Fall Ins and Outs

It’s really, finally fall and I am here for it. I was ready for cool mornings, and being able to sleep under a blanket again. And so friends, it’s a perfect time for my cold little hands to type about aligning with the seasonal wisdom of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). In TCM, autumn corresponds to the Metal element, represented by the Lungs (the organ of “taking in the new”) and the Large Intestine (the organ of “letting go of the old”). Sort of. Well, they do a lot more than that but let’s stick with this foundational and poetic way of thinking about our METAL elements :) Because, metal! This pairing teaches us that healthy transition means both inspiration and release — breathing in what nourishes and clearing out what no longer serves. So, let’s all do our therapeutic death-metal screams into the abyss! Bonus: here is a link to metal singers taking part in vocal health research. ALERT: The first 3 people to email/text me a video of their death metal scream get 50% off a nanoneedling or microneedling session.

When the weather turns cooler and drier, the Lungs can become vulnerable to dryness. Oops, sorry about turning on the heat, m’dear lungs! We get more vulnerable to external pathogens, too - which is our TCM way of saying: stuff you can catch, especially respiratory and abdominal. Unluckily, at the very same time, the Large Intestine may struggle with sluggish elimination, making it harder to move out the yucky stuff our body produced in this battle. Supporting these systems through food, breath, and gentle rhythm helps your body adapt to change, strengthen immunity, and create a sense of internal spaciousness for the months ahead.

Don’t forget that acupuncture works wonders for seasonal tune-ups. And herbal medicine for fall aches and pains, allergies, immune health and the gut are very popular reasons to come in to the office right now. Make your appointment (text or talk) at 414-379-3726 or email in the links or at connect@hundredgrasses.com

And now, make space for recipes!

Roasted Autumn Vegetables with Warming Spices

(Supports the Lung’s moistening and the Large Intestine’s clearing functions)

Ingredients

• 1 small kabocha or butternut squash (about 2 lb), peeled & cubed

• 2 medium carrots, cut into chunks

• 1 fennel bulb, sliced

• 1 small red onion, cut into wedges

• 2 Tbsp olive or sesame oil

• 1 tsp grated fresh ginger

• ½ tsp ground cumin

• ¼ tsp white pepper

• 1 Tbsp toasted sesame or pumpkin seeds

• Optional: drizzle of manuka honey

Directions
Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss all vegetables with oil and spices. Roast 25–30 minutes, until tender and caramelized. Finish with honey and seeds.
TCM note: Warming spices like ginger and cumin promote healthy Qi movement and aid the Large Intestine’s “letting go,” while sweet orange vegetables moisten and strengthen the Lungs.

Autumn Immunity Tea

(Supports Lung Qi and guards against seasonal dryness and cold)

Ingredients

• 1½ cups (filtered? if you want) water

• 1 inch slice fresh ginger

• 1 cinnamon stick

• 1 dried or fresh asian pear slice

• 1 Tbsp goji berries (optional)

• 1 tsp honey to taste

• 1 lemon slice (optional)

Directions
Simmer ginger and cinnamon in water for 10 minutes. Add pear and goji berries, simmer 3 more minutes, then strain. Sweeten with honey.
TCM note: Ginger and cinnamon warm and protect; pear and honey moisten the Lungs; goji nourishes yin and blood.

And hey, the annual sale is coming up in November. So keep an eye out!