In Chinese Medicine one of the foundations is the Five Elements, they reflect a deep understanding of natural law and the Universal order underlying all things in our world. ⠀
Each element has a corresponding emotion and thus personality with them:⠀
Wood (Liver) - corresponds with the emotion of Anger⠀
Fire (Heart) - corresponds with the emotion of Joy⠀
Earth (Spleen) - corresponds with the emotion of Worry / Pensiveness⠀
Metal (Lung) - corresponds with the emotion of Grief / Sadness⠀
Water (Kidneys) - corresponds with the emotion of Fear⠀
Most people have one or two dominant personalities or emotions that they tend towards. When looking at the whole person we can then see that they can be prone to imbalances in this organ, due to their dominant personality.
Below we take a closer look at the five personalities/emotions and how they might affect or cause an imbalance if signs and symptoms are ignored.
1. Liver Emotions and Personalities
LIVER personality people are Type A and have clear visions and goals. They are the planners and perfectionists, and usually overachievers. When out of balance they can either be indecisive or have a desire for power. The Liver is the most affected by STRESS, and this personality type usually has some or if not a lot of stress in their lives due to being Type A.⠀
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LIVER personality people are prone to high blood pressure, headaches, joint issues, and shoulder tension. As well they can be more impatient, frustrated, irritable and thus it is important to realize this so the possible imbalances can be addressed before they become major issues.
2. Heart Emotions and Personalities
HEART personality people are passionate, loving and generous. They are intuitive, leaders, but can be easily bored. When out of balance they are either too excitable, nervous, stuttering, or lacklustre in their personality, anxiety-ridden and awkward in social situations. They are also most vulnerable in hot weather and do better with mild climates. ⠀
HEART personality people are prone to high blood pressure, blood circulation issues, palpitations, anxiety, panic attacks and insomnia. This is usually due to strong emotions (overjoy/excitement) or from the strong emotions of other organs. Thus it is important to help ensure that strong emotions are not affecting the heart and to treat any imbalances to help the individual live a happier life.
3. Spleen Emotions and Personality
SPLEEN personality people are loving, nurturing, giving; like mother earth. They are kind, reliable and sensitive. These people are always thinking of others and are very compassionate.
When out of balance they tend to be worriers, meddlers, and martyrs. They also tend to have weak digestive systems, gain weight easily (water retention), have strong cravings and can easily be tired (fatigue). ⠀
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As SPLEEN personality people are prone to digestive issues and fatigue, as well as cravings for sweets diet, which is very important for these personalities. These people do better eating cooked foods rather than raw such as pumpkin, squash, and sweet potatoes.⠀
4. Lung Emotions and Personalities
LUNG personality people are meticulous, honest and responsible. When out of balance they tend to be overcritical and have trouble letting go. They also tend to be the most affected by grief, and can easily be sad. ⠀
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As LUNG personality people are prone to constipation, frequent colds, lung and skin issues (eczema) and are prone to allergies.
These people do better eating similar foods to the SPLEEN personality cooked foods rather than raw such as pumpkin, squash, and sweet potatoes, as well as adding in almonds, ginger and pepper into their diet.
5. Kidney Emotions and Personalities
KIDNEY personality people tend to be emotional -- the artist or philosopher. They tend to be the most affected by fear, such as a change in life direction or unstable living conditions. When faced with big decisions, they have the ability to be either fearlessly determined or retreat into their cocoon.
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As KIDNEY personality people are prone to fertility issues, erectile dysfunction, low libido. Also as we age, everything is linked to the kidneys so there can also be linked to hearing loss, low back pain, knee pain, hair loss and greying hair, urinary issues, and menopause. These people do better eating salty foods, like seaweed or any seafood, berries, kidney beans, but most will reach for potato chips instead.
If you suffer from any of the above symptoms/imbalances or would like to learn more about how acupuncture and cupping can help your personality type, please give us a call or book your initial assessment where we can go over this in even more detail.