Dr. Beth Bartlett, a functional medicine practitioner and acupuncturist, shares invaluable insights into the intricate relationship between the heart and the mind. Delving into Traditional Chinese Medicine, let’s explore/discover how to create balance in the body, mind, heart and soul.
Video by Dr. Beth Bartlett
Are you passionate and adaptable, warm and fuzzy and love to have fun? Often smiling, laughing and freely expressing love, you might have dominant ‘heart energy’.
The heart, commonly know as the ‘emperor’ in Traditional Chinese Medicine, calms the spirit. It regulates the mind, circulates blood flow and is the center of happiness, joy, cheer, contentment and contentedness.
There are 12 primary acupuncture meridians (pathways) traversing the body. Energy (Qi) flows through these meridians, which is essential for maintaining balance in the body.
Using small, filiform (hollow) acupuncture needles, stagnant or blocked energy can be released at certain points along these energy meridians, commonly known as acupuncture points.
The heart meridian has 3 branches; the branch I commonly treat starts in the heart, traverses laterally to the armpit and straight down the inside of your arm, all the way through the end of the pinky finger.
Possible indicators/signs of imbalance of the heart meridian include:
- Fullness in the chest
- Heart palpitations
- Numbness and tingling
- Difficulty raising shoulder/arm
- Insomnia
- Perspiration
- Difficulty regulating body temperature
- Flushing of face/ears
- Craving or inability to tolerate hot/spicy foods
Nutrition recommendations/common ways to nourish your heart:
- Consume more water
- Avoid overeating/overconsumption of food
- Avoid hot/spicy foods
- Consume red foods: kidney beans, raspberries, strawberries, goji berries, hawthorn berries, cherries, pomegranate
- Highlight fowl and fish as protein sources