Foods You Should Be Eating In Autumn
According to Chinese Medicine, there are foods that can heal you and foods that can harm you, based on your imbalance or constitutional make up. These foods are classified by their elemental affiliation, temperature, season, flavor, and their balance. As a general rule, always eat foods that are in season, local, and never over eat one flavor.
The Metal Element is the element of respiration and elimination. The color is white, the taste is spicy, savory, or pungent, and the organs that correspond to this element are the Lungs and Large Intestine. The Lungs are the yin organ, and the Large Intestine is the yang organ. The Metal Element is closely associated with the defensive aspect of the immune system, and the skin.
Autumn pertains to the Metal Element; it is the last attempt for your body to rid itself of toxins, or pathological factors before winter when your body naturally slows down and rests. This is a time when the temperature begins to get colder, the weather becomes drier, and the leaves fall and decay. Upper respiratory conditions become more prevalent. It is the dryness of the air, in Chinese Medicine, which leads to damage to the lungs. For they are the lid of the internal organs and are quickly affected by the external environment.
The large Intestine is also affected by the autumn season. Dryness can lead to difficult bowel movements, constipation, and skin conditions due to toxicity.
It is a Chinese saying that wind carries a 100 diseases. In fact, science has proven that wind carries many viruses and spreads them throughout populations. With the Lungs damaged by the seasonal dry and cold, it is easier for the body to be affected by external pathogenic factors, (viruses, bacteria, and mold). This time of the year it is wise to moisten and warm the body, and boost the immune system with food. Reduce your exposure to Wind, and dress appropriately for the temperature and precipitation.
Some conditions that occur due to Metal imbalances in Chinese Medicine: dry, itchy skin, dry membranes, nasal and sinus conditions, cough, constipation, grief or depression, bronchitis, asthma, labored breathing, wheezing, tonsillitis, pneumonia, chest tightness, swollen lymph, and catching colds easily.
Our ultimate aim is balance and moderation. By following a healthy diet in accordance to our imbalances and seasons, we may achieve optimal health. Foods for this season are very simple, but again, they should be balanced, support the digestive system, warm and moisten the body, and boost the immune system. This time of year, people tend to overindulge in sweets, this is damaging to the immune system and can lead to illness.
Foods You Should be Eating in Autumn
Garlic * Ginger * Onion * Cabbage * Pears * White Pepper * Radish * Cinnamon * Cardamom * Leeks * Miso * Apricot * Rabbit * Sauerkraut * Apples * Plums * Citrus * Mushrooms * Cauliflower * Turnip * Rosemary* Thyme * Cloves * Horseradish * White Fish * Pork * Almonds
Look for Autumn Recipes in Wellness News posts.
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