Preparing for Autumn: Nourishing the Lungs, Strengthening Qi, and Eating for the Season

At last, we are entering the final stretch of summer.

Here in South Florida, the intense heat and high humidity will slowly begin to change. Around September 22–23, we enter the autumnal equinox, when day and night are nearly equal and nature begins moving from the strong Yang energy of summer toward the quieter, more inward energy of autumn.

Of course, autumn in South Florida is very different from autumn in New York, New England, or other cooler parts of the country. We may not have the dramatic change of leaves or cold weather, but we do begin moving into some of the best months of the year.

For the next six months, we can spend more time outside, walk more comfortably, exercise outdoors, open the windows, and reconnect with nature without the exhausting heat of summer.

For many of us in South Florida, this is also our growing season.

My Feng Shui Garden

Every year around this time, I begin working on what I call my Feng Shui garden.

Gardening has always been much more to me than simply growing vegetables, herbs, and medicinal plants. It is another way of working with Qi.

When I prepare the soil, plant seeds, move plants into different areas of the garden, water them, and watch them grow, I am participating in the natural rhythm of the season.

A garden can become a place of meditation.

It can become a place of exercise.

It can become a place of healing.

And, of course, it can provide us with fresh food.

In Feng Shui and Chinese medicine, we do not completely separate ourselves from our environment. The energy around us influences us, and our own energy influences the environment around us.

When we cultivate the Earth, we are also cultivating ourselves.

Autumn, the Metal Element, and the Lungs

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, autumn is associated with the Metal element.

The organs connected with Metal are the Lungs and the Large Intestine.

The Lungs are particularly important during the seasonal transition because they are associated with breathing, the circulation of Qi, and what Chinese medicine traditionally calls our defensive Qi—the body's ability to respond to changes in the environment.

As the season changes, we often see more coughing, congestion, allergies, dryness, sore throats, and other respiratory complaints.

This is why I believe autumn is an important time to begin supporting the respiratory system before problems develop.

Chinese medicine has always placed great importance on prevention.

We do not necessarily have to wait until we are sick before we begin taking care of ourselves.

Depending upon the individual, I may use acupuncture, Medical Qi Gong, breathing exercises, dietary therapy, and Chinese herbal medicine as part of a seasonal wellness program.

Two traditional formulas that I sometimes use in appropriate cases are Zhi Sou Wan, commonly used for certain patterns of cough, and Yu Ping Feng San, often called Jade Windscreen Formula, which is traditionally used to support defensive Qi.

Chinese herbal formulas are not one-size-fits-all. They should be selected according to a person's individual constitution, symptoms, medications, and overall health.

The Large Intestine and the Art of Letting Go

The Large Intestine is paired with the Lungs in the Metal element.

Its physical function is elimination, but there is also a beautiful energetic lesson here.

Autumn teaches us about letting go.

Look at the trees.

Eventually, they release their leaves.

They do not hold onto what they no longer need.

We can learn something from this.

Sometimes we hold onto emotional tension, grief, anger, old habits, relationships, possessions, or patterns that have already served their purpose.

Autumn can be a time to ask ourselves:

What am I ready to release?

The breath teaches us the same lesson every moment of the day.

We breathe in and receive.

We breathe out and let go.

This simple process happens thousands of times every day.

When we consciously work with our breath through Qi Gong, meditation, or breathing exercises, we begin paying attention to something that has been happening automatically our entire lives.

Fall into the right foods foe the season

As the seasons change, I also begin changing the way I eat.

During the intense South Florida summer, we naturally gravitate toward lighter and more cooling foods.

As autumn approaches, I begin incorporating more warm, nourishing soups, broths, cooked vegetables, and foods that are easy for the body to digest.

Chinese medicine teaches us to eat according to both the season and the individual.

Some of the foods I like incorporating during the autumn season include:

Apples
Bamboo shoots
Bananas
Barley
Bean curd or tofu
Chicken
Eggs
Mushrooms
Eggplant
Grapefruit
Kumquats
Loquats
Mung beans

Acorn squash
Chestnuts
Tangerines

These foods can be incorporated into soups, stews, vegetable dishes, porridges, teas, and simple cooked meals.

I particularly enjoy soups during this time of year because they give us an easy way to combine vegetables, grains, herbs, protein, and fluids in one nourishing meal.

Dr. Wu Dhi's Autumn Nourishing Soup

Here is a simple soup you can prepare as we move into the fall season.

Ingredients:

1 pound chicken thighs or chicken breast
1/2 cup barley
6–8 shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1 apple, peeled and chopped
8–10 cooked chestnuts
2 carrots, sliced
3 slices of fresh ginger
2 scallions
6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
A small amount of tamari or light soy sauce
A few drops of sesame oil
Fresh cilantro or scallions for garnish

Preparation:

Place the chicken, barley, mushrooms, chestnuts, carrots, ginger, and broth into a large pot.

Bring everything to a boil, then lower the heat and allow it to simmer gently for approximately 40–50 minutes, until the barley is tender and the chicken is completely cooked.

Add the chopped apple during the last 10–15 minutes.

Before serving, add a small amount of tamari and a few drops of sesame oil. Garnish with fresh scallions or cilantro if you like.

You can always adjust the ingredients according to your own constitution and dietary needs.

Preparing the Body Before Winter

As I begin preparing my Feng Shui garden for another South Florida growing season, I also begin preparing my body.

I pay more attention to my breathing.

I begin eating more nourishing soups.

I spend more time outdoors.

I practice Qi Gong.

And when appropriate, I use acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine to strengthen and balance the body as the season changes.

Nature does not suddenly jump from one season into another.

It changes gradually.

Our bodies are the same way.

The autumn season gives us an opportunity to slow down, nourish ourselves, strengthen our Qi, support our Lungs and Large Intestine, and prepare for the winter months ahead.

One of the great lessons Chinese medicine has taught me over the years is very simple:

The best time to strengthen your health is not necessarily after you become sick.

It is whi

If you are feeling run down and want to protect your health as the season changes. I am excepting new patients; care starts with prevention. Call or tex me at 305-407-0120

— Dr. Wu Dhi