September 23rd, 2011, "Autumn Equinox", the 4th small Autumn season arrives

      The Autumn Equinox occurs at 9:04am UTC, that's 5:04am Eastern Time in US, on September 23rd, 2011. For general  information regarding this small season please see this article.


      Here are some additional information for the season of this year:


      I have been mentioning "dryness" for couple seasons, some of you might have already experienced some of the symptoms. If they were not severe enough to bother your daily life, then you don't have to worry too much about them. As our body needs some "challenge" to become stronger.


      There are in general 2 kinds of dryness, one is "warm dry", and the other is "cold dry". Dry symptoms that happen before the Autumn Equinox day are often caused by "warm dry", and those happen after the day are often caused by "cold dry". Different cause requires different solution. Food remedy is usually my first choice. For symptom caused by "warm dry", use pear as the solution. Pear is known for its functions of "reducing the heart fire, and moisturizing the lungs". Raw pear removes the harmful heat from the 6 Fu (hollow organs)and cooked pear nourishes the Yin energy of the 5 Zang (solid organs).

However because pear is cold in nature, it may not be suitable for everyone anymore after Autumn Equinox. So the solution for post Equinox day will be white radish.

White radish is warm in nature, juicy and slightly spicy. It "runs" the Qi (air/gas) inside of our body, so its juice will be carried around by the running Qi to moisturize our whole body. Most people can eat it except those who are very ill because the gas it generates may has negative effects for those people.


      Several major dry symptoms include coughing, constipation and dry skin.


      Like the dryness being different,autumn cough is also categorized into warm dry cough and cold dry cough. The easiest way to identify the difference is by observing the tongue fur. In general, white fur indicates the cold, and yellow or red fur indicates the warm. Easiest food remedy for cold cough is garlic water. Simply mince or smash the garlic and boil them (you can put a small piece of rock sugar if it's too spicy), drink the water while it's still warm. 2-3 times a day in small portion. Use coffee or tea (preferable U-Long tea for this season) to remove the smell in your mouth if needed. For warm dry cough, use cooked pear,preferable steamed pear to preserve the juice.


      Autumn constipation is considered as "seasonal", which is usually caused by dry lungs. Treating the lungs will be the solution for it. The number one food remedy for this will be "yin-er", often known as "white fungus" or "white wood mushroom".

I may have to say this is not a common American food, but you can find them easy in most the Asian markets, and they are very low at cost. They are dry before cooking and you can simply soak them for several hours then boil them with rock sugar till the white fungus becomes soft and the soup become sticky.


      So far, noticing that all the food I mention are in the same color---White, the color of "metal" and lungs. While you are eating them to help the lungs, make sure to eat less or no spicy foods such as hot pepper, onion, other strong spices or deep-fried food.


      The last part I want to mention is the skin. No surprise that the skin is also connect with the lungs. And skin quality depends on the "vaporization"  function of the lungs, which is a unique TCM term that includes many body functions. It is hard to explain, but at this moment we can understand it as: drinking the water-->absorbing the water-->transporting the water into our cells. Drinking is easy, but how much water actually is being "absorbed" then "transported" is the question. Therefore, the specialist who told you and your whole family to "drink a lot water" may NOT be right at this moment, it may even cause opposite effects (too much toilet-runs that makes you lose more water actually). Instead, moisturizing the lungs is preferred . Besides the food remedies I just gave, another simple method to directly "water" the lungs is "Inhale the Steam". Simply pour some hot water into a cup and inhale the steam, 10 minutes per session is enough. Of course, choose the right skin product for yourself is also necessary, I'm not knowledgeable in this field so I'll leave that part to you.

     Autumn is the season of "balance", and Autumn Equinox is in the center of the season. So keep yourself "balanced" is the general goal, which includes eating/drinking, physical activities and mental/emotional condition. It is also the season of harvest and storing. Starts now if you have not been doing so, trust me, you will need that extra "saving" for the winter.

September 8th, 2011, "White Dews", the 3rd small Autumn season arrives

      Happy "Anniversary"!
   
      I started my season blog last year at the same time, and "White Dews" was the first article I put down.

      This year, the season of "white dews" is arriving on the same day as last year. For most of the seasonal information please read this article.

      Here are some additional information I'd like to add.

      The name "white dews" came from the appearance of the dew on the ground and plants in the morning, this is the sign that the cold has arrived. This is a high season for allergy. The energy change is a big factor, also the food and drink. According to TCM theory, many allergy symptoms are rooted from the hidden "cold" inside the body. Therefore the simplest solution is to drink warm or even hot water instead of ice cold one. Also if you like tea, this is the good time to start drinking some black tea (actually black tea in western market is usually red tea, so you are drinking red tea), which is warm and nourishing in nature.

      Also, just a reminder,protect your belly area, day and night, in and out.Drink more warm drinks, cover yourself well at night and do not expose your belly anymore. Some ladies like to wear the sports bra during workout and jogging. Let me emphasize that we have past the time (especially in northern area) of using that. Change your gear into something that fits in the colder season. Our stomach cannot talk, so when it is cold, it will show by giving us some unpleasant trouble such as stomachache, flu and diarrhea.

August 23rd, 2011. "The End of Heat", the 2nd small Autumn season arrives

"The End of Heat" is the second small season of autumn and marks the turning point of the year's temperatures. This is when the sun reaches a celestial longitude of 150°. It is also the main harvest season—not only for farmers. If you have been taking good care of yourself over the past half year, this can be your season to "harvest" as well.

Although it is called the "End of Heat," on bright sunny days the daytime temperature can still be as high as it is in summer. In China, this period is also known as the "Autumn Tiger," because the lingering heat can still "bite" like a tiger. However, during the late night and early morning, we can truly feel the end of the summer heat. The difference between daytime and nighttime temperatures becomes greater and greater.

Just as farmers hope this season will not be too rainy, our bodies also benefit from drier weather. As the summer heat gradually leaves, humidity often remains. Therefore, we should help the body eliminate excessive Dampness so that it does not trouble us during the coming winter. This may sound contradictory, but this is also the season of Dryness, meaning that we may experience health problems caused by insufficient body moisture.

How does that make sense? One simple example I often use is this question: "Can a sailor die of thirst in the middle of the ocean?" The answer is yes. Although the sailor is surrounded by water (salt water), he or she can still die from a lack of drinkable fresh water. The "water" we are referring to is different in each case. Likewise, the body can suffer from both excess Dampness and internal Dryness at the same time.

So, the main characteristics of this small autumn season are:

• Greater temperature differences and unstable weather.

• Excess Dampness remaining from the previous season, together with the harmful Dryness of the new season.

We have already discussed that autumn corresponds to the Lungs in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Healthy Lung Qi (together with the Large Intestine) forms one of the foundations of a healthy body. Therefore, the basic principle during this season is still to protect and nourish Lung Qi. Here are some simple things we can do to achieve that goal:

• Do not add too many layers of clothing too quickly. The goal is to allow your body to adapt to slightly cooler temperatures without becoming cold. (Of course, this does not mean catching a cold.) This gradual adjustment prepares your body for the colder months ahead while also helping to preserve and withdraw Yang Qi. If the body becomes too warm, excess heat (Yang Qi) will naturally disperse outward. Whenever heat leaves the body, cold has an opportunity to enter. However, as mentioned earlier, during the late night, early morning, or whenever the temperature drops significantly, do add extra clothing to protect yourself. As always, maintain balance.

• Protect your abdomen. Keep your abdomen well covered while sleeping, even if the night feels warm. Cold can easily injure the Stomach and Spleen Qi if they are left exposed. Many people have experienced the discomfort caused by a cold stomach. It is common knowledge in many cultures, but it is always worth the reminder.

• It is time to turn off the air conditioner, especially in your bedroom. Do not let using the air conditioner become a habit. Turning it off at night is especially important. During the daytime, whenever possible, open the windows instead. You will not only enjoy naturally cool air but also allow the fresh autumn Qi to circulate through your home, helping remove the remaining Dampness and residual summer heat indoors.

As you can see, everything we are trying to do is to help the body remain in balance. In modern terms, we often recognize this as maintaining a strong immune system. Another essential factor that can never be replaced is good sleep. During this transitional season, sleeping around midnight and taking a short nap around midday, if possible, become especially beneficial because both noon and midnight represent important Yin-Yang transition points within the daily cycle. Some people may not be able to fall asleep before midnight. If that is the case, I recommend at least going to bed and resting quietly with your eyes closed. Even if you are not asleep, you are still allowing your body to conserve rather than consume its precious transitional Qi.

I have previously listed many foods that are suitable for autumn, so please refer to my earlier posts for more details. Here I would simply like to repeat the general principle: eat less spicy and warming foods, and choose more sour and moistening foods.

During this small seasonal period, many Chinese people—especially those originally from Beijing, like myself—have the tradition of eating duck on the "End of Heat" day (August 23 this year). I know duck is not a common food for everyone, but because it is highly nourishing, I still recommend it. This is an excellent season to enjoy duck because it nourishes Yin well, and autumn and winter are the seasons for nourishing Yin. (By contrast, spring and summer are the seasons for nourishing Yang.)

Strong Yin provides what the body needs to balance seasonal Dryness. It not only moistens the body and supports the smooth flow of Qi, but also helps calm the mind. When your entire system is balanced and resilient against harmful seasonal influences, feelings such as frustration and sadness are less likely to arise. If you do not enjoy duck meat, duck soup is a good alternative, if it is available.

So, during this dry and changeable small autumn season, maintain a calm and stable state of mind. Enjoy the peaceful moments as the lively summer season comes to an end. It is now time to draw your Qi inward and take good care of it, so that you will have even more energy to enjoy life again next year.

August 8th, 2011. "Beginning of Autumn", the 1st small Autumn season arrives

      From August 8th on, we have entered the season of Fall 2011. This is the first small fall season and the second rain season of the year. Fall is the season of harvest and withdrawing, in body organ it is connected with the lungs. The main character of the season is dryness.


      Being in between of summer and winter, fall contains energy patterns from both seasons and its own as well. In general it can be divided into 3 parts: early fall, mid fall and late fall.

• Early Fall: Also being called "prolonged summer", it carries the heat from the summer, mix with the humidity. During this time period the temperature is still high, lots rains, so we still need to make sure to avoid the harmful heat, make sure to hydrate the body, meanwhile be careful of the high humidity.
• Mid Fall: Less rain and dryer. Hot during the day but cold at night. The main harmful energy is dryness. Dryness hurts the lungs easy, therefore the important thing to do is to nourish the Yin energy, to moisturize the lung and strengthen the stomach. This is the time we will have dry skin, dry mouth, dry cough, hair fall or constipation. Make sure to maintain good humidity level indoor, drink enough water, avoid strenuous actives or over-working.
• Late Fall: Cold air arrives, combines with the harmful dryness. There may be cold wave to drop the temperature suddenly. It is a high season for many health issues such as chronic bronchitis, emphysema, arthritis, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Make sure to add clothes, especially for seniors and chronic patients. Also need to keep a positive mind and mood to avoid depression.

      Fall and winter are the seasons to nourish and preserve the Yin energy. In a sense, Yin energy can also be understood as all types of body fluid. Therefore in this dry season the first step to protect the Yin energy is to maintain a good body fluid level. We can reach that goal by drinking enough water. Also, fall is the time when mother earth offers us all the fruits, so this is the best time to eat some fruit to help the body as well. Many foods also helps with that goal, we will talk about that later on. Another simple way to acquire Yin energy is taking deep breath facing north, as the ancient Chinese believe South is Yang and North is Yin, so energy from north is also Yin.


      The autumn organ is the lung. Lung is like the autumn, which has the metal energy character. According to TCM theory, besides breathing, lungs' main function is controlling dispersing inward and outward, AKA "to rise" and "to drop". "To rise" is shown as sweating, coughing, tearing etc.; and "to drop" refers to the energetic function of lungs to help with urinating and defecating. The energy behind lungs' function comes from the "middle-Qi" or "central energy", which include the lungs and spleen energy.We acquire them through eating and breathing. Therefore to nourish and improve the lung energy becomes obvious and essential.

• Laughing and singing helps lungs to "rise": The emotion of sadness hurts the lungs. Therefore, try to maintain a happy mood, to laugh and sing can "open" the lungs and make the breathing system stronger and healthier.
• Cold training strengthens the lungs: This is strictly depends on the individual's health condition. Stronger people can do exercise in the cold weather, such as run and hike, to training the lungs and make it more durable. But this does not apply to anyone who is vulnerable to cold.
• Shower helps moisturizing the skin and lung: Since lung is connected with skin. To shower right will help to promote blood circulation and communication between lung and skin. The water temperature should be around 25 Celsius, and do not scratch or rub the skin too much.

      There is an old saying that "Cool wind arrives on the day of the beginning of Autumn". Although it is still going to take about another month for the heat to leave, we can start to sense the change of the nature. During this small season, the weather is unstable, one day can be hot and the next is cold. Even during the same day, there may be some cold and hot hours. Therefore make sure to be prepared. The wind is indeed cooler, and there will also be mist in the morning. We should start to adjust our daily schedule by going to bed earlier and getting up earlier. Going to bed earlier will help Yang energy to withdraw better and getting up earlier will help the lungs energy to rise. 


      As the weather being unstable, so will be human emotions. This is the beginning of "gloomy season" to some people. Human is part of the universe, so universe changes will affect human regardless. In autumn, human immune system will be weaker, plus the weather change, it makes us to get sick easier. Emotionally, when seeing the falling leaves and fading flowers, feeling the cold wind and rain, we simply become sad. No one wants to feel sick and sad at the same time, but if we don't do the right things this may happen. This is the risky time for depressed people. Therefore besides stay healthy and strong physically, to do activities that bring good mood is also the important part of autumn health preservation.


      Food wise, to fit into the withdrawing energy pattern, we want to eat food that helps the body to "close" and withdraw, instead of "open" and release. Sour taste is the taste to go after, many fruits offer that. Hot and spicy foods open and dry the body; they are the food to avoid. Also eat foods that nourish the Yin energy to fight the dryness.

• To Eat: Warm water, juice, light tea, soy milk, pear, orange, grape fruit, cucumber, tomato, radish, lotus root and seed, tofu, honey, sesame, sticky rice.
• To Avoid: Hot and spicy, bitter taste, garlic, scallion, onion, greasy food, hard liquor, deep fired food, puffed food. Also eat less melons, like water melon or honeydews, because melons in autumn are too cold for the stomach, overeating can cause gastro-intestinal issues like diarrhea and stomach cold.

      

Tea and the Body

              In the past several months I have been exposed and involved in Chinese tea ceremony. Although grew up drinking tea, not until recent did I really start to feel the spirit of it.

              But as a new Tea Drinker I do not have enough credit to talk about the ceremony itself. Here what I really want to share is the health benefit that I have experienced and concluded according to the 5-element system, and how it connects and affects human body.

             

In general, regular Chinese tea is divided into 6 types.

1.    Green Tea: Fresh, not fermented

2.    White Tea: Very slightly fermented

3.    Yellow Tea: More fermented than white but still very slight

4.    U-Long: About half-fermented

5.    Red Tea: Fully fermented

6.    Black Tea: Fully fermented and aged

The chart below is self explanatory:

Element	Color	Tea	Season	Organ (Meridian)	Nature
Wood	Green	Green Tea	Spring	Liver/Gall Bladder	Cool
Fire	Red	Red Tea	Summer	Heart/Small Intestine	Warm
Earth	Yellow	Yellow Tea, U-Long	Last 18 days of every season/all year	Stomach/Spleen; Triple Energizer/Pericardium	Neutral
Metal	White	White Tea	Autumn	Lungs/Large Intestine	Cool
Water	Black	Black Tea	Winter	Bladder/Kidneys	Warm

              My point here is that if we know our health type or condition, we may be able to help ourselves by using the right type of tea as a beverage remedy. Sometimes TCM is like art, there are basic principles but no rigid rules. So when comes to how to choose the right tea we still need to be flexible or even creative.

              There are many aspects in tea drinking but here I only want to point out the basic principle, which is to balance the body using the nature of the tea. In general, people who were born and live long enough in northern area tend to have more cold inside the body system. So choose warm tea like red tea or black will help to balance the energy. Obviously, people from the south can drink more cooler tea like fresh green tea and white tea to reduce the excessive heat inside. But these days people travel and move often. In that case we need to learn and feel more about ourselves, so we can figure out what type of body energy we have, and then take advantage of the gift that the Mother Nature offers us. Many modern research has shown how benefit tea is scientifically, but that is only 50% of the picture, only if we choose the right tea for the body can us really benefit from it.

              For WNY local friends, I have started to run small tea ceremony session at my little classroom to experiences the healing effects of tea for our body. Due to the size limitation we can only hold small group of people. If you are interested feel free to call me or email about details.

July 7th, and July 23rd,2011. "Light Heat" and "Severe Heat", the 5th and 6th small Summer season arrives

      From July 7th 2011 to August 8th 2011 will be the seasons of "Light Heat" and "Severe Heat", the hottest time of the year. Maybe too hot that makes people feel uncomfortable. This is when the celestial longitude reaches 105 degree (light heat) and 120 degree (severe heat).

    

      Both seasons are named to indicate the degree of the heat. Since last season "summer solstice", the earth has gathered the max amount energy from the sun, and from now on it will start to "release" it. The name "light" and "severe" are comparative. "Light heat" is only "light" compares to "Severe heat", but don't get it wrong as even the "light heat" can get really hot for human. But wait till "severe heat" arrives, that will be the "peak" of the heat. Both seasons share some common characters and affect human body similarly. Here I put them together to talk about.

      The first and most obvious thing during this time is that we sweat more. And this is the important function our body has to maintain a normal body temperature. Research shows that human skin temperature is lower than actual body temperature, about 32 ℃. When the air temperature exceed 32 ℃ it will start to "heat up" our body, so our body will then sweat to release the heat. When our body cannot release the extra heat in time, there will be symptoms like dizziness, nauseous and even fainting, which is known as heatstroke. The first step to prevent is to make sure we are well hydrated. There are many sources for body fluid. Water always comes first, and then we can have fruits and vegetables. If you sweat more than usual, put a little bit salt in the water you drink. The basic summer diet rule still applies, eat things that are lite, fragrant, and low in grease or fat. Lite foods are easy to digest and fragrant foods increase appetite. Soupy foods are the best choice.

      When the temperature gets too high, people tends to get lazy, weak, irritated and frustrated easy. Back to the season-organ theory, the heart is the organ of the season and it is connected with the emotion of happiness. So keep or create a good mood is the key to maintain a healthy heart in the hot days. Listening to the right music is a simple and effective way to adjust our body physically and mentally. Even the ancient Chinese had noted on these seasons that "Use music to remove the worry, is better than taking medications".

     Living in a technological world, sometimes we have forgot about how much the nature offers us. In hot days our first reaction is to run into a room with air conditioner in it. Well, air conditioner is indeed one of the greatest human invention but just like medication and drugs, it is made to make our life easier. If we simply abuse them, they will backfire at us. AC-ed room is not the only place to seek peace and coolness. Many places like parks with trees and ponds, lakeside, beach and mountains are all great places we can be. Even just sit in the shadow at your little backyard can provide the cool in the heart and mind.  However, again, don't take any saying to extreme. Under many circumstances we do need to avoid the heat by all means, Especially around early afternoon (around 2pm). Also make sure to adjust the temperature in your car while driving.

      This is also one the best time of year for those who suffers from cold related symptoms, such as arthritis, excessive body fluid and digestive issues. For these people I suggest the treatment of "heat over heat". Using the external heat from the nature and take some heat internally. The simplest remedy is hot water or hot tea. These extra heat will balance and remove the cold that hides in the deepest area of our body where is extremely hard to reach in.  Do not be afraid of the heat and sun. And also don't be "greedy" on cold drinks. I'm saying as part of the treatment, so if you are willing to receive it, you follow.

      To make things simpler, here are the "6 stages" to pass during these hot seasons.

      Stage 1: Nourishing the Yang energy. Yang energy is considered as the force of our physical body. Yang energy deficit is the root of most heath issues. As we talked about that since last small season "summer solstice", Yang energy had reached its peak and started to decrease. Therefore make sure this process is natural and smooth so we will have good level of Yang energy to face the winter.

      Solution: Maintain good balance between body temperature and room temperature. 27℃ seems to be high but it is recommended. Keep the room dry and well ventilated. Also do not over eat or drink cold food and drink.

      Stage 2: Emotions. Human emotions are wavier during hot days, and this affects the blood pressure heavily, which can cause many heart and digestion related issues such as angina, myocardial infarction, hear failure and stroke.

      Solution: Consciously and actively adjust the emotions, especially for those who have had heart issue or blood pressure issue.

      Stage 3: High Humidity. This is also the most humid time of the year. High humidity can cause headache, depression, drowsiness, chest pain and bad appetite. For those who are already high in excessive body fluid this may be a greater challenge. 

      Solution: Eat lite food for easy digestion. Eat food that reduces heat and fluid, such as green bean, red bean, and pearl barley. Also be cautious about room humidity, make sure the room ventilation is good.

      Stage 4: Sleeping. Summer nights are short and hot. Many people cannot sleep too well because of that. Low quality sleep in summer breaks the Yin-Yang balance of the body which can also cause heart and blood related issue.

      Solution: Eat small and lite dinner, avoid emotional impact at night. 

      Stage 5: Diet. Summer time our digestive system is weaker than usual. And the appetite can be up and down. 

      Solution: Eat less than you want. 70% full is ideal. Keep good nutrient and taste balance. Eat less red meat, more fresh water fish and vegetables. Also some hot teas. The root of lotus has the functions of strengthening the spleen, reducing harmful heat and helping with sleep, calming the mind and removing the excessive body fluid. Use your cooking talent to make some lotus root soup or dessert, that's both healthy and tasty. Also if you are able and willing to get some eel, right now is the best time to use them not just as food, but also as remedy. Eel is warm in nature and it nourishes the liver and spleen. It also strengthens the tendon and helps to reduce the pain from arthritis.

      Stage 6: Workout. Summer workout is necessary, it will help the body to detox and maintain good energy level. But over-sweat can cause high blood viscosity. 

      Solution: Make sure to hydrate the body in time and do not do heavy workout at noon or when it is extremely hot. One hour after meal is the ideal time to work out. 

My apology for the delay

Hi readers:
      It has been crazy busy me for the past month and still will be for next month between traveling oversea and works.I have just returned from a mountain retreat in China and will be heading to Vietnam and China again today.
      The 5th small summer season "light heat" has arrived on July 7th, and the next, also the last small summer season "severe heat" will arrive on July 23rd.
      I will try my best to post the seasonal article for "light heat" in the next couple days.
      Sorry about the delay and thank you all for the support!