Emma Cannon's Chinese Medicine Tips for Autumn
When it comes to winter colds and flu, prevention is better than cure. Now it's autumn, here are my tips on how to protect yourself from common ailments as the season’s change. If you're hoping to get pregnant, autumn is the perfect time to focus on your fertility and prepare your body.
- At this time of year it's important to keep the lungs strong in order to keep them functioning optimally. Colds and flu are all part of the process of ridding your body of mucus and forcing you to rest more.
- Reduce or cut out sugar and limit dairy products. If you are susceptible to colds which tend to go to the chest, then the best approach is prevention.
- Introduce cooked warming foods, and chicken soup made from boiling up the bones with plenty of ginger and garlic which is great not only for building the immune system but also for clearing phlegm.
- If you do get ill then make sure you aid the cleansing process by staying warm, resting and drinking plenty of fluids and soups. Don’t be tempted to suppress coughs and colds with over the counter formulas and just carry on regardless, this will only weaken your system long term.
- Another way to strengthen the lung energy is by skin brushing; in Chinese Medicine the skin is seen as the third Lung, so anything you do to the skin effects the Lungs.
- The lungs do not like to be cold or damp, so dressing up warmly and protecting yourself from the elements is important and not an old wives tale; Keep the skin in good condition by salt scrubs, skin brushing and keeping well moisturised. Wear natural fibres and go naked occasionally - even if it is just around the house.
- In Chinese Medicine, the lung is paired with the large intestine so keep the bowel function regular. Emotionally, these organs represent letting go of the old and welcoming the new; so think about what is no longer needed and useful in your life. This is a great time of year to have acupuncture to support the Lung energy and to prevent illness.
- Autumn is also the time of year for planning and starting new projects " back to school " time. If summer is all about no plans and being spontaneous and expansive, autumn is for making plans and knuckling down to things.
- For those trying to conceive it's time to make a plan. If you have been trying to conceive for a while set yourself some goals with a time scale; fertility can be a very linear journey punctuated only by the monthly arrival of your period.
- Try to make a three month plan, so if you haven't been trying long then perhaps the plan is to get healthy for three months and then review.
- If you have been trying longer then perhaps you need to get some advice now and make a plan with a professional.
