Moving into Fall
Fall is in the air…pumpkin spice, sweaters and football games are back in action. In Florida, we look forward after a long, hot summer to the cool, crisp fall season. Change, including the change of seasons, brings anticipation of newness and a shift away from the old. Our wardrobes change and if you take a look around, even Nature is putting on a fall fashion show. Animals grow long and luxurious furs for the winter to provide warmth and also as a cloak to camouflage from the animal and human hunters that follow their seasonal migration. We can’t grow fur on command, but we are blessed to have suede and leather, wool and furs, that match the weather and the colors of the changing landscape.
Colors in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) are powerful indicators. The color associations linked to the physical and emotional characteristics in the Five Elements Theory of TCM are relationships between things that should start us thinking on a deeper level about connections. The more connections we make between the outside and inside worlds, the deeper our understanding of ourselves as part of the bigger picture of nature. The colors of fall in shades of red, brown, yellow and orange represent the foods we harvest and nature’s palate in the surrounding landscape.
As we enter fall and prepare for the season of winter, we live in abundance. Historically, this season saw hunters seeking the game that had grown and matured earlier in the year, and the gathering of wild grapes and seeds bursting before the cold of winter sealed their fate. Farmers harvested corn and wheat to feed animals during the winter when fresh grass was buried beneath the snow. They picked apples and pumpkins that had turned red, orange and gold like the leaves, with the sugar content thickening as the days grew colder to preserve the life within the fruit.
We also see this abundance in the amazing colors of leaves. Trees have a chemically complex system that links hours of sunshine and temperature to selected pigments that paint a stunning, colorful landscape. Humans have some of the same chemistry at work within us. Although we don’t change color, we do change with the seasons. The fall is prepping us for the harshness of winter when food was scarce, finding warmth was a daily struggle, and compromised health only worsened with the forecast.
In the pivotal seasons of fall and spring, our bodies endure the most extreme changes. Allergies increase, letting us know we have to work on cleansing our respiratory systems. Colds inhabit our bodies as a way to boost the immune system, showing us what we need to strengthen before the long haul of winter. The fall harvest means gatherings (think Thanksgiving), where we share food, community and germs! Our immune system is strengthened by the introduction of viruses and bacteria as we build antibodies against them, renewing our resistance for another year.
In contemporary society, this season brings holiday stress and anxiety, social obligations, travel and gifting pressures instead of poor crops and life-ending weather events. We weaken our systems with low-quality, non-seasonal foods while stressing ourselves out with obligations. Instead of enjoying the coming months of celebration and harvest, we too often deplete ourselves going into the winter, a crucial time to bolster our reserves. It is important to give yourself permission to say no to some parties, to skip a day of workouts, to pass over the Halloween treats, and instead indulge in warming venison, fortifying pumpkin pies and comforting sweater shopping. Taking care of yourself during this busy time of year should be at the top of your to-do list, not set aside until after the holidays when there is “more time”—by then the physical damage has been done. Schedule regular massage and acupuncture appointments at Acupuncture by Andrea, visit the steam bath and sauna, and try infrared therapy and lymphatic drainage massage to ensure you move through the busy fall season with strength and preparation. Choose your food and fun wisely and this Halloween you won’t have to dress up as a superhero…you will BE one!