September: The Month of Transition
Essence Acupuncture Wellness Blog
September: The Month of Transition
Acupuncture & Traditional Chinese Medicine in Corning, NY
Serving the Southern Tier & Twin Tiers
There is something uniquely beautiful about September.
It is a month that asks us to slow down just enough to notice that things are changing.
The mornings are beginning to feel cooler. The evenings arrive a little earlier. The light is slowly becoming softer, and with each passing day, we lose a few more minutes of summer sunlight. The gardens that have been overflowing with cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, and other summer abundance begin to shift toward the heartier offerings of the coming season.
And perhaps one of the most obvious signs of transition is happening all around us: the kids are going back to school.
Schedules change. Routines change. Bedtimes change. Our homes become a little busier again. Summer's more relaxed rhythm begins giving way to structure, responsibility, and routine.
September reminds us that transition is not something that happens to us. It is something we participate in.
A Season Between Seasons
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, September sits in an interesting place. We are moving out of Late Summer, associated with the Earth element, and gradually entering Autumn, associated with the Metal element.
We will welcome the Fall Equinox on September 22nd, marking an important point of balance between light and darkness. But nature doesn't suddenly change overnight on the equinox. We can feel the transition long before we reach that date.
This is an important lesson in itself.
Nature transitions gradually. So can we.
We don't need to wake up on September 22nd and completely change our routines, our diet, our exercise, or our mindset. Instead, September gives us an opportunity to begin gently shifting with the season.
We can start going to bed a little earlier.
We can begin choosing warmer meals.
We can spend more time moving our bodies intentionally.
We can allow ourselves to slow down.
We can begin creating more space for reflection and restoration.
These small adjustments help our bodies recognize that the season is changing and give us the opportunity to change with it.
Transitioning Through Food
One of the easiest ways to begin transitioning with the season is through our food.
During the height of summer, we naturally gravitate toward foods that are fresh, light, cooling, and full of water. Here in Upstate New York, our gardens and farmers' markets have been filled with cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, berries, and other summer produce.
As the weather begins to cool, our local landscape starts offering something different.
Apples, pears, grapes, figs, persimmons, pumpkins, squash, turnips, sweet potatoes, peas, carrots, garlic, onions, leeks, kale, mushrooms, and Brussels sprouts begin to take center stage.
These foods aren't simply delicious signs of autumn—they can also help us transition our nourishment toward the needs of the cooler season.
In TCM, digestion is closely connected to the health of the Spleen and Stomach, which are responsible for transforming the food and drink we consume into the Qi and Blood our bodies need.
As we discussed in last month's blog, supporting our digestive "fire" is an important part of maintaining our overall vitality.
And as the weather cools, the way we prepare our food matters too.
Rather than eating everything fresh and straight from the garden, we can begin transitioning toward foods that are:
•Steamed
•Stir fried
•Baked
•Roasted
•Stewed
•Sautéed
Prepared into nourishing soups and broths
Think of this as gently shifting from the foods of summer toward the foods of autumn.
•A roasted root vegetable dish.
•A warm bowl of soup.
•Baked apples with warming spices.
•A hearty stew filled with seasonal vegetables.
These preparations can be easier on digestion and provide a gentle source of warmth as the external environment begins to cool.
Supporting Your Digestive Fire Supports Your Immune System
This seasonal transition is especially important as we enter the school year.
In TCM, the strength of our digestive system plays an important role in our ability to create Qi. Strong Qi supports the body's ability to maintain resilience and protect us from external influences.
As we move into cooler weather—and as children return to classrooms and we find ourselves in closer contact with one another—it becomes especially important to support the body's natural defenses.
This doesn't mean that a bowl of soup will prevent every cold or that food is a replacement for appropriate medical care. Rather, it is about creating a foundation of nourishment that supports the body's ability to do what it is designed to do.
Warm, nourishing foods can be one small but meaningful part of that foundation.
Preparing the Lungs for Autumn
As we move closer to Autumn, we also begin entering the season associated with the Lung system in Traditional Chinese Medicine, the metal element.
The Lung is considered particularly vulnerable during this seasonal transition. It governs our relationship with the outside world through respiration and is closely associated with the body's protective Qi, or Wei Qi.
This is one reason September can be such an important time to begin thinking about respiratory and immune health.
And again, nature gives us clues.
The air becomes cooler.
The days become shorter.
We spend more time indoors.
Children return to school.
Our routines become fuller.
All of these changes can affect how we feel physically and emotionally.
Rather than waiting until we're already feeling run down, September gives us an opportunity to begin supporting ourselves proactively.
Supporting the Lungs Through Seasonal Transition
As we move toward Autumn, supporting the Lung system doesn't have to mean waiting until the first cold or cough arrives. There are simple ways we can begin caring for our respiratory system and our body's natural defenses now.
Keep the Neck and Upper Back Protected
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, we often talk about protecting the body from Wind, particularly during seasonal transitions. The area around the back of the neck is especially important because it is traditionally considered an entry point through which external influences can affect the body.
You may have heard your acupuncturist refer to this area as the "Wind Gate."
This is one reason you will often see me recommend something as simple as wearing a scarf or keeping the neck and upper back covered when the weather becomes cool and windy.
It may seem like a small thing, but it is a beautiful example of working with the season rather than against it.
As the temperatures begin to fluctuate, keep a light scarf, jacket, or sweater nearby—especially during those cool September mornings and evenings when the temperature can change significantly throughout the day.
Nourish Your Immune System
There is also a place for nutritional support during this seasonal transition.
Vitamin C and zinc are both important nutrients involved in normal immune function. Vitamin C is an antioxidant and plays an important role in immune function, while zinc is involved in numerous aspects of cellular metabolism and supports normal immune function.
For most people, the first place to look is food.
The beautiful thing about seasonal eating is that many of the foods appearing in our gardens and farmers' markets right now naturally provide these nutrients. Peppers, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, fruits, and other colorful produce can contribute vitamin C, while foods such as meat, seafood, eggs, beans, nuts, and seeds can provide zinc.
Supplementation may be appropriate for some individuals, particularly when dietary intake is inadequate, but more is not necessarily better. High doses of supplements can have downsides, and individual needs vary. If you are considering adding vitamin C, zinc, or other supplements to your routine, it is always a good idea to discuss them with your healthcare provider.
Don't Forget Your Healthy Fats
Omega-3 fatty acids are another nutrient worth considering as part of an overall approach to wellness.
Omega-3s, particularly EPA and DHA, are important components of cell membranes and are involved in signaling throughout the body, including the immune and pulmonary systems. They are found naturally in foods such as fatty fish, while ALA is found in foods such as flaxseed, chia seeds, and certain plant oils.
Rather than thinking of omega-3s as something we take specifically to "boost" the immune system, I prefer to think of them as supporting the body's normal inflammatory and immune processes as part of an overall nourishing diet.
Breathe, Move, Rest
Supporting the Lungs isn't only about what we eat or what supplements we take.
It is also about how we live.
Take time to breathe deeply.
Spend time outside when the weather allows.
Keep your body moving with walking, stretching, or other forms of enjoyable movement.
And as the days become shorter, begin allowing yourself to go to bed a little earlier.
Sleep is one of the most important ways we support the body's ability to maintain healthy immune function. September is a wonderful time to begin transitioning toward an earlier evening routine before the demands of the season fully settle in.
The goal isn't to create a perfect wellness routine.
It is simply to begin making small adjustments that tell your body:
"I see that the season is changing, and I'm ready to change with it."
Transition Happens in the Mind and Spirit, Too
Seasonal transition isn't only physical.
It can also bring an emotional transition.
For some people, September feels energizing. There is excitement around a new school year, new routines, and a fresh start.
For others, it can feel overwhelming.
The slower pace of summer comes to an end. Calendars fill up. Expectations increase. There may be a sense that there is suddenly more to do and less time to simply be.
This is where we can learn from nature.
The trees don't resist the changing season.
The gardens don't try to remain in summer indefinitely.
Nature simply responds to what is happening around it.
Perhaps we can practice doing the same.
Instead of asking, "How do I hold on to summer?" we might ask:
"What does this next season need from me?"
Maybe it is more rest.
Maybe it is more structure.
Maybe it is nourishment.
Maybe it is letting go of something that no longer serves us.
Maybe it is simply allowing ourselves to move at a slightly slower pace.
Let September Be a Gentle Transition
September doesn't ask us to completely change.
It simply invites us to begin transitioning.
Transition our meals.
Transition our routines.
Transition our sleep.
Transition our movement.
Transition the way we care for our immune system.
And perhaps most importantly, transition our mindset.
We can honor what summer gave us while beginning to welcome what autumn has to offer.
There is wisdom in allowing ourselves to change with the seasons.
So as September unfolds, take a moment to notice what is changing around you—and then ask yourself:
What small change can I make to support my body, mind, and spirit as I transition into this next season?
Maybe it is a warm bowl of soup.
Maybe it is an earlier bedtime.
Maybe it is a walk outside.
Maybe it is five quiet minutes to breathe.
Maybe it is simply giving yourself permission to slow down.
You don't have to make a dramatic change.
You just have to begin moving with the season.
Welcome, September.
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