Fall is here! In reality, it's that time of year where winter starts at 6 AM, 10 AM feels like spring, summer is at 2 PM, and fall is around 4:30-ish PM, so dress accordingly.

Our bodies have to keep up with and adjust to the fluctuating temperatures, making the change of season a common time to catch cold and flu bugs, and leaving us wondering if that sniffle is due to allergies, or if you’ve caught a dreaded cold.

The Change of Season soup, a blend of Traditional Chinese Medicine herbs, can support our bodies acclimating to the fluctuating temperatures, mainly through strengthening the lungs and boosting the immune system.

It contains the following herbs:

• Codonopsis (Dang Shen)

• Astragalus Root (Huang Qi)

• Dioscorea Sinensis (Shan Yao)

• Chinese Lycii berries (Gou Qi Zi)

How To Make The Change of Season Soup

Fill a large stock pot with water, roughly 2-4 liters. Add the above herbs to the pot and place the lid on. Bring to a boil and simmer for 2-4 hours. If the water level boils down, add water to refill if necessary. Using a slotted spoon, or strainer, remove the herbs from the pot.

Drink 1 cup of the decoction daily for 1 week (you may reheat each serving). The soup has a slightly bitter taste, so I suggest adding 1 tsp of honey, or using it as a base for chicken soup, to improve the taste.

You may enhance the immune boosting properties by combining this herbal blend with a homemade bone-broth soup.

Please note: Herbal remedies should always be taken with caution. Please make sure you do not have allergies to these specific herbs.