Chinese Medicine's guide to supporting health and wellness in the fall
How are you with organization, setting limits, and protecting boundaries?
Well those are some hefty morsels that accompany the season of fall, when you're invited to finish up projects started earlier this year and let yourself rest up as you reap the rewards of your labor.
It's also a good time to begin projects that focus more internally, cultivating your body and mind in a more introspective way. Lucky for us, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) offers plenty of centuries-old insight for doing just that.
Every season is associated with an organ in TCM, with Autumn honing in on the lungs and large intestine. Both organs harness the energy of letting go, being more mindful in releasing anything you've been grasping at or holding onto, and making way for experiences that will help you open up, learn, and grow more freely.
Lungs
The lungs are associated with clarity and clear communication, new ideas and self-supporting views as well as the ability to relax, let go, and allow happiness. The emotion that is quickest to create imbalance within the lungs is that of grief and sadness.
Once imbalance has occurred or you're processing large amounts of grief, you will be able to tell it's having an effect by perceived difficulty in accepting change, feelings of alienation, and sadness that doesn't seem to let up.
The opposite of letting go is attachment; therefore imbalance in the lungs will also show up as resistance to letting go of people or experiences or spending a lot of time reliving the past. All of which depletes the energy of the lungs that is imperative to keeping them healthy.
This does not mean that you're to hide or never experience grief or sadness. Grief and sadness, as with any other emotion, are intended to be felt, processed, and let go of - not latched onto. This does mean that when grief is expressed and resolved in a healthy way, it acts as a strengthening tool for both mind and body.
The Large Intestine
According to TCM, every organ has a partner. In the case of the lungs, the partner is the large intestine, working together to create balance in the body through yin and yang energies. The lungs take in the new, and the large intestines process the waste - taking everything the body doesn't need, releasing it, and keeping only what's vital for optimal function.
Full circle, this is why the organs are tied to the emotion of letting go and creating space for new and why fall is an ideal time to take inventory and then action, accordingly.
What can you do to keep your lungs and large intestine in tip-top shape this season? Try these suggestions on for size...
Breathe! Deeply and intentionally.
Breathing deeply is one of the best ways to strengthen the lungs. Sounds simple, right? But how often do you actually offer such a powerful treatment to your lungs, with intention? Lack of breathing deeply can actually be detrimental to your health, affecting the quality of your memory, energy levels, and immune system.
When you breathe deeply and with intention you flood your red blood and brain cells with fresh oxygen, allowing every processes of the body to function at peak levels.
Try this:
Preferably outside and in some fresh air, breathe in through your nose and feel the air traveling all the way down to your belly, gently expanding it and filling your body with that airy goodness. Once your lungs are full, easefully hold your breath for a count of 4.
1 Mississippi
...2 Mississippi
...3 Mississippi
...4 Mississippi
Then slowly exhale through your mouth until your lungs are nice and emptied. Do not rush the exhale. Repeat this three times through. And aim practice this three times a day. You'll be surprised at how easy and noticeably healing it becomes after a few short days of prioritizing the practice.
Really let go of the negativity in your life. Yeah, I said it.
From your circle of friends to what you watch on tv and the people you follow on social media, hold yourself accountable for the quality of energy it all adds to your days.
I know, I know - it often feels like such things are out of our control, but I can assure you that the more you slow down and become aware of the harmful impacts in your life, the greater chance you have to make small changes; lessening the frequency and prevalence as much as possible.
Negativity can be an extremely dangerous force - emotionally and physically - so aiming to minimize its presence in your life is an incredible goal! Especially as negativity is often accompanied by grief and sadness (hello again, lungs).
Wear a scarf - it's not just for fashion.
The season of autumn is also associated with wind, which is considered a cause behind hundreds of illnesses, many of which enter at the neck. This makes something as simple as wearing a scarf an easy way to stay warm and stylish while protecting your lungs.
Food up for fall
The presence of comfort foods regain momentum in the fall as temps drop and warmer foods become more favorable. Longer cooking times and heartier ingredients help to nourish the body and support the immune system through the colder months. And, because the autumn season is associated with wind and dryness, adding more moisturizing foods to your diet is decently imperative.
Here's a list of foods to incorporate into your fall feastin':
ginger
sweet potato
cabbage
garlic
pears
walnuts
radish
cinnamon
cardamom
asparagus
mustard greens
olives
apples
sauerkraut
plums
Chinese Medicine says that the best way to stay healthy is to learn about the nature of the season and living in as much harmony with that guidance as possible. In Autumn, Nature slows down and prepares to rest; so it benefits us to do the same. Get some extra rest, eat warm, nourishing foods, and shift your focus inward. 'Tis the season!
By Sam Jump
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