Living in Harmony with Fall: Seasonal Wisdom from Chinese Medicine

When I was getting my masters in Chinese Medicine I had a professor that said “in the fall we eat pears and cry.” In Chinese Medicine the emotion that corresponds with the fall season is grief or sadness, and the corresponding organs are the lungs and large intestine. These are organs which help us to let go of what we don’t need; both physically and emotionally. As the weather shifts from warm and humid to cool and dry, our lungs can be susceptible to dryness. Pears moisten and nourish the lungs. Hence: In the fall we eat pears and cry.

Even in the city, when we look around we see clues from nature that we are shifting from the expansive (yang) energy of summer to the more introspective, contracting energy of the cooler months. We see trees are shedding their leaves and squirrels are gathering food to prepare for the winter. You too may have shifted from making lots of plans to staying home more and making your home more comfortable (nesting!).

Here are some tips to help you stay healthy and in balance with the season.

Make time for Yin Moments

As we progress towards the most yin time of year (winter), it’s a good time to start integrating more “yin moments” into your life. Yin (in contrast to yang) is stillness, quiet, and substance as opposed to action. This might mean spending more nights in, enjoying quiet solitude with a book, or switching out a fast paced vinyasa yoga class for a restorative class. This will look a little different for each person. Just as yin and yang are ALWAYS relative to each other, I encourage you to think of how to integrate changes that make sense relative to your lifestyle.

Maintain Lung Health

Maintaining lung health during this time is essential. The lungs govern respiration, but they also play a key role in our immune system. As the weather becomes cool and dry, our lungs can be vulnerable to this dryness. I recommend using a humidifier in your bedroom during the night as soon as your heating system kicks on. You’ll find that you’re breathing easier in the morning and it’s also great for your skin.

Focus on gut health

Since the season corresponds to the large intestine as well, Fall is also a good time to focus on gut health. Eating warming foods over cold and raw foods will help your body to break down food and absorb the nutrients better. Avoiding iced drinks and cold foods is especially important during the colder months.

Journaling

What does it mean that grief and sadness are the emotions of the season? It both means that:

We may have a natural tendency towards these emotions as it’s an appropriate time of year to grieve and/and or let go of things (mirroring nature).
If we are struggling with grieving or tend towards sadness, we may experience an exacerbation of these emotions during this time of year.

Journaling is both a great yin activity (see above), and can be a helpful way to reflect and gain perspective on emotions you’re feeling. You don’t need a special plan. Just grab pen and paper and freewrite; get your stream of consciousness down on paper. And yes, I do mean paper (not on a screen!).

I feel it’s also important to say here: If you are struggling with sadness in a big way, I definitely recommend you speak with your primary care provider and/or a therapist. Then also get yourself some acupuncture and herbs from a qualified practitioner.

By aligning with the energy of fall, we can better support our health and well-being during this transitional time. Whether it’s through diet, lifestyle adjustments, or acupuncture, these small steps can help us harmonize with the season and maintain balance as we move toward winter.

I always liked “In the fall we eat pears and cry” because it makes me think of the good cry one might have at the end of a movie. Likewise, in the case of eating pears and crying, it invites us to have a good cry (or an ugly cry), to release something, and to feel that in doing so we are in balance with the season.

Be well, and I hope to see you in the clinic!

Kristin Cheng, L.Ac., MSTOM
Licensed Acupuncturist and Herbalist

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