The colours of nature are changing, the day is getting shorter, the first rains fall and our mood changes. The carefree summer mood is fading away and we earnestly apply ourselves to the preparation for the beginning of the academic year or our next business plans. Despite the fact that autumn is associated with melancholy, I cherish it, as I believe it is an important season, and if we adopt certain habits, guided by the valuable knowledge of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), we can strengthen our body, get rid of what weighs us down and uplift our mood.

Autumn is the beginning of the yin cycle, in which daylight lasts less than 12 hours. It is the time when nature reaches its point of complete maturity, keeping the bare essentials and discarding whatever is unnecessary. It succeeds the summer-like, extroverted energy of yang, a transition that usually challenges our immune system.

The importance of metal

Just as each season in TCM is associated with an element, autumn is associated with metal, which rules the mind, organization, order and stability. Therefore, this is also the time of year when we tend to take stock, turning to ourselves, our family and our home. It is a time to get organized and prepare for the winter season, boost our immune system and shield our psyche. Vulnerable parts of our body during the autumn period are the lungs and the large intestine, the two organs responsible for breathing, digestion and the elimination of waste substances. They are affected by wind, cold and dry air, which in turn can cause coughing, sore throats, dry skin, hair and mucous membranes, and constipation.

Emphasis on emotion

Lungs, in TCM, are associated with melancholy and sadness, which can be the result of either a significant loss or a major change in our work, home, emotional or social life. Chinese healers recommend that we should be aware of our emotions, name them without judging them, so that we can eventually eliminate them.

It is no coincidence that the large intestine is associated with the elimination of toxic substances and thoughts. Just as in nature trees shed their leaves to make room for their regeneration, autumn prompts us to reflect on and identify whatever is useless in our lives—whether it is a person, habit, or object—and free ourselves from it.

"Feeding" the yin

Every change of season must be accompanied by corresponding changes in diet in order to strengthen the body to meet the challenges of the changes in the weather. In autumn we need foods that warm and nourish the yin, protecting the lungs and colon from the dry air. Here are a few tips that I follow each autumn in order to strengthen my body.

• Consume fewer salads and more soups, as their ingredients are easily digestible and hydrate the body.
• Consume warm seasonal vegetables such as broccoli, beetroot, and sweet potatoes, steamed to retain their moisture.
• Go for apples and pears, which nourish and water the yin of the lungs.
• Drink a glass of lukewarm water with honey before bedtime, which relieves dry throat and helps relieve constipation.
• Avoid foods that promote mucus production, such as dairy products.
• Add spicy foods in your diet, such as onion, garlic, ginger, hot pepper, mustard, radish and turnip, which help to strengthen the “defensive qi” (immune system) and have mucolytic action.
• Prefer foods such as flaxseed, fenugreek and seaweed, which strengthen the protective membrane of the lungs and colon.

Nourishment through exercise

Immobility and distress weaken the lungs and intestines by generating mucus. Gentle and purposeful forms of exercise, such as tai chi and qigong, help open the thoracic cavity and decompress the spine, increasing blood flow, eliminating toxins and improving lung function.

To learn more about what autumn  represents in TCM and to find helpful tips for balancing body and emotions this season, you can watch the related video on my GoodLife by Gina YouTube channel!