Expectations of the Fall

Fall is the time of inwardness, time to store up on food, fuel and warm clothing.  A time to plan for the winter stillness that approaches us.

Leaves on the trees fall to the ground, sap goes to the roots,  grasses turn lighter and loose their rich green color.  Plants and tree branches are brittle and drier.  The water is going deeper into the ground and within us.  A time of storage.  The air is drier and colder contracting everything in nature and moving it downward.

Foods  to reflect the qualities of the fall are the last seasons of greens, apples and tomatoes.  Nuts that are falling from the trees can be stored.  A time to plant for the spring ahead.

Now is not a time to sit still, mow is a time to be prepared and to store for the months that will lay snow upon us.  

Stay healthy this season Late Summer Earth time

Do you want to stay healthy this season?
It's late summer.  Let's talk about  seasonal changes and how we can transition through them in good health. We are now in late summer and the element is  Earth.   The organs relating to this period are the spleen and the stomach.  It is a time of transitions and adjustments in our lives, physically, mentally and spiritually.  The stomach deals with digestion of food processing and the spleen fights infection, controls blood and fluid and imbalances.This season we are building strength and stores for the winter.  Three things we want to focus on diet, exercise and reduce stress.

                                                                                                     Diet:

We need to eat foods that build, nourish and create energy.  Avoid refined sugar, excess alcohol and acidic foods. Alkaline foods will help prevent infections and build the spleen. Eating foods that are grown locally and from the farmers markets will help eat seasonally.  Berries, pears, apples are great fruits.  Sprouted seeds and beans

Drinking plenty of water and keeping the fluids in our body clear and healthy will also help reduce mucous build up.

Exercise:    
Yoga is a great core exercise and a few asanas can get you on the track for balance and centering.  Mountain pose or tadasana, it will strengthen stillness, power and stability.  It is the foundation for all poses.  Yoga can create a personal spiritual connection and the conception of who you really are.  It can create peace within.

The umbilical pulse is an assessment that a Licensed Five Element Acupuncturist can evaluate to check your body's state of balance and energy.  It is part of the initial evaluation on the first visit. Ask your practitioner to assess your core balance.