Written by Flourish owner and clinic Nurse Practitioner, Jen Owen, N.P.
Fall is here! The leaves are starting to fall, the rain will soon be upon us, and all things pumpkin will be showing up everywhere.
The changing of the season brings new cycles in weather and also in our health.
In Chinese Medicine, fall is the season of the element metal, which is associated with the lungs and large intestine.
“The lungs and the large intestine are both organs that must stay clean for their best function, and often have difficulty when they are contaminated by environmental pollutants of cities, by smoking habits, and by the dietary excesses common to the American culture”, Elson Haas in his book, Staying Health With the Seasons (one of my favorite books—available used at Powell’s).
Now is the perfect time to pay attention to what we’re breathing and what we’re eating, and how we’re caring for our lungs and large intestine.
For the Lungs:
~Deep breathing, like 4:7:8 Breathing, a simple breathing technique where you inhale for 4 counts, hold for 7 counts, and breathe out for 8 counts, then repeat 4 times. Read here to learn more.
~Get fresh air. How much fresh air are you getting every week? Try to get outside at least 30 minutes every day.
~Drink mullein infusion: Mullein leaves are tonifying to the lungs. Pour boiling water over mullein leaves, cover, and let steep for at least 30 minutes. Strain and enjoy. (Use 1 tsp. dried herb/1 cup water)
For the Large Intestine:
~Make sure you’re having a bowel movement at least daily. If you’re not, first check in with your water intake. Dehydration is one of the most common causes of constipation. Next, what about fiber? The Rainbow Diet is an easy way to add more fiber in the form of colorful fruits and vegetables.
~Pay attention to what Mr. Haas calls, “congesting foods”, like meats, dairy, refined foods, and foods high in sugar. These foods can slow movement in the large intestine and keep you from detoxifying properly.
~Keep your microbiome (good bacteria balance) happy. Eat some foods that contain good bacteria like kombucha and sauerkraut.
~Consider a Comprehensive Stool Analysis. We have two different options at Flourish for this testing, which lets us know how well you are digesting your foods, the balance of the good and bad bacteria in your gut, if there’s any inflammation present, if you have an increased risk of colon cancer, and more.
As far as seasonal eating, it’s pretty obvious, eat what’s in season.
It’s the harvest, so tomatoes, peppers, squashes, and fresh herbs abound. If you can shop the farmer’s market, it will be obvious what’s fresh and available. I love to throw everything together into soups and stews.
What’s your body wanting right now? Can you slow down and listen?
The last piece of moving into fall has to do with living our best way of way of living. It’s about allowing yourself to do what feels best to you and be the person you most want to be.
If life isn’t going the way you wish it was, if you feel like one area of your life gets good just as issues occur in another, and you’re looking for ongoing support to live your very best life, schedule an appointment with me now.
Fall is the time when the dark returns and we get to start turning more inward. Take a moment to ask what you need at this time.
Let your breath and your food move through you with ease and use these tips if any stagnation occurs.
Questions, comments? I’d love to hear from you. Please comment below and please share this blog with your friends.
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