Nurturing Your Body with Chinese Medicine during the Autumn Equinox
Self-Care for Spooky Season
As a sun-worshipper, the end of summer is always a bit sad for me—but the onset of Halloween festivities is a great consolation. As we welcome the season of scary movies and pumpkin spice soy lattes, it is also a great time to check in on the guidance traditional Chinese medicine offers for supporting our overall wellness this time of year.
Understanding the Autumn Equinox (Qiufen) in Chinese Medicine
In Chinese medicine, each season is associated with specific elements, organs, and emotions. The autumn equinox marks the transition from summer to autumn, and it is a time when the element of Metal comes into prominence. The Metal element is associated with the Lungs.
The lungs play a vital role in Chinese medicine, as they are responsible for the intake of Qi (energy) from the air we breathe. They are also closely linked to the skin. The Lungs are particularly susceptible to injury in the fall. In California and other regions plagued by early-autumn wildfire smoke, we are particularly aware of the need to support our Lung health this time of year. Now is the time to be working on supporting our respiratory health in preparation for the winter ahead.
Based on your constitution, symptoms, and what’s going on in the environment (blue skies, or Smoke City), customized herbal remedies and acupuncture treatments can strengthen lung function and support overall respiratory health.
The color associated with the Metal element is white, and this is a hack to help remember some foods that serve as kitchen medicine at autumn equinox time, including pears, lily bulbs, apples, glutinous rice, lotus seeds, and almonds.
Balancing Emotions in Autumn
In Chinese medicine, we understand emotions as closely tied to physical health. Autumn is associated with the emotion of grief, which can have a profound impact on the Metal element and, consequently, your lungs. It’s not unusual for long-buried grief to arise this time of year. Be gentle with yourself—the goal is not to stifle grief, but to allow it to flow and release from the body. If you are dealing with grief this season:
Practice Mindfulness: Engage in activities like meditation, deep breathing exercises, or yoga to alleviate stress and emotional distress.
Seek Support: Talk to friends, family, or a mental health professional if you are struggling with grief or any other emotional challenges.
Acupuncture treatments and herbal medicine can help calm the spirit and allow grief to move more easily through the body. Grief is a normal emotion, but when it stagnates within our body, it becomes harmful to our physical and mental health.
The autumn equinox is a beautiful time to embrace the changing season and prioritize your health according to the principles of traditional Chinese medicine. By taking proactive measures to protect your lungs from wildfire smoke and nurturing your emotional well-being, you can ensure a smooth transition into autumn and enjoy the beauty and serenity this season has to offer. And if your autumn serenity just happens to involve horror movies, costumes, and a little Siouxsie and the Banshees—I think we’re really going to hit it off.
(Read more about Chinese medicine for emotional support and wellness and immunity.)
Dr. Lisa Franzetta is a licensed acupuncturist and herbalist in Oakland, California. This time of year, you’ll find her planning her Halloween costume and sweeping with her cinnamon broom between patients at her Lake Merritt clinic, Griffin Acupuncture & Integrative Medicine. Call or text for an appointment at 510-833-9966, or book online.