As the long hot days of summer give way to cool crisp autumn weather, simple lifestyle modifications can help us adjust to the change in seasons. Autumn is a transitional season, moving from the hot bright yang nature of summer toward the cold dark yin nature of winter. The cooling weather ushers in the harvest and signals the start of the dying cycle in nature – leaves and fruits wither and fall, seeds dry, tree sap descend to the roots. The seasonal change also affects our bodies – especially the respiratory system, leading to an increase in colds, coughs and allergies.