The Five Elements of Chinese Medicine

Chinese medicine's Five Elements Acupuncture is an Eastern form of medical treatment that looks to the spiritual and emotional issues behind physical ailments and seeks to cure bodily aches, pains, illness and disease through balancing the five elements in your psyche. The premise behind five elements acupuncture healing is the idea that all five elements (fire, earth, metal, water and wood) should be in balance in your life. An imbalance of one element or another will result in physical and emotional problems. Holistic acupuncture is used to open up blocked energy channels within your body, allowing rebalancing of the elements, and stimulating healing and good health.

The main idea behind balancing the elements is to always achieve a balance between yin and yang, so proper chi (energy force) can flow through the body.

Each of the five elements corresponds with different attributes, seasons, foods, colors, body organs and even tastes. 

Fire is related to full yang, the heart, the small intestine, completed energy cycles, the color red, the emotion of joy, bitter tasting foods and laughing. It is also considered the element of summer.

Earth is correlated with a balanced yin and yang, the spleen, the stomach, a balanced energy pattern, the color yellow, the emotion of sympathy, sweet tasting foods and signing. It is considered the element of late summer.

Metal is considered the element of autumn. It is the element of new yin, the lungs, the large intestine, a contraction in energy, the color white, sad and melancholy emotions, pungent foods and crying.

Water is related to full yin, the kidneys, the bladder, conserved energy, the color black, fear, the sound of groaning and salty tastes. Its season is winter.

Wood is regarded as the season of spring. It is related to new yang, the liver, the gallbladder, expansive energy, the color green, anger, sour tastes and shouting.

While Chinese medicine prescribes many different modifications in lifestyle, diet and activities to promote the balance of the five elements, acupuncture healing is also used to achieve this balance. The combination of herbology, acupuncture, diet and lifestyle changes work together to this effect.