Fall is slowly rolling in, and with this shift in season often comes colds, and periods of feeling unwell. Our bodies are now beginning to store energy for the colder season ahead and this can be taxing for some. It is especially true for those of us who live in regions where we experience very cold winters, but this shift can be felt further south as well. Fear not, we can make the transition smoother by tuning into our inner awareness and giving our bodies what they crave most right now.
As the days progressively get shorter, we may find that we need more rest, or that we get tired more easily. It is important not to ignore this feeling! Give yourself permission to go to sleep earlier, and why not sleep in once in a while too. Going to bed earlier, and encouraging healthy melatonin production by sleeping in complete darkness, helps our bodies adjust to the seasonal transition (really, it’s just good for you in general). Make sure there is absolutely no light in your bedroom – you shouldn’t be able to see your hand when you hold it up about 1 foot in front of your face. Reducing exposure to artificial light (cellphones, computers, TV) in the hour before bed will also help promote sounder sleep.
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine theory, fall is the season of metal, and the associated organs are the lungs & large intestine. Therefore, deep breathing exercises and qigong for the lungs are a good idea now. See the video at the bottom of this post for a simple qigong form taught by my teacher, Master Liu He, that can be beneficial this time of year. It only takes 8 minutes to perform and it is easy to follow along with the video.
As far as diet goes, we may need to start eating more warming foods, and less raw food (which can be too cooling energetically to our digestive system). Autumn is also a dry season, so eating moistening foods can help prevent internal dryness – good moistening foods to eat include winter squash, baked pears & apples, and raw fermented dairy products. Eating more dietary fat can be beneficial now, such as raw grassfed butter and virgin coconut oil. We can also add more pungent foods to our diet. The pungent flavor is tonifying and cleansing to the lungs – such foods & spices include garlic, onion, ginger, and horseradish. These all have the benefits of being warming, so it’s a win-win!
The change of seasons is also a good time to gently tonify our immune systems with some herbal allies, such as elderberry and astragalus. The above mentioned pungent foods have the added benefit of having a positive effect on the immune system. So bring on the ginger and garlic! That is one of the reasons fire cider is commonly consumed this time of year. There are many variations on the fire cider recipe – you can easily find good recipes all over the internet. Here is a good one for you if you don’t feel like searching. Fire cider can be consumed in small amounts on a regular basis, or can be taken at the onset of a cold or flu.
Now go outside and enjoy this beautiful season, my loves!