Balance Yin & Yang this Autumn
Autumn marks the season where the hot summer days grow shorter leaving us with cooler mornings and evenings. We call this Yin within Yang. It is the season we start to gather and harvest our foods to be stored away for winter. We transition from a more carefree and relaxed energy associated with summer to a more introspective and contractive nature of autumn. It is a great time to finish up all the things we started to do and enjoy the fruits of our labor. It is also a good time to do more internal work, cultivating mind and body and becoming more introspective and attuned to our inner selves.
In Chinese medicine, autumn is associated with the lung which controls or manifests in the skin, respiration, bodily fluid metabolism, blood circulation, immunity, and melancholy or sad emotions. Autumn is the season of wind and dryness which can have a harsh impact on the lung. Eating the right foods are important to ensure the body adjusts to the changing seasons. The dry weather usually causes itchy throat, chapped lips, dry throat, rough skin, hair loss, and dry stools. It is advised to eat foods that nourish and replenish body fluids.
Since the climate is cooler in autumn, it is a good idea to eat foods that are more warming so less raw foods and salads.Soups and stews are great during this season. Beneficial foods for autumn are lily bulb, pear, white fungus, lotus root, nuts or seeds, honey, soy milk, pumpkin, dairy products, cinnamon, and garlic. Foods that are sour and astringent can prevent the loss of body fluids. Sour foods like pineapple, grapefruit, apple, and lemon have astringent properties thus preventing the loss of body fluids. The body needs extra fluids to combat the dry season. Eating the right foods can help the body adjust in great ways.
The best way to live a healthy life is to learn about the seasonal energies and live in harmony with its spirit. If we live in accordance with nature, we see that it has a beautiful way of adjusting and preparing itself for what’s to come. What we really need is already around us. Look around … Breathe deeply and Let it go ~
Source: http://www.shen-nong.com
