HEALTH & Well Being | Sept -Oct

Things I've Learned

Traditional Chinese Medicine

I think I listened to a podcast or something that talked about traditional Chinese Medicine and I was intrigued! So here's a few things I learned from various internet searches. 

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the year is divided into five seasons, including a fifth season that's considered a season within a season: spring, summer, late summer, autumn, and winter.

Each season has its own unique energy and characteristics that can influence our body, mind, and spirit. TCM also recognizes five elements that correspond to the seasons:

  1. Wood: Represents spring
  2. Fire: Represents summer
  3. Earth: Represents the period between seasons (Indian summer)
  4. Metal: Represents autumn
  5. Water: Represents winter
Late summer is a time of transition when the body shifts from the yang energy of spring and summer to the yin energy of fall and winter. It's a time to slow down, cool down, and reflect. The earth element is the focus during late summer, and it's related to the digestive system.

Some say that tuning into these changes and aligning with the seasons can help increase health and overall well-being.
Autumn

Things begin to fall and mature in autumn. TCM believes that autumn correlates with the lung system which dominates the skin, respiration, body fluids metabolism, blood circulation, immunity and melancholy emotion. Since the vigorous summer is over, TCM holds that everything needs to turn inwards to prepare for the harsh winter. The dry weather usually causes an itchy throat, a dry nose, chapped lips, rough skin, hair loss and dry stools. We need to eat to promote the production of body fluids and their lubricating effects throughout the body. Beneficial foods for this are lily bulb, white fungus, nuts or seeds, pear, lotus root, pumpkin, honey, soy milk and dairy products. It is advisable to eat more food with sour flavors and reduce pungent flavors as such things like onion, ginger and peppers because they tend to induce perspiration, while sour foods like pineapple, green apple, grapefruit and lemon have astringent properties and thus prevent the loss of body fluids. The body needs extra fluids to counteract the dry environment.

Website


Things I've Implemented

Gratitude Journal 

I consistently kept a gratitude journal for the whole month of September. I had a notebook on my work desk. Every day I would come into work and start my day by writing down one thing I'm grateful for. If I was starting my day off poorly, I would say a little prayer in my heart asking Heavenly Father to help me recognize the miracles and blessings in my life. I tried not to repeat the same things, which was sometimes hard. 

What I noticed is that I was happier. It helped me to stay focused on the things that matter most!




Journal 

9/29 - It's Sunday and I'm ready to get back on track. Let's get it!

9/25 - Menstruation Phase

So weird. My period started three days ago. 
Sat - spotting, felt like staying home and just resting (which I did, thank goodness!)
Sun - still spotting, starting to feel cramps
Mon - okaaa...the red sea. It was like my body decided to fast track my period. I stayed home from work and spent my day in bed, in the shower, and on the toilet.
Tues - lighter, like a normal period
Wed - spotting

I wanted to rededicate my self to exercise this week but I felt so weak. It's Wednesday now and I feel like I can handle a light walk or low impact movement. 

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