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In this episode you’ll learn about the different ways you can strengthen your immune system as we head into the Fall or Autumn season. These methods can also be applied to any seasonal change by focusing on some of the body systems, like the Lungs, colon, skin, Spleen and Stomach.
These tips will help with digestive issues, and can even be useful for improving weight management and restful sleep.
Hydration
Fall is a time of the Lungs and the climate is drier, which will most impact your Lungs, Large Intestine/colon and skin systems. It’s important to strengthen your Lungs and to combat dryness during this time.
During the day, Wei Qi provides a protective layer along your skin to protect you from the external environment.
If your skin is dry you can use oils to bring back hydration into the skin. You can use sesame oil, shea butter, or coconut oil. These are strong hydration techniques, so be cautious if your skin gets oily quickly, as these heavy oils can clog pores.
Too much exposure to the elements this time of year, especially with the strong winds and cold temperatures, can cause you to contract Wind Cold. The phrase “catching a cold” comes from this idea! Wind Cold can transform into Wind Heat, which is a more infectious and more serious condition.
Since Stomach fluids are a big part of Wei Qi production, hydration is essential.
The water you drink is important because most water sources are stripped of their minerals (like potassium & sodium) and electrolytes. You can make sure the water you drink have these minerals by putting them in your water yourself. You can add a pinch of Celtic sea salt.
Food and Nutrition
Wei Qi rules your immune system and is produced in the Stomach. You can make dietary changes to strengthen your Wei Qi and reduce dryness, or for some people to reduce dampness during the Fall season, and all seasonal transitions.
If you have any skin issues you’re going to want to avoid nuts, and eat more seeds instead. Almonds are great for the Lungs, it strengthens and nourishes them.
However if you need to hydrate the Lungs, eat fruits such as citruses, apples, and pears - pears are the best.
How you cook your foods is important in terms of how this affects your wellbeing.
For instance, to increase the hydrating effect of fruits for the Lungs, you can steam, poach, or even just let the fruit sit in a pot to simmer for a little while. If you bake these fruits instead, this would be more drying.
When cooking fruits, there’s no need to add sugar, but do add spices like cardamon, cinnamon, nutmeg, etc. This will introduce the Earth element and it warms some of the cold nature of the fruit.
Even though this is a season of dryness, some people have a dampness problem and not a dryness problem. This could be caused by what they are eating (dairy, sugar, processed carbs) creating mucus and phlegm. Avoid these foods if you do have too much dampness.
To nourish the Earth Element during any seasonal change, eat regularly, don’t skip meals or eat haphazardly.
Intermittent fasting is best suited for those with a lot of Stomach Fire, hypertension and high blood sugar levels. If this is you, having a break from food - a period of cool down - is helpful to your health.
If you are insulin resistant and have poor digestion on the other hand, smaller meals eaten through out the day is the way to go. This is because larger meals can stress the Spleen and weaken the Qi.
You can take digestive enzymes to help break down the food, which helps prevent stagnation and accumulation of heat in the Stomach which can cause constipation. And due to the dryness this time of year, constipation can be more common.
You can order our personal line of digestive enzymes (Ahara Botanics) directly through our store.
If you’re fatigued, your lower back is aching, or you’re prone to burnout, consider eating more seeds. Pumpkin seeds specifically are high in zinc which helps the Kidneys and your immune system.
Rest & Exercise
During this time of season which is moving from Yang to Ying, your energy is shifting from being outwardly expressed to going more inward. This is a time to minimize your relationship with the external world, a time to reset.
This time of year you should be getting more rest to support your immune system.
Eating small amounts of the cooked fruit towards the end of the day can help aide your sleep because it anchors your Lung Qi.
While rest is important this time of year, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t exercise. Exercise keeps the Lungs strong. You should do cardiovascular exercise to get your heart rate up. During the Fall, this can be in the form of High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) workouts in as short as 8-10 minutes. In addition to the HIIT workouts, we recommend gentle exercises, such as Tai Chi, Qi Gong, or Yoga.
Once you’ve listened, let us know your experience in the comments below!
Resources Mentioned in This Episode
Strengthen your immune system, restore your gut health, and improve joint mobility and circulation with our unique line of expertly formulated probiotics, digestive enzymes and proteolytic enzymes at www.aharabotanics.com. Use promo code HEALTHY10 for 10% off your first order!