September Self-Healing Tips

By the time you read this you may have seen a leaf or two turn yellow. You may have noticed the weather change, the days getting shorter, the air seeming different. Autumn is here as of September 23 this year. It is time for the bright, warm yang to move inward to our cores to be consolidated and conserved through the coming winter. Fall also brings the harvest, both energetically and physically. All the work we did during spring and summer begins to pay off, and the earth releases her bounty.

The Metal element in Chinese medicine is associated with autumn. It is a time to focus one's energy more internally, towards work, home, and loved ones. The energy of Metal brings organization and inspiration, as well as a cleansing and release in preparation for the winter months ahead. The organs of Metal are the Lung and Large Intestine. The Lung is yin; it is responsible, as we all know, for respiration. Through respiration we bring in air, and by doing so, we take into ourselves the external environment. The ability to take in a breath of fresh air requires a certain state of receptivity and a willingness to take energy inward. As we exhale, we release the CO2 and other cellular waste products - things we no longer need - back out into the environment. As the yang component of the Metal element, the Large Intestine is responsible for the formation and release of solid waste. This also requires a certain willingness - to let go.

Chinese Nutrition: Baked Apples

To ensure a healthy and inspiring transition into autumn, cleansing foods and cleansing breaths are essential. Apples are in season, and they are a wonderful way to cleanse the body, reduce any residual summer heat in the body, nourish the Yin and fluids, moisten dryness, and cool heat in the Lungs. Apples stimulate appetite and resolve indigestion. They inhibit the growth of unwanted bacteria in the digestive tract, remove cholesterol, soften gallstones, and cleanse the body of heavy metals. Apples enter the Lung, Stomach, and Large Intestine.

Try this: Get yourself a delicious organic apple. My personal favorites are Gala and Fuji, but you can really do this with any apple. Cut your apple into wedges, sprinkle with cardamom and cinnamon, wrap it in foil, and bake it in the oven for varying lengths of time, depending on how sweet and gooey you like it. The longer the baking time, the gooey-er the apple. Take it out of the oven and let it cool. Just before eating you can add a small amount of raw honey if you like your apple extra sweet.

Chinese Acupressure: Zhong Fu (Central Treasury)

The ancient sages that devised much of Chinese medicine believed that the very first breath in a baby's life at the moment of birth activates the acupuncture point Lung 1. This makes it an excellent point to awaken the Lung and prepare the Metal element for its time of glory. Zhong Fu, or Central Treasury, is the Front Mu point of the Lung.

Location: Relax the arm at your side. Start at the top of the crease of the armpit, and follow the groove where the chest meets the shoulder about halfway up. From the halfway point, go inwards toward the midline about 1 inch. The point will be very tender on palpation. Acupressure on Lung 1 is an excellent way to help oneself breathe more deeply. This point regulates Lung Qi, stimulates the Lung's ability to take in a deep breath, resolves the sensation of a tight, full, stuffy chest by relieving pressure, alleviates cough, phlegm and wheezing, and nurtures Lung Yin. Because it helps take in oxygen, which is energy in the air around us, this point is also great for fatigue

Try this: Several times a day take a moment to locate the Lung 1 point on yourself. Push on it firmly and massage it in a gentle circular motion. While doing this, take a deep, cleansing breath in. Notice how much more deeply and fully you can breathe with pressure on this point. If you do this daily for the next three months, your lungs, your colon, and your overall experience of Autumn this year are sure to reap great benefits.