The Fall Equinox arrived this past Monday, September 22nd. Autumn is the time of harvest and signals the start of a period of rest and turning inwards. It is powerful to align our health and life rhythms with the greater natural cycles as by doing so we can harness these forces to enhance our own health.
Strengthen your Metal Element – the Lungs and Large Intestine Organs
In the Five Element theory of Chinese Medicine each season is associated with a specific element and there are organs related to that element. Autumn’s element is Metal and is associated with the organs of the Lung and Large Intestine.
If you are an individual with a bowel or digestive disorders, or with lung problems or a weak immune system, it would be advisable at this time of year to strengthen these organs in order to stay healthy during the fall and winter.
Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine Treatment to Help your Lungs, Immune System, Digestion and Bowels
Chinese Medicine can assist to strengthen the body’s systems, including the Lung and Large Intestine, with acupuncture and other modalities (eg. Tui Na (manual therapy), Gua Sha, herbs, cupping). Chinese Medicine is a wholistic medicine so will take into account different factors when assessing body systems.
The fall is seen as a more taxing time for the Lung system as it is more susceptible to be impacted by climatic wind and cold. The Lung system has a very strong relationship to the immune system in Chinese Medicine so it is easy to understand why the fall and winter are times when we might get more colds and flus, as well as those with lung conditions might experience stronger symptoms.
A classic and simple example in Chinese Medicine of lung health being impacted in the fall is through exposure of the lungs to too much cold air. Cold air when inhaled can weaken the lungs’ function due to the contracting aspect of cold, resulting in stagnating the energy or qi of the lungs and thus diminishing the organ’s normal functioning. A simple symptom resulting from lungs being exposed to too much cold air could be a runny or congested nose as due to the stagnation of the lung energy it is hampered in its ability to cleanse itself.
The posterior neck tissues can also contract due exposure to wind and cold resulting in a blockage of an important energy pathway in the body up the spine called the Du meridian. This stagnant energy on the back of the neck can ultimately impact our body’s immune system by blocking the Du meridian making us temporarily more vulnerable to catch a cold or flu, or experience a headache or neck pain in this area. For this reason in Chinese Medicine it is advisable to always keep the neck and head warm and protected during cold and windy weather – particularly if you have weak immune system or lungs.
For treatment of the above symptoms, the overall goal in Chinese Medicine would be to remove the cold stagnation in the neck and lung system and to reestablish healthy lung energy circulation as this will help to clear mucus and phlegm from the nose and lungs.
The Large Intestine meridian pathway in Chinese Medicine passes through the head, nose, throat and sinuses. This directly illustrates the energetic interconnectedness of the Lungs and Large Intestine in Chinese Medicine.
You might have experienced this connection inadvertently if you have eaten a heavy, indulgent dinner with alcohol and then waking the next morning feeling heavy headed and with some nasal congestion. These symptoms would be examples of the outcome of an over-taxed digestive system wreaking some havoc along the Large Intestine meridian pathway up to the nose and head (interestingly the Stomach meridian crosses these areas too), and impacting the Lung system via the nose. This relationship has the potential to be used to your advantage by turning it on its head as a healthy diet and regular elimination through the bowels helps the Large Intestine meridian to stay clear and open. This can assist the Lung system to keep it healthy and prevent you from getting sick, as the Lung system via the nose is not being taxed by issues in the bowel meridians.
Acupuncture treatments are better suited for individuals with chronic lung conditions or digestive disorders, or in cases where you’ve caught a cold and it’s been over two weeks and it’s not clearing out of your body (eg. lingering cough, phlegm, sinus issues). In the majority of cases, acute cold and flu symptoms are best treated at home with plenty of rest, hydration, and good nourishing food.
If you’re interested in getting Chinese Medicine treatments to assist with your Lung, Immune or Digestive Health this Fall – reach out and book an appointment with me.
Closing Bonus Tips: Self-care for the Lungs and Large Intestine in the Fall
Dietary
The Fall is a great time to stick to warm, nourishing foods such as cooked squashes and vegetables to help cleanse the bowel.
- Squashes are known to help reduce inflammation in the body, don’t spike blood sugar, and in Chinese Medicine strengthen the digestive system. As squashes are in season this time of year they are an ideal remedy!
- Ginger tea with meals can help warm the digestive system during the cold weather, help boost immunity and reduce inflammation in the gut.
- Avoid cold drinks: the cold energy found in anything you drink can impact your digestive system’s smooth functioning. So rethink the ice water with meals and consider adding something with a warm energy like ginger to counterbalance anything cold such as smoothies that you might consume in the fall and winter.
- Puerh Tea is also a great addition to help promote health and assist in gut health. Learn more about this tea from my prior article.
- Avoid processed foods and overly rich foods if you have lung, immune or digestive disorders: In general, it is advisable to avoid heavier foods such as rich cheese, anything deep-fried, and overly sweet foods – due to their heavy cloying nature, they tend to gum up the digestive system in Chinese Medicine and this can impact the Lungs and promote them to produce phlegm as well.
Acupressure for Lung Health
- My previous post on Acupressure treatments for Lung Health details techniques that are also suitable for general Lung health maintenance.
Lifestyle
- Earlier bedtime: Fall is the time to get to sleep earlier and follow the new rhythm of the shorter days.
- Keeping your body warm and comfortable is important to keep your qi circulating in a relaxed way, this also keeps your muscles relaxed. If your muscles in your neck and body are constantly tense from trying to keep your body warm in the fall and winter, this can inadvertently lead to negative consequences in the long term that could seem unrelated (eg. getting headaches or neck pain).
