🌿 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 year, all things follow the pattern of spring growth, summer flourishing, autumn gathering, and winter storage. The classic "Four Qi Regulation of the Spirit" section of the "Huangdi Neijing" states: "In the three months of autumn, this is called 'harmonious maturity.' The sky grows sharp, the earth becomes bright; go to bed early and rise early, rising with the rooster; keep the mind calm, easing the severity of autumn; gather the spirit, allowing autumn’s clarity to prevail; do not let the mind wander outward, so the lung qi remains pure. This is the response to autumn’s energy, the way of gathering."
Its meaning is roughly: Autumn’s three months are the season of abundant harvest and prosperity. The weather is clear and dry, with strong winds and little rain. We should go to bed early and rise early, beginning work when roosters crow. Mentally, we should maintain tranquility, avoiding haste and agitation, keeping a peaceful heart to avoid the harshness of autumn. Since autumn calls for "gathering," one should also "gather" in terms of physical essence, spirit, and energy—not disperse as in summer. Only then does one align with autumn’s "harmonious maturity" and follow the way of gathering.
Early Bedtime and Early Rising to Gather Spirit and Energy
"In the three months of autumn... go to bed early and rise early, rising with the rooster." Going to bed early supports the storage of yin essence, nurturing the "gathering" energy. Rising early allows yang qi to expand, enabling lung qi to stretch. Morning air in autumn contains higher oxygen levels; elderly people should rise early to expel stale air and inhale fresh air. In autumn evenings, temperatures drop; elderly people should go to bed early to conserve spirit, helping internalize yin essence and maintain balance between yin and yang.
Clear and Moist Diet to Nourish Lung Yin
Autumn diet should follow the principle of "less pungent, more sour." Sour tastes collect and nourish the lungs; pungent tastes disperse and weaken the lungs. Since autumn favors gathering over dispersion, one should minimize consumption of pungent foods like scallions, ginger, garlic, leeks, and chili peppers. Instead, 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 lungs, bream, and dried scallops.
Emotional Calmness to Maintain Harmony
With decreasing daylight and falling foliage, autumn often evokes feelings of melancholy, sadness, and restlessness. Elderly people are especially prone to feelings of mortality. Hence the saying, "Autumn wind and rain trouble the heart." At this time, one should maintain mental serenity to adapt to autumn’s harmonious maturity. Elderly people should actively participate in feasible social activities and maintain a positive, optimistic mood.
Moderate Exercise to Gather Qi and Blood
During summer, the body’s qi and blood disperse outward; by autumn, they begin to gather inward. Thus, elderly people should avoid intense exercise in autumn. However, if one has been consistently exercising, there’s no need to rigidly reduce workout volume.
For middle-aged and elderly individuals, aerobic exercises are ideal—such as jogging, walking, hiking. Exercise should last more than half an hour. Also, proper cool-down exercises are essential, helping to gather qi and blood dispersed during exercise.
Although midday is hot and mornings/evenings are cool, while "dress warmly in spring, endure cold in autumn" applies generally, older people may not withstand cold. Thus, dress warmly upon waking in the morning; remove clothes as you warm up. Resting, wear outer garments to prevent catching colds. If planning to wash face with cold water or bathe in cold water in winter, start from the beginning of autumn, practicing 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, making heart disease and asthma more common. TCM holds that autumn is dominated by dryness. Lower temperatures and low humidity dry out the air, irritating the respiratory tract. Drinking adequate water helps maintain moisture in the respiratory mucosa. Excessive dryness becomes "dryness evil"—a pathogenic factor invading the lungs, primarily causing coughing. To prevent dryness evil, enhance lung resistance. Nourishing yin and moistening dryness is effective. Include foods like daylily, silver ear fungus, yam, sweet apricot kernels, white ginkgo nuts, monk fruit, honey, and rock sugar.