The Wood Type
Do you live for your work and love to stay busy? Would your friends say that you have a type A personality? Is your motto “work hard and play hard”? If so, your primary element is probably Wood.
In East Asian medicine, the universe is made up of 5 elements, also called phases. These elements: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water, are the building blocks of our environment, including us. We are each a unique mix of all the elements, but one of them is primary. Learning your primary element can give you personalized tools for managing stress and living a healthier, happier life. Instead of doing ALL THE THINGS, or getting overwhelmed and doing nothing, you’ll learn which lifestyle hacks will give you the most bang for your buck.
Wood people are productive, driven, and hardworking. You have a naturally lean and willowy body, and prefer hard, intense workouts. You’re a natural born leader, whether that is organizing your family and friends, managing others at work, or being an entrepreneur.
But even powerhouses like you have an Achilles heel. If you’ve got too much on your plate, over time you lose your flexibility and become irritable, frustrated, and even angry. Your body reacts as well, with tension headaches, neck, shoulder and jaw pain, and irregular, painful, or heavy periods.
Your favorite way to destress is to push yourself in the gym or go out for a long run. But you do have to be careful not to push yourself too hard. Intense workouts put you at a greater risk for injury, and over time can cause fatigue and lowered immunity. The fix for this is to stay centered in your body during your workouts. Pay attention to how you’re feeling, and if you get too tired or feel like you’re straining, take a break. It takes practice to hold back like that, I know you like to go to extremes. But in the long run, you’ll feel so much better for it.
Another habit for you is to unwind with a few drinks after a long, hard day. Sometimes it’s the only way you can settle down, relax and fall asleep. But I don’t have to tell you that it’s not the ideal situation. And because the Wood element is related to the Liver in Chinese medicine, this habit can be even worse for you than for another type.
Instead, support your body with regular, moderate exercise, and schedule breaks into your workday. The Liver is supported by foods that are sour, like lemons, limes, vinegar or fermented foods, and green foods. Just make sure they are naturally green, like spinach, leafy greens, sprouts, broccoli, etc., and not using food dye. Green skittles don’t count!
Bergamot essential oil is my favorite for Wood types and can help you relax. Diffuse it in your bedroom at night, or rub some diluted oil on your temples, ribs, or any place that hurts.
The more often you do all of this, the better you’ll feel.
