Supporting Your Fire Element This Summer — The Heart of Health
As we move into summer, the Fire element comes alive — this is the season of full yang energy: bright, active, outward.
In Chinese medicine, the Fire element governs the Heart and Small Intestine, and when these organs are in harmony, we feel more able to connect with others, to express ourselves authentically, and to experience the quiet joy that comes from simply being alive.
Summer is a powerful time to support the Heart and Fire element. Like tending to a flame, it’s not about doing more, but creating the right conditions for balance, light, and warmth to return naturally.
Signs your Fire element may need support:
Feeling overheated, flushed, or restless
Palpitations, anxiety, or trouble sleeping
Digestive discomfort or difficulty discerning what “feels right”
Emotional flatness or feeling emotionally oversensitive
Craving connection but also feeling easily overwhelmed by it
Summer rhythm embodies lightness and vibrancy. Here’s how to care for your Fire element each day.
🌿 Eat vibrant, fresh foods
Think alive, colourful, light.
Choose rainbow foods: berries, cucumber, watermelon, tomatoes, leafy greens
Add bitter foods to clear heat and support the Heart: rocket, radish, cacao, dandelion
Avoid heavy, overly greasy or processed foods — they burden the Heart and Small Intestine, leaving us sluggish or cloudy
☀️ Balance activity with rest
Yang energy loves movement, but without rest, we burn out.
Enjoy exercise outdoors: walking, swimming, dancing
Take naps or short rests during the heat of the day (Fire needs cooling)
Honour early nights if your system feels overstimulated
💧Stay hydrated, inside and out
Sip warm or room-temperature water often (cold drinks shock the digestive fire)
Infuse with herbs like mint, hibiscus, or rose to cool and soothe
Moisturise your skin — the Heart thrives on feeling nurtured
🫶 Support your nervous system
Limit overstimulation: social media, loud environments, too much news
Create quiet bookends to your day (no phone in bed, soft music, meditation)
By tending to your Fire element physically, you create the foundation for the deeper layers of the Heart to feel supported. We begin with the body, so that the emotional and spiritual aspects feel safe to follow.
Next time, I’ll share more about these inner aspects of the Fire element.
