Fall is the time of the year when your Lung energy is dominant. At this time, you may see many people suffering from lung issues, like hay fever, asthma, and allergies. As beautiful as the season is, there are many people who dread the Fall season, primarily because they anticipate health issues at this time of the year. While we are all conditioned to focus on the negative—the symptoms—there’s a different way to look at health—a way that’s not so negative.

TCM approaches life and healing in an interconnected way. It looks at each individual, not only for symptoms, but for the things we experience and take in emotionally and spiritually. We are not just humans that exist in our own separate entities. We are connected beings, tied to each other and to Nature as a whole. The Five Element chart gives us a framework to understand our bodies from an energetic perspective, realizing that our health is impacted not only by what we put into it, but by what we do to support it.

Taking on the view of prevention rather than treatment, we use the Five Element Framework to get a larger sense of what’s happening around us in each season and to see how those changes impact our bodies. We can look at each season as a way to connect to and support the organ in charge. In Fall, Lung energy is at its highest. So, Fall is the best time to support and clean up the Lung. To do so, we recommend supporting the Lung from many different angles:

1. Taste: Try eating pungent and spicy foods, like daikon radish, lemon, and ginger.
2. In Season: Eat foods that are grown in the Fall, and as locally and as fresh as possible. This will help renew your connection to Mother Earth.
3. Moisture: Dryness is often associated with the Fall season and Lung energy. Think about your skin and hair. Does your skin get dry and begin to crack in the Fall and early Winter? Try eating honey and pears to add moisture to your body. Almonds and almond milk also give your Lung an energetic boost.
4. Music: The Lung resonates with the beating sound of the drum or trumpet. Try putting some music on and dancing to the beat. Be fluid and go with the flow.
5. Color: The color white supports the Lung. Wear it and notice it all around you!
6. Let It Go: Fall teaches us to simply relax and let go as the trees so easily shed their beautiful leaves. Start small. Learn to let things go one at a time.

Remember one thing: As you read this, the information is still in your mind. You’re thinking and processing it. But to impact your life, you have to embrace it and feel it. Love and believe in yourself. Connect to Nature and discover who you are. Your Lung does a lot for you throughout your life. Fall is the time to begin taking good care of yourself.