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The Tao of Health
Conscious Connections
Seasonal Health Tips
Staying Healthy In Autumn
Seasons change, and your body and mental outlook change with them in predictable ways. Oriental medicine combines knowledge of seasonal characteristics with your unique health situation to balance your energy (chi) to help you adapt and thrive during the cool, crisp months of autumn.
In this episode of ‘Seasonal Health Tips,’ Kitty talks about how the Metal element of Autumn affects your health, and how to stay healthy during this season of cooler days and longer nights. (To get the most out of what Kitty has to say, open the 5 Element Theory chart in a new window while listening.)
(Length 07:39, Size 8.8 MB)
The Metal Element
Every season is associated with one of the Five Elements, and for autumn, the element is Metal—the energetic force that governs the health and functionality of your Lungs and Large Intestine.
According to Taoist 5 Element Theory, the Lungs are the primary influence affecting the immune system. So during autumn, it’s important to eat food that builds the overall health of the Lungs to strengthen your immune system now, and in preparation for winter.
Autumn Health Problems
Because the Lungs are most sensitive during autumn, this is a time to focus on preventing or responding to colds, coughs, sore throat, and the like. And for people already predisposed to lung problems, such as bronchitis, pneumonia, and emphysema, autumn is the time to take precautions to minimize your vulnerability as we advance towards winter.
Avoid Drafts and Breezes. Temperatures are dropping, evenings are getting cooler, and in some places breezes are picking up as seasonal winds begin to blow. During this time, you need to be mindful of breezes that make you feel chilly. To avoid getting sick, keep your neck, wrists, and ankles from being exposed to wind and drafts. This is a likely way for an illness to start.
Be Aware of Dryness. During autumn, slowly increasing wind and cold begins to create dryness in the air, which affects your skin and Lungs. The effects of the natural tendency toward dryness in autumn are magnified as you begin to turn on the heat—at home, at work, and in the car—to take the chill out of the air.
Your skin and Lungs don’t like dryness, so it’s important to drink enough fluids to make sure they don’t get dried out.
Eat Less Spicy Food. Because the Lungs are especially sensitive during the autumn months, it’s a good idea to minimize the amount of spicy food you eat, to avoid irritating them. As a result, your Lungs will be less vulnerable to pathogens.
Autumn Health Tips
It’s important to pay attention to how you feel. As soon as you feel a “cold” coming on, it’s time to take preventive action by enjoying one of these nourishing, natural home brews.
Scallion Broth
This simple broth will help you sweat lightly, and is an excellent remedy for preventing and getting rid of colds:
- Take one scallion, and chop it up.
- Boil in water for 5 to 10 minutes. (Keep the lid on the pot to prevent vapor from escaping.)
- Flavor with tamari.
- Sip it slowly, bundle up, then lie down, or go to sleep.
Ginger Tea
If scallion broth doesn’t suit your culinary fancy, try ginger tea:
- Put a couple of slices of fresh ginger in one and one-half cups of water.
- Boil for 5 to 10 minutes. (Time it based on how strong you like your ginger tea.)
- Keep the lid on the pot to prevent vapor from escaping.
- Add a little honey and lemon.
- Sip it slowly, bundle up, then lie down, or go to sleep.
Scallion broth is the more effective of the two remedies, but if for some reason it doesn’t appeal to you, ginger tea is a good alternative
Balance is Key
Strive to balance your diet so that it includes some vegetables, some fruit, some grain, and a handful of moderately spicy foods.
Get Help If You Need It
If you experience any lung-related, or other symptoms that don’t clear up quickly, call BIOM for an appointment to get a prescribed formula of medical herbs to help alleviate your symptoms and address the problem—before it becomes more advanced.
Spring and Liver Energy
Spring is the time of forcing out new growth. This forcing power is what Oriental Medicine call ‘Liver’ energy, so it’s no surprise that the organ most affected in Spring is the Liver.
While Spring is a wonderfully energetic and creative time – following a long, dark Winter – it can also be very intense on your nerves and emotions.
This life-generating intensity of Spring fosters highly creative and expansive feelings—if your body is balanced enough to channel the energy of the season.
Snow melts,
And the village is overflowing—
with children.
— Issa
Be Ready To Grow
Visualize a strong, healthy tree. The existence of that tree depends on the health of its roots. Its roots provide the nourishment and balance needed to support its foliage and fruit.
In a similar way a strong, healthy Liver is a primary force affecting your health in Spring because it provides the energy needed to root, balance, and channel the energy in your body that bursts forth in Spring.
Imagine too how the forcing of Spring pushes out leaves from Winter’s barren branches. This same energy is coursing in your body through the channels, nerves and tendons.
To the extent your body is ‘balanced’ Spring is an exhilarating, creative time; to the extent it’s not …
Pay Attention To How You Feel
One sure sign that your Liver needs balancing or replenishing is if you experience the most common Liver-related discomfort in Spring — often described as: jagged, jittery, jumpy, tight, knotted, wiry, or fried nerves.
Spring Health Tip
During this time of seasonal transition, remain mindful of cold, making sure you don’t get too chilled. Your body is still vulnerable from the Winter and you don’t want to make it easy for a cold or flu to take hold.
Help Is Here
If you find yourself feeling jagged, jittery, jumpy, tight, knotted, wiry, or fried — or recognize it because of the effects it’s having on your emotions and relationships with others — there’s a reason for it: Spring is that time of year.
If you want relief, Oriental Medicine — acupuncture, Chinese medical herbs, diet & nutrition, and Chi Kung — can provide it.
Staying Healthy in Spring
At the outset of Spring, Chi (life-force or energy) has a “springy” quality to it—outside and inside of you.
The energies associated with the Wood element are peaking, and from a 5 Element Theory point-of-view, your health will benefit if you employ some Chi Kung and 5 Element Diet & Nutrition to help balance out the seasonal impacts on your Liver and Gallbladder. If you’re feeling particularly “jittery” (which is common during this time of year), acupuncture, acupressure and Chinese medical herbs will provide relief.
How Are You Feeling?
You may find that during Spring you’re more susceptible to illnesses or discomforts, like:
Fatigue. If your “lifestyle choices” over the past couple of months have not been ones that balance and tone the Liver, you may be feeling tired—especially if you’ve been experiencing a lot of volatility and stress in your life.
Digestive problems. During Spring, an increased intolerance to foods that include highly saturated fats is common.
Skin problems. Herpes outbreaks, skin problems, like eczema and psoriasis, and others can flare up during Spring.
Lung problems. Spring is hay fever season, so sinusitis, and related Lung conditions can be an entrenched problem by May.
Insomnia. Insomnia is a direct result of Liver imbalances in many people. If you started having insomnia, or if it’s gotten worse, Oriental Medicine has methods for balancing Liver energy and mitigating the problem.
High Blood Pressure. Even high blood pressure can result from Liver imbalance. If you’re experiencing unusually high blood pressure or if you experience chronic high blood pressure, Oriental Medicine is a low-impact way to alleviate uncomfortable symptoms while beginning the process toward a long-term solution.
Spring Health Tips
There are many things you can do on your own to help balance and tonify the Liver to relieve Spring-related discomforts.
- Because the taste of sour is associated with the Liver, Spring is a good time to consider adding sour citrus to your diet. (Oranges are not suggested because they’re predominantly sweet.)
- Dandelion greens are a good way to detoxify and help soothe the Liver.
- Chrysanthemum and chamomile teas serve as nerve tonics, and can help alleviate symptoms associated with an out-of-balance Liver.
- Gentle stretching exercises stimulate the tendons, which are governed by the Liver. By stretching you relieve stresses that congest the Liver, thereby providing an internal massage that calms and stimulates healthy Liver function.
- Avoid eating heavy oils; use sesame, or an organic olive oil instead. Stay away from greasy, fried foods. Remember that saturated fats, like butter and cheese, make the Liver work harder.
- Moderate alcohol intake. And if you’re having heat-related problems, like skin rashes and hives, stay away from alcohol all together.
Tonify and Detoxify
A tendency towards irritability and unwarranted anger are directly related to Liver imbalance. So if you tonify and balance the Liver, you should feel calmer and less frustrated. (“Anger management” techniques are always useful, but if you detoxify your Liver, you’ll have to rely on them less.)
How do you know if your Liver is “toxic”—assume that it is! With the amount of pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides all around us—in the air, water, food, and other products we use, you should assume your Liver is somewhat toxic, and start doing the simple things mentioned above to detoxify it.
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