Right now, the energy of the Fire element is at its peak. In Chinese Medicine, the heart and the small intestine are the organs that correspond to this element. Fire produces a huge amount of warmth, energy and vitality. In a room its dancing light will become the central focus.

When the energy of fire is in a balanced state within the body, it allows a person to be vital, energised, warm, joyful and flowing with love. This state can be compared to a thriving plant in bloom, which has reached its full potential. The opposite is feeling flat, joyless and devoid of vitality or in the extreme, burnt out. On a physical level, heart and circulation problems will occur, if there is a Fire imbalance.

When it comes to heart health, we are constantly being warned about high cholesterol levels. High cholesterol, we are told, will make us more likely to have a heart attack and develop hardened arteries. Actually that’s misleading. Did you know that 60% of people who die from heart attacks have normal or low blood cholesterol levels? The majority of heart attacks are the result of blocked arteries caused by a build up of plaque. Cholesterol only makes up a very small part of the plaque. Furthermore, the cholesterol has been chemically damaged rather than being in its normal healthy form.

Evidence now suggests that the plaque build up is originally caused by damage to the artery wall by agents such as bacteria, viruses, chemicals, toxins or undigested food. Excess insulin production stimulated by too many refined carbohydrates in the diet, also contributes to inflammatory damage. An ongoing process of inflammation and attempted repair ensues, resulting in an accumulation of debris within the artery wall. Eventually the accumulated debris blocks the artery causing a stroke.

To maintain a healthy heart and arteries, we should be focussing on good nutrition to provide adequate levels of vitamins and minerals, in particular magnesium, folic acid and vitamin D, all of which are vulnerable to deficiency in modern times. All of these nutrients are found in Archturus Basic Formula One.

Basic Formula One 180 capsules £22.95

Include plenty of anti-inflammatory foods in the diet. For example, ginger (put a 1oz piece in a juicer with an orange, 2 carrots and 1 apple for a delicious and healthy drink), turmeric, garlic, green juices and green vegetables. Garlic also contains sulphur compounds which are important for cardiovascular health.

Onions, garlic, kale, French/runner beans and apples contain bioflavonoids which are anti-inflammatory, promote good blood circulation and strengthen capillaries. Hesperidin and rutin, two flavonoids which are very beneficial for varicose veins, are found in abundance in citrus fruits. Other flavonoids called catechins found in green tea, red wine, peaches and hawthorn berries are very protective to the heart.

Superfood is a concentrated food supplement made from organic green algae, alfalfa, barley grass, wheat grass, purple dulse seaweed, beetroot and spinach leaf. The powder can be stirred into your juice or a glass of water for an extra powerful dose of heart protecting antioxidants.

Organic Superfood Powder 396g £32.50

Vitamin C 750mg & Bioflavonoids 150mg 90 caps £13.50

Processed carbohydrates, for example white bread or pasta, baked foods and refined cereals need to be minimised. Evidence now suggests that the excessive amount of refined carbohydrates in the typical Western diet is a major factor in obesity, which puts a strain on the heart.

The benefits of omega 3 from fish oil, nuts and seeds have been well publicised in recent years in relation to cardiovascular health. What is often forgotten is that omega 6 fats are just as vital. These fats are needed for many body functions especially the heart and circulatory system. Modern diets usually supply plentiful amounts of these fats in the form of commonly used oils such as sunflower, corn and safflower. However these oils are often heavily refined and processed and usually heated, which totally destroys their beneficial properties and results in the formation of unhealthy chemicals. To obtain the undamaged omega 6 fats, these oils must be pure, unrefined, cold pressed and eaten cold.

Hemp seed oil is an omega 6 rich oil, with an ideal balance of 3:1 omega 6 to 3. It is delicious on salads. Udo Erasmus, an internationally acclaimed expert on essential fats says hemp seed oil is "the most perfectly balanced, natural essential fatty acid-rich oil available."

Sesame oil has a high percentage of omega-6 fatty acids. The Archturus organic sesame oil is cold pressed from raw seeds in order to preserve the full quota of beneficial fatty acids and antioxidants.

As well as being taken orally, sesame oil can be used topically, as a therapeutic massage oil which helps soothe stress and relax the nervous system. It is ideal for dry skin conditions as it has deep moisturising properties. It can also be used on the abdomen in a gentle clockwise massage, to lubricate the bowel and assist constipation and removal of toxins. Apply warm organic sesame oil all over your body, leave to absorb and then wash off in a bath or shower if required.

Flax seed oil has 3 times as much omega 3 to 6 and is useful to correct an omega 3 deficiency. Of all the oils, flax contains the largest amount of the type of fat that has a strong dispersing effect on deposits of saturated fats in the blood. This helps to keep the blood thin and avoid clots.

Udo's Oil provides a balanced 2:1 ratio of omega 3 to omega 6. It contains organic oils of flax, sunflower and sesame with unrefined rice and oat germ oils and evening primrose oil.

Extra virgin, cold pressed olive oil, whilst beneficial for the heart, is not a good source of the omega 3 and 6 fats, being a mono unsaturated fat rather than a polyunsaturated fat.

If the above oils are fried or heated, the beneficial fatty acids will be destroyed. They can be used in salad dressings, mayonnaise and yoghurt or poured over warm (not hot) vegetables or grains.

Fish contains omega 3 fats in the already converted forms of DHA and EPA, which the body can take up and use straight away. So keep eating oily fish (e.g. salmon, mackerel, sardines, pilchards) 3 times per week. For a list of endangered species to avoid eating see http://www.fishonline.org/advice/avoid/

Udo's Choice Oil, 500mls £18.00

Sesame Oil, 200mls £8.50

Organic Flax Oil, 250mls £7.00

Hemp Oil, 250mls £7.45

Interestingly studies have shown that grass fed, free-range animals produce meat and milk higher in omega 3 fats than intensively farmed, grain fed animals. Another good reason for eating organic or free range produce.