While I adore watching the seasonal change throughout the year, I have to say that the colours of autumn are some of my absolute favourites. Autumn is the time when the heat and humidity from summer dissipates gradually and we begin to dry off and cool down in the transition towards winter. As you can imagine, Chinese Medicine with it’s strong focus on seasonal living has tips for gradual change throughout the year to enhance your health, in line with the season, just like you do in your garden. That saying “we’re basically just plants with complex emotions” makes sense in Chinese Medicine.
As a follow up to my summer livin‘ post I thought I should introduce you all to good living tips for autumn too. The following are a collection of ideas (in no particular order) associated with autumn:
- Gathering
- Harvest the mature
- Build storage for winter
- Yang Qi (energy) falls and Yin Qi (energy) rises gradually
- Qi (energy) moves inward and downward
- Bright and crisp
- Cool and dry
- Clarity and simplicity
- Reflection and reconnection
- Slowing down
- Lungs, large intestine and your skin
- Preserving a harmonious mood
- Pungent flavours and aromas
- The colour white
- The metal element
Gradually add even just a few of these tips as the weather changes to maximise your health in the autumn:
- Lifestyle:
- Get more sleep. Go to bed earlier than in summer and rise a little later.
- Don’t tire yourself out physically or sweat too much.
- Feel the weather getting cooler but don’t feel the need to rug up to be ‘over’ warm until the weather gets colder. Layers are good! On the other hand, be prepared with some warm clothes and bedclothes in the case of a cold snap.
- Exercise should be more about building strength than sweating it out in the autumn. This relates to gathering muscle and preserving body fluids. However, if you wish to lose weight, Chinese medicine considers autumn a good time to exercise more to prevent further ‘storage’ over the winter.
- Look after your skin. Find yourself lovely aromatic, natural facial and body moisturisers/oils to keep your skin nourished in the drier climate. Don’t forget to moisturise after a bath too.
- This is also an excellent time to pull out some books, cards and board games for a little bit of inside time with friends and family in the evenings.
- Emotional health:
- If you love summer then autumn can be a sad time. Make the most of bright and crisp autumn days, getting some safe exposure to sunlight. This could involve a walk in nature, exercise in a park, and sightseeing around mountains, rivers or lakes.
- Foods:
- More substantial meals than in summer, yet not as heavy as in winter – simple and sumptuous!
- Savour the deep, complex flavours of autumn.
- Moisten dryness with foods such as pears, spinach, nuts, seeds, avocado, milks (if they agree with you, including soy) and honey. Porridge with honey and banana can be very moistening.
- Eat some pungent and warm foods (Eg. leeks, radishes, garlic, cinnamon, ginger, onion and chilli) but not until you sweat.
- Also gradually include sour (preserve fluids) and bitter (descends to store) flavoured foods.
- Make the most of: wild mushrooms, garlic, leeks, onions, potatoes, turnips, parsnips, swedes, beetroot, broccoli and borlotti beans. A lot of these foods are naturally white in colour which is synonymous with the metal element.
- Avoid excessive cool/cold/icy foods and drinks.
- Use cooking methods which will maximise food aromas such as baking (warming) and saute (preserving moisture content). Use your slow cooker to gently warm and keep the moisture in your food – plus you will come to the aroma of a home cooked dinner!
If you find that autumn brings out the worst in your health (eg. moodwise, asthma or respiratory symptoms, skin conditions, constipation or other digestive orders) talk to me about acupuncture, herbal medicine or other lifestyle methods which may benefit your condition.
To book an appointment at the clinic or further information on Chinese Medicine contact Dr Sarah George (Acupuncture). Sarah is a practitioner of acupuncture (AHPRA registered), massage therapy and natural health.
