Learning to move with the rhythms of nature can be a positive influence on your health, and one of those rhythms is the change of season. As we welcome Fall, here is some wisdom from Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) to support yourself.

Got the urge to cook a nice soup or stew? Drawn to that pumpkin spice with it’s cinnamon and clove notes? This means your body is naturally more in tune to what’s important for nourishment in the Fall season. Root vegetables and warmer foods (which include those warming spices) are particularly healthy and appropriate in Fall.  Other foods which support your body in the transitional season of Fall  include apples, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, garlic, ginger, grapes, green tea, honey, leeks, parsnips, pears, pumpkin, rosemary, sage, spinach, wild rice, winter squash, and yams. Gosh that sounds good! Don’t be surprised if you see me in Whole Foods this weekend 😉

TCM considers Fall to be a time of gradual turning inward to nurture yourself and reflect on the year that’s getting closer to its close. Fall is associated with the Lung and Large Intestine energy flows, which allow us to take in and discard. This makes Fall the ideal time to look at mindsets that don’t serve you anymore and decide to let them go. Take some walks in the woods, breathe in the crisp air, and do that reflection and elimination.

Additionally, Fall is a time for organization and preparation for winter. Look at the busy squirrels and other animals doing exactly that! This is a great time to handle your garage, stack wood or organize your warmer weather clothes.

As I write this, I’m struck by how intuitive all these things are during the Fall season. We often find ourselves unconsciously following the wisdom of these TCM practices. Let’s shift that around and do them all consciously, walking with the rhythms of nature.