How to Nourish Your Body During Fall (Warming Tea Recipe)

Learn how to nourish your body during fall with seasonal foods, immune-boosting practices, and tips from Chinese medicine to stay healthy as the cooler months arrive.

Nourish you During the Fall

The hot summer days gradually become shorter as the fall season settles in. We welcome cooler air and cooler temperatures. Leaves begin to change, presenting us with their colorful foliage before they start to fall off the trees to prepare for the coming winter. The cold air signals us to put away our light summer clothes and get out heavier and warmer clothes for colder weather. The cooler months bring their own opportunities and challenges for nourishing your immune system, boosting your energy levels, and supporting your overall health and well-being. With ancient wisdom from Chinese medicine, we are ready to embrace this season of change by focusing on foods, routines, rituals and practices that harmonize with the cooler weather and support us as the weather cools.

Fall is a time of harvest and gathering beautiful, bountiful, brightly colored squashes, pumpkins, and root vegetables to be put away for winter.

This time of year, we start to be more introspective and prepare for winter’s darker energy. We should spend more time with ourselves and be mindful about making self-care rituals a top priority so our bodies and minds will be ready for the cold months ahead.

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), is it is crucial to adapt your diet to the seasons to achieve physical and mental health throughout the year.

Energy – QI Changes During the Fall

With the change of seasons also comes a change in our body’s energy known as qi. Our body can get out of balance during this transition. It is wise to take the necessary steps to make the adaptation process more manageable for us to protect ourselves from getting sick.

Eating According to the Seasons

Eating according to the seasons is an essential part of the seasonal transition. It helps us maintain the balance of the yin and yang, the polar energies that work in synergy to keep us healthy, and it provides the body with the necessary nutrients to fight infections.

During the transition from warm weather to colder temperatures, our bodies start craving warmer foods to cope with the environmental changes. By providing the body with warming ( known as yang) foods, we help the body combat cool temperatures. By doing so, you balance the yin and yang.

As the outside temperature decreases, you want to warm the body from the inside, and this is made possible by nourishing ourselves with foods that maintain the body’s internal heat. Have you ever noticed that when you have ice cream in winter, you feel cold from the inside? This is because the yin (male) has become more dominant in the body, leaving you feeling cold and out of balance. In winter, the aim is to strengthen the yang, as this will keep the qi balanced and your health in check.

Following the guide below, our organism will be able to adapt smoothly to the change of season and combat anything that comes its way. You will naturally feel more mentally, physically, and emotionally connected to yourself.

Eat Locally and Embrace Seasonal Foods

Fall is the perfect time to incorporate seasonal produce into your diet.  Farmers’ markets are full and bountiful with root vegetables, mushrooms, and dark leafy greens that provide essential nutrients that support your immune function. These hearty foods are packed with vitamin C, vitamin D, and fiber, all strengthening your defenses against the flu season and colder months.

While pumpkin is often synonymous with the fall months (hello, pumpkin spice lattes), don’t overlook other warming foods. Soup made with seasonal food is my favorite food in the world! We had a saying in Poland that eating soup every day would keep the doctor away! So enjoy it because soups are a great way to nourish your body and are an easy way to warm your body during the autumn months!

Eating this way will provide you with the necessary nutrients to be healthy during the fall. Eat heartier food such as whole grains, legumes, root vegetables, and good fat, especially if you live in colder climates. Make soups, stews, sauteed dark leafy greens, or roasted veggies. The longer cooking time supports our digestive system during the fall. This process will warm the body from the inside, strengthen your immune system, keep your energy levels up, and beat cravings.

Autumn foods to Lookout For

Sweet Potatoes

Brussels Sprouts

Ginger

Onion

Pears

Pomegranate

Garlic

Pumpkin

Spinach

Beets

Carrots

Persimmons

Mushrooms

Dark leafy greens

Leek

Radish

Broccoli

Green beans

Avocado

Apple

Grapes

Use warming spices such as ginger, cayenne, turmeric, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom and ginger in your cooking or teas. Make your own spice blends and add them to your dishes.

Healthy fats like grass-fed butter, avocado, hazelnut, coconut, nuts and seeds, and olive oil are your allay at this time of the year. Studies show that healthy fats are vital for promoting cardiovascular health, brain health, healthy weight, and nourishing our bodies. Add coconut oil to your grains or warm oatmeal or hot chocolate, ghee to your morning coffee or tea, or massage your body with avocado oil because it is essential to keep your body fed and moisturized during that time of the year.

Fall In Chinese Medicine

In Chinese medicine, fall is associated with metal, the lungs, and large intestines, two organs linked to the immune system, and the ability to let go of what no longer serves us. This season focuses on protecting boundaries and organization. During the fall, we move from summer’s expansive and external energy to the internal, contractive nature of fall. The energy of autumn and the lungs is “letting go,” so during the fall, it is wise to be mindful and to let go of anything that doesn’t serve you or may be holding you, making room for new experiences that will help us grow.

The emotions connected to the lungs are grief and sadness.

The lungs are associated with communication and clear thinking, being open to new ideas, having a positive self-image, and being able to relax, let go, and be happy. When your lungs are out of balance, or you are dealing with too much grief, you will have a hard time coping with change and loss, experience a sense of alienation, and experience a prolonged sense of sadness that does not ease.

Attachment is also associated with the lungs. During the fall, it would be a good practice to let go of experiences, people, thoughts, objects, and the past. If the energy (or qi) of the lungs is weak, you can experience consistent and overwhelming grief that will not ease. If this deficiency is prolonged, it can lead to depression, anxiety, and other issues.

Allow this energy to move and try to express it fully—this will help you strengthen yourself both physically and psychologically. Don’t avoid grief; try to deal with it in a healthy way, which is key to being healthy, happy, and maintaining balance in life.

Practice deep breathing to help you move those emotions and feel in balance. Breathing deeply with intention strengthens your lungs and keeps them healthy. Breathing will help flood our cells and brains with much-needed oxygen, vital to all the body’s processes. Go for a walk outside or run in the crisp, clear autumn air, and fill your lungs with all that air and good qi.

Stay active because that will help move your lymphatic system, which becomes more stagnant during the colder months. This can slow down circulation and metabolism and weaken the immune system.

You can still bike, walk, or hike and fully enjoy the beautiful outdoors before winter arrives.

The Large Intestine carries the yang (female) energy. The large intestine works with the lungs to keep the body in balance.

The large intestine’s job is to let go of the waste and toxins. It removes everything the body doesn’t need, cleans and releases it, only keeping what is necessary and the most important for our body to function. That is why autumn is an excellent time to let go, look at things that are not working, and evaluate our life so we can give them away for good. When people have problems with elimination, they might have issues letting go.

Staying in tune with nature helps us to be in tune with ourselves. During autumn, consider creating rituals of celebration around the fall equinox, playing with the leaves, or gathering with friends.

Boost your immune system with adaptogens like medicinal mushrooms, echinacea or ginger.

Sleep with the Natural Cycles

The days are shortened during the fall, and nature goes to sleep, too. Trees shed their leaves, and animals prepare for cold months. Nature tells us to nourish ourselves, slow down, and get quality sleep.

As the days grow shorter and the weather cools, it’s natural to experience changes in mood and energy. Many people are affected by seasonal shifts due to reduced sunlight, particularly around the autumnal equinox. Establishing a regular sleep schedule and incorporating outdoor activities like walking can positively impact your mood. Even a few minutes of sunlight can help raise your vitamin D levels, significantly boosting your emotional well-being.

Incorporating hygiene practices and taking herbs like valerian, chamomile, or passionflower can help improve the quality of your sleep.

Self-Care Practices During Fall

Incorporating self-care practices like taking a warm bath, managing stress with deep breathing, and getting enough hours of sleep are also crucial for supporting mental well-being and physical health during the fall season.  

Drinking herbal teas from ingredients like ginger, licorice root, and cinnamon can help regulate lung function and improve mental well-being. Even as the weather changes, spending time outdoors is vital to keeping your energy flowing. Enjoying the fall foliage while taking brisk walks in your local park or going on hikes if you live close to the mountains is great for physical activity and provides fresh air, which is essential for lung health.

Fall Associations in Chinese Medicine

Element – Metal

Emotion – Grief / Sadness

Yin Organ – Lungs

Yang Organ – Large Intestine

Climate – Drynesst

Flavor – Pungent

Stage of Development – Harvest

Colour – White

Sound – Crying

Sense Organs – Nose

Tissues – Skin

Healing Sound – ssssssssss

Focus on Healthy Habits

Maintaining healthy habits during the cooler months is essential for keeping your body strong. Incorporating simple activities like walking outdoors, staying hydrated, and eating meals that provide key nutrients can help your body adapt to seasonal shifts. If you have underlying health concerns, it’s always wise to consult with a healthcare provider before making significant lifestyle changes.

Supporting your health during the autumn involves more than just nutrition; it’s about taking a well-rounded approach to wellness. Focusing on self-care, enjoying seasonal produce, and staying mindful of your body’s needs, you’ll be better equipped to handle the challenges of winter with energy and strength.

Do you Want to Learn More?

How To Nourish Your Body During Spring

How to Nourish Your Body During Winter

Nourishing the Soul: The Magical Connection Between Women and Food

The Benefits Of Seasonal Eating And Impact On Health

Refrences:

https://www.apa.org/monitor/2011/12/exercise

https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-HealthProfessional

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/seasonal-affective-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20364651

“The Foundations of Chinese Medicine: A Comprehensive Text for Acupuncturists and Herbalists” by Giovanni Maciocia

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