maintaining this high level of health was to live in harmony with nature, and in harmony with the four seasons in particular.
Living in harmony with summer should be a breeze for most readers, it involves late nights, sex and happiness! The Yellow Emperor recommended that 'One may retire somewhat later at this time of year, while still arising early. One should refrain from anger and stay physically active. One should not overindulge in sex, although one can indulge a bit more than in other seasons. In Summer, one should not overindulge in cold and raw food and drink, although one can indulge a bit more than in other seasons. Emotionally it is important to be happy and easygoing and not hold grudges. In this way illness can be averted in Autumn.'
Best wishes for the Summer season and thanks for all of your generous feedback so far.

New growth in Spring

The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Medicine is the 'Bible' of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and was written about 2500 years ago. There have been some important improvements in the field of TCM since then but most of the concepts and applications contained within the book still hold true today. So what did the Yellow Emperor have to say about creating and sustaining good health during the season of Spring?
"The three months of Spring bring about the revitalization of all things in nature. During this season it is advisable to go to bed early. Wake up early also and go walking in order to absorb the fresh, invigorating energy. Since Spring is when everything begins anew and rejuvenates, one should attempt to correspond to it directly by being open and unsuppressed, both physically and emotionally."
"On the physical level it is a good time to exercise more frequently and wear loose fitting clothing. This is the time to do stretching exercises to loosen up the tendons and muscles. Spring is a time when people are more prone to indulging in frustration, anger, depression and sadness, all of which can impair the function of the central nervous system, liver and gall bladder. Therefore, now is the time to develop the easy going and carefree aspect of your character." (See previous post for advice on developing new good habits)
By following the Yellow Emperor's advice you should feel more relaxed, happy and ready to dive into new projects and opportunities. Of couse you could just ignore the advice and take a chance on being stressed, grumpy and fearful of change but there are just too many beautiful flowers in bloom right now, so go for a walk and start sniffing!