Nourishing the Lungs: Breath, Sadness, and Defence
How Breath, Emotion, And Immunity Intertwine Through The Lung System In Traditional Chinese Medicine.
This post is Part 3 of a 6-part Autumn Health series rooted in Chinese Medicine.
(We recommend starting with the Five Elements Series for deeper context if you haven't yet.)
The Spirit of Autumn: Breath, Harvest, and the Season of Letting Go
Nourishing the Lungs: Breath, Sadness, and Defence (you are here)
Fall Foods and Gentle Transitions in the Kitchen (coming soon)
Menstrual Cycles, Perimenopause, and the Power of Letting Go (coming soon)
Feeling It All: The Metal Element and the Corporeal Soul in Autumn (coming soon)
The lungs are delicate, sensitive, and deeply tied to the emotional and physical transitions of Fall. As the air dries and the season turns, many of us find ourselves catching colds, feeling more vulnerable, or experiencing old sadness rising to the surface. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the lungs are more than just respiratory, they’re guardians of the boundary between inside and outside, both physically and emotionally. This post explores the seasonal care of the lungs, including immune support, breathwork, and the subtle ties between grief, dryness, and defence.
The Lungs as Our Delicate Shield: Immunity and Fall Transitions
Ever wonder why it’s so easy to catch a cold in the Fall? In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), autumn is governed by the Metal element and associated with the Lungs, our first line of defence. As airborne pathogens enter through the nose and mouth, the Lungs are the organs most directly exposed and tasked with shielding us.
In TCM, the Lungs help distribute our immune strength throughout the body. Weak Lung function, regardless of how your breathing looks, can mean diminished resistance to environmental stressors like wind, cold, or even pollen.
Immune Support, Breath Quality, and Skin Health
The lungs are also connected to the skin, which in Chinese Medicine is viewed as the body’s outermost shield, your interface with the world. Healthy Lung energy helps nourish the skin and maintain this protective boundary.
Deep, conscious breathing supports circulation of both energy and fluids, similar to, but more holistic than the lymphatic system. When we breathe deeply into the belly and lungs, we’re not just oxygenating. We’re nourishing and defending.
Sadness and the Breath
Sadness makes the breath shallow. And shallow breath can trap us in cycles of grief. This is one of the quiet truths of the Metal element: emotion and breath are deeply intertwined.
To inhale fully, we must first exhale. Creating emotional space begins with physical space and breathing is the bridge.
Grief and the Lungs
It’s no surprise that in times of grief, our posture collapses and our breath shortens. The lungs physically contract. Some may even feel tightness in the chest or frequent sighing. These aren’t just reactions; they’re expressions of the Lungs under emotional strain.
Recognizing this connection allows us to soften into healing. Breath becomes both a witness and a balm.
Conscious Breathwork
Try breathwork that begins with a long exhale, perhaps with sound (like ahhh or ommmm), then follow with a deep, full inhale through the nose.
Abdominal breathing massages the intestines and supports elimination.
Chest breathing (without shoulder lifting!) expands the lungs’ upper regions and clears space.
Autumn is dry, and the Lungs dislike dryness. Consider using a humidifier, especially at night, and wearing a mask if wind or cold easily irritate your respiratory system.
When the Breath Reflects Other Emotions
If breathing becomes difficult under stress or tension, it may be more than just the lungs. In TCM, organs are part of an interconnected system. Anger, associated with the Liver (Wood element), can overwhelm the Lungs and alter their function.
In these cases, we look beneath the breath pattern to the emotional and energetic roots. Chinese Medicine sees the body as a whole, and supports healing that way too.
Foods to Moisten the Lungs and Skin
Moisture isn’t just about air quality. Foods can help, too.
In TCM, white-coloured foods like pear, daikon, white sesame, and lily bulb are known to nourish Lung yin and replenish moisture. (Not the refined kind, skip the white bread!)
More on that coming in Part 4: Fall Foods and Gentle Transitions in the Kitchen.
Other posts on the Autumn Health series:
The Spirit of Autumn: Breath, Harvest, and the Season of Letting Go
Nourishing the Lungs: Breath, Sadness, and Defence (You are here)
Fall Foods and Gentle Transitions in the Kitchen (coming soon)
Menstrual Cycles, Perimenopause, and the Power of Letting Go (coming soon)
Feeling It All: The Metal Element and the Corporeal Soul in Autumn (coming soon)