Summer Wellness in the Year of the Wood Snake

Your Guide to Thriving Through the Season of Fire

Dear Friends and Patients,

As we embrace the height of summer, I hope this newsletter finds you basking in the warm energy of the Fire season while staying wonderfully cool and balanced. This year brings special significance as we navigate summer through the lens of the Wood Snake – a combination that offers unique opportunities for growth and transformation. With the extra yang energy in the air I decided to challenge myself with jumping in our neighborhood creek with my son Zane every day for 30 days. It has been my most favorite part of the summer so far. I generally have aversion to cold water so it definitely pushed my edges. It is really important to keep challenging ourselves and pushing our edges while still nurturing ourselves. We create resilience and are then able to accomplish other things that come our way. Is there a way the yang summer energy can help support you to push your own edge by trying something new or doing something that’s uncomfortable? Maybe it’s connected to nature, or maybe not. I’d love to hear about it.

The Wood Snake's Summer Wisdom

In Chinese astrology, 2025 is the Year of the Wood Snake, and this elegant creature has much to teach us about summer wellness. Snakes are masters of adaptation and renewal, shedding their skin to emerge refreshed – rather like how we might want to shed our winter habits and embrace lighter, more flexible summer routines. The Wood element adds growth, creativity, and upward energy, perfectly complementing summer's natural expansiveness.

Like the wise snake who knows exactly when to bask in the sun and when to seek shade, we too can learn to move fluidly between activity and rest this season.

Summer According to Traditional Chinese Medicine

In TCM, summer corresponds to the Fire element and governs the Heart and Small Intestine systems. This is the season of maximum yang energy – think vibrant growth, social connection, and joyful activity. However, just as a campfire needs tending to burn steadily without burning out, our inner fire needs mindful cultivation.

Key Summer Wellness Principles:

Nourish Your Heart-Mind (Shen) Summer's Fire energy can sometimes make us feel scattered or overstimulated. The Snake's natural wisdom reminds us to move with intention and grace. Practice heart-calming activities like gentle meditation, leisurely walks in nature, or simply sitting quietly with your morning tea before the day's excitement begins.

Eat Cooling Foods Your body is incredibly smart – it naturally craves cooling foods in hot weather. Embrace fresh cucumbers, watermelon, leafy greens, and mint. The Wood Snake energy encourages us to be creative with our summer meals. Try making cooling soups with winter melon, or refreshing salads with bitter greens like arugula (bitter flavors naturally cool the body and support the Heart). If you're digestion is weak or out of balance be sure and add something warm to your salad or drink some hot tea afterwards.

Stay Hydrated, But Wisely Yes, drink plenty of water, but avoid ice-cold beverages that can shock your digestive fire. Room temperature or slightly cool drinks are your digestive system's best friend. Think of it as keeping your inner campfire burning steadily rather than dousing it with ice water!

Gentle Movement Channel the Snake's fluid, graceful energy with activities like swimming, tai chi, or gentle yoga. Early morning or evening are ideal times when the yang energy is less intense. Your body will thank you for not trying to match the blazing noon sun with equally intense exercise.

Wood Snake-Inspired Summer Practices

The Art of Strategic Rest Snakes are masters of conserving energy for when it's truly needed. This summer, practice the art of strategic rest. Take genuine lunch breaks, enjoy afternoon siestas when possible, and don't feel guilty about saying no to every social invitation. Quality over quantity, as our Snake friend would say.

Flexibility and Flow The Wood element encourages growth, while the Snake teaches us about flexibility. If your usual routine isn't working in the heat, adapt! Maybe your morning jog becomes an evening stroll, or your hot yoga practice shifts to swimming. Roll with the changes like water flowing around stones.

Cultivate Joy Summer's Fire energy is all about joy and connection. Schedule time for laughter, play, and meaningful conversations. The Wood Snake year reminds us that growth happens not just through effort, but through joy and authentic expression.

Transitioning to Late Summer: The Earth Element's Embrace

As we move through high summer toward late summer (roughly mid-August through September), TCM recognizes a beautiful seasonal shift. Late summer belongs to the Earth element and governs the Spleen and Stomach – our center of transformation and nourishment. Think of this as nature's way of helping us ground and harvest the vibrant growth of summer.

The Spleen-Stomach Partnership While the Heart manages our emotional well-being in summer, the Spleen-Stomach system becomes our focus in late summer. These organs govern not just physical digestion, but how we "digest" our experiences and transform them into wisdom. The associated emotion is pensiveness or contemplation – that gentle, reflective quality that naturally arises as summer's peak intensity begins to mellow.

Late Summer Wisdom from the Wood Snake Just as a snake naturally knows when to slow down and prepare for transition, late summer invites us to shift from the outward, social energy of peak summer to a more centered, nurturing approach. The Wood Snake's grounded wisdom helps us channel this Earth energy beautifully.

Supporting Your Earth Element:

Golden Foods: Embrace the harvest colors – yellow corn, orange squash, golden millet, and sweet potatoes. These naturally sweet foods support the Spleen's transformative function.

Gentle Routine: Late summer is perfect for establishing nourishing routines. Regular meal times, consistent sleep schedules, and grounding practices like gardening or cooking become especially beneficial.

Worry-Free Zones: The Spleen dislikes excessive worry or overthinking. Create mental space through journaling, meditation, or simply giving yourself permission to not figure everything out at once.

This transition period is like the pause between the inhale and exhale of the seasonal breath – a perfect time for acupuncture tune-ups to support your body's natural shift from Fire to Earth energy.

Building Your Foundation: Summer Wellness for Fall Resilience

Here's something our Snake friend understands instinctively: preparation is everything. Just as snakes spend summer building energy reserves for cooler months ahead, our summer wellness choices directly impact our fall and winter health. In TCM, we call this "storing essence" – think of it as making deposits in your health savings account.

Why Summer Self-Care Matters for Your Immune System

During summer's peak yang energy, our bodies are naturally more open and active. This is actually the perfect time to strengthen our Wei Qi (defensive energy) – our body's natural immune system. When we nourish ourselves properly in summer, we create a strong foundation that helps us transition smoothly into fall without the typical seasonal sniffles, fatigue, or mood dips.

The Seasonal Investment Strategy

By staying hydrated, eating cooling foods, getting adequate rest, and managing stress during summer, we're essentially teaching our bodies how to maintain balance. Come fall, when the weather shifts and our immune systems face new challenges, we'll have built-in resilience. It's like the difference between a well-tended garden that weathers storms beautifully versus one that struggles with the first change in weather.

The Wood Snake's wisdom reminds us: steady, consistent care yields the greatest long-term benefits. No dramatic overhauls needed – just mindful daily choices that accumulate into robust health.

A Summer Recipe: Heart-Calming Chrysanthemum Tea Blend

Speaking of nourishing choices, here's a beautiful way to embrace summer's cooling energy while supporting your Heart and Shen (spirit). This traditional TCM tea blend embodies the Snake's preference for simple elegance and the Wood element's natural creativity.

Cooling Chrysanthemum and Mint Tea (Serves 4-6)

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons dried chrysanthemum flowers (white or yellow)

1 tablespoon fresh mint leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried)

1 teaspoon dried green tea leaves (optional, for gentle energy)

1 tablespoon raw honey or rock sugar (to taste)

4 cups filtered water

Fresh mint sprigs and chrysanthemum flowers for garnish

Thin cucumber slices (optional, for extra cooling)

Instructions:

Bring water to a gentle boil, then let cool for 2-3 minutes (about 185°F)

Add chrysanthemum flowers and green tea (if using) to a teapot

Pour hot water over flowers and steep for 5-7 minutes

Add fresh mint in the last 2 minutes of steeping

Strain and sweeten with honey while warm

Serve hot, or let cool to room temperature for a refreshing summer drink

Garnish with fresh mint and cucumber slices if desired

TCM Benefits: Chrysanthemum is a classic summer herb that clears heat, brightens the eyes, and calms the Liver (helping with summer irritability). Mint cools the body and calms the Shen (spirit), while honey gently supports the Spleen. Green tea provides antioxidants and gentle energy without overheating. This combination perfectly balances cooling with gentle support for digestion.

Wood Snake Bonus: Like our adaptable totem, this tea is endlessly customizable. Try adding a few goji berries for eye health, a slice of fresh ginger for digestion, or jasmine flowers for extra floral notes. Make it your own summer ritual!

When to Seek Support

Pay attention to signs that your Fire energy might need rebalancing: difficulty sleeping, feeling overly anxious or scattered, digestive issues, or feeling emotionally "hot" (irritability, frustration). As we transition to late summer, also notice signs that your Earth element might need support: digestive concerns, excessive worry, feeling ungrounded, or difficulty concentrating.

Both are normal responses to seasonal changes, and acupuncture can help restore your natural equilibrium during these transitions.

Remember, the goal isn't to suppress summer's vibrant energy, but to channel it wisely – just like our Snake totem who basks in the sun without getting overheated, and knows intuitively when to prepare for the next phase of the cycle.

A Gentle Reminder

As we move through this Wood Snake summer, remember that wellness isn't about perfection – it's about gentle adjustments and mindful awareness. Some days you'll feel as graceful as a snake in water, other days you might feel more like a snake who forgot to shed their old skin. Both are perfectly normal!

I'm here to support your journey toward balance and vitality. If you're feeling the need for a tune-up or want to optimize your energy for the season ahead, don't hesitate to reach out.

Wishing you a summer filled with gentle breezes, refreshing shade, and the wisdom to know when to move and when to rest. Maybe it’s time for a new challenge or new activity and maybe it’s time to rest more. Let your inner wisdom be the guide.

In health and harmony,

Adrianna

P.S. – If you have friends or family who might benefit from TCM wisdom this summer, feel free to share this newsletter.

To schedule your summer wellness appointment: https://dradriannagonzalez.com/