Yeah Fall! I love when the nights turn cool, the mornings are crisp, the sky seems bluer and the leaves are starting to change to brilliant reds, oranges, and yellows. Autumn is a time when the yang and warmth of the sun begins to lessen and gives way to the yin and cooler seasons of fall and winter. Fall is the time to prepare for winter, slow down, move away from frenetic summer activities, strengthen our respiratory and digestive systems, and support our immune system.
In Chinese medicine, Fall is associated with the organ systems of Lung and Large Intestine. The Lungs govern respiration and elimination. It is responsible for receiving energy in the form of the breath and acting as the first line of defense against external pathogens. A weak Lung can make us more susceptible to colds, allergies, and asthma. The Lungs also regulate the water channels in the body, bringing fluids to where they are needed. A weak Lung may present itself as dry skin that starts in the Fall. The Large Intestine is the Yang paired organ to the Lung, and its job is to help us absorb nutrients and eliminate unwanted waste. On the emotional level, Lungs and Large Intestine are helpful regulators of what we take in and let go in our daily lives, and both are very much affected by grief.
Here are some easy tips to help protect your Lungs through the fall and to prepare for winter:
- Start to cover up! Carry around a sweater/sweatshirt/scarf – even though the days can be warm, mornings and evening are starting to have that chilly feeling. Be extra careful to keep your neck covered as Chinese Medicine views Cold invasion as most likely to happen at your neck (every notice how your neck gets achy and stiff when you feel a cold coming on?) I’ve already brought out my scarves for the upcoming months.
- Warm up your food: Stop the salads and move to roasted veggies and soup. Take advantage of all the wonderful fall vegetables and make a big batch of roasted vegetables. These will be easier to digest, more warming for your body, and help you to prepare for winter.
- Keep hydrated: Fall is the time of dryness as we loss the humidity of summer. Drink herbal tea at room temperature.
- Declutter and organize: Most people seem to think that spring is the only time for cleaning. I find fall is a great to declutter, let go of things you don’t need, and to organize. Letting go of clutter is a sign of a healthy Lung and Large Intestine.
- See your acupuncturist: Winter is often the time when people catch most head colds. Seeing your acupuncturist the season before can boost your protective Qi and get you ready for winter.
Get out and enjoy the weather change from summer to autumn, it’s such a wonderful time in New England! Just remember to follow the above advice to stay healthy, because to quote from the Game of Thrones . . . “winter is coming!”