In a Fall Coloured by Grief, Please Take Care of Your Lungs

On the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation my young son and I joined hundreds of other folks in assembling at the Healing Totem in Whitehorse and then marching to the fire pit at the Kwanlin Dun Cultural Centre, where a number of survivors and representatives of the Warrior Walkers spoke.​​That powerful event brought to mind the immense grief that so many have experienced this year. Survivors of residential schools across Canada have long recounted stories of classmates having disappeared without explanation and spoken of unmarked graves at the schools, but the full weight of grief and anger only became more generalized across the country starting in May of this year. That was when ground-penetrating radar identified the remains of 200 children at the site of the Kamloops Indian Residential School. The tiny bones of hundreds more have since been identified and will no doubt continue to be discovered at other sites.

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Grief and anger over the long unacknowledged loss of so many young and innocent lives has been piled onto the sadness and complex emotions being experienced by Canadians struggling through the second year of the Covid-19 pandemic. There too, there have been so many lives lost, as well as hopes dashed of emerging soon from the pandemic , forced distance from friends and loved ones and the disruption of daily life through lockdowns and other restrictions. The pandemic has also put immense strain on families and relationships. Many have had to endure heartbreak on top of everything else that has happened this year.

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In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the seasons correspond to organs in the body. Fall is the time of the Lung and the Large Intestine and it is important to take particular care of those organs during the autumn months. Extensive grieving can harm the Lung and Large Intestine meridians (energy paths in the body), so this Fall we may be particularly prone to imbalances and illnesses in those organs.
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​Symptoms of imbalance in the Lung and Large Intestine meridians could include the recent onset of shortness of breath, dry skin and hair, fatigue, a weak or deep cough, skin breakouts, diarrhea, constipation, excess or insufficient sweating and congestion with mucous in the head or chest.
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If you suffer from any of those symptoms, it would be good to get assessed for an imbalance in the Lung and/or Large Intestine meridians. Acupuncture can probably help.

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​Food choices can also support the Lung and Large Intestine this Fall. Root vegetables like yams, potatoes, carrots, onions, parsnips, turnips, garlic and ginger are seasonal and great to eat this time of year, particularly if they are roasted or baked. 

Sage tea is an excellent seasonal drink for lung health.
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​Pears and honey are also very healthy for both the Lungs and the Large Intestine. This recipe for steamed pears with honey is a great tonic for a sore throat, congestion in the lungs, constipation and discomfort in the  large intestine as well as dry skin. Asian pears or varieties like Bosc or Bartlett can be used.

Stay healthy!