The season of fall is associated with the Lungs and the Metal element in Chinese Medicine. It’s a time to start turning within, to clarify what you most value, and to get back into healthy nourishing self-care routines.
In the fall we become acutely aware that there are never enough hours in the day. Prioritize what is most valuable to you and renew your commitment to health. Are there tasks that are occupying your time that are preventing you from eating well, exercising regularly and spending quality time with loved ones?
Fall is a great time to get back into your acupuncture routine, especially if you suffer from colds, pneumonia, asthma, depression, fatigue, arthritis, or any condition that worsens in the winter months.
Here are some tips from Chinese Medicine to help you reactivate your wellness routine and to help you stay healthy this fall.
1. Eat Warm Foods To Build Up Your Reserve Of Energy. As the weather turns cooler, eating raw and cold food puts a strain on the digestive system which in turn makes it harder for the body to fight off illness. Stay healthy this winter by incorporating warm foods (steamed vegetables, soups, etc.), baked root vegetables and winter squashes into your diet.
2. Fight Off A Cold With Pungent Flavors. Pungent flavors relate to the Lungs in Chinese Medicine and open up the pores, causing diaphoresis, to help you sweat out a cold. Add garlic, ginger, fresh green onions and chives to a bowl of hot soup at the very hint of a cold to stop it in its tracks.
3. Keep Warm And Wear A Scarf. In Chinese Medicine the wind is seen as the root of many diseases, especially with colds characterized by sneezing, runny noses and chills. An acupuncture point named Wind Pool is located at the base of the scull about an inch bilaterally from the spine. Keep this point covered by a scarf to prevent colds.
4. Boost Your Immune System With Acupuncture. Keep healthy with Acupuncture as preventative medicine. Acupuncture directly boosts your immune system and strengthens your Lungs to make you less susceptible to illnesses in the coming months. Feeling under the weather? Acupuncture helps the body fight off a cold, reducing your symptoms and shortening the duration of the cold.
5. Try Cupping. One of the applications of cupping therapy in Chinese Medicine is to help strengthen the Lungs. At the first sign of a cold, cupping therapy is used to help the body fight off a cold. Cupping is also used to improve the symptoms of asthma and coughs.