For many people, the transition from the vibrant energy of late summer to the crisp coolness of autumn is a bittersweet time involving more structured demands on time and more routine and discipline. Along with the shift in temperature is a gradual turning inwards, towards a more reflective state.

East Asian medicine connects the season of autumn with the elemental nature of Metal (金) and the qualities of sensitivity, poignancy, reflection, and value.  Relative to other natural elements, precious metals take a long time to be generated in the earth's crust and because of this, they are often highly valued. 

In a similar way, we generate a sense of refinement and value in ourselves by taking our time to look back and extract precious lessons from our experience.  In a sense, aligning with the season of Metal (金) is about embracing the cyclical nature of learning: gleaning lessons from our triumphs and mistakes, and refining our goals with what we want to let go of and what we want to keep. This is a yin season following the past two seasons of outward yang expression. The body, the attention, and light available gradually draws downwards and inwards.

I’m offering several ideas rooted in both integrative medicine and the wisdom of East Asian medicine to support the body-mind state during this transitional period. Consider choosing at least one of the following routes to attune to the upcoming seasonal change. I’m also including suggestions on how to optimize the body’s response to inevitable immune challenges associated with this time of year.

• Transition Your Wardrobe: Yes, It’s Already Time to Add Layers for Comfort + Health As warm days give way to cooler evenings, dressing in layers protects your body from sudden temperature shifts that leave the immune system vulnerable. It’s a good time to start packing a light scarf or layer to keep from leaking extra energy through the pores.  All the yang channels converge at the base of the neck/top of the thoracic spine, so when you are stressed, hungry, on your moon, or depleted, covering this area is a way to safeguard your energy stores so your immune system has a fighting chance of defending more important priorities in the body’s interior.

• Embrace the Art of Slowing Down + Enhance Restful Sleep Fall encourages us to slow down and honor the natural rhythms of our bodies. One way to achieve this is by adopting a calming bedtime routine. Spend time unwinding before bed, engaging in relaxing activities such as reading, gentle stretching, or enjoying a cup of herbal tea. Consider incorporating the practice of mindfulness meditation to quiet the mind and prepare for a deeper, more restful sleep.

• Boost Immune Resilience As the seasons transition, our immune system may benefit from extra support. Check my favorite recommendation here.

  • Beta Glucan Therapy: A standout in improving immune function. Beta glucans:

    • Improve the immune system's ability to respond to and resolve infectious processes.

    • Entrain the immune system ‘modulation’ response.

    • Reduce allergy symptoms long-term.

    • Improve psychological well-being and mood.

    • Are well-tolerated in autoimmune conditions and as adjunctive support for those receiving immune suppressant therapies.

  • Vitamin D: Recheck your serum Vitamin D levels annually; aim for 50-60 nmol/L for optimal immune protection; now you can order your own labs here. More on this below.

  • Zinc + Elderberry Lozenges: Stock your home before they sell out

  • Biofizz Vitamin C Powder: Work up from 2,000 grams to 4,000 grams daily for improved immunity 

  • Pulsed Mycotherapy (medicinal mushrooms): cycling on two weeks / off two weeks of medicinal grade blends of mushrooms improves immune function and resilience.

• Sunshine Check: Ensuring Optimal Vitamin D Levels: The beginning of fall is an ideal time to recheck your serum Vitamin D levels. Vitamin D plays a crucial role in immune function, mood regulation, and bone health. You can request your conventional provider to run your levels at this time or order your own lab draw through my website.  Supplementation should be determined together with a health practitioner and based off of your updated levels.  While insurance companies have started pushing back against running this basic test as part of regular maintenance care (a contentious choice in my opinion), research continues to suggest how important vitamin D levels are.  I prefer to see serum levels between 50 and 70 nmol/L as optimum for preventing and protecting against autoimmunity and ensuring optimum immune function.

• Shift What’s On Your Plate: Although we still have several weeks of warmer temperatures likely, it’s already time to begin warming and cooking your raw uncooked fruits and vegetables.  Once the cold snap arrives, think of moving towards slow roasting and stewing to deepen the qi into the body and nourish the Lungs and the blood.  Ideas: stewed fruits (apricots, tomatoes) to make a Moroccan spiced stew like this one. or playing with poached pears and apples recipes.  Continuing to avoid sugar, alcohol, packaged foods and food additives, and trans fats continues to be helpful for overall health and also immune responsiveness.

• Be Proactive about Engaging Parasympathetic Tone: Try incorporating mindfulness into your mealtime routine as a way of profoundly impacting digestion and add up uplevel to your overall health as we transition to autumn. Before eating, dedicate six minutes to either a gentle walk or a slowing down your inner body with mindful breathing or self-kindness. These practices promote relaxation, stimulate digestive function, and allow you to fully engage with your meal. According to Chinese medicine, mindful eating enhances the body's ability to absorb nutrients and maintain balance.

• Anticipate Grief / Reflective Processes: In East Asian medicine, the season of autumn correlates with the quality of reflection or looking back. We generate refinement and value in our life process by reviewing our past experiences to better understand ourselves, and choosing what we want to let go of for the next cycle of life and what we want to keep. Some of this can bring up a healthy grieving process for some people. Invitation to notice what processes arise for you as the seasons turn in the weeks ahead.

REFERENCES

❍ Vlassopoulou M. et al. Effects of fungal beta-glucans on health - a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Food Funct. 2021 Apr 26;12(8):3366-3380. doi: 10.1039/d1fo00122a.