HERBS FOR THE HOT HOT HEAT
heat wave time here on the prairie plateau.
the smoke has reached the city from forest fires, consuming the lives and homes of many plants and animals and people. Before we dive into the energetics of the season, please support relief efforts for the Namaygoosisagagun First Nation, whose entire town was lost to wildfire and inadequate response. All proceeds from this month's patreon will be donated.
you run hot, you run cold, you're skin is dry, you're skin is oil, you're sweating damp, you have a little heat rash, your sleeping weird at night, it's too hot, you can't quite feel comfortable,
The sun warms us, the pavement warms us, the earth radiated heat back out, and it warms us. Heat is the quality of quickening, vibrations in all things accelerate, pressure increases and molecules disperse.
We begin showing symptoms of heat in the body. It may begin as a feeling of excitation and energy, but leads to tender tissues, swelling, lack of focus. Heat builds in the body and burns through our blood sugar, making our brain very hungry. Eventually the cognitive symptoms arrive and we have heat stroke and damage to the nervous tissue. Heat can be seen on the tongue as an elongated shape, with the deeper the redness the deeper the heat. Heat is stuck in tension, and in fluid.
The { tense and hot } realm is dry, willful, frustrated and intuitive. The liver is on fire, digestion is sporadic and hormones are erratic. We call her choleric.
The { wet and hot } realm is robust, excessive, impulsive and injured. The heart pounds in all directions and every mystery can be deduced through reason. She is burnt out, outstripped her capacity. We call her sanguine.
Heat is purifying, it makes things simple. Herbs contain the alchemical property of heat, through a myriad of chemical miracles and marvels. When consumed, we can understand their individual heating effect in energetic degrees:
1 degree: heat that opens the pores, an exhale through the skin
2 degree: heat that thins stuck fluids, like a syrup on the stove
3 degree: heat that combusts in us, generating metabolism and flow to all fluids
4 degree: heat that burns, irritates, scorches and makes new again.
In essence, heat moves stuck heat. When formulating for the heat, we call in a little hot and a little cold - we need the heat to stimulate sweating, disperse tension and stuck fluids, where inflammation has gathered and is generating a little heat source of it's own. We need the cold to soothe tissues, nourish our hormonal balance with minerals, and energize our cognitive function and nervous system response.
Here are some formulas, you hot hot babes
HEAT WAVE COLD TEA
basil, chamomile, lemon peel, violet flower, borage.
combine equal parts in cold water, steep on the counter for 12 hours and chill before serving.
TOO HOT TO SLEEP TEA
ginger, hyssop, mugwort, cardamom, nettles
combine equal parts in hot water, steep covered for 15 mintues, drink before bed
COLD FOODS FOR HOT DAYS
Cabbage - fermented into kraut for extra benefit
Cucumber - my dog likes this too. sprinkle a little salt and drizzle with honey.
Mango - must I say more
Pumpkin - roasted and cooled with some ginger and caraway
Sesame seed - put it on all things
Water melon - doused with lemon juice, or sprinkled with cayenne honey.
As always, my herbal practice is open to book through my website. For those interested in the magic of herbal medicine, and what it might look like to invite a plant into conversation about your health and life.
xoxoxox
carmie
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please exercise caution with herbs and work from within your skill set and experience. this is not medical advice. contact a registered herbalist or physician with questions on safe use of herbs. tysm!
