Spooky (Cold and Flu) Season

Happy Fall / Metal Season!

With the passing of the Fall Equinox last week and the beginning of October (already?!), Autumn is finally upon us. I’m sure you’ve noticed the brisker mornings and evenings, the drier and less humid air, and the changing colors of the leaves. It’s time for back to school, sweater weather, apple cider, spooky season… and much scarier than spooky season: Cold and Flu Season. Eeeek!

Dryness Rules Fall

In Chinese Medicine, Fall is the Metal season, associated with the Lung and Large Intestine, and it is ruled by Dryness. As temperatures and humidity drop, our protective mucosal layers in our respiratory tract can take a hit, since they depend on moisture to function properly. It may feel counterintuitive that dryness can make us more susceptible to phlegmy colds, but it’s really the body’s fluid equilibrium acting like a seesaw - when one side is disrupted, the other swings out of balance. How does the Large Intestine play a part in this? Pathological dryness can also show up as constipation. In the fall, the Lungs need to stay moist and descend Qi and fluids down to their paired organ, the Large Intestine. 

In addition, the shift in seasons requires a strong Earth system (the Spleen and Stomach, aka digestion). Each seasonal change draws on Earth energy, both energetically and physiologically, since our immune systems live largely in the gut. Earth is the “Mother” of Metal, so people with weak digestion tend to get sick more often, especially during the transition from Summer (Earth) to Fall (Metal).

Tips to Protect Yourself From Sickness

So how can we best protect ourselves from getting sick with the weather change? Here are a few key tips:

1. Keep your neck and upper back warm and covered.
   This area is called the “Wind Gate” and it is the most susceptible to “external invasion” of a pathogen in Chinese Medicine. When this area exposed to cold, our fluids stagnate, the respiratory tract dries, and pathogens can easily penetrate into our body. That first stiff neck and achy shoulders you feel before a cold? It’s your body’s outer defense tightening the muscles to block the pathogen from going deeper.

2. Protect against dryness.
   Keep your respiratory system moist during this dry season. Beyond the Chinese Medicine perspective, research shows bacteria grow faster when humidity falls outside the 40–60% range. Run a humidifier, ideally one that can maintain within this range. Avoid overly pungent, dispersing foods (like spicy dishes) that dry the body internally - save those for winter. Instead, eat what’s in season, like apples and pears. Their sour flavor helps astringe fluids, and steamed pears are a classic Chinese remedy for dry throat. Nature always has a purpose!

3. Drink warming teas (if you run cold).
   Warming teas strengthen digestion and boost respiratory tract from the inside out. If you’re prone to digestive weakness and coldness (and if you’re my patient, you likely already know whether you are internally more “hot” or “cold”), stick to warming herbs like cinnamon and ginger. They boost digestive fire, which in turn improves the health of the respiratory tract.

4. Conserve energy.
   As nature turns inward in the fall, so should we. The earliest Chinese Medicine texts advise sleeping early and waking early in the fall (as opposed to summertime, when we can afford going to bed a little later). Avoid overexertion. Spending too much energy now can set you up for illness in winter.

5. Shameless plug: Come get treatment!
   Acupuncture balances the body and can be a powerful form of preventative medicine. Ever wonder why some people get wiped out by a sickness, others only get a sniffle, and a lucky few don’t get sick at all? It actually comes down to the strength of their internal health, not just whether they have been exposed to a pathogen or not. A strong reaction actually means strong Qi putting up a fight, while a weak reaction can point to weaker Qi overall. Of course, the ~ultimate goal~ is to be in the “never got sick” group to begin with, and acupuncture can help with that. If you do end up contracting a cold or flu, herbs are the best route to go, as there are targeted ways to expel the pathogen, always customized to your individual case of course. 

Here’s to crisp air, cozy sweaters, and keeping those spooky colds away!