Autumn is such a beautiful and precious time of year. The beautiful golden and rust color of the leaves, the coolness in the air, all as Mother Nature does her magic and guides us into our next season. We tend to do best health wise when we follow the cycles and seasons. Some of how to live in harmony with autumn is right before our very eyes. The trees are cleansing themselves as the leaves fall, and our foraging friends are getting ready for winter.
From an Asian Medicine standpoint, autumn and spring are the best seasons to cleanse. This in part is because the weather is not at either extreme, and is easier on our bodies. In spring time, the organ energies that dominate are the liver and gallbladder. In the fall time, it is the lungs and large intestines.
Some ways that you can live in harmony with autumn is to look around your home and get rid of the things that you don’t use or like. You may have been doing this naturally already. Clearing out your space, is much like what the large intestines does. Clean it up, move it out!
If you would like to do a cleanse, I suggest doing one when you have consecutive days off, like a weekend if you don’t work then. Cleansing takes energy from your body, so it is best to make certain that it is done in a time and space where you do not have to exert lots of energy.
Start off the day with oil pulling, rinse your mouth thoroughly and then drink 2 cups of warm water before eating anything else for the day. Only eat fresh whole foods, emphasizing vegetables and fruits. Incorporate some bit of protein, (organic seeds and nuts), as that helps the cleansing process. Also, it is important to stay very hydrated. Drinking plenty of water helps toxins and potential toxins leave the body more easily. It also gives you more room to breathe, which is really great for your lungs. Enjoy!
Love being a woman,
Dr. Danett