🌿 Folk Prescriptions

"Harmony between Heaven and Humanity" is one of the core tenets of TCM theory, emphasizing coordination and unity between humans and nature. Thus, human life activities must adapt to natural changes, and health preservation methods should also be adjusted according to seasons.
Autumn Should Gather, Not Disperse
TCM holds that throughout the four seasons, all things follow the pattern of spring birth, summer growth, autumn gathering, and winter storage. The classic text "The Yellow Emperor’s Inner Canon: Treatise on the Four Seasons and the Regulation of Spirit" states: "During the three months of autumn, this is called ‘harmonious balance.’ The sky grows sharp, the earth becomes bright; one should go to bed early and rise early, waking with roosters; keep the mind calm to ease the severity of autumn; gather the spirit and qi to match the autumn’s tranquility; avoid spreading one’s will outward, allowing lung qi to remain clear. This is the response to autumn’s energy, the way of gathering."
Its meaning is: Autumn’s three months are the season of abundant harvest and prosperity. The weather is clear, windy, and dry, with dry ground. We should go to bed early and rise early, beginning work when roosters crow. Mentally, we should maintain calmness, avoiding haste or agitation, keeping a peaceful mind to avoid the harshness of autumn. Since autumn calls for "gathering," one must also "gather" in terms of physical spirit and energy—not like summer, where energy disperses outward. Only then does it align with autumn’s “harmonious balance” and the proper way of gathering.
Early Sleep and Early Rise to Gather Spirit and Energy
"During the three months of autumn… go to bed early and rise early, waking with roosters." Going to bed early aligns with the collection of yin essence, nurturing the "gathering" energy. Rising early aligns with the extension of yang energy, allowing lung qi to expand. Morning air in autumn contains higher oxygen levels; elderly people should rise early to expel stale air and inhale fresh air. At night, autumn temperatures drop; elderly people should go to bed early to nourish the spirit, aiding internal storage of yin essence and maintaining balance between yin and yang.
Clear and Moistening Diet to Nourish Lung Yin
Autumn diet should follow the principle of "less pungent, more sour." Sour tastes collect and nourish the lung; pungent tastes disperse and weaken the lung. Since autumn favors gathering over dispersion, minimize intake of pungent foods like scallions, ginger, garlic, leeks, and chili. Increase intake of sour, sweet, and moist fruits and vegetables, such as pears, lemons, apples, olives, grapes, loquats, pomegranates, hawthorns, sugarcane, and plums. Prefer foods that are sweet, cold, and moist, such as lotus root, white radish, winter melon, duck meat, pork lung, bream, and dried shellfish.
Emotional Calmness to Maintain Harmonious Balance
With decreasing daylight in autumn and falling leaves, people often feel melancholy, sad, or irritable, especially the elderly, who may easily feel the approach of old age. Hence the saying, "Autumn wind and rain trouble the heart." At this time, one should maintain mental serenity to adapt to autumn’s harmonious balance. Elderly people should actively participate in feasible social activities and maintain a positive, optimistic mood.
Moderate Exercise to Gather Qi and Blood
In summer, the body’s qi and blood disperse outward; in autumn, they begin to gather inward. Thus, elderly people should avoid intense exercise in autumn. However, those accustomed to regular exercise need not rigidly reduce their activity level.
For middle-aged and elderly people, aerobic exercises are preferable, such as jogging, walking, hiking, etc. Exercise duration should exceed thirty minutes. Additionally, proper cool-down exercises are essential—they help gather qi and blood dispersed during exercise.
Although midday is hot and mornings/evenings are cool, while "spring-warmth, autumn-coolness" applies, older people may not tolerate "coolness" well. Thus, dress warmly upon leaving home in the morning; remove clothes when warmed up. Rest with an outer garment to prevent catching colds. If planning to wash face with cold water or take cold baths in winter, start from the beginning of autumn and practice daily without interruption. Once stopped, restarting becomes difficult.
Prevent Diseases and Avoid Autumn Dryness
Lower autumn temperatures cause skin vessel constriction, increasing strain on heart and lungs. Heart disease and asthma gradually emerge. TCM holds that autumn is dominated by "dryness," with lower temperatures and reduced air moisture. Dry, cold air easily irritates the respiratory tract. Drink adequate water to maintain mucosal hydration. Excessive dryness becomes "dryness pathogen." This pathogen invades the lungs, primarily causing coughing. To prevent dryness pathogen invasion, enhance lung resistance. Nourishing yin and moistening dryness is an effective method—consume more lilies, silver ear fungus, yam, sweet apricot kernels, white ginkgo nuts, monk fruit, honey, and rock sugar.