It is season fall. Fall belongs to Element Metal. The partner organs Lung and Large Intestine also belong to Element Metal. Thus the season these two organs are most active is season fall.
In this post we will focus on the Lung and one of its biggest enemies – the Wind evil. In Chinese medicine there are six climatic factors - wind, cold, heat, summer-heat, dampness, and dryness which under normal conditions do not cause disease and are known as nature’s “six types of qi”. They are natural manifestations of the different seasons and nature’s constantly varying climate. Only when these climatic factors become sudden, extreme or when the body’s immune system is low, they become pathological for the human health, and are then referred to as "the six evils”.
Every evil has its unique quality and ability to invade the body and cause disease. The wind evil has a highly penetrating quality. It enters the body through the skin but mostly from behind – the neck, the shoulders and the back (to learn more about Wind evil click here). Once it enters the body it hides under the skin and if not expelled on time it will turn inwards and invade deeper.
The first organ that will meet the wind is the Lung. The Lung is the uppermost organ in the torso and some refer to it as the “umbrella organ” Like an umbrella it covers and guards the remaining organs beneath it (you can read more about the Lung by going two posts back). The Lung opens to the nose thus one of the first symptoms of Lung attack is runny nose. There is also body pain and chills caused by the wind hiding under the skin, and slight fever. This first stage of wind attack could correspond to what we call “common cold” in the West. If it remains untreated the wind will generate further and start transforming into heat. Heat signs will manifest – sore throat (redness is heat sign), nasal thick yellow discharge (the heat has condensed the fluids) and high fever (heat sign). This stage of wind attack could correspond to what we know as flu in the West. If this remains untreated the wind will further invade the Lung and transform into heat causing diseases such as acute bronchitis and further - pneumonia. Not to get to this stage it is essential to be aware of the Wind evil, to prevent it from attacking and to expel it quickly while it is still at the surface of the body – under the skin.
How are we aware of the Wind evil – anytime we feel strong wind (regardless if it is hot or cold season, outdoors or indoors - air conditioners) we need to know that it could invade our body. In that case we first need to cover our neck and shoulders. If the wind is mild we could use a scarf, if the wind is serious we should use wind shielding jackets, especially the ones that extend up to cover the neck.
To learn how to expel wind from the skin and how to address the first two stages of wind attack - wind-cold and wind-heat - in children (and adults) please read here.
