Embrace All Things Orange this Fall

It’s no coincidence that October is associated with the color orange. Pumpkin patches, brightly colored foliage, dancing flames in the fireplace, moody sunsets, roasted sweet potatoes… once you notice it, you’ll see orange nearly everywhere you look. 

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), fall serves as the transition period between Yang and Yin season. Yang energy is hot, active, quick, bright, upward and masculine. On the flipside, Yin energy is cold, dark, slow, introverted, downward and feminine. Thus, autumn is a sacred pause between the two, granting us an opportunity to turn inward, reflect and nourish ourselves before the winter rolls in and we really lean into rest.

TCM associates the seasons with different organs and elements, and fall is all about the lungs and large intestine. Beta carotene, the pigment that makes plants orange, happens to be extremely supportive to our lungs and large intestine! As we know, mother nature has the distinct ability to give us exactly what we need, just when we need it. For an added layer of support, you can also lean on digestive bitters, targeted probiotics, and enzymes to support digestion further this fall. All of which you can find in our Gut Building Protocol.

Beta Carotene 

Let’s take a moment to talk about the magical plant constituent that is beta carotene. It is technically a carotenoid, which again is the pigment that gives certain fruits and vegetables their gorgeously warm tones of golden, orange and red. Beta carotene is sometimes referred to as provitamin A because your body is able to convert it to the active form of vitamin A, aka retinol. This is the major difference between plant and animal sourced vitamin A. Beta carotene (provitamin A) from plants is a precursor to vitamin A that must eventually be converted to retinol, while animal derived vitamin A (retinol) is already pre-formed and can therefore be used immediately by your body. You’ll find retinol in things like eggs, cod liver oil, muscle meat, dairy and, especially, organ meats (1, 2). 

The benefits of beta carotene are extremely wide reaching as it:

• Protects against oxidative stress from free radicals
• Reduces inflammation
• Enhances eye health
• Improves respiratory function 
• Supports glowing skin 
• Boosts immunity
• Supports reproductive health, particularly healthy pregnancy
• Helps prevent cognitive decline

Orange Colored Foods for Fall

Eating golden to orange colored foods also tonifies your spleen and stomach, stoking your digestive fire, which begins to dwindle as the Yin energy takes over and the days grow colder. Additionally, enjoying slow-cooked, warm orange foods protects your Qi, or energy/life force. 

Some seasonally available foods that are rich in beta carotene include:

• Sweet potatoes
• Carrots
• Parsnips
• Winter squash (butternut, honeynut, kabocha, red kiri, acorn, sugar pumpkin, etc)
• Persimmons
• Citrus 
• Golden beets
• Ginger
• Turmeric
• Cardamom

A few of our favorite ways to celebrate orange are:

1. Drink golden milk lattes! The more turmeric the merrier. 
2. Make soups and stews like carrot-ginger or butternut squash.
3. Use fallen leaves as a centerpiece or as part of your tablescape.
4. Add orange peel to your rice as it cooks.
5. Make a hot apple cider with alllll of the warming spices (ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, orange peel, etc).
6. Bring out your beeswax candles – they’re naturally a golden-orange tone and make your space smell so subtly sweet and delicious.
7. Decorate your home with pumpkins and other winter squash (which you can eventually eat!).
8. Stir pumpkin puree into your oatmeal, pancakes and waffles.
9. Throw some fresh or ground ginger and turmeric into your bone broths. You’ll never go back.