The 411 On Essential Oils

An essential oil is a natural volatile material typically obtained by distillation and having the characteristic fragrance, flavor and/or action of the plant or other source from which it is extracted.

Essential oils are found in various plant parts: leaves, stems, flower buds, open flowers, peels, barks, fruits, roots, needles, twigs, and resins. 

When we utilize an essential oil for our well-being and vitality, we are actually being bombarded by a wide array of chemicals, because chemically, an essential oil is a complex mixture of 30 to 100 or more compounds.

There are three primary ways to derive the benefits of an essential oil:

1. through topical application

2. by inhalation, and

3. by ingestion.

TOPICAL APPLICATION: Essential oils’ benefits can be enjoyed by topical application directly on the skin. Diffusing essential oils in bathwater is another way to apply the oils topically.

To increase aborption effectiveness, gently massage the area first to improve circulation in that area. Applying a drop of essential oil (not already blended into skincare products) on warmed skin will also enhance circulation which in turn enhances absorption. 

Taking advantage of proven and appropriate proportions and blends of essential oils in a reputable skincare product such as those manufactured by PHYTO5 ensure the wisest use of enormously potent essential oils. This protection comes from the fact that European made products such as those formulated by PHYTO5 must comply with the new and strict European regulations limiting the type and concentration of natural essential oils in skincare products, as opposed to products containing essential oils made in other countries such as the U.S.

INHALATION: Inhaling essential oils is another way to realize their healing benefits. Inhalation can affect the body through several systems and pathways. It can occur:

• by breathing the fragrance of the oil through the nose or mouth, and

• aromatherapeutically via diffuser or in a bath.

These two actions activate their energetic properties:

1. warming the oils slightly, and

2. tapping the bottle first two or three times.

The olfactory system is comprised of all the physical organs or cells which relate to the sense of smell. When we inhale the fragrance of an essential oil, airborne molecules interact with our olfactory organs and reach the brain almost immediately through a variety of receptor sites.

One of these receptor sites is the limbic system,*–what some refer to as the “emotional brain” or the “smell brain.”

The limbic system is a group of deep brain structures that are involved in the sense of smell and the experience of emotions… The limbic system works in coordination with the pituitary gland** and the hypothalamus*** area of the brain to regulate the hormonal activities of the endocrine system… [it] also influences immunity. Through their action on the limbic system, essential oils can have a positive impact on all of these functions by bringing balance to the body. – Roberta Wilson, Aromatherapy: Essential Oils for Vibrant Health and Beauty

In addition to being transported to the brain, the inhaled essential oil molecules are also transported to the lungs to interact with the respiratory system.

INGESTION: Essential oils can also be internally ingested though EXTREME CAUTION is advised because of their potency. 

One or a few tiny drops of essential oil does not look like very much, but if they are premium grade, they are so powerful that to ingest more could actually be detrimental. 

If you desire to ingest essential oils, consult an expert in essential oils for your safety. In France, for example, essential oils are actually prescribed and dispensed by trained physicians and pharmacists.

The reasons for such caution concerning ingestion are to be taken seriously:

• Some essential oils can be toxic to the liver or kidneys when ingested.

• A chemical breakdown of essential oils during digestion can so alter the effects you may not achieve the results desired.

It is important to be aware that just because you may find essential oils in your local department or even grocery store, it does not necessarily follow that the quality is high. In some cases, they might even be synthetic perfume that smell great but have no wellness benefits whatsoever.

You are very wise to incorporate the use of essential oils into your holistic lifestyle. At the same time, we urge you to do your due diligence to learn about every aspect of essential oils to become a very well informed consumer and actually get what is your intention to pay for.

When it comes to essential oils in skincare (which is a profoundly therapeutic way to introduce essential oils into your system), it is wise to rely on the vast knowledge and experience of chemists who are well trained in the appropriate dosages, blends and use of the oils such as you will find abounding in PHYTO5 skincare.

##FOOTNOTES##

*a complex system of nerves and networks in the brain, involving several areas near the edge of the cortex concerned with instinct and mood. It controls the basic emotions (fear, pleasure, anger) and drives (hunger, sex, dominance, care of offspring). –The New Oxford American Dictionary

**A pea-sized body attached to the base of the brain, the pituitary is important in controlling growth and development and the functioning of the other endocrine glands. It is the major endocrine gland. –The New Oxford American Dictionary

***a region of the forebrain below the thalamus that coordinates both the autonomic nervous system and the activity of the pituitary, controlling body temperature, thirst, hunger, and other homeostatic systems, and involved in sleep and emotional activity. –The New Oxford American Dictionary

##SOURCES##

The New Oxford American Dictionary

Wilson, Roberta. Aromatherapy: Essential Oils for Vibrant Health and Beauty. New York: Avery, 2002. Print.

Photo by Ksenia Makagonova on Unsplash

Much of What We Require for Healing Is Found In Nature

With earth was the human being created. All the elements served mankind and, sensing that man was alive, they busied themselves in aiding his life in every way. And man in turn occupied himself with them. The earth gave its vital energy, according to each person's race, nature, habits, and environment. –Hildegard von Bingen (1098-1179), Medieval polymath

Approximately half of the top ten prescription medications in the U.S. might not exist if it weren't for the spectacular biodiversity of the wild natural world.

Modern pharmacopoeia still contain at least 25% drugs derived from plants and many others which are synthetic analogues built on prototype compounds isolated from plants. Since so many of our modern medicines were also derived from plants and such a small percentage have been accurately analyzed chemically, it is certain that there are many more to be discovered. –Professor Sir Ghillean Prance, FRS, Director, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, London

The world's developing countries tend to rely more on what are called "traditional medicines"– or in other words, plant remedies rather than medicinal drugs. Sir Gillian Prance goes on to say:

The World Health Organization has estimated that 80% of the population of developing countries rely on traditional medicines, mostly plant drugs, for their primary healthcare needs.

The drug cortisone comes from wild yams from Mexico and Guatemala and is the active ingredient in birth control pills. Vincristine, derived from the Rosy periwinkle, is used to treat childhood leukemia. Pacific yew, a conifer native to the Pacific Northwest, is the origin plant of a somewhat new medicine for cancer.

Dr. Jim Duke, author of The Green Pharmacy, headed the USDA program seeking anti-cancer drugs in the rainforest for many years with pharmacists and physicians in the rainforests of Costa Rica. MedicineHunter.com says about Dr. Duke,

Dr. James A. Duke's preeminent contribution to USDA and the world is his integrated view of using plants for food, medicine and fuel; informed by his lengthy study of how people in remote jungles successfully use plants for all aspects of their economic existence. You might say that the author of the popular The Green Pharmacy was 'green' before the rest of the world recognized our need to use resources more efficiently. Another important contribution of note: Dr. Duke showed that almost all edible legumes contain estrogenic isoflavones, key cancer modulators.

PHYTO5 relies almost completely on flower and plant essential oils and extracts for our skincare formulations. Synthetic chemical formulations don't make sense to us when nature is so abundant with every healing, nourishing, restoring gift imaginable. 

Some of the unique and natural ingredients in our seasonal Fire element line for Summer  for example, include: marine algae, essential oils of lavender, lemon, cypress, sweet marjoram, thyme, ylang ylang, corn seed, rosemary, Sylvester pine, grapeseed, jojoba, avocado, rose hips, and peppermint, plus extracts of capsicum and rosemary. Visit the seasonal line of your choice and click through the product image for the list of unique ingredients specific to that product and their health and wellness benefits.

Despite all their promise, fewer than 10 percent of tropical forest plant species have been examined for their chemical compounds and medicinal value. In addition to the tropical plants, there are plants maybe right in your own backyard or in your local park or preserve that are among nature's most exquisite healing benefactors.

We haven't even scratched the surface of the cornucopia of healing gifts the earth has to offer. It's all there waiting for us to discover.

Watch for our next blog post about the mental component to healing and the synergy of mind and natural medicines.

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Sources:

Bingen, Hildegard Af, and Priscilla Throop. Hildegard Von Bingen's Physica: The Complete English Translation of Her Classic Work on Health and Healing. Rochester, VT: Healing Arts, 1998. Print.

United Kingdom. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Global Initiative for Traditional Systems of Health. Medicine Plants for Forest Conservation and Health Care. Ed. Gerard Bodeker. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 1997. Print.

Everything We Require for Healing is Within Ourselves

In our previous blog post, we looked at nature's profusion of healing gifts in diverse flora that thrives all over the world. We talked about how pharmaceutical companies often go to the various rainforests of the world to find essential effective components for some of their drug treatments. And we learned that the developing world relies mainly on nature for remedies and healing. We pointed out how PHYTO5 relies almost completely on nature's flora for its unique ingredients abounding with life-enhancing vital energy. 

As we have all perceived, healing or management of disease and physical pain does not seem to rely solely on taking natural remedies, synthetic analogues to nature, or other drugs. Studies show that 18 to 80% of the time, people who've been given placebos (including fake procedures) completely recover from their sickness and this without adding any other drug, remedy, medical procedure or therapy.

The fact that people can be given placebos without their knowing and then completely heal from their illness is a strong indicator that the mind is a principal component in our health, healing, and wellness.

Humankind has evolved long enough to have realized the essential nature of our thoughts as powerful actors in the unfoldment of our human experience. We have learned that when we think a thought, a related emotion or feeling is immediately conjured new circumstances in our lives frequently take shape.

Sometimes the result is almost immediate, but most of the time there is a lag time between the thought, the emotion, and the manifestation. Any time lag between thought and manifested result provides the space for healing to occur. It’s a sort of fail-safe mechanism we employ by default until we gain a greater awareness of our state of mind and of our emotions concerning our situation and how we perceive our own being in it. In this way we also see illness or other limitations as a potentially constructive experience from which we emerge with a better understanding of self.  

Of course, this can only occur for those who are aware of their power of the mind and seek to gain mastery of it.

When it comes to self-healing, our state of mind is critical. It is expressed by our thoughts and emotions concerning our experience. Essentially, we either entertain positive thoughts/emotions or negative ones. Experience has shown that the positive ones contribute to healing and the negative ones do not and may well worsen the sickness or condition. The time lag between thought and manifested result actually allows provides the space for healing to occur. It’s a sort of fail-safe mechanism we employ by default until we gain a greater awareness of our site of mind and of our emotions concerning our situation and how we perceive our own being in it. In this way we also see illness, or other limitations, as a potentially constructive experience from which we emerge with better self understanding. complete dominion over our minds. It allows us to realize an error in thought and correct it before an unwanted event results. Of course, this can only occur for those who are aware of the power of their minds and who seek to gain mastery of it.

The more we practice having dominion over our thoughts and emotions, the more effective creators we become. With this practice, eventually, the need for thoughts and feelings that create healing will be more and more replaced by virtual homeostasis where there is no longer the necessity to even seek healing.

Tons of self-help books have said it over and over again: What we focus on, expands. This message is so repeated because most of these authors have achieved incredible success in their lives by employing the power of mental focus and also because it is a fundamental concept to human life on this planet.

The more energy we give a thing, the bigger and more prominent it becomes in our lives. We need to look at where we are placing our focus and our energy.

Focus is the key.

As long as the preponderance of our deep-seated thoughts and desires are for a certain outcome, that outcome is likely to occur (though it may not always happen with the exact expected outcome). This is considered a law of the universe.

Our mental practice doesn't have to be absolute, complete and total focus, but if we can come close with a preponderance of positive thoughts about our desired manifestation, our lives shift to reflect our new state of mind.

This can't help but feel good, thus creating a virtual cycle whereby our life experience more closely aligns with our higher nature.

The ultimate book on the power of thought, As a Man Thinketh, written in 1902 by James Allen says it beautifully:

“They [men and women] themselves are makers of themselves by virtue of the thoughts which they choose and encourage; that mind is the master weaver both of the inner garment of character and the outer garment of circumstance, and that, as they may have hitherto woven in ignorance and pain they may now weave in enlightenment and happiness.”

By the way, As a Man Thinketh is in the public domain and you can download a free copy by going to Project Gutenberg here. The booklet is also quite inexpensively for sale by booksellers.

Summer: Period of Luxurious Growth

How We Can Live in Harmony with Summer as Its Mirror Reflection

"In the months of Summer there is an abundance of sunshine and rain. The Heavenly (cosmic) energy descends, and the Earthly (telluric) energy rises. When these energies merge there is an intimate connection between Heaven and Earth. As a result, plants mature and animals, flowers and fruit appear abundantly.

One may retire somewhat later at this time of year, while still arising early. One should refrain from anger and stay physically active, to keep the skin breathing and to prevent the chi from stagnating. One can indulge a bit more than in other seasons, but should not overindulge. Emotionally, it is important to be happy and easygoing and not hold grudges, so that the energy can flow freely and communicate between the external and internal. In this way, illness may be averted in the Fall. The Summer season of Fire and Heart also encompasses late Summer, which corresponds to the Earth element. Problems in the Summer will cause injury to the heart and will manifest in the Fall.

Spring is the beginning of things, when the energy should be kept open and fluid; Summer opens up further into an exchange or communication between internal and external energies…

In the Summer, if too much sweating occurs in the heat, the chi will escape, the breath will become course and rapid, and one will feel irritable. This happens when heat attacks the exterior. If Summer heat attacks and enters the interior, it will affect the mind and spirit, causing confusion, mumbling and fever. For relief, the pores must be opened to release the heat.

In Summer, the weather is generally hot, and when there is extreme heat it produces Fire, which can burn and char things, producing the bitter taste. Bitter-tasting substances can clear the Heart. the Heart governs the blood, the Fire of the Heart produces the Earth, the Heart opens to the tongue, and therefore subtle changes in the Heart can be reflected in the tongue." -- From the Neijing Suwen, The Yellow Emporer's Classic

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Tips for Living the Mirror Reflection of Summer:

• The days are longer in Summer; Wake up earlier in the morning to get your fill of Summer life. When Winter comes, we'll soon realize how short-lived Summer was! Enjoy the season!

• Summer yields all kinds of luscious, colorful, vitality-laden foods; Eat the cooling foods of Summer like melons, peaches, cucumber, and fresh greens, some of which are transitory and sorely missed in colder seasons. Enjoy their flavors, textures, and nutritive gifts now, while you can!

• The sun is radiant with warmth, life, and joyful exuberance; Should anger bubble inside you, stop and take a look to see if you can’t transform it to love with the warmth of your inherent true self.

• The season is full of energy and passion; Seek out new exciting experiences and give your new discoveries your all.

• Summer is active and alive with the growth and ensuing maturity of abundant flora; Be more physically active, allowing your body to blossom with full blown energy and vitality.

• Summer is cheery; During this season, connect with what makes you laugh as often as possible. Bring colors into your environment for good cheer in all sorts of creative ways.

• Summer, in its aspect of maturity, connotes wisdom. Balance heightened levels of physical activity with spiritual practices such as conscious slow breathing techniques, meditation, and introspection for the life wisdom you seek.

• Nature is on full display in Summer; Focus on being all you can be during this season and allow yourself to blossom on full display and color!

Summer Fun: 12 Benefits~Physical, Mental, and Emotional

We’ll all agree that Summer is the time for having lots of fun. We get more social, expend more energy, laugh a little more, and enjoy the outdoors.

What we often don’t realize is that there are all kinds of fantastic physical, mental, and emotional benefits that come to us from the simple act of having fun. Take advantage of Summer's energies and get yourself so immersed in feel-good energies that you can easily carry them into Fall!

Having tons of fun during Summer brings  rewards we might not usually think of. Check these out:

1. Pain can be relieved. When we have fun, we laugh. Laughter is known, even proven, to alleviate pain. Time Magazine’s article, “It’s No Joke: Why Laughter Kills Pain,” says, “Genuine laughter releases endorphins in the brain, chemicals that activate the same receptors as drugs like heroin, to pain-killing and euphoria-producing effects.”

2. Brain function including better memory improves. In their article entitled, “Eight Habits that Improve Cognitive Function,” Psychology Today names physical activity and social connections as two of the eight principle ways to improve brain function.

3. Creativity surges. Pleasant and fun work and educational environments foster creativity in students and employees. When a positive mood is fostered by engaging in fun activities or even by simply being surrounded by a less rigid environment, activity in the prefrontal cortex and anterior cingulate cortex of the brain is stimulated. Complex cognition, decision-making, and positive emotion necessary for heightened creativity levels are improved. Spending more time outside, engaging in physical exercise enjoyable to you, going to outdoor parties and picnics, and having office meetings under the shade trees on the nearby lawn, all can foster the latent creativity within you.

4. Mental, even physical youth is fostered. If we don’t use our muscles, they atrophy. No matter what age we are, beginning to use our bodies more actively stimulates our musculoskeletal system making us stronger and more vital and alive. “More than just hobbies, chosen activities rekindle early passions, return people to nature, set creative juices flowing and stir the soul,” says Lisa Esposito for U.S. News and World Report Magazine. The constitution of the World Health Organization states, “Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” A positive mood sustained from regularly just plain having fun can be an important predictor of health and longevity.

5. Relationships are strengthened and love happens when having fun with others. It builds connections and solidifies social bonds.  Of course, we can have fun swinging on a park swing by ourselves, but fun is even more so when we do it with people we love. Laughing together, enjoying together, and taking in the Summer together fosters conditions where love grows.

6. Emotional wounds may be healed. In the book, Heal Your Spirit, Empower Your Life!, Dr. Jess Tregle Msc.D. advises that if we’ve had a rocky childhood, we should feel that our childhood is still taking place and to let it be way better than before. She suggests reconnecting with our inner child, our younger self, to heal emotional wounds. Be silly, be playful, and open up to enjoying life more and Summer’s the perfect time to begin!

7. Sleep patterns become more regulated because serotonin in the brain increases. The increased sunlight and physical activity we enjoy in Summer increases our serotonin levels. Serotonin can be found in a variety of foods, many of which we avidly consume in Summer like plums, tomatoes, kiwis, and pineapples.

8. Your body temperature and breathing become more balanced (again because of increased serotonin levels). “Serotonin is a neurotransmitter, or chemical messenger, that mediates many complex processes in the brain. It’s perhaps best known for its role in regulating mood. It’s also thought to help regulate several life-sustaining functions, such as breathing.” –from the article, “Serotonin Helps Control Body Temperature and Breathing,” National Institute of Health

9. Coping skills seem to be magically more available to us. When we’re happy, everything becomes easier. Things that were challenging before, we now seem to be able to accept as part of our everyday stride.

10. Physical energy increases. When we’re bored or feel unstimulated, our body responds as if it is tired or lethargic. Boredom equals lethargy. When we choose to transport ourselves to the next minute where we can engage in a fun activity we love, all of a sudden, our lack of energy has vanished.

11. Overall positive feelings become the norm. Optimistic people live longer. Yale University researchers have found that, “Positive self-perceptions can prolong life expectancy.”

12. We become transformed at a cellular level. The same chemical operation that occurs within the body when laughter is the impetus for the healing of sickness is the same operation that transforms our entire physical being at the cellular level.

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Sources:

http://healthland.time.com/2011/09/14/its-no-joke-why-laughter-kills-physical-pain/ 14 Sept. 2011: n. pag. Web. <Time MagazineSzalavitz, Maya. "It’s No Joke: Why Laughter Kills Pain."

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-athletes-way/201403/eight-habits-improve-cognitive-function12 Mar. 2014: n. pag. Web. Psychology Today. Bergland, Christopher. "Eight Habits That Improve Cognitive Function."

https://greatist.com/happiness/ways-to-boost-creativity. N.p., 3 Mar. 2016. Web. "33 Surprising Ways to Boost Creativity for Free."

http://health.usnews.com/health-news/health-wellness/slideshows/what-keeps-you-young?slide=1 6 May 2015: n. pag. Web. U. S. News and World Report. Esposito, Lisa. "What Keeps You Young?" Bloomington, IN: Balboa, 2017. Print. Heal Your Spirit & Empower Your Life! Tregle, Dr. Jess, Msc. D.

http://nutritionwonderland.com/2009/06/understanding-bodies-serotonin-connection-between-food-and-mood/. N.p., 24 June 2009. Web. Wilcox, Christine. "Understanding Our Bodies: Serotonin, The Connection Between Food and Mood."

https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/serotonin-helps-control-body-temperature-breathing(2011): n. pag. Web. 8 Aug. 2011. National Institute of Health. "Serotonin Helps Control Body Temperature and Breathing."

"Thinking Positively About Aging Extends Life More than Exercise and Not Smoking." http://news.yale.edu. N.p., 29 July 2002. Web. http://news.yale.edu/2002/07/29/thinking-positively-about-aging-extends-life-more-exercise-and-not-smoking>.

Learning from Millennials About Authentic Wellness and Beauty

From integrative wellness studios to sound baths to silent spas and natural beauty, avocado oil, black garlic and sober socializing, millennials are driving wellness-oriented spas and centers to new heights in 2017.

PHYTO5 skincare and therapies offer a decidedly vibrational approach to skincare and wellness unmatched in the entire beauty industry. Working at the level, not just of matter but energy, true holistic natural beauty is achieved on subtle levels which radiate outward into the skin. 

Are you in position to address the very organic, discriminating demands and progressive intelligent lifestyle choices of today's millennials? 

Those lifestyle choices are what PHYTO5 is all about and PHYTO5 professionals all over the country are gratified by the success they achieve in addressing the more creative real-time lifestyle choices and concerns of millennials.

Carlyn Weiler of Weiler Academy in Green Bay, Wisconsin says, "Here in the U.S., facials tend to be more about rubbing products on the skin. When I came back to the states after being treated to and learning about European style facials and body treatments, I was very relieved to find PHYTO5 that is truly holistic and wellness targeted and so superior to any other skincare system I've seen or experienced."

2017 Global Spa and Wellness Trends Established by the 10th Anniversary Global Wellness Summit, Kitzbuhel, Austria

"Wellness on the Rise: According to the latest figures from the Global Wellness Institute, the Global Wellness Economy has grown by 10.6% since 2013 to $3.7 trillion, far outpacing global GDP... The global spa market grew from $94 billion in 2013 to $99 billion in 2015 with 16,000 new spas and over 230,000 new employees." –psychologyofwellbeing.com

Many of PHYTO5's professional clients have been clients since PHYTO5's inception–a testament to PHYTO5 skincare's, technologies' and protocols' remarkable results. These skincare and chroma-technologies are at once time honored and on trend–an unusual characteristic in the beauty industry. The combination of our energetic skincare and proprietary award-winning vibrational light technologies elevates the wellness effects of facial and body treatments to levels that reach far beyond the typical spa treatment. It's safe to say that PHYTO5 embodies all that wellness truly means.

Partake of the mystique of quantum energetic formulated plant-based skincare for your exalted natural beauty and well-being. Subscribe for a discount promo code, plus get truly unique beauty tips and offers.

Today's Millennials Will Most Likely Choose Experience Over Material Items and They Value Authenticity

One of the first things you'll hear about millennials is that they "love and value authenticity, but what does that mean? Authenticity is a broad concept with a definition that's hard to put a finger on; authenticity comes from knowing your customers, their needs, and how to have that communicated," this according to Rakuten Marketing.

So Take a Good Look at PHYTO5

Millennials are propelling the wellness lifestyle forward full steam ahead and PHYTO5 skincare can stand up to the wise skepticism of this important group of discerning individuals. What's more, PHYTO5 offers much more than a product. It offers an experience from the moment the cap or jar is removed from the product container. 

Can your spa or does your chosen line of skincare authentically deliver what these highly discriminating consumers are demanding? 

Take a good look at PHYTO5 which is the embodiment of what Generation Y and all discriminating wellness and beauty product consumers avidly seek: authenticity • clean • vibrational • plant-based vegan • wellness generated on the cellular level

Wei Chi and the Vortices of Energy

We learned in school that matter is tangible, visible, solid, and real. There is ample empirical evidence to support this fact. Hardly anyone would dispute this.

We were also told that matter is made of molecules which are made of atoms composed of smaller particles such as neutrons, protons, and electrons, all assumed to be physical. And yet, we learn from quantum physics that all this is wrong although the public at large has not yet adjusted to that thinking. What we think of matter is, in reality, made of nothing material, tangible, or visible.

The quantum reality is that atoms are made of vortices of energy spinning and vibrating in their own particular way. Each one has a vibrating pattern that is unique, providing its own particular energetic signature. Atoms have no physical structure, therefore, physical things have no physical parts.

Another thing we learned from the discoveries of quantum physics and quantum mechanics is that we create our own reality. Indeed, the observer of a quantum experiment will affect its outcome by the simple fact of observing. It has led quantum scientists to the conclusion that our world, from our individual experience to our collective one, is a mental construction. The planet and the entire universe are the outcome of the collective consciousness of humanity.

In 2015, the Dalai Lama was participating at an international quantum physics conference in India and stated, "I hope conferences such as this one address two purposes: extending our knowledge and improving our view of reality so we can better tackle our disturbing emotions.”

It is significant to see an enlightened spiritual leader embracing the discoveries of science and feeling comfortable that no discovery, as earth-shattering as it might appear, is endangering the fundamental truth of spirituality.

The other significant element of the Dalai Lama’s statement is that we must be about “improving our view of reality so we can better tackle our disturbing emotions.”

In this statement we highlight three important thoughts:

1. We must “improve our view of reality,” implying that our current view is not nearly as right as taken for granted. Our belief in “Terra Firma” as a bedrock of our knowledge of what is right, real, and true, is actually on a shaky foundation.

2. Our “disturbing emotions” (what we often refer to as “negative emotions”) have a causal effect on our view and experience of our reality.

3. It is imperative that we “better tackle our negative emotions,” namely, developing our emotional intelligence as a way to achieve a greater degree of mastery over our (negative) emotions.

With these conclusions, we are brought full circle to our starting premise based on the following principles:

1. “The physical body is actually a complex of interwoven energy fields.” –Richard Gerber, M.D.

2. PHYTO5’s philosophy and motto: “Beauty is health made visible.”

3. The teachings of traditional Chinese medicine concerning how to increase Wei Chi, the energy of our immune system:

   1. Our best way to enhance our source of Wei Chi is in cultivating emotionally rewarding human relationships. Such relationships, however, can’t happen without first developing a proper self-appreciation free of negativity.

   2. The best way we can contain or mitigate the natural enemies of Wei Chi is by gaining mastery over our emotions so that we may avoid the destructive aspect of negative emotions.

The ABCs of Energetic Summer and the Fire Element

The Summer energetic season according to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) begins May 6 and ends July 19.

Fire’s season is Summer, the time of the sun, heat, growth, expansion, warmth, increased light, and abundance.

Fire is the most yang of the five elements yet may also express as yin for all things are both yin and yang in balance in Taosim. Taoist astrology refers to yang Fire energy with the color red and to yin with purple.

Emotions can be either in or out of balance depending on whether the energy we are in is in or out of balance. Personality traits can be positive or negative.

Fire personality traits and emotions may include:

• love, both interpersonal and divine

• open-heartedness

• joie de vivre, joyfulness

• happiness

• generosity of spirit

• warmth

• playfulness

• flirtatiousness

• a compulsion to call attention to themselves

• passion

• dynamism

• reason

• self-expression

• optimistic

• positive

• enthusiasm

• excitement

• vanity

• jealousy

• frustration

Symptoms of  Fire imbalance can show up physically and emotionally as:

• excessive or lack of perspiration

• rashes, hives, hot skin eruptions

• sleep disturbances, insomnia

• palpitations, irregular heartbeat

• restless or explosive energy

• inappropriate laughter

• disaapointment as the logical outcome of an out-of-balance and immature approach to relationships

A Fire type tends to find success in life through his or her predisposition to be warm-hearted and generous. They find experiences of love, compassion, fun, joy, and pleasure very healing yet they may find sharing joy and laughter without the goal of a reward in mind challenging.

Like hot molten lava, Fire can be unpredictable and changeable, chaotic and challenging to contain. It’s active, combustible, energetic, animated, and powerful.

In TCM, Fire’s body organs are the heart and small intestines. Therefore a fire personality may have a disposition for heart problems, such as heart attacks or may experience minor digestive problems in the small intestines.

Fire types are lovers and protectors of the heart. They tend to be driven to find love and intimacy sometimes at the expense of other important arenas of their lives. They can also be thrown off stable emotional course when experiencing traumatic events.

Other attributes of the Fire element include these:

• Color: red

• Tastes: bitter

• Direction: South

• Voice quality: laughter

• Smell: scorched

• Symptoms of imbalance with Fire include:

• Expectation: true love

• Stress response: loss of joy

• Emotional perception: hurt

For tips and tools on holistic Summer living, be sure to check out our former blog posts on the Summer energetic season:

• Eight Keys for Getting the Most Out of Summer Life… In Harmony with the Season

• Eight Refreshing Uses of Lavender to Cool and Soothe in Summer

• The Top Cooling Foods of Summer

• Eight Ways to Feng Shui Your House or Property for Summer

• 15 Spectacular Benefits of Having Fun This Summer

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Source:

Moss, M.D., Charles A. Power of the Five Elements: The Chinese Medicine Path to Healthy Aging and Stress Resistance. Berkeley: North Atlantic, 2010. Print.

Enhance Your Wei Chi to Increase Your Well-Being

For thousands of years, mystics have known and advocated it and for several recent decades, so have quantum physicists: “ALL IS ONE!” Of course, the truth, ALL IS ONE, fundamental to religions and to science, has been expressed in different words, but the core idea is the same. And this is becoming clear to an increasing number of people regardless of their religion or degree of scientific education. Still, this core idea is held as truth by a minority of people. This is evident given the degree and spread of violence, disease and disparity around the world and the many other forms of man’s inhumanity to man. Peace, vitality, equanimity and justice for all in the world will occur only when enough people understand that hurting anyone else is actually hurting oneself and that hurting the environment including our animals is destructive to ourselves.

The extent to which we feel connected to or separated from whatever we perceive to be necessary to make us whole, happy and fulfilled, creates the root of all our emotions which, in turn, becomes the driving force in our lives.

If the absolute truth is that ALL IS ONE, the evidence of our physical senses, supported by our mental interpretation of our human situation, points exactly to the opposite. We appear totally separated from each other, and in most instances, from what we desire, be it relationships, material possessions, or conditions.

From the moment of birth, the baby separated from its mother longs to be reconnected physically and emotionally. This is deeply embedded in all of us. It takes different forms as we grow older but it stays with us. The need to connect with others and to feel like we belong is very much a part of the human experience. For some, the most expedient and available solution might be to belong to a street gang. But for most, there are a number of connections we feel driven to make, such as with a spouse or partner, a family, a sports or social club, a church or other place of group worship or philosophy, a professional association, or organizations celebrating ethnic or national identity. All of these are attempts to feel connected. That feeling is key to a sense of self-actualization, contentment, and well-being.

The sense of separation is, of course, the opposite. It prevents personal fulfillment. It permeates all our endeavors and human relationships. And, as we saw in our earlier Wei Chi blogs and newsletters, emotionally-nourishing human relationships are one of the few natural ways we have to improve Wei Chi, our energetic immune system. At the same time, we learned that the “5 devils” that attack Wei Chi are the negative emotions associated with the 5 elements of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). And, here again, we are invited to emotional maturity by gaining greater mastery over our emotions. We must avoid negativity and foster positive emotions. It is incumbent on each of us to gain an awareness of our emotions–what triggers and what controls them. That is how we develop our E.Q.–our emotional quotient, commonly known as emotional intelligence.

This sense of separation is pervasive. Mystics are among the few who experience the ultimate connection–communion with their Source, whatever that might mean to each one of them. For Jesus of Nazareth, it is what caused him to say, “I and my father are one.” 

Quantum physicists and others who embrace their conclusion experience intellectual communion and the satisfaction of embracing fundamental truth. Their vision, not unlike TCM’s vision, is that each one of us is made of energy and each with our own energy field that evolves in an infinite energetic substance (or field) that we call space.

A singularity of energy fields is that they can exist as a multitude within any given space. But as energy is polarized in positive and negative phases, there is an interplay between opposite energies while there is harmony with same polarity. More positive energy is elevating. More negative energy is abasing. This is our choice to make.

Now, back to wellness. We learn that we can’t ignore our emotions. They give us a clues on as to how to increase our sense of well-being, by increasing what adds to it and by eliminating what makes us feel unhappy, sorry for ourselves, fearful, or angry.

Once we have gained a fuller awareness of our emotions as a sort of guidance system, there are ways to mitigate the negative and enhance the positive.

PHYTO5 has developed one such exciting method with a new generation of wellness spa treatments. 

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This article was originally published May 2, 2017 and has been updated on March 12, 2020 for freshness and comprehensiveness.

Endnotes:

We are inspired by many authors when writing on the vital energy subject, but in particular, by:

1. Haas, Elson M. Staying Healthy with the Seasons. Berkeley: Celestial Arts, 2003. Print.

2. Beinfield, Harriet, and Efrem Korngold. Between Heaven and Earth: A Guide to Chinese Medicine. New York: Ballantine, 1992. Print.

3. Elias, Jason, and Katherine Ketcham. The Five Elements of Self-healing: Using Chinese Medicine for Maximum Immunity, Wellness, and Health. New York: Harmony, 1998. Print.

4. Gerber, Richard. Vibrational Medicine: New Choices for Healing Ourselves. Santa Fe, NM: Bear, 1996. Print.

5. The abundant writings of Deepak Chopra, M.D.

Wei Chi and the Beauty of Emotions

Nature’s richness lies in its power to nourish all living things;
its greatness lies in its power to give them beauty and splendor.  –The I Ching

Make a little time for things that ignite your joy!  –Heart-Math Institute

Maintaining an active Wei Chi is the best way to maintain a strong immune system. In our prior articles of the Wei Chi series we saw the importance of emotions in two ways.

First, Wei Chi is enriched by emotionally satisfying relationships, and second, an absence of negative emotions eliminates the five “devils” described in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) as the natural enemies of Wei Chi.

We could say that a high E.Q (Emotional Quotient) is the best predictor of strong Wei Chi, and chi defense, in general.

Another way to say it is that mature emotional intelligence that is capable of managing both good relationships with challenging ones combined with a strong mastery over our own negative emotional reactions are the most important elements over which we have and could increase control for the benefit of our holistic health.

As the slogan of the Phytobiodermie method behind PHYTO5 skincare products states: “Beauty is health made visible!”

Even if we do a lot of other things right such as maintain a good diet, get appropriate amounts of exercise, practice breathing exercises, get plenty of sleep, and make regular spa treatments a priority, it will all be insufficient if our E. Q. is low.

Squarely addressing the matter of negative emotions as a barrier to wellness and of positive emotions as a booster of Wei Chi is so important for human wellness that PHYTO5 has evolved an extension of its well-known energetic method to contribute techniques and tools to assist anyone feel and look better.

This treatment approach will soon be presented as a new program called: “PHYTO5 and the Beauty of Emotions.”

The evolution of PHYTO5's new treatment approach is largely borne of two significant factors:

• the fundamental principles of TCM, and

• the evolution of PHYTO5 product formulation resulting in even higher potency levels.

We will explain this new program more fully when we roll out the Beauty of Emotions program and protocol in the near future. For now, and to summarize it into one brief statement, PHYTO5 has developed a new formulation method which has measurably increased the vibrational potency of select PHYTO5 energetic products.

Feeling good must be our objective. It causes us to enjoy life more fully and it makes us more pleasant to be around. Nevertheless, it is almost too easy to focus on the good part of feeling good while many of us are challenged to even recognize or identify our feelings in the first place.

In other words, we must first become conscious of how we feel moment to moment and the impact we make on others' feelings when we interact with each other. 

We cannot manage our emotions and reactions unless we are conscious of them. It is a sine qua non condition of developing our E. Q.

The Beauty of Emotions program as a program of wellness begins by assisting the client/patient to first become aware of how he or she feels.

At first, it may sound at once overly ambitious and somewhat invasive. In our society, we have a tendency to keep our true emotions hidden to such an extent that we either lose our awareness of them or we make efforts to hide them.

Still, there are ways to overcome these tendencies, at least with anyone who is willing. That is why an understanding of the importance of emotions in the process of achieving wellness is so relevant. That willingness borne of our understanding will assist us in improving our emotional quotient. As we improve our E. Q. we automatically elevate our health, happiness, character, and even our physical appearance.

The second part of the Beauty of Emotions program encompasses a number of new and specifically formulated PHYTO5 products which are essential tools of the program. From their very inception, PHYTO5 products were successfully formulated for the purpose of balancing chi. PHYTO5 accomplished this for many decades by creating products in alignment with the formulation principles of TCM and its foundational 5-Element Theory.

All along, PHYTO5 has understood that the "5 Devils” described as the natural enemies of Wei Chi (and of chi, in general) affect all aspects of our health, particularly the energy of our five pairs of organs and the function of the five major fluids. Balancing chi always has a beneficial effect on the emotions attached to each of the five pairs of organs. 

PHYTO5's new product formulation has significantly increased the vibrational rate of PHYTO5 skincare products causing them to work faster and more deeply to balance not only the physical but the emotional aspects of our being.

We'll be sharing more on this fascinating subject when we unveil the Beauty of Emotions treatment protocol at the end of May 2017.

Of course, this program will need to be adapted to functions that a well-trained spa therapist can effectively perform and which he or she is allowed to perform by relevant state authorities. Special training for the Beauty of Emotions protocol will be involved.

In the meantime, think about the benefits of such an approach when you know how most of our spa clients, in fact, most of our population, live daily life under the duress of all sorts of pressure and unprecedented levels of stress.

👉🏼To be among the first to know when The Beauty of Emotions Program is unveiled, please opt-in to our e-newsletter (see bottom of next column for sign-up).

--------------

Sources:

We are inspired by many authors when writing on the vital energy subject, but in particular, by:

1. Haas, Elson M. Staying Healthy with the Seasons. Berkeley: Celestial Arts, 2003. Print.

2. Beinfield, Harriet, and Efrem Korngold. Between Heaven and Earth: A Guide to Chinese Medicine. New York: Ballantine, 1992. Print.

3. Elias, Jason, and Katherine Ketcham. The Five Elements of Self-healing: Using Chinese Medicine for Maximum Immunity, Wellness, and Health. New York: Harmony, 1998. Print.

4. Gerber, Richard. Vibrational Medicine: New Choices for Healing Ourselves. Santa Fe, NM: Bear, 1996. Print.

5. The abundant writings of Deepak Chopra, M.D.

Wei Chi and the Holistic Treatment

The word 'holistic' is often used in the health and wellness oriented industry, and frequently, very loosely, but what is a true holistic treatment?

As the word indicates, holistic encompasses an approach for a treatment that embraces the entirety of the being. It begs the question: What, in addition to the physical body, exists in and surrounding the patient that must be taken into consideration in order to fully embrace the whole being to make any practice truly holistic?

The first level of increased awareness, going beyond the physical, is fairly obvious and includes the mental and psychological aspects. What people think about themselves and others, combined with their emotional state, are relevant factors affecting any treatment, be it in a spa, a doctor’s office, or on a hospital bed.

At the second level of awareness of what is perceived as a part of the whole being is the notion of vital energy common to all energy medicines. This is sadly absent in so many wellness or medical practices. The fundamental idea that the physical body we see is but the tip of the iceberg is often ignored or considered too esoteric. Yet there is something else that is invisible but essential, namely, that the body is not only vital matter but also vital energy. Further, it is the vital energy that makes the matter vital.

To see a human being in a way that envelopes these two levels is already quite an accomplishment, yet it is incomplete, particularly when it comes to serious diseases with consequences devastating enough that the very spirit of the patient is also under attack. Critical to any possible healing are the core beliefs of the patient in view of the experience he or she is living. This is obviously a subject that concerns not only medical people but patients and would-be patients although this topic remains a very delicate one.

The third level has to do with the spiritual dimension of the one being treated. Some of us might be totally unaware of this aspect, or we might be simply putting it aside, maybe for examination at a later date. Another possibility is we might simply be genuinely oblivious to this part of our constitution. 

From an ultimate point of view, the spiritual state of consciousness of the patient is not only relevant but might be a critical factor in dealing with serious ailments. Clearly, rare are the practitioners who will embrace this view or be willing and comfortable enough to incorporate the patient's spiritual state of consciousness into the equation when faced with a deeply serious health issue which on the surface appears to be simply material or physical.

But how is all of this relevant to our wellness and beauty focus? It actually directly relates back to PHYTO5’s motto: “Beauty is wellness made visible!”

In our previous blog, “Wei Chi and the Three Levels of Defense,” we saw that wellness and beauty concerns are outside the picture at the third and fourth levels of defense, but they are reasonable ones for the first two levels even when both Wei Chi and chi are under attack. It is when Wei Chi is strong and an effective defender of our health that our wellness and beauty objectives are most effectively achieved. 

Maintaining a strong immunity with an active Wei Chi is of primary importance. The role of emotions and the matter of emotional intelligence as the arena we can most directly influence to maintain a strong immune system. Further, even if we do a lot of other things right, such as focus on a proper diet, get adequate exercise, practice breathing exercises, and get plenty of sleep, it will be in vain if our E. Q. (Emotional Quotient) is low.

------------

Sources:

We are inspired by many authors when writing on the vital energy subject, but in particular, by:

1. Haas, Elson M. Staying Healthy with the Seasons. Berkeley: Celestial Arts, 2003. Print.

2. Beinfield, Harriet, and Efrem Korngold. Between Heaven and Earth: A Guide to Chinese Medicine. New York: Ballantine, 1992. Print.

3. Elias, Jason, and Katherine Ketcham. The Five Elements of Self-healing: Using Chinese Medicine for Maximum Immunity, Wellness, and Health. New York: Harmony, 1998. Print.

4. Gerber, Richard. Vibrational Medicine: New Choices for Healing Ourselves. Santa Fe, NM: Bear, 1996. Print.

5. The abundant writings of Deepak Chopra, M.D.

Wei Chi and the Three Other Levels of Energetic Defense

When you look for it, there is nothing to see.
When you listen to it, there is nothing to hear.
When you use it, it is inexhaustible.
–Tao Te Ching

Wei Chi is the protector of our outer energy field (aura) and of the superficial layers of the body, the skin.

Any pathogen that will eventually attack the physical body needs first to defeat Wei Chi by penetrating through the aura and past it, through the skin layers. 

We outlined the four sources of Wei Chi:

• one of which (ancestral energy) we have no control over;

• two that are related to our lifestyle and environment and over which we have only partial control; and,

• the fourth one (our positive emotional relationships) over which we should be able to have the greatest influence.

Wei Chi has natural enemies. The first group of these enemies is what traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) calls the five “devils” (essentially climatic conditions) over which we have limited to no control. The second group of enemies is the negative effect of any of the five emotions when they are in excess, out of balance (out of control).

Each of the 5 emotions corresponding to one of the 5 elements is like a coin with two faces, a positive side and a negative side.

This is key: The negative aspect of each emotion diminishes wei chi while the positive side of each one of them becomes our greatest opportunity to strengthen our wei chi.

In short, the source of Wei Chi that we have the most control over is related to our emotional intelligence. It encompasses an ability to minimize the negative while increasing the positive aspects of our emotional life which is very nourishing to our wei chi, the energy of our immune system and the guardian of our health. It literally keeps us out of the doctor's office.

The original slogan of the Phytobiodermie (energetic skincare) method, and of PHYTO5, its skincare brand, “Beauty is health made visible” dates back to the 70’s and in today’s terms we might be more likely to say, “Beauty is well-being made visible.”

This motto is an expression of the Phytobiodermie philosophy and mission. It is the logical outcome of its deep roots in TCM that takes into consideration all the elements that constitute our being. 

Poor eating, poor breathing, lack of movement, climatic aggressions, or destructive emotions, significantly weaken wei chi and our immune system to the point that it might no longer be able to prevent pathogens from reaching deeper into our physical body.

Fortunately, as TCM tells us, there are not one but four different energetic protection levels.

If the first level of wei chi fails, the second level of protection is the chi which flows through the body along meridians or pathways of vital energy.

There are five basic functions attributed to Chi:

1. movement

2. warmth

3. protection

4. transformation, and

5. support.

When pathogens have pierced through wei chi to attack the chi, the illness becomes more stubborn, creating both physical and emotional disturbance in a more pronounced way, although it is not life-threatening.

When the illness gets deeper, the third level of defense–the vital energy of what TCM calls “blood”–has been affected. According to TCM, “blood” is an energetic function that goes beyond the arterial and venous circulation. It includes the movement of other fluids such as those from the hormonal glands and the transport of nutrients, among others.

When this master transportation system breaks down, the body enters a chronic illness level with severe health and emotional consequences. Pain is deeper and more prolonged. From this one and the next level, the body might never return to full health. Containment and mitigation might be the best available outcome.

Any worsening leads to an attack on the fourth level of defense, the energy of the organs. What is at stake at this level, is the very survival of the organs.  A defeated organic chi creates a domino effect, a negative spiral, since each organ affects the proper workings of all the others. When any organ is under siege, it deeply affects how we feel in all aspects of our life. 

At all levels, but particularly the third and fourth, illness is not limited to the physical aspects. Addressing psychological, emotional, and spiritual issues are the only way to bring all aspects of our being now under siege into restored healthy alignment. 

In this state, achieving wellness might be a distant dream.

At the fourth level, survival becomes the ultimate objective. Pain management is a moment-by-moment concern. Healing through the restoration of chi within the entire body requires a proper holistic treatment. In other words, a comprehensive holistic approach to getting well is absolutely required. It is this important topic which we will pursue in our next article and blog post of this Wei Chi series.

-----------------

Sources:

We are inspired by many authors when writing on the vital energy subject, but in particular, by:

1. Haas, Elson M. Staying Healthy with the Seasons. Berkeley: Celestial Arts, 2003. Print.

2. Beinfield, Harriet, and Efrem Korngold. Between Heaven and Earth: A Guide to Chinese Medicine. New York: Ballantine, 1992. Print.

3. Elias, Jason, and Katherine Ketcham. The Five Elements of Self-healing: Using Chinese Medicine for Maximum Immunity, Wellness, and Health. New York: Harmony, 1998. Print.

4. Gerber, Richard. Vibrational Medicine: New Choices for Healing Ourselves. Santa Fe, NM: Bear, 1996. Print.

5. The abundant writings of Deepak Chopra, M.D.

30 Fun Ways to Get More Green Into Your Diet

Since we’re well into the Spring energetic season (until April 17), a time associated with life-giving, detoxifying green, it’s wise that we support ourselves with as many green foods as we can.

Not everyone enjoys green leaves and vegetables but what follows are a number of novel and fun ways to make sure you amp up your diet with green and enjoy the deliciousness of it too!

While most of these ideas provide ways to creatively add greens and green foods to your entrees and side dishes, don’t be afraid to make green the main event!

Partake of the mystique of quantum energetic formulated plant-based skincare for your exalted natural beauty and well-being. Subscribe for a discount promo code, plus get truly unique beauty tips and offers.

1. Scramble your eggs with cooking greens or add them to your frittata.

2. Add fresh fruit like strawberries to make your highly nutritious spinach salad more interesting.

3. Make a batch of green pesto to have on hand for adding to dishes like pasta or for garnishing dishes like scrambled eggs, soup or roasted veggies.

4. Learn to sprout! It’s so easy to do right in your kitchen with some mason jars, cheesecloth and sprouting seeds. In just a couple days you’ve got green sprouts absolutely brimming with nutrition that you can add to salads, add as soup garnishes or throw in your smoothies.

5. Learn to identify wild edible greens and pick them. Some might be in your backyard or favorite local forest preserve.

6. Everybody loves nuts and seeds so add them to your salads. Not only will they provide texture but lots of nutrition too.

7. Add a handful of spinach or other green to your favorite smoothie to make it green. We suggest spinach ‘cause it won’t alter the flavor intent of your smoothie.

8. Garnish your soups with parsley or cilantro.

9. Never miss adding a beautiful green leaf to your sandwiches. Experiment. Go beyond iceberg or romaine lettuce.

10. Garnish your sandwich plate or even top your salad with dehydrated kale chips. Depending on the sauce massaged into the kale before dehydrating, kids will love eating them instead of potato chips.

11. Add a handful of fresh basil, leaves and stems, to your blenderized soups for a subtle flavor enhancement and nutrition boost.

12. Add green legumes like pea pods and green beans to your side dishes for color, texture and vitality.

13. Learn to make a mean tabbouli. With the main ingredient being parsley, this minted salad is incredibly fresh tasting and you’ll feel so much better about yourself after eating it! You can sub quinoa for the bulgur wheat, if you prefer, and it will taste just as great.

14. Fold finely chopped parsley or spinach into your mashed potatoes or alfredo sauce.

15. Mush some not overcooked broccoli into side dishes for texture, flavor and nutrition.

16. Make some avocado topped toast or spread your toast with a mélange of peas tossed with a small amount of olive oil, quartered grape tomatoes, and edamame. Avocado toast is a current wellness trend!

17. Add shaved or grated courgette (zucchini) into your salad.

18. Have a nice spinach salad or other green leaf salad for breakfast. It’s a fantastic way to start the day.

19. Explore fresh green herbs (oregano, rosemary, basil, dill, cilantro, chervil, chives, tarragon) and learn how to add them to your dishes for an added dimension of healing and flavor.

20. Make green bean “fries” for an awesome snack. Toss washed whole green beans with a bit of olive oil, and then garlic granules, salt and pepper to taste, and munch!

21. Make your wrap sandwiches raw wraps using collard greens, bibb lettuce or swiss chard leaves; you can do the same when making tacos, too.

22. When puréeing your homemade hummus, throw in a half cup of spinach; it will lend a green hue to the hummus and give you added nutrition, but it won’t alter the flavor of the hummus.

23. Top your burger with lightly sautéed greens.

24. Make green dips; spinach-artichoke is always nice.

25. Make simple homemade green salad dressings in your blender; throw six to eight dandelion greens in the blender along with a cup of soaked raw cashews, a half cup of soaked raw sunflower seeds, a cup of water, a squirt of lemon juice, a half teaspoon of turmeric and Himalayan salt to taste and blend until smooth. Delish.

26. Double the amount of green vegetables and half the amount of animal protein in your dishes.

27. Be a sneaky chef; purée some greens and add them to marinara sauce or grate or finely mince the greens and add them to your burger and meatloaf mix.

28. Join the Meatless Monday movement and make green foods the centerpiece of the day.

29. Wilt your greens like spinach, arugula, mustard and dandelion greens; you can add them to your favorite dish or eat them straight with a little salt and pepper and a dash of olive oil.

30. Slightly blacken bundles of bok choy, broccoli or asparagus spears for a unique taste and nutrition treat.

Best Eating Practices For Living In Harmony With Energetic Spring: Part Two

“Adapting itself to obstacles and bending around them, Wood in the earth grows upward without haste and without rest. Thus too the superior man is devoted in the character and never pauses in his progress.”  – Nei Jing (475-221 B.C.)

We still are experiencing the remnants of the Water energy of Winter so though traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) says we have entered the energetic season of Spring, the new energy of the Wood element, as of February 5, it's a bit challenging to think Spring right now, but let's give it a whirl!

As we've said, in TCM the element represented by Spring is Wood. To live in balance with the 5-Element Theory of TCM and indeed, to live in balance with nature of which we are an inherent part, we’ll want to embrace the following attributes, characteristics and specific organ activity for the Wood element and Spring season.

If you are affected by liver problems (the organs associated with Spring are liver and gall bladder), it’s a sign your body may be suffering from insufficient or lack of Wood chi. You can strengthen your Wood chi by consuming more Wood element foods which tend to be sour in taste (sour is the taste for the Wood element). Sour foods facilitate clearing an overburdened liver.

Wood element foods act as astringents and help the blood to circulate, your energy to flow, and emotions to move more elegantly through you. Eating fresh greens during this season naturally cleanses the body of physical and emotional impediments. 

Partake of the mystique of quantum energetic formulated plant-based skincare for your exalted natural beauty and well-being. Subscribe for a discount promo code, plus get truly unique beauty tips and offers.

Wood element foods are cooling and contracting and prevent leakage of body fluids. If you’ve been indulging in a rich, greasy diet, you’ll want to switch to the Wood element foods at this time. 

Check out column two for an exhaustive list of foods for Wood.

Additionally, there are some herbs and spices we can use in springtime food prep that have a sour taste: dill, sour jujube fruit, and hawthorn berry.

Certain pungent and sweet foods such as scallion, garlic, cinnamon, fennel and ginger tend to have an expansive, rising quality. They are very nice to add to springtime meals and will help you resist colds and allergies.

As always, avoid or reduce consumption of foods and drinks that have little redeeming value for the body such as deep fried foods, oil, fat (aside from the more beneficial oils and fat content derived from olive, avocado and coconut), salty foods, spicy foods, alcohol, and sweets.

While we slow cooked our food in Winter by preparing stews and hearty soups, best cooking methods for the Spring energetic season are sauté, stir fry, light simmer, blanch, quick boil, pickle, and marinate.

At this time of year, our diet should be the lightest to enable our systems to cleanse and strengthen the body, mind and spirit.

Check out PHYTO5's Wood element skincare line to address imbalance in the skin such as oiliness, blackheads, hyperpigmentation, and issues of vital energy circulation.

Best Foods for Wood Element (in alphabetical order)

• adzuki beans

• almonds

• baby spinach

• barley

• black cherry

• black currant

• blackberry

• celery

• cheese

• chicken

• chives

• cod

• collard greens

• grapefruit

• green beans

• green cabbage

• green tea

• halibut

• hazelnuts

• herring

• leafy greens

• lemon

• lettuce

• lime

• liver

• long string beans

• napa cabbage

• nuts

• oats

• olives

• peas

• pickles

• pineapple

• plums

• raspberry

• rose hips

• rye

• sauerkraut

• scallions

• sour grapes

• sour green apples

• sour green star fruit

• sourdough

• spinach

• sprouts

• tomatoes

• vinegar

• walnuts

• wheat

• yogurt

 …

Sources:

Nguyen, Phil N. Feng Shui for the Curious and Serious. New Jersey: Xlibris Corporation, 2008. Print.

Thunderhawk, Denise, L. Ac. The 5-Element Guide to Healing with Whole Foods. N.p.: Lulu, 2016. Print.

Best Practices for Living In Harmony with Energetic Spring: Part One

Though the weather may still feel like Winter because of the remnants of the Water energy of Winter according to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), the new energy of Wood since February 5, is well into the energetic season of Spring.

In TCM, the element represented by Spring is Wood. To live in balance with the 5-Element Theory of TCM and indeed, to live in balance with nature of which we are an inherent part, we’ll want to embrace the following attributes, characteristics and specific organ activity for the Wood element and Spring season.

1) The color for the Wood element is green. Bring green into your life in all sorts of ways–in your diet and even in your home decor.

2) Liver and gall bladder are the organs associated with the Wood element. If you have liver or gall bladder issues and/or you have a Wood element imbalance, incorporate more of what is outlined in this post and in the post to follow into your daily life. Click here for complete best eating practices.

Indications of too much Wood chi, a Wood imbalance, include stiff muscles and joints, liver troubles, sallow or yellowish skin, panic attacks, hysteria, neck pain, and stroke. Emotion-oriented displays of Wood imbalance include anger, resentment, bitterness, lack of compassion, erratic behavior, low self-esteem, shouting, complaining, arguing, violence, abuse, incessant arguing. These indicate strong Wood imbalance.

3) In addition to food, Wood element fragrances like lavender, orange, citrus, grapefruit, and chamomile can be used and enjoyed to uplift and strengthen Wood chi and help create more balance in Wood.

4) The green gemstones of green jade, emerald, and green opal may assist the flow of Wood chi. 

5) TCM-advised sound and breathing exercises for each element also help to bring imbalance to balance. 

Partake of the mystique of quantum energetic formulated plant-based skincare for your exalted natural beauty and well-being. Subscribe for a discount promo code, plus get truly unique beauty tips and offers.

For Wood, the healing sound is easy. It’s a long “Shhhh” – as in telling someone to be quiet. On the exhale of a deep breath, this sound will help to release anger and frustration. It can help to soften the person suffering with anger and at the same time assist to quell ailments in the liver and gall bladder. 

The five element healing sounds are actually breathing exercises that are best done every day at least five times a week, taking at least six deep breaths, the deeper the better. It is most beneficial to do the exercises outdoors where chi is fresh, preferably in the morning, with the sun shining on you from the East but they can most definitely be done indoors too.

You will want to inhale through your nose until your abdomen is full of fresh air and then exhale out through the mouth making the soft healing sound Shhhh. On the inhale, imagine positive chi entering your body and cleansing the negative chi and ailments in your body. On the exhale, imagine pushing out the negative chi and ailments.

6) It is important to practice mindfulness and meditation at this time of year to bring clarity of vision, because the liver governs the health of the eyes and the clarity received applies both literally and figuratively. 

7) The time is energetic Spring! Rise early with the sun and take brisk walks. Live in harmony with Spring!

Check out PHYTO5's Wood element skincare line to address imbalance in the skin such as oiliness, blackheads, hyperpigmentation, and issues of vital energy circulation.

…

Sources:

Nguyen, Phil N. Feng Shui for the Curious and Serious. New Jersey: Xlibris Corporation, 2008. Print.

Thunderhawk, Denise, L. Ac. The 5-Element Guide to Healing with Whole Foods. N.p.: Lulu, 2016. Print.

Skincare Professionals! Here's How to Truly Set Yourself Apart from All the Other Spas In Your Area

PHYTO5 equipment was designed and is manufactured in Europe starting with earlier versions several decades ago. It stems from our conviction that in addition to the visible aspect of the human body, there are others, unseen, with great influence on how we feel and how we look, namely, our energy envelope and interior energetic centers and pathways.

These are the tenets of PHYTO5’s philosophy which we apply to our award winning technology:

1. The body is not simply matter but vital energy as well. It is vital energy which makes vital matter vital (alive vibrationally). This understanding dates back to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and Ayurvedic medicine. It was revived in the twentieth century with the findings of quantum physics. Since those findings, a number of members of the medical community in Europe, Asia, and the U. S. have conducted conclusive research on the subject. Today, vital energy is measurable, thus proven. It is a carrier of essential information to all cells, tissues and organs of the body.

2. The body is about 80% fluids (matter). TCM highlights five major fluids: water, arterial blood (red blood), venous blood (blue blood), lymph, and vital energy. The function of the major fluids is to provide oxygen and nutrients to all cells and tissues (function of red blood), and consequently, to provide waste removal (blue blood removes carbonic gas and lymph removes waste matter resulting from the metabolism of the cells). Water being the largest component of the body, it must be allowed to circulate and not stagnate. That circulation depends on the activity of the diaphragm when we breathe and move around. It needs to fight gravity that would accumulate water in our legs. None of those functions would occur with the flow of vital energy.

3. The skin is an organ. It receives vital energy and its tissues are fed and cleansed by the harmonious workings of the energy of the five elements and the proper circulation of the five fluids corresponding to the five elements.

4. TCM attributes five aspects (phases or components) to vital energy. They are called the five elements. Each element drives the energy that is specific to each one of the five fluids.

5. Everything in the body is in a vibrational state. In fact, everything in the universe and on planet Earth is submitted to its own vibrational state although our five physical senses are not equipped to notice.

6. Any object (matter)–any piece of solid or amount of fluid–will respond to a specific vibration according to its mass. It is called the “pitch” of the object. This is part of the laws of harmonics stemming from the study of music whose consequences have been used in modern engineering and many other fields. 

7. In his book Vibrational Medicine, Richard Gerber, MD. states two important truths:

• “The physical body is actually a complex network of interwoven energy fields.”

• “If we are beings of energy, it follows that we can be affected by energy.”

Of course, we can be affected either in positive (wellness enhancing) ways as we can be affected in negative ways ranging from discomfort to illness.

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Equipment

There are two primary pieces of equipment created by PHYTO5:

1. The Biorhythmic Drainer: This technology balances the five major fluids according to TCM. A number of companies have created similar drainage machines or incorporated similar functions in multi-purpose pieces of equipment, however the PHYTO5 Biorhythmic Drainer is still unique inasmuch as it is not limited to lymph drainage.

2. The Chromapuncteur is a light machine. This PHYTO5 machine is unique inasmuch as it does not use LED technology that provides limited frequencies but a dichroic filter technology that reproduces the entire range of frequencies for each of the seven natural component colors of sunlight. The Chromapuncteur can be used to work on acupuncture points, chakras (energetic centers), reflex zones, and to perform energetic drainage in tandem with the Biorhythmic Drainer.

3. Each piece of equipment can be free-standing, or the two can be combined to work together, in particular, to perform “energetic drainages” for the purpose of balancing the five major fluids. The machines are made to connect together the mechanical movement of the drainage with the energetic potency of any of the nine colors of light from the Chromapuncteur.

A third piece of equipment, the Biostimulateur, is totally unmatched in the industry, and reserved for advanced energetic treatments on energetic zones, acupuncture points and meridians, in support of treatments offered in spas, wellness centers, and skincare institutes.

How PHYTO5 Equipment Works

Here we are focusing on the two primary pieces of PHYTO5 equipment:

1. Biorhythmic Drainer: Its purpose is to be able to balance any of the five major fluids of TCM (water, red blood, blue blood, lymph, and vital energy). All skin conditions can be improved by working not only at the level of the skin, but also on the energy of the fluids. To that end, the Biorhythmic Drainer has five pre-calibrated frequencies that set the proper (balanced) rhythm of each of the five fluids. Since each fluid, when balanced, has its own specific “pitch” and moves at its own specific rhythm, the drainage with the Biorhythmic Drainer using the pre-calibrated rhythm will “remind” the fluid to move at its proper rhythm to maintain its harmonious movement thereby providing optimum function.

2. Chromapuncteur: Light is energy that moves as electromagnetic waves. Each of the seven component colors of white (sun) light consists of a range of frequencies. The equipment reproduces that range for each of the colors offered by the machine. The “pitch” of each fluid will respond to a specific color of light because it is in harmony with that particular range of frequencies. 

To Sum It Up:

1. The Biorhythmic Drainer is superior to any other similar machine for two reasons:

   1. No other machine has a systematic way to work on more than simply lymph.

   2. It is made to be combined with the Chromapuncteur to perform award-winning“energetic drainages” that are unique to PHYTO5.

2. Although the Biorhythmic Drainer has a proven track record and can significantly improve the results of any skincare treatment (face and/or body), the results are enhanced when both Biorhythmic Drainer and Chromapuncteur work in tandem to perform the “energetic drainages” and balance the energy of all five TCM fluids.

3. With the Chromapuncteur, not only are energetic drainages possible, but additional energetic work using light therapy becomes available.

Make Eating a Conscious Thing

Most people are now aware that fast foods are generally bad for their health and that consumption of fried foods should be kept to a minimum.

There are many slimming diets on the market, but too often they are not balanced meals for proper ongoing nutrition.

We are all very different physically and so are our nutritional needs. It makes sense to try to find an approach that is adapted to you, rather than following government sponsored guidelines that are flawed. These guidelines treat everyone as if they were made by the same widget factory.

The concept that Dr. Peter J. D’Adamo outlines in his book, Eat Right for Your Type, makes sense because it recognizes our individual differences based on our blood type (one of four) corresponding to different metabolic capabilities and, consequently, different nutritional needs.

Ayurveda also teaches nutrition according to the three doshas or energetic types known as pitta, vata, and kapha. Ayurveda also illustrates the need to adapt to our specific composition or dominating energies.

Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon and Mary Enig, Ph.D. challenges, in an informed and documented way, what they call the “Diet Dictocrats” who are all the governmental and quasi-governmental agencies more bent on defending the interests of powerful corporate lobbies than promoting the well-being of the people.

Energetic Food: Traditional Chinese Medicine offers an approach to nutrition based on the five elements. That is the basis for the FoodScan program created by the German company, Medprevent whose approach is very complementary to the PHYTO5 method. And the work of Dr. Haas, author of Staying Healthy with the Seasons, is in total harmony with the PHYTO5 approach.

From an energetic point of view, it is good to remember that food releases energy during the metabolism process. Both the quantity and the quality of energy matter.

Food contributes to the vital energy that we need, but that energy comes with a certain bulk that needs both energy and oxygen to process.

It is advisable to eat what is energetically rich (natural nutrients) with limited bulk and to avoid what is abundant in bulk but limited in energy. In this respect, the model of good food is a genuine farm egg that is free of added antibiotics and hormones. It represents great concentration of nutrients for a small volume.

Partake of the mystique of quantum energetic formulated plant-based skincare for your exalted natural beauty and well-being. Subscribe for a discount promo code, plus get truly unique beauty tips and offers.

The worst is any bulky food heated in a microwave oven that kills all the nutrients and remains void of vital energy. Many people have a bulk-rich diet void of nutrients and vital energy. As a result, they remain hungry and eat more bulk that eventually accumulates in their body. It becomes a vicious cycle. It is one of the real issues in the standard American diet, yet few people speak about it in those terms because the politically powerful food industry is more about bulk than nutrition.

The energetic quality of our food is either yin or yang.

Meat is more yang than vegetables. Red meat is the most yang; veal or pork are less yang; and poultry the least yang of meat.

Although, some fish, such as tuna, is quite yang, fish is more yin than meat.                                                   

Vegetables that grow in the ground such as potatoes and beets are more yang than leafy vegetables.

It is recommended to eat cooling or yin food during the strong yang season such as Summer and to eat yang food during the strong yin season of Winter.

It makes more sense to have a steak and mashed potatoes in the Winter than on a hot summer day when salads and fruit are more appropriate.

It is always recommended to eat the food of the season because they are in balance with the energy of that season. The color of fruit and vegetables is often used as a telltale sign of when it is best to eat them.

For example, yellow fruit and vegetables are recommended during the transitional Earth season happening now (the period of 18 days between seasons), while a (red) tomato is preferred during the Summer, the season of the Fire element according to traditional Chinese medicine).

The Chinese New Year Is January 28! What We Can Learn from Taoist Astrology for 2017!

The Chinese calendar is based on the lunar cycle, contrary to the Gregorian calendar which is based on the apparent movement of the sun. The date of each Chinese New Year takes place on the second moon after the Winter solstice. Because the dates of the new moon vary from year to year, it follows that the date of the New Year varies from one year to the next. 

The Chinese New Year is broadly observed in Asia and Southeast Asia, particularly, China, Korea and Japan. It has its roots in Taoism.

It is interesting to note that there are twelve branches in Taoist astrology as is the case for Western astrology with the twelve signs of the zodiac. Each branch is designated by the name of an animal reflecting some of the characteristics implied in the nature of the animal. 

As with all things that are rooted in Taoism, each branch is declined in five versions to reflect the characteristics of each of the five elements of Chinese medicine—Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water—and also, simultaneously, by the yin/yang duality.

Consequently, there are six yang branches and six yin branches. It means that 6 of the 12 animals are deemed yin and 6 are deemed yang. The yang years are the ones ending with an even number; and the yin years are the ones ending with an odd number. The yin animals will only appear in years ending with an odd number, and the yang animals will only appear in years ending with an even number.

Altogether, this creates a cycle of 60 years. It means that the yearly characteristics of Taoist astrology repeat themselves only every 60 years. It provides for ample distinctions on the energetic influence of each year! It is interesting to note the influence of numerology in the organization of the Chinese astrology system. 

The Chinese New Year starting January 28, 2017, is the one of the Phoenix, more popularly described as the Rooster. It is defined as a yin branch (animal), but as it is declined in the 5 elements, each element brings a lesser or greater yin or yang influence.

2017 is a year for a Fire type animal as it is the case for any year ending with a 7. Phoenix being a yin animal, will appear with the yin aspect of Fire. That combination – yin of Fire - is given the purple color which is why 2017 is the year of the Purple Phoenix.

A yang animal, such as the Monkey (the animal of 2016) during a Fire year (as it was in 2016) represents the yang of the yang and is given the descriptive color of red. No wonder that the Red Monkey of 2016 created such havoc on so many different levels! It was predicted.

In 2017, the characteristics of the Purple Phoenix are defined by a Fire influence, the most yang aspect of the 5 elements, but it is tempered by its inherent yin.  

Taoist astrology predicts that: “The year of the phoenix is a time of practical endeavors, conscientiousness, hard work, and discipline. Politically, conservative police states gain power, and law and order are championed.” 

“Purple Phoenix adores the spotlight…In business, Purple Phoenix desires success, fame, wealth, and status in society. She is intense and competitive when pursuing materialistic goals…”

–Levitt, Susan, and Jean Tang. Taoist Astrology: A Handbook of the Authentic Chinese Tradition. p. 171. Rochester, VT: Destiny, 1997. Print.

A Tao Te Ching Verse for Phoenix

Fame or integrity: which is more important?

Money or happiness: which is more valuable?

Success or failure: which is more destructive?

If you look to others for fulfillment you will never truly be fulfilled.

If your happiness depends on money you will never be happy with yourself.

Be content with what you have. Rejoice in the way things are.

When you realize nothing is lacking the whole world belongs to you.

Sources:

Levitt, Susan. Taoist Feng Shui: The Ancient Roots of the Chinese Art of Placement. Rochester, VT.: Destiny, 2000. Print.

Levitt, Susan, and Jean Tang. Taoist Astrology: A Handbook of the Authentic Chinese Tradition. p. 171. Rochester, VT: Destiny, 1997. Print.

Clarifying the Effect of the Energetic Seasons on Your Skincare Regimen: When to Switch from Water to Earth

January 17 is the end of the energetic season of the Water element associated with the Winter energy.

This means that the energetic influence of Water will cease operating and from the 18th of January to the 4th of February the seasonal energetic activity “returns to Earth” for 18 days before it reappears on the 5th of February as the energy of the Spring season (Wood element).

How does this change affect your skincare regimen and your choice of products?

We need to remember that there is a lag time between the change of energetic influence and the visible consequences, or symptoms, of the change.

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When the Water season ends, its climatic influence is still felt. At that time, the climate in most of the U.S. is still one of Winter, particularly in the Northern half of the country, and the need to protect against the cold and its effects on our skin is still present and not to be ignored. 

For most people it means that a continuation of the Winter regimen is quite logical as long as the Winter climate is in effect, but the people who have a predisposition to Earth conditions (pimples, blemishes or acne, and issues of lymph circulation) need to be aware that with the Earth season their condition will worsen.

It is also the best time to address the issues of the earth skin conditions. They are the people who need to switch lines (and professional treatments) on time.

Using both the Water products and the Earth products might be called for depending on the individual’s condition and the climate at the time.

Because the Water products are also anti-aging products (hydration and tone), given the age and skin condition of the individual, the Water line might be the right choice for most of the year. 

For many of our clients in the U.S., it is important to prolong the use of the Water line past the January 17 unless their dominant concern is the skin conditions associated with the Earth element. In that case, switching to Earth is recommended. 

Late Winter Lifestyle Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

The Earth element in Chinese medicine corresponds to what we might think of as the ending of each season and is related to the concept of transformation. Although the Earth element is often associated with late Summer or Indian Summer, it also occurs in late Winter, late Spring and late Fall. 

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In other words, as the end of each of the traditional four seasons approaches, the “heavenly” (cosmic) seasonal energy goes back to the Earth for transformation into the energy of the next season.

According to Chinese medicine,

 “…its influence manifests for 18 days at the end of each of the four seasons and it does not pertain to any season of its own…” – The Classic of Categories (1624) by Zhang Jie Bin.

Earth is not unlike the center of the compass. It is a pivot point, so to speak, around which the four seasons and the other four elements spin. But, occurring four times a year for 18 days each, these periods totaling 72 days and which bear similar characteristics are referred to as the Earth energetic season or fifth season of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).

The next Earth energetic period is from January 18 to February 4. An Earth imbalance creates any one of the following group of conditions affecting the skin:

• blemishes

• toxicity

• acne

• psoriasis

• enlarged pores and

• lymph circulation problems.

PHYTO5 has created a very specific skin and hair care line designed to help address these imbalances.

Unlike Wood and Fire elements in TCM defined by a rising and peaking yang, and unlike Metal and Water elements with a rising and peaking yin, Earth represents a balance between yin and yang energies. As such, the Earth element represents warm, stable, grounded, loving, emotional characteristics. It is nurturing, comforting, calm, solid and stable. Earth is all about family, community and gathering, eating now and gathering, collecting, holding and storing for later.

Earth energy type people are sentimental and maintain their attachments to other people, things, and places. Earth types tend to savor the sweetness of life and being human and they find enjoyment in all the comforts and pleasures of life. But, as with each element, Earth types can become imbalanced and demonstrate physical and emotional challenges.

According to TCM, Earth is about ingestion and absorption, not just of food but of ideas and emotions. An Earth element imbalance in the body is the result of ingesting too much, or its opposite–stagnation, the slowing down of chi energy flow in the body, or an outright inability to consume or subsequently digest ideas, emotions, or food.

Earth types are thoughtful but can worry too much. They can feel sympathy, deeply allowing them to feel connected to others, but these same emotions taken too far can cause them to feel stuck, unable to act or think clearly, with an over-dependence on others for their opinions, judgment and advice.

Earth types are quite good at maintaining family and friend relationships. They love situations that require them to work with others. They enjoy teamwork and collaborative work environments.

Well-balanced Earth people usually have a healthy complexion, soft facial features, sturdy and balanced body frame, exhibiting an earthiness to their appearance.

The organs most closely associated with Earth are the spleen and the stomach and the digestive system as a whole. The Discussion of Prescriptions from the Golden Chest (c. AD 220) by Zhang Zhong Jing says:

“During the last period of each season, the Spleen is strong enough to resist pathogenic factors.”

Earth also has influence over the pancreas, the large muscles of the body on the upper arms and lower legs, the abdomen, the middle back, the lymph system and the diaphragm. Of course, proper lymph circulation is important in keeping a strong immune system and a healthy complexion.

The Earth periods are the best time to address Earth conditions. They are also the times when Earth energy can make existing Earth imbalance in people worse, therefore balancing Earth energy during the Earth periods with Earth treatments and products is highly recommended, particularly for Earth type people.

Sources:

Maciocia, Giovanni. The Foundations of Chinese Medicine: A Comprehensive Text. Edinburgh: Elsevier, 2015. Print.

Bridges, Lillian. Face Reading in Chinese Medicine. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone/Elsevier, 2012. Print.