Breathing in Change

Autumn is a time of transition: back to school, a return to routine, and a more inward focus than the free and expansive summer.

Time For Some Lung Love

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) autumn is the season associated with the lungs. And as the air becomes crisp, cool, full of the scents of moist earth and wood fires outside, and the aromas of herbs and spices used in fall cooking inside it is easy to understand why…

After the fresh and raw summer diet, foods in the fall are made more digestible through cooking, and seasonal flavours become more pungent and aromatic. Just think of sage and thyme in the Thanksgiving stuffing, or the cinnamon and cloves in pumpkin pie. Perhaps not surprisingly, these herbs and spices are wonderful lung tonics and anti-microbial plants.

Letting Go

Lungs are associated with the emotion of grief. This is reflected in traditions such as Hallowe’en in which provides a time to reflect on loved ones we have lost, and Thanksgiving in which we can reflect on what serves us best in our lives.

The plants are letting go of their leaves and returning to the earth to wait out another winter. The days are letting go of sunlight, making space for cozy times and good books.

What can you let go of that no longer serves you?

A New Season Of Sniffles

Unfortunately, the changes associated with fall – more time indoors with other people, temperature changes, perhaps increased stress – also include challenges to the immune system in the form of respiratory viruses and bacteria. This is the time of year in which to support and fortify the lungs in order to maximize their function to help ward off illnesses that can affect our breathing.

There are key nutrients and powerful herbs to help us prevent the onslaught of colds, coughs, sinusitis that often accompany the changing of the seasons. Time to load up!

If you catch every cold going around, suffer from a chronic lung condition such as asthma, an acute lung concern such as a cough or bronchitis, are wanting support for quitting smoking, or simply wish to enhance your health for optimal lifelong wellness one season and organ at a time I’m here to help!

And if you’re one of the those people who rarely catches a cold and whose lungs are the least of your concerns then please take this time to enjoy the biting crisp air by consciously and mindfully breathe deeply, with appreciation for each cleansing breath.

Breathe in joy, and breathe out gratitude….day after day, breath after glorious breath…