September is one of my favorite times of year. The days are still warm, the evenings begin to cool down, and we start to see the first signs that autumn is on its way.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, these seasonal transitions are important. Rather than thinking about our health in exactly the same way throughout the year, Chinese medicine encourages us to notice what is happening in nature and consider how our bodies may be responding to those same changes.
As we move into autumn, we enter the season associated with the Metal element, the Lungs and Large Intestine, and the process of letting go.
It is also a time when many people begin coming into my Evanston acupuncture practice with seasonal allergies, sinus congestion, headaches, fatigue, respiratory complaints, stress, and lingering symptoms after an illness.
Autumn and the Metal Element
Traditional Chinese Medicine's Five Element system associates each season with different organs, emotions, climates, and functions of the body.
Autumn corresponds with the Metal element and is associated particularly with the Lung system.
From a Chinese medicine perspective, the Lungs have functions that go beyond breathing. They are traditionally connected with the body's relationship to the outside environment, the skin, the nose, and what Chinese medicine describes as Wei Qi—the body's protective Qi.
This is one reason autumn has traditionally been viewed as an important time to strengthen and prepare the body for the colder months ahead.
Why Do Seasonal Allergies Flare in the Fall?
If September brings itchy eyes, sneezing, sinus pressure, congestion, or headaches, you're certainly not alone.
Fall allergens such as ragweed can trigger symptoms in people who have seasonal allergies, while changes in temperature and humidity can add another challenge for sensitive respiratory systems.
In my practice, I don't approach every person with allergies in exactly the same way. Two people can walk in with very similar Western medical diagnoses but present very differently from a Traditional Chinese Medicine perspective.
One person may primarily struggle with congestion and headaches. Another may have itchy, watery eyes and sneezing. Someone else may experience allergies alongside fatigue, digestive problems, poor sleep, or stress.
Acupuncture treatments are individualized based on the person sitting in front of me—not simply the name of the condition.
What About Immunity?
One of my favorite concepts in Chinese medicine is prevention.
Historically, Chinese medicine has placed great emphasis on maintaining health rather than waiting until illness becomes severe.
As we head into cold and flu season, this can be a good time to look at the basics: Are you sleeping well? Are you eating regularly? Are you chronically stressed? Are you giving yourself enough time to recover when you're sick?
Acupuncture can be incorporated into a broader wellness routine alongside appropriate medical care, adequate sleep, movement, nutrition, stress management, and other healthy habits.
I often tell patients that they don't have to wait until they're feeling terrible to come in for treatment.
Lingering Symptoms After an Illness
Another group of patients I see are people who tell me, "I got sick months ago, but I've never really felt like myself again."
They may be experiencing fatigue, brain fog, headaches, digestive changes, disrupted sleep, respiratory symptoms, or simply a feeling that their energy hasn't returned to its previous baseline.
This can occur following many illnesses, and persistent symptoms deserve appropriate medical evaluation. Long COVID in particular can be complex and can affect multiple systems of the body.
Acupuncture isn't a replacement for medical evaluation or treatment for Long COVID or other persistent post-viral conditions. However, some people choose to include acupuncture as part of a broader, individualized approach to managing symptoms and supporting their overall well-being during recovery.
One of the strengths of Chinese medicine is that we can look at the entire pattern rather than treating every symptom as though it exists in isolation.
Eating with the Season
You don't need to completely change your diet simply because the calendar says September.
Instead, think of seasonal eating as a gradual transition.
As the weather cools, you may naturally find yourself wanting fewer icy drinks and cold meals and more cooked, warming, nourishing foods.
September is a wonderful time to visit our local farmers markets around Evanston and look for foods such as:
Apples
Pears
Greens
Squash
Root vegetables
Pears have a particularly interesting place in traditional Chinese dietary therapy because they have historically been associated with the Lungs and with moistening dryness.
The larger idea is simple: pay attention to what's growing around you and allow your meals to evolve as the season changes.
Autumn Is Also About Letting Go
The Metal element isn't only about the physical body.
In Five Element theory, autumn is associated with grief and letting go.
There's something beautifully symbolic about that. Trees don't fight to hold onto every leaf. Nature begins drawing inward and releasing what it no longer needs.
For us, autumn can be an opportunity to ask:
What am I ready to let go of?
What do I want to carry with me into the final months of the year?
Where could I create a little more space?
You don't necessarily need an answer. Sometimes simply asking the question is enough.
September Acupuncture Special for Returning Patients
If you've been thinking about getting back to acupuncture, this is a great time to return.
September Special:
Buy 3 follow-up acupuncture sessions and receive your 4th session FREE.
This offer is available to returning patients through September 30.
Whether you're dealing with seasonal allergies, headaches, stress, difficulty sleeping, fatigue, pain, or simply want to get back into a regular wellness routine, I'd be happy to see you. Book Your Acupuncture Appointment
Preparing for the Season Ahead
The transition into autumn doesn't have to mean waiting for allergy symptoms to become unbearable or for the first cold of the season to knock you down.
It can simply be a reminder to check in with yourself.
Get a little more sleep. Eat nourishing food. Spend some time outside while the weather is beautiful. Take care of the things you've been putting off.
And if acupuncture is part of the way you take care of yourself, September is a wonderful time to come back in.
Ready to get back to acupuncture? Book your next appointment online.
Wishing you a healthy, grounded, and beautiful beginning to fall.
Lisa Meyerson, L.Ac.
Lisa Meyerson Acupuncture
Evanston, Illinois
Lisa Meyerson
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