September 21st, 2022

I’ve said it before but its worth repeating- Chinese Medicine is beautifully complicated. There is a reason it takes years of study to be licensed as an Acupuncturist and/or Herbalist. As we head into Fall, I wanted to speak a bit about how our Modern Day Family Fun/ Fall Activities are in line with Chinese Medicine’s ancient understanding of the Season.
The Fall Season is a time of transition and it is considered to be a “Yin” time of year. Yin is generally associated with cold, darkness and dryness. But it is ALSO about conservation, storage and sustainment. During the Fall, we prepare for the coldness and sparseness of the upcoming Winter. Our ancestors would be clearing the fields of the previous seasons harvest, replanting appropriate seasonal crops and curing foods to be stored for the winter. The Fall is when our ancestors would start to eat more substantial foods as to "thicken their blood" to bulk up for the long winter.
Since most of us are not harvesting our own crops, the Modern equivalent looks something like apple picking, pumpkin picking, canning veggies and and making (and freezing) soups. I can even make a case for Football and Netflix being in our genes as this time of year is also associated with curling up and resting. Yin energy prefers hot drinks (Hello, PSL and apple cider!)

​So, when your Fall calendar starts to feel super busy and a tad indulgent on the “fun” just remember, your ancestors had their own equivalent and everything turned out just fine. Try to have fun and enjoy the beautiful days before the cold takes over.