Late Summer: The Fifth Season
Some donkeys I met at the Cliffs of Kerry in Ireland, engaging in some good old fashioned late summer harvesting.
Hello Friends, and welcome (or failte, as they say in Irish) to Late Summer, described in Chinese medicine as the fifth season of the year. If you’ve seen me recently, you know that I recently took a road trip getaway in Ireland. Since then, kids have headed back to school and fall plans for many have moved forward with full force. Meanwhile, in true East Bay fashion, it’s been sunny and warm, and it’s likely we’ve still got a few weeks of summer weather ahead here in Oakland (and I’m not mad about it).
In Chinese medicine, we understand that, like any other being living on Earth, humans are influenced by our environments and the by seasonality. Thus, there are different recommendations for how to “go with the flow” and maximize the unique energy of each season, rather than fighting their influence in our lives.
Late Summer—A Time of Transition
The Chinese medicine calendar describes not four, but five seasons—including the ones you already know, and a fifth—Late Summer—that might be new to you. Late Summer corresponds to the Earth element, which represents grounding, stability, and nourishment. It's the energy of the harvest: a time to gather in what we've grown over the spring and summer, and to metabolize it into something sustaining for the months ahead.
A few recommendations for supporting your body’s Earth element during this season:
Eat warm, cooked, and gently sweet foods. Think root vegetables, carrots, beets, rice, and foods with a naturally sweet flavor (not sugary, but sweet in the Chinese medicine sense, like the sweetness of a roasted squash or a bowl of congee). These support digestion and help ground scattered energy.
Make space to reflect and digest, not just produce. Late Summer isn't about pushing forward like spring, or wrapping things up like autumn — it's a pause for integration. Journaling, easy walks, or simply sitting with a cup of tea and no agenda all count as "digestion" in the Earth element sense.
Worry is Earth's shadow emotion. If you notice yourself ruminating or overthinking more than usual, that's often a sign the Spleen needs support — through food, rest, or acupuncture.nourishment. I’ll often incorporate warming moxa heat therapy into treatments this time of year, which helps to dispel internal dampness caused by late summer humidity and prepare our bodies for the cooler months ahead.
Regular acupuncture sessions are a great way to help your body stay balanced through the seasonal transitions. Whether you are in need of dry needling for sports injuries or immune-boosting before cold and flu season swings into high gear—I’d love to see you at my Oakland acupuncture office near Lake Merritt. Schedule an appointment, and enjoy what’s left of the late summer vibes.
Dr. Lisa Franzetta, L.Ac., is an herbalist and acupuncturist practicing at Griffin Acupuncture & Integrative Medicine in Oakland, California. Interested in seeing how Chinese herbal medicine can support you? Book a session or a complimentary 15-minute consult call.