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What Happens To Your Heart In Summer?

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"Excellent article, I can totally relate. "
- sue Cloverdale, CA

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Summer can be a lot like falling in love! According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, falling in love is known as an "excess heart fire," with symptoms very similar to summer time: a racing heart, spontaneous sweating, obsessive thought and madness. The heart is an affectionate & extroverted organ. It loves connection with others.

Close your eyes and imagine the feeling of summer. What do you see? A trip to the beach? 4th of July fireworks? A summer romance? There's something especially fun and impulsive about summer. Parades and festivals testify to the extroverted exuberance of summertime. It is time for celebration! Your heart feels lighter in summer, so your mood is more buoyant.

Throughout the Southwest, Catholics revere the sacred heart of Jesus on fire, showing the relationship between fire & the heart's passion.

Summer heats up the heart, bringing with it feelings of joy, enthusiasm, adventure, & courage. Take a moment to tune into your heart. Can you feel your heartbeat? What emotions are you storing in your chest? Are your reactions are magnified by summer heat?

The heart is very sensitive to heat. With every one degree rise in body temperature, the heart beats an extra 10 times per minute. The faster it beats, the more overstimulated (Vata) you might feel. Summer heart heat tempts us to stay out late and enjoy nightlife. You might find it hard to calm yourself down in time for bed, or suffer from insomnia on hot summer nights.

The heart is also very concerned with your image, how others perceive you in society. A person with a healthy fire is brilliant, charming and full of enthusiasm. They are attractive and socially adept. Ayurveda associates these thrilling qualities with Pitta Dosha, the dominant dosha of summer. The passion of Pitta can be nothing short of mesmerizing.

Too much heart heat can you leave feeling as scattered as a social butterfly. In addition to feeling scattered, summer heart heat can make you anxious and agitated. A person with too much fire may be overly reactive, intense, egotistical or have a hot temper. In Chinese medicine, mental disorders are associated with heart heat. When there is too much heart heat, the tip of your tongue will be red, a sign of fire element. As the heart beats faster, the liver, another Pitta organ, may become fatigued.

Heat expands and cold contracts. A person with too little heart heat might have a cold heart. A cold hearted person can't empathize with the feelings of others or show compassion. They have trouble integrating with society.

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About the Author

John Immel, the founder of Joyful Belly, teaches people personalized diet, lifestyle and herbs through Classical Metabolic Theory (Ayurveda & Greek Medicine). His approach is clinical, yet exudes an ease which many find enjoyable and insightful. John also directs the Joyful Belly College, offering professional clinical training for over 15 years.

John's hobbies & specialties include advanced digestive disorders, virtue psychology through classical & Christian philosophy, languages, cooking & botany. He holds a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Harvard University. John, his wife Natalie, and their 8 kids live in Asheville, NC.

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(4.67 out of 5 stars) 3 ratings, 10 likes
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sue Cloverdale, CA
2014-06-27
“Excellent article, I can totally relate. "
NJ
2025-08-02
“Always informative and inspiring information! Thank you."
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