Three Tips for Staying Healthy This Fall

Posted: October 2, 2014

Tips for staying well in the fall focus on staying warm and nourishing the respiratory system to avoid to avoid colds and flu.

DIET:

Pungent or savory, is the flavor associated with Metal.  Pungent and savory foods, such as garlic and onions, strengthen the Lung meridian and keep the lungs warm and moist, protecting them from the cold, dry weather that increases in autumn.  Avoiding mucus-forming foods such as dairy and sugar is also recommended.

EXERCISE:

Include chest-opening stretches in your exercise routine.  Draw the hands back behind you and clasping them together so you can feel the stretch across the chest and just below the collar bones and and all the way out to the ball and socket of the shoulder joints. Cardiovascular exercise is also helpful for warming and detoxifying the body  Sweating can also be enoyed in a sauna or hot bath to open the pores and detoxify.

CLEAR THE NOSE:  Using a neti pot or Nasopure bottle to wash out the nose is a good idea both for preventing colds and flus as well as for opening up an already congested head.  Yin QIao is a traditional herbal formula that we keep in the office for those who need help thinning mucus that is to dry up excessive mucus and can often be found in health food stores, as well, to make you more comfortable while recovering from congestion.