Late Summer & the Earth Element
Late summer is one of my favorite times of year! In Chinese medicine, the Late Summer period is short - just two weeks in August - but it can vary a bit based on the climate of the area. In the Midwest, I consider Late Summer to be from mid-August to mid-September. As soon as the goldenrod starts blooming, I know we’ve started to transition! The days start getting a bit longer, the temperatures (finally!) cool down, we hear more cicadas and katydids, and the birds start migrating south - all signs we’re slowly transitioning out of Summer.
Late Summer is related to the Earth element. As you might expect, when balanced, the Earth element is all about feeling grounded and secure, both physically and mentally. Mentally, this can include feeling centered, having healthy boundaries and empathy, feeling secure in our sense of Self, having a healthy relationship with food, and being able to give and take in a balanced way. Physically, the Earth element is tied to our digestion, appetite, and muscles.
When in balance, the Earth element is all about feeling grounded and secure, both physically and mentally.
When our Earth element is not balanced, it can manifest as digestive problems, such as poor appetite, diarrhea or constipation, food sensitivities, heartburn, nausea, and more. We can also experience “dampness,” which includes symptoms such as heavy limbs, sluggish movements, and brain fog, as well as more tangible manifestations like edema. Mentally, we may also feel fatigued, have poor concentration, have frequent worrying and thought spirals, a tendency to overthink things, and boundaries that are too rigid or too lax.
The Earth element is seen as the “north pole,” or center axis, that our lives revolve around. I think we can recognize this intuitively; if we feel ungrounded or uncentered, the rest of our lives can be difficult to navigate! On the other hand, having a firm foundation, or being well-rooted, makes navigating life easier. The Earth element is viewed as such an important part of our health and well-being that, historically, there was an entire branch of Chinese medicine called the Earth School!
Having a firm foundation, or being well-rooted, makes navigating life easier.
Chinese medicine is a nature-based medicine, and adopting our wellness practices to the season is a great way to feel more grounded and in touch with both our bodies and the earth. With that in mind, here are a few practices you can try to incorporate the Earth element into your life in the next few weeks!
Food Therapy
Yellow/orange foods are associated with the Earth element, such as sweet potatoes, winter squashes (including pumpkin, spaghetti squash, and acorn squash), red/yellow lentils, carrots, and corn.
The flavor of Late Summer is Sweet - though this means foods that are naturally sweet, like fruits, grains, beans, etc., and not sugary foods. (More on whole grains and beans below!)
Warming spices are also seen as “Earth” spices, such as ginger, cinnamon, turmeric, cloves, nutmeg, and other traditional spices of the season.
If this is sounding a lot like a pumpkin spice latte, you’re not far off! Many of the flavors we associate with the season have a home in Chinese medicine food therapy.
One of the essential food categories for the Earth element is whole grains and beans. I group these together because they both provide an essential component for our diets: fiber. Soluble fiber, found in both whole grains and beans, has wide-ranging health benefits and, perhaps not coincidentally, is considered essential to a healthy digestive system and the Earth element!
Whole grains and beans are foods that are considered “naturally sweet,” the flavor of Late Summer and the Earth element, and are said to “strengthen the Spleen,” which means they help strengthen the digestive system. In Chinese medicine, this means that they are easy to digest, help build our energy reserves (Blood and Qi), and help us have regular, well-formed bowel movements.
Some examples of whole grains that help the Earth element are barley, brown rice, buckwheat, millet, and oats. Examples of beans that are particularly helpful to the Earth element are black eyed peas, chickpeas, fava beans, and soybeans (such as edamame and tofu).
Where to start:
Incorporating a little bit of these foods at each meal is a great way to add in some nourishment for your Earth element!
Try adding a portion of whole grain or beans (about one handful) to your meals.
Start your day with a porridge, such as oatmeal. Add warming spices, nuts, and seeds for an extra boost!
Roast some winter squash or make a squash-based soup (such as butternut squash soup).
Roast carrots, golden beets, sweet potato, or other yellow/orange veggies and incorporate them into your meals; try in a wild rice salad or as a side dish!
Drink teas with warming spices, such as cinnamon and ginger. Chai is perfect this time of year!
If you’re looking for some ideas, check out my ever-growing Recipes page!
Grounding Practices
There are many different practices you can try that feel grounding and nourishing! Here are a few suggestions to try:
Try a mindfulness-based practice, such as meditation, qi gong, yoga, or another practice that helps you feel more “in the moment.”
Practice eating mindfully, focusing on the flavors and experience, and eating without rushing and without distractions. This isn’t possible for every meal, but try it a few times a week to see if you can make it work!
Experiment with routines. In Chinese medicine, our bodies and brains find a predictable routine grounding. One of my most frequent suggestions for this, especially for people who struggle with regular digestion and bowel movements, is to eat three meals per day at about the same time each day. If you aren’t particularly hungry, try just eating a small portion. Another routine to experiment with is going to bed and waking up around the same time each day.
Spend time outside. This could mean gardening and physically touching the earth, walking around barefoot, sitting in a chair or hammock, or other time spent outside. If it’s more accessible for you, you can try having the windows open and observing what you see or hear outside, too! Like the other suggestions, the goal is to be present with your time in nature, rather than distracted.
Try journaling, especially guided journaling. I have a few blog entries about journaling - check them out here!
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