Autumn Awakens: Boost your Immunity with Food and Herbs
The Chinese calendar is divided into 24 Qi Nodes, which demarcate subtle changes between the balance of yang and yin throughout the year. We are now in Autumn Begins because even though it is not “Fall Season” according to the Gregorian calendar, the days are already decreasing in length and the season to change.
The days are beginning to shorten, the nights to lengthen; and though the sun still shines hot and high through the day, the nights are beginning to cool. The extreme yang of the Summer Solstice peak is now in decline and we feel our bodies and hearts’ longing to slow down a bit and conserve our energy as well. These first five days of Autumn Begins qi node August 8th – 13th, is known as “Liang Feng Zhi (涼風至) – Cool Winds Arrival. So as the days and our energy wane we turn our eyes away from the extravagance of Summer and towards the decline of brilliance and towards the turning inward of Fall and Winter. Whereas in Summer it is healthy to stay up late and rise early with the Sun, in Fall we transition to still going to bed earlier but still rising early with the dawn. Fall is the season which corresponds with the Metal Element, which includes the Lung and Large Intestine meridians. The metal time of day is 3-7am so waking in this time period is ideal. Lung time is 3-5 am, which if you are a monk or nun, you rise at this time to meditate and focus on the breath. This might be early for many of us, but rising before 7 is beneficial for the Metal element.
In California we often have a second wave of heat at this time sometimes called Indian Summer. So we must look out for that and continue to consume cooling foods like watermelon, cucumber, mint and mung beans. This late summer time (Earth time of the year) can also be hard on the spleen and stomach and so we guard against excess damp heat with eating plenty of vegetables, either lightly steamed or raw. If you are experiencing headaches, bouts of anger or frustration, red eyes, or more rashes, or painful hot joints it is certainly wise to eat more cooling foods and also foods very easy to digest such as congee, sweet potato, and squash.
Since the Fall is associated with the Metal Element, it is also connected to the emotional energy of sadness and grief. You may be experiencing more sadness for people, animals or dreams lost in the recent or distant past. In Chinese medicine the best thing we can do with an emotion is to be with it fully so that it can keep moving. Emotions become toxic to us only if we dwell on them too long or experience them very intensely. Allowing ourselves to grieve losses from this year, years past, or even from the collective (see my past blog post on Healing History), helps us to metabolize the pain in to the virtue of the Lung which is Justice. Let us be willing to feel our grief and then with the healthy Large Intestine channel - to let go. This is the time of letting go and so we move through the grief of our collective and personal pasts to make more room for the present moment. This will also lead us into the inward time of the winter ruled by the Kidney.
The Fall calls on us to shield ourselves from the cold weather and storms to come. Just as we may desire to close the windows more at night to keep more of the warmth in, so too might we begin to wear a sweater or scarf in the evenings as the cool increases every night. The Lung Meridian controls the Wei Qi, which like metal armor, protects our exterior from pathogens, like cold and flu. We can support this element and our immune system in many ways. One would be through our food choices. We can add slightly spicy foods like ginger, scallion, leek, and black pepper to our food. And because the Fall is also the time of dryness, mildly sweet and slightly sour fruits also help moisten and benefit the Lungs, including stone fruits, plums and peaches, and later fruits like Asian pears, persimmon and pomegranate.
It is also a perfect time to boost our immune systems before the Winter sets in. There are wonderful Chinese formulas that can boost your immune system tailored exactly to your constitution and current needs of your body so that is a wonderful way to glide into Fall with more grace and stability. I have also just released a line of freshly made tinctures and syrups from wild-harvested Native and Western herbs to support general immune function and protection from cold and flu. It is always best to get a consultation with me for the optimum dosage and usage of a medicine but you can order these separately if you would like more general support as well. Each of these have a very sparse description but there is detailed information on each in the Medicinal Products Store, so please follow this link to learn more about each of these new products.
Freshly made Elderberry and Elderflower syrup made from wild-crafted flowers and berries from Nevada County, local raw honey and organic apple cider vinegar. This one is safe for the whole family including babies over 1 years old. A traditional remedy for prevention of cold and
A new batch of Elderberry, apple cider vinegar tincture, which is also safe for the whole family, though maybe less enticing to kids of all ages ;-). A wonderful immune tonic for the Fall.
I have made one of my absolute favorites this year which is fresh tinctured Yerba Santa (Eriodictyon Californicum). This is a Native herb to California, which grows in abundance in the Sierra foothills and is and was used by the Miwok, Pomo, Yuki, Yurok, Kawaiisu, Karuk, Atsugewi, Nisenan, Maidu, Concow, Cahuilla & Chumash people for a variety issues but mostly for cold and cough. It is a truly incredible herb, whose emerald-green waxy whorl of leaves and slightly lavender bell shaped flowers are enticing to see in the wild as well as being powerful medicine.
I just made another round of homegrown Italian herb blend which is a finely ground powder of homegrown (without pesticides or fertilizers) Oregano, Rosemary, Thyme and Lavender. A very small sprinkle goes a long way in adding an pungent bouquet of flavors perfect for soups, salads, sauces, and more.
The last offering of this season (which is upcoming in a couple weeks - stay tuned!) is a tincture of Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium), which is a wonderful herb for headaches, migraines, red eyes, and bouts of anger and frustration. (Garran, Thomas Avery. Western Herbs According to Traditional Chinese Medicine,, p. 60).
Set up an appointment for yourself or get a gift certificate for a friend or loved one! Discounts offered for a series of 5 appointments. All of these medicines available in the online store or in-person.
