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Astrology and Diet Part One...

Your astrological chart/profile describes your unique constitutional makeup. From this, a medical astrologer can identify health issues you are most likely to experience, as well as specific recommendations of what you can do to regain and maintain optimum well-being. Astrology identifies four basic constitutional types: fire, earth, air and water.
A simple way to identify your constitutional type is to start with your Sun sign, the Sun being symbolic of one's essence and vitality. If you are familiar with your birth chart, you can look beyond the basic Sun sign to see if you have a large number of planets in any one of the four elements. If you do, you can apply the information below to that element in addition to your basic Sun sign.
The fire signs are Aries, Leo and Sagittarius, and are considered to possess the most energy and vitality of all the signs. The air signs, Gemini, Libra and Aquarius, are considered the second most vital, though more reactive to external stimuli. The water signs, Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces, are more changeable and emotionally reactive. The earth signs are Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn, and possess great steadiness and endurance, though not the vital spark of fire or air.
The maintenance of health is a process of constant readjustment to change. We each tend to experience periods of excess or deficiency of our constitutional element, which require adjustment of diet, lifestyle or even supplementation.
Fire Constitution: Aries, Leo and Sagittarius
Fire rules the function of internal combustion or digestion—the burning up or absorption of food. Fire also purifies the system by burning off toxins, viruses, bacteria and fungus. Fire signs easily fight disease. Their constitution naturally tends toward high temperatures and inflammations in this process.
Excess Fire
Fire signs, when unbalanced to excess or overstimulation, are prone to burning themselves out. They do not naturally conserve or pace themselves. Excess fire burns with adrenalin energy, is ardent and excitable. Excess fire can be impatient and angry, or internalizes it into hypertension, heart problems, ulcers or inflammations. Excess fire is brought back into balance by foods that are cold, moist and heavy, or slow-burning foods that ground energy, such as grains and root vegetables.
Anything that stimulates the system aggravates excess fire, such as spicy foods or red meat. Herbs, particularly relaxants (such as chamomile or lemon balm) and sedatives (skullcap, valerian) serve to cool the system, draw energy down and disperse excess fire.
Low Fire
When your fire is low, it may be hard to burn off or fight disease. Digestion and absorption of food are inadequate. Eat foods that are hot, light, dry and aromatic. Avoid cold foods. Hot spices and sour foods such as lemons and yogurt are good, as are whole grains cooked in oil. Bitter greens such as kale, mustard or collard greens support digestion. Keep dairy and meat to a minimum, and eat frequent light meals.
A main meal eaten at lunchtime takes advantage of maximum fire at midday. Use digestive stimulants such as cayenne, mustard and cloves, circulatory stimulants such as cinnamon and garlic, or ginger, which is stimulating to both the digestive and circulatory systems.
Air Constitution: Gemini, Libra and Aquarius
Air rules the nervous and circulatory systems and the function of movement, peristalsis, urination and breathing. Air people are easily stimulated, with quick and extremely sensitive minds that are easily thrown off balance and overwhelmed.
Excess Air
Overactive, restless, sensitive minds and nervous exhaustion plague air signs, as does dry skin, hair and mucus membranes, insomnia and memory loss from systemic overload. Excess air benefits from scheduled windows of quiet, with minimal stimulation, to allow the nervous system to recharge itself.
Air energy tends to collect high in the body, and benefits from a diet rich in earthy foods that draw the energy down, such as grains and root crops. Raw foods aggravate excess air and should be avoided, except in the summer months. Instead, use lightly steamed or even boiled vegetables served with oil dressing, nuts or croutons. Avoid yeasty foods and refined sugars. Enzymes allow nutrients to be better absorbed.
Low Air
When the air element is low, there is difficulty with the flow of energy through the body. A weakened nervous system benefits from mineral supports such as calcium and magnesium, and circulatory stimulants such as gingko, cayenne, garlic and ginger. Gotu kola and FoTi stimulate brain activity. Low air responds well to dairy (especially easily-digested yogurt, kefir).
Foods that are light, drying and stimulating are supportive. Avoid heavy foods, eat plenty of raw foods, vegetable juices and sprouted seeds. Oats in any form—oatmeal, oatstraw tea or oat tincture, are tonifying to a weak nervous sytem without being sedating. Bitter tonics such as dandelion root or angostura bitters stimulate the digestive process and draw energy down through the body.
Part Two of this article explores the water and earth elements. More -->

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Gretchen Lawlor, N.D. is an astrologer and naturopath. Send an email to the author.For more information about Gretchen Lawlor, click here.
Other StarIQ articles by Gretchen Lawlor:
Your Health and Moon Sign
11/20/2000
Mercury, the Nervous System and Energy Medicine
10/2/2000
Mercury, the Nervous System and Herbal Support
9/18/2000
Astrology and Diet Part Two
4/3/2000
What Can Medical Astrology Do for You?
2/21/2000
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What Can Medical Astrology Do ...


What does a medical astrologer do, and what can they do for you? Working from your horoscope they can identify underlying causes of health problems, identify weak areas in need of support and suggest not only the treatment therapies you will respond best to, but also when to initiate treatment for maximum benefit.
Modern Western medicine is beginning to show interest in other medical systems—especially what they have to offer in the way of preventative medicine. With a sense of renaissance in the air, people are more willing to indulge their curiosity, and astrology has some unique contributions to this broadening view of the healing arts.
Your Horoscope and Your Health
Medical astrology determines from an individual's horoscope the state of health of body, mind and spirit. This reflects a current trend in all spheres of medicine to acknowledge that optimum health depends on a harmonious balance between these three. The horoscope is a blueprint of the whole being, reflecting the complex interaction of body, mind and spirit.
One's horoscope can describe with great accuracy the unique constitutional makeup of an individual, including the resilience of the immune system and structural and functional weaknesses. This is of prime interest as Western medicine struggles with mediocre results from using a statistically average model of what constitutes well-being to all people.
Astrology and Medicine in History
Astrology has been used for medical purposes since the time of the Chaldean priest-physicians of 2000-1000 BC, and was used by those who founded and inspired our modern medicine of today. Hippocrates (460-377 BC), considered to be the father of modern medicine and the source of the hippocratic oath all medical doctors pledge themselves to, was an accomplished astrologer. He has been quoted as saying that a physician without a knowledge of astrology had better "call himself a fool rather than a physician."
And Nicholas Culpepper, the famous herbalist who laid the foundations for herbal medicine, stated that treatment without the use of astrology is like "a lamp without oil.”
Medical Astrology Should Be Used Cautiously
The horoscope can be used to identify health problems and recommend the most effective treatment. In doing so, one could be considered to be practicing medicine, legally the domain of only licensed medical practitioners. Great care needs to be taken here. A medical astrologer without a medical license never provides a diagnosis nor prescribes a treatment, working instead in the more general areas of assessments and recommendations, and collaborating with medical practitioners in the prevention and treatment of disease.
Astrology Contributes to an Effective Treatment Regime
A predispositioned hypersensitivity to medications and household/environmental chemicals and pollutants can be predicted from an individual's horoscope. The medical astrologer pays particular attention to the planet Neptune, which, among other things, symbolizes heightened sensitivity physically, mentally, and emotionally.
Neptune's placement in the horoscope can indicate an organ or physiological function that is hypersensitive to outside influences and will respond well to minimal chemical intervention. Particular Neptune configurations point to a tendency toward overmedication if dosed with an amount considered normal for the average patient. Under such an influence, the recommendation would be to treat in a gentle and conservative manner. There are Neptunian configurations in the horoscope which, when applied to medical matters, highlight a tendency toward misdiagnosis, suggesting a second opinion be pursued on any serious ailment.
For example, Neptune placed on the eastern horizon at birth suggests a finely calibrated body with a particularly sensitive mind-body link. This person is likely to be especially susceptible to infections and viruses and prone to developing allergies. This person will respond best to a treatment regime that includes counseling, subtle body therapies such as homeopathy, cranio-sacral adjustment or even art or music therapy.
Timing Your Treatments
Medical astrology uses the positions of the planets in the present to determine optimum windows for elective surgery. A supportive planetary configuration involving the planet Pluto, as well as the planet Mars placed prominently for maximum vital force during recovery, will encourage surgical success as well as a swift recovery. The influence of the Full Moon on post-surgical hemorrhage has been well documented, and hence is avoided if at all possible.
Healing Modalities
The medical astrologer can identify the most effective healing modalities for a client to pursue. For example, a dominant emphasis on the earth element (strong Taurus, Virgo or Capricorn in the chart) would suggest bodywork, chiropractic or nutritional therapies, whereas dominant water (strong Cancer, Scorpio or Pisces) will respond better to psychotherapy, art therapy or psychic healing.
Fire sign signatures (strong placements of planets in Aries, Leo and/or Sagittarius) respond best to exercise regimes such as t'ai chi or qi gong (though these people need to watch a tendency toward overdoing their workouts) with subsequent burnout. Air signs (Gemini, Libra and Aquarius) respond well to acupuncture, yoga and scheduled rests to recharge their easily overstimulated nervous systems.
Bedside Manner
Astrology can help the health practitioner to identify the best way to present the information to the client, what to expect of the course of the healing journey, and the client's style and willingness to pursue the recommended course of treatment. For example, cardinal signs rising (Aries, Cancer, Libra or Capricorn) show the most dramatic response to therapeutic modifications and are generally open and enthusiastic about embarking upon a regime.
Those with fixed signs rising (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio or Aquarius) are more resistant to accepting advice from others, though will carry out a regime to the letter for extensive periods if you can get through to them (suggestion: they are impressed with success stories and like a fair amount of control). Mutable signs rising (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces) tend to shop around the healing circuit, either staying with something for a while and then moving on, or creating an eclectic mix of therapies.
Why Not?
In comparison to the long-standing historical use of astrology in medicine throughout the world, modern medical practices have their origins less than 100 years ago. Particularly in the U.S., we have not had easy access to alternatives to allopathic treatment, and yet there are many, many conditions that are not just physical in cause, or effect—the territory where allopathic medicine excels. Your own astrological blueprint can highlight not only physical but psychological weak spots, as well as the most effective ways to return you to optimum health.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Gretchen Lawlor, N.D. is an astrologer and naturopath. Send an email to the author.For more information about Gretchen Lawlor, click here.
Other StarIQ articles by Gretchen Lawlor:
Your Health and Moon Sign
11/20/2000
Mercury, the Nervous System and Energy Medicine
10/2/2000
Mercury, the Nervous System and Herbal Support
9/18/2000
Astrology and Diet Part Two
4/3/2000
Astrology and Diet Part 1
3/6/2000
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