Autumn Arrives!
10-15 min Read
The leaves bring a magnificent display of fall colors, while days shorten and nights become more brisk. Autumn is here!
Newsletter Highlights:
Lung Health & Immune Boost
Large Intestine Health & Letting Go
Skin Health
Mental Health in the Grief process, Working with Ancestors
Autumn Foods and Recipes ______________________________________________
Autumn is a time to draw inward, sink downward, contract. Summer's bounty and warmth passed; winter approaches. Contraction implies storage, and preparing for winter: while abundance and harvest is here, the colder nights and falling leaves create decay and compost, storing nutrients in the soil and roots of perennial plants. In Chinese Medicine, each season is associated with an element, which correlates to a direction, time of day, body organ, emotion, and body tissue.
Fall animates and embodies the Metal element. Metal associates with inward and downward movement, the Lungs and Large Intestines, the west, the evening time, grief and the skin.
Associated with mountains and the precious minerals stored deep within the earth, with armor and cutting away, Metal inspires us to embody clarity, justice and truth. As deciduous trees shed their leaves, this stripping away process reminds us to move inward, preparing for Winter’s long nights and cold temperatures.
The Lungs and Large Intestine associate with this process, representing both the inhale and exhale, inspiration and excretion. When balanced, this system helps us organize, have a strong moral compass and maintain a deep sense of rhythm and order. When out of balance, we become over-controlling and rigid, or chaotic and sloppy.
Lung Health & Immune Boost
With every inhale, with inspiration, our lungs bring fresh qi into our bodies, enlivening us. With the change in season, many with compromised Lung Qi experience asthma, allergies, and colds. Wei Qi, which is the traditional concept of our immune system, comes from the Lungs and is supported by a strong digestion, serving as a first-line defense against pathogens.
To help boost Lung Qi, increase intake of pungent white veggies. Garlic, onions, turnips all support strong Lung Qi. Consider vitamin C, vitamin A and zinc, especially if you you have been exposed to someone else’s cold! Traditional Herbal Medicine utilizes medicinal mushrooms such as cordyceps, reishi, maitake, agaricus and chaga to support a healthy immune response.
The Chinese Jade Windscreen Formula, Yu Ping Feng San, with astragalus and atractylodis is a great antidote to the common cold, boosting the immune system and Wei Qi. This medicine as a preventative, building your immunity before you need it. If your immune system could use a boost, or you want support in determining proper dosages of supplements, consider scheduling an appointment.
Great tools for boosting Lung Qi are the yogic practice of pranayama, and the moving meditation of Qi Gong.
Large Intestine Health & Letting Go
As the leaves fall, we are invited to let go of what no longer serves us, what is not in alignment with our higher self. This is a great time to shed habits, attitudes, relationships, food choices and behaviors that we no longer need! Turning to nature, we observe the simplicity and grace with which a tree allows its leaves to gently release into the breeze. It really is that easy! Like a snake shedding its skin, this release allows for renewal, for the new fresh skin to emerge, and the fresh leaves to emerge in spring. Can you imagine what would happen if the tree tried to hold on to all those leaves? The leaves will naturally wilt and rot with the cold winter temperatures, eventually causing disease in the tree. And so it is with us!
This becomes an invitation to heal our physical organ of letting go: the large intestine! A great cozy fall routine to support large intestine health is the Castor Oil pack. Anti-inflammatory, detoxifying and lubricating, Castor Oil is a great tool for detoxifying the gut, and applying the castor oil pack can be a very nurturing ritual for facilitating the letting go process through improving intestinal motility. For more information on how to use a Castor Oil pack, go here.
Skin Health
The Metal Organ system, with its ability to maintain boundaries, is also associated with the skin. Fall is a great time to engage in some extra exfoliation. In the Korean tradition, a full body scrub exfoliates from head-to-toe, after sitting in a sauna and soaking tub. The exfoliation process encourages blood flow to the skin and activates the Wei Qi, or protective Qi of the immune system. Body Percussion Qi Gong is another great method for waking up this layer of our body, boosting immunity.
Grief in the Season of Letting Go
As we release the warm weather and sunny days of summer, and the leaves loose their leaves, we naturally enter the season of grief. This season is marked by holidays such as Halloween, Dia de los Muertos, All Hallows Eve, Loi Krathong and All Saints Day. People have been honoring their loved ones who have transitioned during this season for many generations.
Many cultures value the relationship we, in the land of the living, maintain with those who have transitioned onward. One way to do this is to build an alter-space where you can have pictures of your loved ones who are no longer here. Lighting candles and incense, offering them their favorite foods and drinks and talking to them or saying prayers on their behalf can be meaningful ways to connect with those whose lives have touched yours. Maintaining these relationships is thought to bring prosperity. Some view those who have passed on as “spectators”, and us who are still alive as the “players”. Our loved ones are there on the other side cheering us on.
Writing letters to your loved ones who have transcended or creating a meaningful ritual that helps you connect to them can bring great comfort. The grief process is hard, and can be quite painful. It can be helpful to process it with someone you trust, whether that is a family member, a trusted friend or a good therapist. If you don’t have a good therapist, Psychology Today and Portland Therapy Center are great databases of local therapists. We also have therapists in our referral network. Please reach out if you need help finding mental health support. Working with the lung and large intestine channels, as well as the small intestine and kidney channels can be incredibly helpful in moving the grief through your body. We are happy to help support you in that process with Acupuncture, Qi Gong exercises and Body Work. Lila Derickson, our resident naturopath is an expert in using nutrition, mindfulness and naturopathic modalities to support your mental health.
Two great podcasts in the contemplation of Grief:
Autumn Foods and Recipes to Support Body’s Transition into Fall
To further attune yourself to Autumn, eat foods that are astringent and concentrated. Sour flavors move our energy inward and downward, aligning with the energetics of Fall. Sauerkraut, pickled foods and vinegars are recommended. Ume plum vinegar is one of my personal favorites! Leeks, citrus, sour apples and green grapes all carry this amazing flavor. In fall, we start cooking with less water, at lower heat, for longer periods of time- Sauté, Bake or make a meal in a Slow-Cooker! As we progress into winter, salty and bitter flavors are recommended. In the Chinese 5-Element system, Earth generates Metal. Eating yellow veggies, such as pumpkin, acorn and kabocha squash help strengthen the digestion and the “earth of your body”, which tonifies metal.
While the sour flavor embodies the movement of metal, pungent flavors move into this part of the body, revitalizing it. Eating pungent foods that are white, the color associated with metal, further bring this flavor into the Lungs and Large Intestine. Onions, Garlics, Leeks, Shallots, Turnpis, Radishes, Daikon, Cabbage, Ginger and White Peppercorn are indicated. These foods can support mild lung weakness, which may come with symptoms such as a dull complexion, old grief, unhealthy attachment patterns and slight mucous problems.
Check out these seasonal recipes to support the transition to fall (adapted from Ancient Wisdom, Modern Kitchen by Wang, Sheir & Ono)
Curry Pumpkin Soup
2 cups cubed pumpkin or winter squash like Japanese Kabocha or Red Kuri Squash
2 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (Avocado, Coconut or other high-heat oil)
1 small onion
3-4 cloves garlic, peeled, minced
1-2 tablespoons curry powder
pinch of salt & pepper
Chop pumpkin into 1-inch cubes, seeded and peeled. Peeling is optional with varieties like Kabocha and Red Kuri
Place pumpkin cubes and stock in pot, bring to boil then lower to a simmer for about 20 minutes
Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and curry powder
WHen both the onions and pumpkin are done, combine in a blender or food processor or mash with a fork until well blended.
Add Salt & Pepper to taste.
Decongesting Daikon Soup
1 small daikon radish, diced into 1/8 inch pieces, 2 cups diced
1 piece of fresh ginger (1-inch)- peeled and grated or minced
1 tablespoon or 1 large piece Chen Pi - dried tangerine peel
4 cups water
salt
garnishes: chopped green onions, cilantro, lime or lemon wedges, white pepper and/ or a few drops sesame oil
Combine daikon, ginger, chen pi and water in a pot, bring to boil then lower to simmer for about 30 minutes, until daikon is soft.
Add salt to taste before serving
Garnish with condiments as desired
Immune Boosting Herbal Chicken Soup
2-3 pounds chicken pieces or whole roaster chicken (free range organic is best)
8 cups water
pinch of salt
1 (1-inch) piece of ginger, slivered into 1/16th inch slices
3 cloves garlic peeled and minced
20 grams Shan Yao - Chinese Yam
10 grams Gou Qi Zi- Goji berries
20 grams Hong Zao- Chinese Dates
20 grams Huang Qi- Astragalus
12 grams Dang Shen- Codonopsis or Poor Man’s Ginseng
2 tablespoons rice wine
2 green onions chopped into 1/2 inch pieces- roots and tough green tips composted
3 tablespoons soy sauce
Bulk herbs are available for purchase at just 5 cents per gram!
If you want support with immunity, respiration, digestion, grief processes or aches and pains, please schedule an appointment!