Happy Autumn everyone!
Have you already started to notice you are suffering from nasal congestion and or constipation? This is the season of “taking in and letting go.” During the Fall season, it is very common for people to have more respiratory (lungs) and digestive (intestine) issues. For Lungs, this could present as cough, colds, sinus infections, allergies symptoms and for the Intestines, this could present as upset stomach, constipation, diarrhea and vomiting to name a few.
To avoid the above illnesses, ensure that your Lung-qi is strong and your bowels are healthy. Strong lung-qi = strong defence systems to fight off pathogens!! Based on TCM, our lungs govern our Qi (lifeforce) and our Qi is in charge of our blood circulation. Therefore, having strong lung qi will ensure proper circulation of qi and blood throughout our bodies.
Tips to strengthen your Lung Qi:
- Exercise! During these colder temps, most people like to hibernate and do less exercise. I like to encourage my patients/clients to ramp it up a bit! Keep that body warm by moving and breathing! It doesn’t have to be intense – Daily breathwork and walking is excellent! Or! Practice yoga!
- Practice Daily yoga – consider practicing some forms of physical yoga asanas (postures) every day – I can honestly say that if you start your day with sun salutations, you will be feel more limber and invigorated.
- Sing!! Increase your lung-qi by expanding your lungs – go ahead and sing your hearts out! Crank that favourite song and belt it!
- Try some breathwork! Have you tried taking time to breathe in…1…2..exhale…2…1…
- Add pungent spices to your cooking: onions, scallions, radishes, ginger, wasabi, garlic and horseradish. Adding these types of spices to your meals will help to open-up your senses!
As mentioned earlier, Autumn is also about letting go…
Regarding “letting go” and the relationship to our intestines for Autumn health, I am referring to the elimination of foods and thoughts that do not serve our minds and bodies. You can think of this in physical form (elimination of bowels) and also in emotional form (removal of unhealthy negative thinking)
Some tips for “letting go”:
- Cut back on your sugar, diary, greasy foods and…bread… These types of foods force your digestive system to work overtime and make your qi and blood move more slowly. When your qi gets slow and “stuck”, you may feel moody and experience body aches. This squash and pumpkin season! Switch your breads to complex carbs like sweet potatoes, acorn squash and pumpkins!
- Increase your fiber! Healthy greens – swap out your fruits for veggies! Make sure they are cooked. Cold, raw foods are easier on the gut.
- Drink lots of fluids- water is your best friend. 2L of water is your goal.
- Abdominal massages: Clockwise rotations on your belly. Put more pressure on the downward motion and light pressure on the upward rotation.
- Journal your frustrations and negative thoughts – get them out and on the paper. Release them from your mind/body and on to paper. After your written them down – tell yourself these thoughts no longer serve you. Rip up the paper and throw those frustrations away!
I’ve started an Instagram account where I post these type of tips to help you through your week! Check it out and follow me!
You can find me here: https://www.instagram.com/acuandasana/
Acu – for acupuncture
Asana – yoga postures
Thanks for reading and please do write back to let me know how you’re doing. I would love to hear back from you!
Love, light and peace,
Tracie