Autumn : Metal Season
During the Fall, the season of Metal, we’re connected with the emotion of grief, as well as the tasks of reaping what we’ve sown in the Summer, letting go, distillation and finding value in everything around us. In Chinese Medicine, each season is ruled by an element – Fall by Metal, Late Summer by Earth, Summer by Fire, Spring by Wood and Winter by Water. Each of us is comprised by all of the elements, though at varying degrees. Many of us most resonate with a certain season, and perhaps don’t feel our best in another.
Metal dominates the skin, respiratory system, immunity, and the emotion of sadness. The cooler temperatures and dry winds of autumn most directly attack the Lung, often resulting in common symptoms such as a scratchy throat, a dry nose, chapped lips, dry cough, or dry stools. To protect the body from these external factors, we focus our healing during this season around warming and strengthening the body.
What Does the Metal Element Look Like?
Consider the qualities of metal – valuable, strong, smooth, cool, refined. It is the embodiment of qualities such as integrity, fairness and justice, as well as order, boundaries, structure, rhythm, control, perfection, logic and efficiency. Like the framework of a building it must be precise, strong and reliant. The Metal element also gives us a sense of our self-worth and value. And it is Metal’s energy that helps us discern what is of value and what is not, i.e. what we need to let go of or relinquish so that we store only what is needed for Winter.
This is the time when the maximum yang energy of summer transitions into the ultimate yin energy of winter, and our outward energy starts to contract and turn inward as we wind down and prepare for the approaching winter. While long summer days were spent socializing and playing outside, you might now find yourself seeking a quiet afternoon at home as you begin to bring your body and mind back to a state of restful calm. “Back-To-School” season is when we start to organize and plan for the coming year again.
When Metal is out of balance
During the Fall, we find ourselves in a relationship with the Metal element, which will have varying impact. Metal has the potential for becoming harsh, especially if we find our Metal element out of balance or is blocked from fully expressing itself. Integrity turns to hypocrisy, fair relationships bend to authoritative punishments, structure turns to rigidity, perfectionism leads to disappointment, logic turns to self-doubt. Further, we may lose sense of our own value and so we compensate by seeking what we think will add to our worth: status, money, power, etc. Respect, quality, and recognition is then sought from the outside because there is a lack of self-worth within.
Seasonal Tips
Fall seasonal changes play a big role in guiding our food choices to prioritize nourishing the organs, blood and fluids. Check out our top eating tips to help you feel your best this fall.
Enjoy More Warming and Cooked Foods
It’s time to retire your favorite summer salad for now. In the summer, the warm yang nature of the season helps us digest raw foods. But as temperatures begin to drop in the fall, you should eat more cooked and warming foods. This prevents further strain on your digestion and Spleen, and helps your body conserve energy to protect itself from illness. Soups, porridge, and stews are easier on the digestive system. Try to also steam or cook your food at low temperatures for longer periods of time – this cooking method helps support and nourish the yin.
Nourish Your Lungs
With dryness and wind dominating the fall season, try to eat foods that generate fluid and moisten the lungs such as pears, apples, snow ear fungus, persimmons, figs, pumpkins, nuts and seeds. Great for when your throat is feeling dry and itchy!
Use Spices Liberally
Sour foods help the body preserve fluids/yin and moisten. Eating foods like grapefruit, lemons, pickles, and apples that have astringent properties help support yin and fluid retention. If you start to get chills or feel like you’re beginning to catch a cold, foods such as garlic, cinnamon, chili, ginger and onions help bring your defensive qi to the surface of the body to fight off external pathogens.
Wear a Scarf and Warm Socks
In addition to eating the right foods for fall, remember to wear a scarf as the winds pick up this season. The nape of the neck is where wind can most easily enter the body and cause illness. Warm socks, and wearing enough warm clothes overall, helps to keep the body temperature higher which will help you stay more alert during the day, sleep better at night, and keep the body functioning optimally.
Stay Hydrated
It takes a lot of energy to keep the body warm, and with the added dryness of the season it is best to focus on staying well-hydrated throughout the day. Begin your day by drinking at least one large cup of water as soon as you rise. Drink room temperature or warm water throughout the day, and avoid drinking large amounts (more than 6oz) before and during meals to keep the digestive fire strong. Hydration is so important and an often overlooked and easy to remedy aspect of overall wellbeing.
Practice Deep Breathing
Five minutes of deep, conscious breathing has the ability to shift your mood, ease anxiety, and stimulates Lung qi which helps to lift the spirit. Take a handful of minutes at your desk, in your car, or at home to be quiet with your breath a few times a day. One nice practice is to hit the snooze button on your alarm in the morning, place your hands on your abdomen, and breath deeply into your palms as you enjoy - and inevitably feel great gratitude for - the warmth and coziness of your bed.