As we celebrate the changing seasons it reminds us to pay attention and adapt to nature’s rhythms. As we feel the cool Yin energy of autumn begin to replace the warm Yang energy of summer, take the time to savor the crisp air, golden falling leaves, and feel the energy of autumn’s downward pull toward storage and preparation for winter.

In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), human beings are not seen as separate from nature, but rather as an integral part of our continually changing world. As such, we are particularly vulnerable to illness at the beginning of each season as the changing weather is seen to not only surround us, but to actually come into our bodies. As summer changes into autumn it brings windy, changeable weather that can be difficult for the body to adapt to. Therefore, it is traditional for Chinese medicine practitioners to use this time of climactic and energetic shifts to positively affect their patients’ health and well-being.

Autumn – Season of Metal – Lung & Large Intestine

Autumn is the season of metal, which governs organization, storage, setting limits and protecting boundaries, and is seen to belong to the Lung and Large Intestine organs. The Lung is said to govern the Qi-energy of the body. One important job it has is to control the circulation of the Wei-defensive Qi on the surface of the body between the skin and muscles, protecting the boundary of the body from invasion by pathogens. If your Lung Qi-energy or Wei-defensive Qi is weak, then your body is left open to attack by wind, cold and dampness in the autumn, predisposing you to illnesses such as colds, flus, asthma, allergies, joint pain, and skin problems.

 

Dryness Affects the Lungs

Autumn is considered to be the season of dryness in Chinese medicine. The Lung is called the “tender organ” because it is considered the most external organ and connects the body to the outside world. It is the first organ to be affected by outside influences, and is easily attacked by pathogenic factors such as wind-cold or wind-heat, and is very susceptible to dryness, especially in Autumn. Dryness of the Lung and Large Intestine in Autumn can also come from an internal state of deficiency of the cooling and moistening Yin fluids of the Lung – which can be seen in the dryness of the mucosa of the nose, mouth and lungs, as well as a tendency towards constipation and dry skin. Excessively dry air, such as that found in very hot and dry climates, or dry air due to overheating in winter or air conditioning in summer, such as the highly purified air in hospitals, can be very draining to Lung Yin fluids. As we have experienced here in California for the past few years, Autumn is also the season of wildfires. Because of its dry, hot nature and the fact that it carries toxic particles, wildfire smoke and wood smoke are generally considered a combination of dryness, heat and heat-toxins in Chinese medicine. Smoke can easily attack the Lungs with its dryness and toxins. Dryness affecting the Lung and Large Intestine may lead to dry cough with little or no phlegm, or phlegm that is very difficult to expel, dry throat, nasal passages and mouth, sore throat, dry stool and constipation.

 

The Nose Belongs to the Lungs

The nose is the sensory organ of the Lung. If your Lung Qi-energy is weak, your nose may be easily affected by wind, cold and damp in autumn, and you may be prone to allergies, sinusitis and rhinitis. If phlegm-damp is formed by Spleen Qi deficiency, it is often stored in the Lung and the Lung system, including the nose and sinuses, resulting in nasal congestion, runny nose, nasal polyps, and pressure in the nose and sinuses.

 

The Skin Belongs to the Lungs

The skin is a part of the Lung organ system, and the pores are controlled by the Lungs. At the end of summer the pores are considered to be open to allow excess summer heat to leave the body, and they need to transition to being closed to prevent autumn wind and cold from excessively entering the body and causing illness. At the change of the seasons, the Lung may experience difficulty adapting to the shift. If it has difficulty closing the pores when needed, we may be predisposed to “wind invasions” such as colds and flus, as well as “wind invasions” in the skin leading to skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis.

 

The Lungs Govern Qi

According to traditional Chinese medicine, the Lung governs Qi and respiration. The Lung inhales Qi from air in the atmosphere, and once it is combined with the Qi absorbed from food during digestion, the Lung spreads the pure rejuvenating Qi throughout the body. With poor posture, shallow breathing, or without enough Qi being absorbed from digestion, the Lung can have a harder time extracting enough Qi from the air and this may result in Lung Qi deficiency. Lung Qi deficiency can result in cough, fatigue, asthma and allergies.

In China, many people follow traditional practices such as acupuncture, Chinese herbs and Chinese food therapy in preparation for autumn and winter. The Chinese also cook some fresh herbs with food to bolster the effects of preparing for the seasonal changes.

 

Acupuncture

Usually just a few acupuncture treatments can help your body adapt to the change of seasons. To help your body prepare for autumn, an acupuncturist may focus on strengthening the Qi of the Lungs and the Wei-defensive Qi, nourishing the Lung Yin fluids, or balancing the Qi-energy of the whole body. 

 

Chinese Herbs

Certain Chinese herbs may be added to food and eaten by most people (irrespective of their Chinese medicine diagnosis) to help the body prepare for autumn, or they may be taken as a formula to help adjust to the changes. Huang Qi/Astragalus is often added to soups and stews for Wei-defensive Qi-energy deficiency, and Chuan Bei Mu/Fritillaria with pears and honey is often eaten for Lung dryness. However, because all people are different, it is hard to say which imbalances may be corrected by which specific formulas. According to Chinese medicine, dryness is more prevalent in autumn, so classic formulas such as “Mai Wei Di Huang Wan” that nourish the Lung Yin fluids may be appropriate autumn formulas for people with issues due to Lung dryness. For those with weak Lung Qi-energy or Wei-defensive Qi, a formula like “Yu Ping Feng San” or “Shen Qi Wu Wei Zi Wan” might be more appropriate.

 

Chinese Medicinal Food Therapy

According to Chinese medicine, eating foods that are in season is generally best unless your body needs other specific out of season foods to correct an imbalance. In the summer, people stay cool by eating foods that are very Yin, including many fresh fruits like watermelon, pineapple & berries, and vegetables like corn, tomatoes & cucumbers that ripen in summer. In the winter, people stay warm by eating seasonal foods that are strongly Yang such as root vegetables, leeks, ginger, garlic and onions. Nature produces the right foods for each season to help us stay in balance.

As summer comes to an end it is time to transition from cooling salads and raw fruits and vegetables to warm cooked foods such as soups and stews with root vegetables and some meat. Good foods to eat in autumn include fruits such as pears (Asian and western varieties), apples and persimmons to moisten dryness, squashes, gourds and root vegetables, as well as small portions of organic grass-fed beef and lamb to warm and nourish.

One recipe that is very easy to prepare to protect and nourish your Lungs from dryness during the autumn is Chuan Bei Mu, Pears & Honey. A couple of good recipes for autumn soups to warm and nourish the body include Miso & Root Vegetable Stew and Squash Soup. (Open recipes with the password “open”)

TCM Lifestyle Advice

The Lung and Large Intestine are associated with the emotion of grief, and are associated with storage & release. It is a particularly good time of year to process and let go of grief, old patterns of destructive behavior, repressed emotions and even physical belongings that are no longer helpful to you. The storage energy of autumn is balanced when you store what you truly need or love, and release that which is unnecessary or unwanted.

During the change of seasons and especially when wind and sudden cold appear, it is very important to dress appropriately. In Chinese medicine, the back of the neck and upper back are considered the first line of defense against external pathogens such as wind and cold, so always wear a protective scarf when you go out into a cold or windy environment. Similarly, protect your neck and upper back by making sure your hair is dry after washing it before going outside or going to bed.

 

Best wishes for a very healthy autumn!

Laura Stropes, L.Ac.