It is getting colder and darker again. It's this time of the year when we catch a cold and experience grief that summer is over.
In autumn a huge energy shift is happening in nature from yang to yin. This shift also happens in our bodies. We can learn from nature how to support our bodies with this process.
Come along with me on an autumn hike to understand how you can boost your health in this season.
Food for the soul
Your diet plays a huge role in your health and it is often the most simply changes you can make here to ensure your are staying healthy.
Supporting your body with nourishing food in autumn means eating spicy. Fight off colds with ginger, garlic and onion. Add cinnamon to your oatmeal or teas. Enjoy all the vegetables and fruits that are harvested now like apples and pears, pumpkins, sweet potatoes and mushrooms. Avoid cold and raw foods and warm up your body with hot soups and stews.
Do-In exercises for autumn
Check out this customised exercise set for autumn. These exercises nourish your metal element (lungs & large intestine). Those organs/meridians are very active in autumn and are more prone to depletion and energy stagnation at this time of the year. The exercises will promote better breathing and help to prevent colds. Mentally they support you with grief, taking stock of life and letting go of patterns & emotions that do not serve you anymore.
Acupressure
The acupressure points I cover in the exercises video above are:
Large Intestine 20 - Yingxiang (English translation: Welcome Fragrance)
location: Feel the edge of your nostrils right where they meet the skin of your face. Gently angle pressure between the side of your nostrils and your face, as you feel for a little dip in the tissue.
indication: nasal congestion, support to let go emotionally, connecting to your intuition
Large Intestine 4 - Hégǔ (English translation: Joining Valley)
location: highest spot of the muscle when the thumb and index fingers are brought close together
indication: stress, pains, headaches, calming the mind, letting go emotionally, helping to overcome grief
Do not stimulate Large Intestine 4 during pregnancy!
Stay healthy and enjoy the autumn.