Autumn equinox

Today is the Autumn Equinox, a time of equal light and dark, and we are asked to ponder what is feeling balanced in our lives and what could use more balance.

It’s a transition time for our bodies too. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the season of Autumn corresponds to the spleen. The spleen plays important roles in digestion, absorption and assimilation of nutrients, the immune system, and lymphatic system. It’s important to support the spleen during this time when colder weather creeps in and the days are getting shorter. Here are some ways to do so:

1. Eat root vegetables and squash including carrots, parsnips, beets, sweet potatoes, rutabagas, pumpkin, butternut squash, spaghetti squash, etc.

2. Add in more dishes with legumes like garbanzo beans, kidney beans, lentils, and black beans.

3. Eat mostly warm foods. Soups and stews are good.
Incorporate warming spices into your cooking including ginger, cinnamon, cardamon, and turmeric.

4. Avoid cold drinks.

5. Chew your food slowly, thoroughly, and mindfully.

6. Slow down the pace of your daily life. Take breaks from physical work and mental work.

7. Consider the following herbs for spleen support with the guidance from an herbalist: licorice root, astragalus, ginseng, codonopsis, Chinese yam, dandelion, red root, barberry.

Autumn Equinox Blessings!