Have you noticed that your eczema begins to get worse in the Fall? You may understand this as related to the changing season, particularly the air becoming drier or the reduction of sun exposure. Each of our bodies is different but I’ve noticed this general trend with skin conditions.
The Skin, the Lung, and Chinese Medicine
In Chinese Medicine, it’s been observed for thousands of years that certain organ systems in the body are more vulnerable during certain times of year. Historically, the average one of us was much more influenced by the natural world around us and affected by the seasonal changes. Nowadays we’ve been able to control our living environments with manufactured building materials, temperature regulation, plumbing, refrigeration, etc. Many of us work all day indoors, move shortly through the outside to our cars and then drive to our homes to spend the evening. This may be even more the case with the approaching cooler season. Some of us do spend most of the day amongst the elements, more exposed to the conditions of nature. Whether you work indoors or outdoors, garden during the summer months or not, the changing seasonal air we breathe and feel on our skin will influence our bodies.
The Lung system for the ancient Chinese was known to be vulnerable in the Fall time. It still is, we haven’t changed that much. Many of us get our common colds in the transition from Summer to Fall, which may affect the respiratory system. To avoid this, it’s a good time to keep warm and to be extra careful not to overextend yourself, keeping your immune system strong. The Lung system includes, not just the physical lungs, but another part of us involved with eliminating waste products, the skin. Because they are physically different structures, we don’t necessarily think of the lungs and the skin as related in Western Medicine, but in other ways of looking at the body they are part of the same system. And excessive dryness is a particular element that can be hard on the Lung. Not only may your asthma be more noticeable in the Fall, if you have a pre-existing skin condition, but the beginning of Fall time may also be an aggravating time for you. Addressing it at the end of the Summer is ideal, from the view of the Chinese medical practitioner. This would mean using acupuncture, taking certain herbs, and eating certain foods during this time of year.
Certain Foods May Help
The above description relating the skin within the Lung system is a bit simplified, generalized, and maybe a little confusing. Seeking more individual guidance from an acupuncturist may be preferred, but for some general, at-home advice from this perspective, here are some nutrition thoughts. Eating hot foods can produce more heat and dryness in the body, which could aggravate skin conditions. Hot foods are considered spicy or deep-fried, alcohol, onions, ginger, garlic, chives, shellfish, and lamb. Eat more cooling foods, like celery, cucumber, spinach, carrots, green tea, peppermint tea, eggplant, lemon, and pear. It’s not necessarily the temperature of the food that affects whether it has a warming or cooling nature, so these cooling foods can be made into soup or stew.
Integrative Treatment
I don’t mean to discount seeking care from your dermatologist, because I’ve seen that the combination of therapies can sometimes be even more effective than the individual care provided. I personally have clinically found that skin conditions can be stubborn. These nutritional suggestions will be helpful for people who generally have dry skin, though I will commonly prescribe an herbal formula for several months for more chronic or severe conditions. By considering these foods and taking it easy over these next few weeks with the change of season, you may find some noticeable change in the health of your skin. I surely welcome you to contact me or another practitioner of Chinese Medicine in order to learn more about integrating this other medical perspective for your skincare.
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