8 Self-Care Tips for the 2018 Fall Season
Some say there are no seasons in Southern California, but the subtle transition from summer into autumn still affects our energy and health, even if it’s warm and sunny almost year-round. After the fall equinox, active masculine yang energy begins to wane, and the receptive feminine yin energy increases.
Usually I end up clinging desperately to the last threads of summer energy, but this year I find myself excited for fall’s blessings. I’m longing for cooler days, cozy sweaters, quiet time, warm soups, and a reset in my self-care routine. Autumn represents a time of contraction in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). A time to go inward, as well as to complete unfinished projects. Like the trees shedding their leaves, we have the opportunity to shed what is no longer needed. Autumn brings us the gift of decluttering our inner and outer world.
How can we honor our natural rhythms in a culture that does not account for these seasonal shifts? We must use discernment in these shorter days, choosing only the most important tasks and placing more focus on sleep and rest.
How we take care of ourselves in the fall will determine how we feel in winter and spring. If you find yourself getting sick each year, take the opportunity to bring mindfulness to your body’s natural rhythm and tune into your needs.
In TCM, the organs that correspond to autumn are the lung and large intestine. Autumn also represents the color white, the metal element, and the emotion of grief. As my wise teacher says, “Anger is sadness that has built up too long.” If you find that you are frequently angry, sad or stressed when fall starts, or you always catch a cold or other respiratory troubles, try allowing your sadness and grief to flow out of you. Is there something that needs to be properly mourned? In a culture that suppresses sadness and grief, we often carry around unprocessed emotional energy, leaving us vulnerable to disease. Self-care in the fall season allows us to release the dead leaves from our branches, creating space for healing and growth.
One of the main things I have noticed since I started making my health a priority is that I am rarely ill. Even when I was still teaching at a holistic pre-school and working as an intern in a high-volume acupuncture clinic, I was still able to remain healthy through the "sick seasons".
Here are some of my health tips for navigating the transition from summer to fall:
1. Get enough sleep
In a culture that glorifies slogans like "I’ll sleep when I’m dead," it's no wonder that many are sleep-deprived. Honor your body and give yourself permission to rest as needed. In the fall, I personally need about 9 hours of sleep each night. If I start to feel like I am coming down with something, I'll break out my immunity tool-box and get 10-12 hours of sleep for a night or two to knock it out. I have found that using essential oils, wearing socks and an eye mask always help me to get a proper night’s rest.
2. Wear a scarf and cover the back of your neck
I felt ridiculous wearing a scarf in Southern California until I started studying Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Wind is one of the six evils, or external pathogens in TCM, the other five being damp, cold, heat, summer heat, and dryness. These are the basic external factors that make the human body most vulnerable to infection and disease. In TCM we view the back of the neck as being highly sensitive and especially vulnerable to hot or cold wind. This is why we see stiff neck as one of the first symptoms when patients catch a cold. In TCM, a wind-cold invasion is equivalent to catching a cold.
3. Get your immunity routine together
Chinese herbs are my #1 go-to when my immune system starts to feel compromised. I also load up on oregano oil and onguard oil, and I make sure I am well hydrated with electrolytes.
I also drink fresh ginger & garlic shots, and my apple cider vinegar immunity tonic. Talk about herbs with your acupuncturist, and make sure to discontinue any other herbal formulas you are on if you begin to feel sick.
4. Eat within Season
Fall is the season for warm, nourishing foods to support your inner fire. Eat plenty of soups, root vegetables, winter squash, local honey, cinnamon and ginger. Join a CSA or go to your farmer's market to see what's in season (and to support farmer's using healthy farming practices for you and the land).
5. Lay off the sugar and dairy
Balance, balance, balance. I'm not saying don't indulge in your aunt's famous pumpkin pie or that yummy port your father-in-law has been saving for the last two years. Keep in mind that in TCM, too much sugar and dairy create dampness within the body and impair spleen qi (both can cause disease and lead to other health problems). Listen to your body beyond your cravings. Sometimes even one or two bites of that special sweet treat will satisfy the nostalgia and desire.
6. feel good saying no
Fall is a yin season of contraction and storing our harvest. In a season meant to be reflective and inward, we have created a culture full of gatherings (usually involving sugar, alcohol, and over-eating). Find balance in your routine and honor your natural rhythm. Don’t feel guilty if you need to hibernate while others are celebrating. Honoring our yes’s and no’s are equally valuable and are an important part of self-care and boundaries. This is also a vital lesson to teach the children in our life.
7. exercise
Movement is always important to keep our qi and blood moving, but as we move into autumn and colder months, our bodies require less exercise than they do in the spring and summer. Listen to your body and don’t push yourself too hard. Walks after meals, Tai-Chi, Qi-Gong, and Restorative Yoga are excellent low-impact exercises to focus on during the fall.
8. IF YOU NOTICE COLD OR FLU SYMPTOMS, SEE AN ACUPUNCTURIST
You know that funny feeling you get where you feel like you know a cold is coming on? That’s a great time to see your Physician of Eastern Medicine! A common mistake I see patients make is when they notice cold or flu symptoms, they don’t come in for a treatment because they’re afraid they’ll get me sick! Acupuncturists are well-equipped to handle contagious patients. The first moment you notice symptoms is the best time to schedule a session or a home-visit. Acupuncture, cupping, and herbal medicine can reduce the severity of the symptoms or can prevent the illness all together.