Grief, Immunity, And The Season Of The Lungs

As the seasons change, so do our bodies and our elemental nature. In the fall our bodies’ needs turn toward immune boosting to prepare us for winter and a turning inward with a quieting of the spirit.

If we take notice of nature and its cycles, we recognize the microcosm of changing seasons within ourselves and we can live more mindfully and peacefully knowing that the seasons will change and our physical and mental health will change, too. I have worked with hundreds of clients affected by seasonal illness who were unaware of the link between their emotional health and the manifestation of their physical symptoms. Thankfully, they sought treatment at Acupuncture by Andrea and I have been able to help them manage their emotions and regain their physical health.

The Role of the Lungs

In Chinese medicine, the lungs are connected to the nose, the skin, the body hair and the system partner of the lungs, the large intestine. The lungs and the large intestine work together in aspects of release— the breath is deeply involved in the act of bowel elimination. Release through these organs also affects the immune system where the discharge of toxins like carbon dioxide by the lungs and the removal of waste through the large intestine cleanse the system and boost immunity. Getting rid of waste lightens the immune system and prepares it for the impact of winter and the potential for fighting off illness.

A Season of Movement

Why is the release of waste so important and why is it associated with fall? Both spring and fall are pivotal seasons having the characteristics of movement. They are in between the two fixed seasons of summer and winter with their extremes of temperature and growth and death of living cycles. Summer and winter are the yang of yang and yin of yin respectively.

Spring and fall are transitional seasons leading change and movement. Lung qi in the fall is the inner consolidation or gathering of strength through release. Our bodies, and nature in general, don’t want the burden of storing negative emotions and excess amounts of waste before the long, dormant, fixed season of winter. The simultaneous bringing in of energy and releasing of energy mimics our breathing, the main responsibility of the lungs—in and out, hold and expel, release and move.

Grief—The release of Sadness

Acupuncture points in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), while having practical, physical applications, also are used for healing emotional and spiritual aspects of our health. Fall and the lung emotion are about grief and letting go. The deep breathing and release of the lungs helps to relieve the tightness and heaviness in the chest related to grief. Acupuncture treatment will dissipate grief and sadness through focus on meridians associated with fall and the lung points.

The words inspiration and aspiration are both related to the lungs and both contain the root word “spirit”. Our spirit—however you might define it—is believed by many cultures to be housed in the chest, the home of the lungs. When our spirit is heavy due to grief and sadness, our chest feels physically heavy. We remedy this physical weight through crying with deep emphatic breathing, helping to release our pain and soothe our spirit. Eventually, the weight lifts from our chest and our mind, leaving us feeling lighter.

Lung Illness

If we don’t release our grief but instead hold on to it for long periods of time, it becomes stuck, constricting our breathing and our chest. Eventually this affects the heart—emotionally and physically.

Lung and grief-related health problems I treat in the fall include:  

·      Skin issues—Skin is the body’s largest organ and it is responsible for controlling and regulating bodily fluids. Lung qi descends downward, moving water into the other organ systems. If lung health is compromised, we may see edema, a pale white complexion or dry skin occurring. Patients may complain of excessive sweating, or lack of sweating

·      Hair Health—If lung qi is weak, the protective qi fails to moisten the body hair and skin, causing it to become brittle.

·      Respiratory Illness—Allergies, colds and flu are signs the lung and metal element are in need of harmonizing. Asthma and breathing issues are directly related to lung health.

·      Muscle Spasms and Body Aches—when the body is in a weakened state, bacteria or viruses may invade and cause an inflammatory response with painful, aching muscles.

Treatments to Move and Release

Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture treat holistically. I often see patients who present with extreme emotional pain that has resulted in physical health issues, and they are unaware of the relationship between the two. A patient may have gotten divorced and thought they had grieved and put it behind them. Another patient may have finally received a job offer after months of unemployment, and they assume their health decline is due to the stress of a new job. I believe the months of repressed anxiety and depression could have resulted in a physical illness. The goal of a treatment at Acupuncture by Andrea is to relieve both your physical and emotional symptoms through acupuncture, herbal medicine, bodywork and counseling.

Treatments for these issues are generally best before the issues start. If you want to boost your immune system and avoid sickness, acupuncture and herbal medicine are key. If issues are chronic like grief, they can take longer to surface and require more treatment time. A complaint that involves direct function of the lung such as excess phlegm might require only a few visits and herbs to remedy.

After a treatment, not only will you boost your immune system, but you may lose weight and feel less bloated. When we treat skin problems that resulted from lung issues, we will diminish or demonstrably reduce allergy symptoms.

Herbal formulas prescribed in the fall tend to contain herbs that boost the immune system. They reinforce or strengthen the body’s energy and vitality by clearing it of excess waste, phlegm, parasites, and excess fluids.

Have you gone through a period of grief and issues of lung health?  Did you seek acupuncture treatment and find relief? Leave a comment below and let us know about your experience with the season of the lungs and grief.

This article is the second in a series of five I will be sharing with you on the efficacy of Chinese medicine in treating emotional disharmony. Learn more about seasonal emotional health in Winter and Spring.