46 motherearthliving.com
Fall
evokes a feeling of coming down, going deeper, and dropping
off from the energy of summer. It may sound scary, but it’s part
of the cycle of movement of the natural world. As leaves begin
descending from their trees, fall reminds most of loss or death. However, loss is not
always a bad thing; fall can also represent the shedding of what no longer serves us.
One of my favorite things to educate my clients about is how to live in harmony with
the seasons. In East Asian Medicine, or Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), we address
patterns of disharmony in the body to bring it back into balance. “Balance” simply means
that you feel good: You have energy, you sleep well, your digestion is working, and you’re
able to do what you love. This doesn’t need to be a perfect state of balance, but rather
a fluid, functional state of balance that shifts with the changing seasons and stages of
your life. Each of the seasons has a particular resonance with the organs in our bodies,
and certain patterns of disharmony show up during different seasons. For example, I
see significantly more patients with allergies, asthma, colds and coughs, depression,
constipation, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), psoriasis, eczema, and low energy in fall
than I do in summer. This is because fall is the season most associated with our lungs
and large intestine. Here are some seasonally aligned practices that can help you enjoy a
more balanced and healthy state during the autumn months.As the temperature starts to cool, stay
in peak condition with these Traditional
Chinese Medicine health tips.BY JULIE BEAR DON’T WALK