Supporting the Lungs as We Transition from Summer to Autumn

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), each season is associated with an organ system. As summer gives way to autumn, the Lungs become the dominant organ.

This seasonal transition is important because the Lungs are particularly sensitive to dryness. After the heat and activity of summer, the body can become slightly depleted of fluids. When autumn arrives with cooler, drier air, this can manifest as:

• Dry skin

• Dry cough or throat

• Fatigue

• Increased susceptibility to colds

• Sinus or respiratory sensitivity

From a Chinese medicine perspective, this is known as Autumn Dryness affecting the Lung system.

Supporting the Lungs during this seasonal change helps maintain immunity, healthy skin, and respiratory health.

Why the Lungs Are So Important in Chinese Medicine

In Chinese medicine, the Lungs are known as the “delicate organ.”

They play an essential role in:

• Governing Qi (energy)

• Controlling the skin and body hair

• Regulating fluids in the body

• Supporting the immune system (Wei Qi)

This is why skin issues, allergies, eczema, and dryness often relate to Lung health in Chinese medicine.

When the Lungs are nourished and hydrated, the body is better able to defend against seasonal illness and maintain healthy skin.

A Simple Lung-Supporting Tea for Early Autumn

A gentle way to support Lung health is through warming and moistening herbal teas.

This tea helps to nourish Yin, moisten dryness, and support respiratory health.

Lung Nourishing Autumn Tea

Ingredients

• 2–3 slices fresh pear

• 1 teaspoon goji berries

• 2 red dates (jujube), lightly crushed

• Small slice fresh ginger

• 300–400 ml hot water

Instructions

1. Place ingredients in a cup or teapot.

2. Add hot water.

3. Cover and steep for 10 minutes.

4. Drink warm.

You can drink this tea once daily during the seasonal transition.

Why These Ingredients Work

Pear
Pears are traditionally used in Chinese medicine to moisten the Lungs and relieve dryness.

Goji berries
Nourish Liver and Kidney Yin, helping replenish fluids after summer heat.

Red dates (Jujube)
Strengthen Qi and digestion, helping the body absorb nourishment.

Ginger
Supports digestion and circulation while balancing the cooling nature of pear.

Together, this tea gently supports Lung moisture while strengthening overall Qi.

Other Ways to Support the Lungs in Autumn

In addition to herbal tea, Chinese medicine recommends:

Eat moistening foods

Good seasonal foods include:

• Pears

• White fungus

• Honey

• Almonds

• Tofu

• Sesame seeds

Avoid excessive dryness

Limit:

• Excess coffee

• Alcohol

• Very spicy foods

• Dehydration

Support Lung Qi with breathing

Gentle breathing exercises, walking in nature, and mindful breathing help strengthen the Lung system.

When to Seek Personalised Chinese Medicine Care

If you experience ongoing symptoms such as:

• Persistent dry cough

• Recurrent colds

• Skin dryness or eczema

• Fatigue or breathlessness

A personalised consultation may help address the underlying imbalance.

Chinese medicine treatments may include:

• Acupuncture

• Herbal medicine

• Dietary therapy

• Lifestyle adjustments

These approaches aim to restore balance rather than simply suppress symptoms. If you would like personalised herbal advice or a consultation, telehealth appointments are available.

Gula Melaka Poached Pear

There’s nothing quite like comfort food as the colder months approach. Minimal effort and versatile, poached pears are great as a light and elegant dessert, or delicious with quinoa porridge to start the day.

To give the poached pears a deeper depth of flavour, try using Gula Melaka, a sweetener derived from coconut palm instead of caster sugar. It’s readily available in most Asian grocers or large supermarkets in solid or liquid form. Everyone’s palate is different, so have a play with the amount of sweetener until you find the perfect measure for you.

Ingredients

4 medium firm pears, peeled (leave stalks on)

Gula Melaka to taste (shaved from a block or liquid. Replace with coconut sugar if you’re unable to find Gula Melaka)

Star anise (1 large one, or 2 small ones)

Cinnamon stick (whole)

4-6 Cardamom pods

1 inch of fresh ginger (sliced)

Instructions

Place all ingredients in a pot and with water, ensuring that the pears are submerged entirely. Taste the poaching liquid and adjust with more Gula Melaka if required.

Bring the poaching liquid to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer (the bubbles should just be popping gently on the surface of the liquid). Poach for 1.5-2 hours, depending on the size of your pears. Pears are cooked once a knife spears through the thickest part easily.

Remove from poaching liquid and continue to reduce the liquid until it’s syrupy. Store the pears in the liquid until you’re ready to use them (they’ll store for up to a week, if you can stop yourself from finishing it in one sitting!).

Autumn series: About Grief and Letting Go & A Sweet Recipe

As the cool crisp air of autumn mornings and warm afternoons begin to be apparent, we will start to shift our diet, and prepare our body and mental state to help us transition into cooler temperature and shorter daylight days.  Adjusting to the ebb and flow of the changing season can be challenging to some as the body and mind find it difficult to cope, or a pleasant welcome for others. 

Autumn in Chinese medicine belongs to the organ of Lungs and Large Intestines.  The Lungs govern our respiratory function and circulate our ‘Wei Qi’ also known as immunity or defence Qi around the body.  Wei Qi helps our body to adjust and protect us from the changes in the external environment.  Those with poor or compromised immune function might be prone to getting cold and flu like symptoms, dry throat and skin, and excessive mucous production and congestion.  Other may start to see an increase in digestive problems especially with bowel movements leaning towards constipation and dry stools. 

The emotion associated with the Lungs is sadness and grief.  We may start to feel a sense of low moods and noticeable mild depression.  The paired organ of the Lung, the Large Intestines, function as an organ of elimination.  This may be a good time to release and let go of emotions, career or baggage that we hold on to that no longer serve our highest good.

As nature slowly contracts and moves inward and downwards, we will begin to introduce warm and pungent spices such as horse radish, cardamom, chili, white pepper and coriander into our diet.  We will also see more white coloured food available such as the onion, garlic, cabbage, leek, radish, daikon turnip, fresh ginger, apple and pear.  These warming and pungent spices, and white coloured food are a great way to boost the function of the Lungs, aid in circulating Wei qi around the body and disperse and eliminate the stuck energy of the organ.  Another way to help strengthen your Lung Qi is to practise deep breathing exercises daily for 5 minutes.  It is also a great way to help reduce stress which can easily compromise our Lung Qi/immune function.

Try this simple autumn recipe by Gloria Chan @mgtestkitchen incorporating seasonal produce to help boost your Lung Qi – Enjoy!