As the weather shifts from the warmth of summer to the cooler days of autumn, we enter what is commonly known as “flu season,” which typically spans from October to as late as May, peaking between December and February. This is when the incidence of transmissible diseases like influenza is at its highest. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), flu activity is most intense in the colder months, with December and February often recording the most cases
Modern epidemiological studies point to behavioral and environmental changes as primary reasons for this uptick. As children return to school, employees head back to offices, and cooler weather pushes people indoors, the likelihood of close contact and virus transmission increases. The change from summer to fall also affects immunity, as fluctuating temperatures can make the respiratory system more vulnerable to infections.
While these factors are crucial, Traditional Tibetan Medicine (TTM) offers a deeper perspective on why we see a rise in illnesses during autumn. According to the Tibetan medical tantra The Secret Transmission on the Eight Branches of Deathlessness, flu season aligns with autumn, a time when the body is particularly susceptible to heat-natured imbalances.
The Hidden Heat of Autumn
From a Western perspective, autumn is the cooling season after summer. However, in TTM, autumn is marked by a surge in what are referred to as heat energies. While summer brings the highest temperatures, its energetic heat is tempered by the cool, heavy energies of spring and winter. By the time autumn arrives, these suppressive forces wane, allowing latent heat to surface and manifest.
This can be seen in nature: plants ripen to their fullest, and vibrant reddish hues dominate the landscape, signaling the culmination of this hidden heat energy. The cooler, drier climate of autumn actually provides the perfect conditions for this accumulated heat to become more active.
Heat and Communicable Diseases in TTM
In Tibetan medicine, communicable diseases, particularly viral infections like the flu, are understood to be heat-natured. The flu season, therefore, isn’t just about contracting a virus from others but also about the body’s internal heat imbalances surfacing. Those who have unknowingly accumulated heat through improper diet (too many salty, sour, or spicy foods), mismanagement of fever, or prolonged episodes of anger are particularly at risk. Furthermore, dehydration plays a significant role. When the body’s salt-water balance is off due to frequent dehydration, it becomes even easier for heat to accumulate. This imbalance exacerbates susceptibility to heat-natured pathogens like the influenza virus.
A More Holistic View of Prevention
Understanding flu season from a Tibetan medical perspective suggests that prevention is not solely about avoiding contact with infected individuals. It also requires harmonizing the body’s internal energies to prevent heat imbalances from making us vulnerable to illness. By regulating diet, staying hydrated, managing emotions, and treating heat-related symptoms properly throughout the year, we can better prepare our bodies for the challenges that come with the flu season.
Traditional Tibetan Medicine provides a holistic understanding of health that integrates the rhythms of nature with human physiology. As we move into the autumn months, caring for our internal balance becomes just as important as external preventative measures, ensuring that we can face both the flu season and the colder weather with resilience.
