Preserving health in autumn

by Angela Tian Zhu | Mar 25, 2019 | Seasons

When we are complaining about the hot humid summer weather, autumn is not far away. Lately, I’ve been told by some patients that they are suffering from some phlegm in the throat and  their children keep coughing up phlegm.

The laws of nature are: Sow and grow in spring, grow in summer, harvest in autumn, store in winter. And our human bodies should follow the laws of nature to prevent illness and preserve health. “To go with it will bring health, to go against it will bring illness”. Summer is the perfect season for everything to grow, it is a season full of Yang energy. The weather is hot and people usually go to bed late and get up early. With a lot of sweat and being switched back and forth between the air-conditioned environment and outside temperature, our bodies keep adjusting the Qi and blood to keep up with our energy consumption, therefore, people can get energy-deficient sometimes.

In autumn, the law of nature is like this: everything matures and calms down in this season, the Yin energy increases, temperature drops, wind becomes stronger (atmospheric pressure goes up), dry heat diminishes. Nature uses these natural phenomenon to drive away the wet and humid weather. So people have a clear and crisp climates’ feeling in autumn.

How to preserve our health in autumn?

1. Restrain the functioning of Qi in autumn.

   Do not expose the Qi of our bodies. Early to bed and early to rise, keep a peaceful mind.

2. Avoid diarrhea and indigestion.

   Diarrhea is a common illness in autumn, especially for children. Because of the wet and humid weather in summer, our gastrointestinal system can store some damp-heat, especially in those who are used to drinking icy water and having cold food. When the weather becomes cool in autumn, our bodies will automatically adjust to eliminate the dampness and heat inside, therefore symptoms like diarrhea and gassy stomach might come along in autumn.

   What can we do about it?

   We have to pay attention to our diet from late summer to early autumn. Try to have lighter food, cut back on oily food and icy drinks. Please remember that bowel movement is necessary every day, so that our bodies can eliminate the waste in our alimentary canal to get rid of heat and dampness. For children, it’s important to keep their abdomen warm at night.

3. Prevent cold and cough.

   In hot summer, our bodies dissipate heat by keeping the pores open and sweating. When autumn comes, the temperature drops, usually it’s warm during the day and chilly at night, and the air becomes drier. If no special attention is paid to keeping warm at night, then it’s easy to get a cold and cough and fatigue.

   So, in this season, we should make sure to keep warm if the weather suddenly change and have enough sleep at night, drink warmor room-temperature water, hot tea.

4. Avoid depression, Enhance mental health

   Summer goes and autumn comes, temperature fluctuates and then drops. Nature enters a phase where Yin energy thrives and Yang energy decreases, some people may have depressed mood sometimes. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, the Yin energy (chilliness) increases, Yang energy (warmth) will decrease, during this time, depression can be triggered easily.

   Therefore, to avoid depression and the recurrence of depression, we have to make sure our Qi and blood is strong. Pay attention to our clothing – keep warm. Eat warm food and have warm drinks.Have enough sleep and good lifestyle, restrain your Qi and be positive and optimistic. Preserving our health in autumn lays a good foundation for us in winter.

5. Prevent arthritis

   It is common for arthritis to occur during the end of summer and at the start of autumn. Cold, heat, wind and damp can be easily stored at the joints. Especially for people who are suffering from arthritis or people who have joint pain, recurrence could take place easily so it is important to conduct certain exercises for the joints. Cold, heat, wind and damp can be discharged of the joints with certain physical exercises. Also do not stay or sleep in the draft. Keep your joints warm when the weather is getting colder. Take more rest when the joints are inflamed.

Tips:

1. Clear the heat and dampness in our intestines and stomach.

   1. Eat more light food, vegetable and fruit. Try to have less fried food and meat.
   2. Kiwi fruit is rich in Vitamin C, which has good effect on relieving the stomach and cleaning the bowel.
   3. Chinese radish: It has the effect of relieving gassy stomach, clearing bowels and food retention in stomach. You can have raw Chinese radish, boil it in soup or stir-fry it.

2. Tips for cold and cough

   1. Peppermint tea: It has the effects of detoxification and clearing heat in the lungs.
   2. Stay away from draught.
   3. Cut back on spicy food.

3. Avoid depression and anxiety.

   Generally speaking, those people who are depressed or anxious  because of the temperature drop, their constitution is characterized as weak in Yang energy. Yang energy has the effects of stimulating and promoting warmness. So, people who are weak in Yang energy should pay attention to keeping themselves warm, have warm drinks and food, try not to get over-excited and exhausted, keep doing appropriate exercise, so that they can get enough energy to avoid and resist depression.

4. Rotation practice for the joints

   Practice rotation exercise for the ten major joints every day clockwise and anti clockwise.  The ten joints are: Left and right shoulders, elbows, hips, knees, and ankles. At the same time, rotate your waist in clockwise and anti-clockwise directions as much as you can comfortably do, with Qi Gong, Tai Chi and Yoga.

Prevention and wisdom are the two principles of Traditional Qi.

Written by Angela Zhu (Chinese Medicine Practitioner)

Translated by Janet Zheng

© Copyright Angela Zhu 2019