How to Support Ourselves this Autumn
Happy November!
I know Fall officially started in September but I like to welcome the season in November.
It may be because I live in Florida so September and October still feel like summer to me...
As the weather cools down I think it's important to shift the way we live and how we nourish ourselves.
First, let's take a look at how we can do that from the Traditional Chinese Medicine perspective. For starters, in TCM they associate certain organs, emotions, seasons, smells, tastes, sounds, and interconnection with the 5 elements (fire, earth, wood, water, and metal).
Fall is the season of the metal element. The organs associated with this element are the lungs and the large intestine, meaning they are most vulnerable during this time. This makes sense since this is the season we are more prone to chronic coughs and sickness due to the cold, wind, and dryness. This season is also for moving inwards and dryness like I mentioned (hello dry skin and hair).
As we look to nature this season, we see trees shedding their leaves- letting go and ready for death & rebirth.
We too are a part of nature, which is why Autumn is a fantastic time to reflect on what is no longer needed in our life, and see what we can let go of that no longer serves us and our greater good. This could be a relationship, friendship, a job, old clothes, or smaller things like letting go of a certain emotion or belief system.
How to Support Ourselves this Autumn
As I mentioned, Autumn is the season of the metal element, it is also a yin season (yin is our restorative energy that allows our body and mind to slow down, rest and relax). Because our bodies tend toward cold and dryness, having more warming and Yin-enriching foods is more beneficial.
Here are some cooking tips for this season that support our lungs & large intestine:
Eating more soups and stews and fewer raw roods like salads. Soups tend to be easier to digest and the warm liquid nurtures yin and fluids in the body. I like to add bone broth to my soups to make them even more nourishing.
Steam and boil your veggies for the foods to retain more moisture
Drink herbal tea that contains warming herbs like ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Adding raw honey can also help lubricate a dry throat.
Eat foods that are in season like squashes, pumpkins, apples, and pears. Stewed apples & pears can moisten lung yin and are great for the digestive system.
Foods and herbs that are mucilaginous can help repair mucus membranes in both the intestines and the lungs. This will be marshmallow root, slippery elm, aloe, seaweeds, fenugreek, and oats.
Make a batch of fire cider that contains immune-boosting properties and can help disperse mucus.
Overall, this is the time to embrace the yin characteristics of nourishment, relaxation, and rest. We also want to preserve our warmth to keep our immune system strong. Bundle up and swap out the crop tops and sandals for sweaters and socks. Your body will thank you.
I hope you enjoyed this week's email and remember to keep your feet and neck warm.
Happy warm girl season
Love,
Jade