Late Summer & Traditional Chinese Medicine

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is the ancient wellness system based on concepts of living in harmony with our environment through food and herbs, bodywork, movement and lifestyle choices. Each season represents a shift in locally grown available foods, weather changes, and bodily responses. Common seasonal health issues such as colds, allergies and flu are often related to being out of balance with our shifting surroundings. 

TCM recognizes an additional fifth season called Late Summer, focusing on the shift from long, dry, hot days, to cooler mornings and evenings with fewer daylight hours and more humidity. Late Summer starts around mid-August and ends at the fall equinox, September 22nd. This is the time to begin to slow down from the busy long days of summer, readying our bodies for the cooler, windy and dryer weather of fall. 

Digestion & Late Summer

In TCM, each season relates to one of the five elements and Late Summer is the Earth season. Earth season focuses on moving from the active Yang energy Fire season of summer to the transitional period of harvesting, ripening and turning inward and moving into the quieter Yin energy Metal season of Autumn. The Earth element is known as the center of the five elements, supporting and nurturing each element, as well as the transformation from one element to the next. 

In TCM, each element also corresponds to an organ system. For our bodies, the Earth element represents the digestive system with the TCM Spleen (different from the anatomical spleen) and Stomach organs. The TCM Spleen and Stomach are responsible for taking the nutrition from food and transforming it into energy and nourishment, as well as supporting muscles and flesh, and holding organs in place. In the body, a healthy Earth element will have strong digestion, grounded energy, clear thinking with few worries and a stable emotional state. 

Avoiding Dampness in Late Summer

In TCM, Dampness is a pattern that is commonly seen in Late Summer, manifesting physically with a heavy body, fatigue, poor sleep, bloating, loose stools, swelling or joint pain. Dampness is often caused by overeating certain foods such as cold or raw foods like salads, greasy or heavy meals, drinking too much alcohol, and eating too many sweets. Skipping meals, lack of movement and stress can also make things worse. 

Mental dampness is also a common occurrence in our modern world. It’s important to avoid overstimulation from phones, social media and news outlets. Not only can these cause excessive thinking, worry and anxiety, but they also drain our energy and cause a mental congestion of our thoughts and emotions manifesting as brain fog, poor memory or depression. 

Maintaining Health During Late Summer

To strengthen our Earth element and TCM Spleen and Stomach, we focus on eating foods that strengthen digestion, give us long lasting energy and provide a clear mind. The color of the Earth element is yellow and the flavor is mildly sweet. Incorporating warm, cooked fruits and vegetables, such as sweet potatoes, pumpkins, peaches, squash, corn and carrots, into your Late Summer meals will help to strengthen the immune system for the coming season. The TCM Spleen and Stomach also thrive on eating meals on a regular schedule and avoiding skipping meals.

Movement, introspection and grounding are also important for a healthy Earth element. Gentle stretching such as yoga, Tai Chi or Qi Gong can improve circulation, clear lymphatic congestion and moisten muscles and joints. Meditation and journaling can provide an outlet for maintaining a clear mind, free of excessive worry and anxiety. Grounding practices like deep breathing and spending time in nature help us to connect to the seasonal changes within our bodies and our environment.

How Acupuncture & Traditional Chinese Medicine can Support You through Late Summer

Acupuncture works with your body to support you wherever you are on your wellness path. Whether you’re looking for relief from damp symptoms, wanting to strengthen your immune system or feeling an energy or emotional dip during the shift in seasons, Acupuncture and TCM can provide a personalized and holistic way to balance your body. We focus on strengthening the Spleen by choosing points that help to improve the energy of your digestion, boost your immune response, clear out dampness and balance emotions.

We also recommend adding Spleen boosting foods to your diet to encourage better digestion and immune system strengthening. Check out our recipes below for some inspiration!