Water, Fire, Air and Earth are known as the 4 elements and they are key to our health and well being. Many healers and philosphers have spoken about the importance of the four elements and their significance to health. Water is the great purifier. It’s nature is yin therefore it is cooling, mositening and nourishing for our body’s. The two most important things are 1) drinking enough water to stay hydrated and 2) drinking good quality water. Of course everyone has a different opinion about how much water is enough, but generally speaking the more dry you are, the more water you should drink. Dehydration can manifest through dry mouth, dry eyes, dry skin, constipation, decreased urine output and dark urination. Severe dehydration can manifest as low blood pressure, rapid heart beat and even delirium and unconsciousness. So drinking enough to make sure that you don’t have symptoms of dehydration will go a long ways. Generally, most people should try to consume about 64 oz of water per day. Good quality water can be hard to come by. Ideally, you want water that has been purified so that you are avoiding things like flouride and you want your water to be alkaline. For those with chronic inflammation, a water ionizer can be beneficial. A water ionizer can be especially good for those with chronic urinary infections.
Fire is yang by nature and strengthening, invigorating and supplementing for the body. The sun is our source of fire and getting adequate sun exposure will ensure good health. Sunshine promotes vitamin D in the body and vitamin D is vitally important for our immune system. So instead of taking vitamin D supplements spend time outside. The sun is more potent than any pill and it’s cheaper. I have come to find spending time outside and in the sun to be very enjoyable and creating a habit of doing that will go a long ways for your health. The infrared rays from the sun are also very beneficial for pain and skin disorders. Of course, too much of a good thing can be harmful and if your fair skinned is wiser to spend less time in the sun. Heliotherapy or sunbathing has been used for thousands of years as a cure to heal many ailments. Don’t miss out on getting your sunshine.
Breathing in good quality air is paramount to our health. Clean and pristine air will energize the body as well as detoxify it. That can be difficult in our modern polluted world, but there are things you can do to improve your air quality. The most simple thing to do is to live more close to nature and away from the city. City’s are often dirty and polluted and create a more inviting environment for bacteria/fungi etc. However, moving is not always an option and considering that most of us spend most of our times indoors, an air purifier can be of benefit. If you suffer from allergies or asthma, an air purifier can make all the difference in the world. Having plants in the house can also improve the air quality in your home.
The earth element relates most to our soil and therefore our quality of food. Good food is the foundation for proper growth, development and nourishment of the body. Most of us can’t control the quality of our soil, unless we garden that is, but we can support local farms and eat organic. Avoiding processed foods and eating REAL food will go a long to staying healthy. TV dinners and microwaved meals have absolutely no nutrition and should be avoided. Most of the food in the US are full herbicides, pesticides, insecticides, fungicides and many other chemicals to make growing food more easy. It’s great for big Ag company’s but bad for you. This doesn’t include the antibiotics and hormones in our dairy and meat products. Eating whole foods and natural foods is vital to health. Eating healthy will is especially be important for those with digestive issues. If people simply drank enough good quality water, got adequate sun exposure, breathed clean air and ate farm fresh or organic food, many people would never even get sick. Nature, through the elements is a great healer. I encourage you take advantage of the healing properties that nature has to offer.