Eating Right for the Autumn Season… Traditional Chinese Medicine style..

In Chinese Medicine the Season of Autumn is related to the Lungs and Large Intestine.

The Element of Autumn is Metal.

Sensory is the nose or sense of smell.

The emotion is grief.

Fall season is the season of harvest. This time is nature’s time to pull inward, contract and gather on all levels.  We gather food and bring out our warm clothing for the approaching stillness of winter.

Fall is the season to add more sour flavors into our foods. Sauerkraut, olives, pickles, leeks, aduki beans, rose hip tea, lemons, limes grapefruit and sour varieties of apples, plums, and grapes.

For the dryness that comes with the fall climate we need to incorporate moistening foods such as, Spinach, barley, pears, apples, seaweeds, eggs, and almonds, pinenut, peanuts.

Dark green and golden-orange vegetables are high in beta-carotene (provitamin A) Beta Carotene foods  with particular protective value are  carrot, winter squash, pumpkin, broccoli, parsley, kale, turnip and mustard greens, watercress, wheat and barley grass, blue green micro algae. The green members of this group are especially important due to their chlorophyll. Which will help inhibit viruses and discharge the residues from chemical fumes. Green foods also improve the digestion of proteins and fats.

Taking in a variety of the foods mention above will not only give you energy but will bolster your immune system.