Welcome to Autumn and how to stay healthy!

Autumn is the season for gathering nature’s fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds. Squashes and pumpkins are the symbols of harvest and Halloween in preparation for Winter. Our time becomes more focused on our work, home and loved ones. This can also be a time when food sensitivties can show up, particularly with wheat and dairy.

In Chinese Medicine, Autumn is associated with the Metal element and the organs associated with it are the lungs, colon, skin and mind. This means it is the most appropriate and perfect time of the year to work on these organs. Look at breathing exercises and eating garlic to open, cleanse and heal the lungs. Gentle fasting such as organic short grain rice, best to do when the moon is waning and enemas to help cleanse the colon. Essential Fatty Acid levels for skin and mind. Mindfulness and Meditation for wellbeing.

September 23rd, is the day of the equinox when night equals day. Our body fluids begin to thicken and daylight hours are reducing and we feel less energised and likely to have an elimination such as colds and coughs. To help ourselves, it is best to eat food mostly in daylight hours as the body does not digest food as well when it is dark and to eat seasonal foods such as root vegetables to match the denser nature of our body fluids at this time. You may find that buying organic food seasonally is sometimes cheaper than buying the conventional ones.

Eat more food containing Essential Fatty Acids, some nuts such as walnuts, seeds such as flax and chia and oily fish and supplementing with oils such as Krill and Flaxseed which should help to avoid depression and S.A.D. Eat more hot food to assist temperature and energy levels. Don’t forget to drink plenty of water preferably, distilled at room temperature or above.

Skin brushing, hot and cold showers and epsom salt baths, brisk walking and exercise would help to reduce acidity and increase circulation in both blood and lymph.

Until Winter!