Five Elements

The five element theory is an ancient Chinese practice of acheiving and maintaining physical health. The key is to keep all of the elements in balance for optimum wellness. The five elements are fire, water, metal, wood and earth. This is a cycle based on nature and the seasons and change. It goes: fire gives rise to earth, earth gives rise to metal, metal gives rise to water, water gives rise to wood, wood gives rise to fire and so the cycle continues.

The Chinese refer to energy and life force as "chi" and believe that the natural flow of energy and change is essential to health. They believe that the resistance of change creates disease. Much of this theory is based on nutrition and using observation to recognize imbalances of the elements before disease begins.

Each element has associations such as personality type, taste preferences and organ dominance. People who "fly off the handle" are a typical example of a fire imbalance. Those with a "nervous" stomach may have an earth imbalance and may also appear to not be "grounded".

Below is a fun quiz which is more of a personality test to find your dominant element. Anyone who knows me and knows nothing about the five elements would know that my dominant element is Fire and of course that is what this test showed when I took it.