skip to Main Content

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, our health is greatly impacted by the earth’s cycle and so it is important that we live in harmony with our environment. As the months get colder, it is vital that we stay warm, look inward and provide nourishment to our mind and body. Tending to our inner garden in the winter allows us to prepare for spring’s rapid growth in a few months’ time.

Inner Reflection:

Meditation is a powerful tool to align ourselves with our environment get in touch with our inner self. It is when we take time to slow down and be quiet that we sometimes realize how busy our minds have been. In this dark season, it is easy to get in a routine of looking for light through electronic devices. Our minds are racing and processing quickly without purpose or satiation. Have you ever been watching a television program and reached for your phone or tablet during a commercial break – or even during the program? A recent NPR story covered the phenomenon of how inspiration and creativity frequently occurs during states of relative boredom and the impact of our tendencies to use electronic devices when feeling bored. (Click here for the full article.) While we would not necessarily call meditation and journaling boring, it is worth noting that without a quiet mind, our capacity for creativity is limited.

Winter Elements:

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the winter season is associated with the element of water and influences the health of the kidneys, bladder, adrenal glands, bones (including bone marrow), hair and teeth. The kidneys are said to be the source of energy and the essence of our body (Qi). When our bodies are experiencing change or under stress, we rely on the kidney’s reserve of energy to help us heal, prevent illness and age gracefully. Our energy can be easily depleted in the winter, when we have less access to sunlight and fresh air as well as eating rich and unhealthy foods and possibly experiencing additional feelings of stress, anxiety or depression due to the holidays. It isn’t unusual to be experiencing these types of emotions at any time during the year, especially if something traumatic happens. But the holidays can consume you with extra negative emotions that can completely take over your life.

Thankfully, there are many options available to you if you’re struggling with your wellbeing, such as deciding to buy acdc strain online, or talking with a counselor. Both options have been known to work effectively, and it is important to utilize them through the winter months if you need to. Moreover, in recent years, more and more people have started to introduce cannabis-based products into their mental health toolkits. There is a lot of research out there to suggest that marijuana has a mood-boosting impact on the mind and body and therefore if you are looking for natural ways to improve your health, it might be worth researching some of the different online dispensaries such as mjnexpress. Just be sure to speak to a doctor before using any natural products as not everything is suitable for everyone.

Also, if you know that the holiday season can trigger a mental health flare up, you might want to consider using supplements such as kratom to boost your mood. For more information about the potential immune system enhancing properties of kratom, head to the golden monk website. Of course there are other supplements that are designed to target specific health concerns too. For instance, some people like to take an Adrenal support supplement to counter life stressors. Above all, to keep our bodies healthy this season, we must make an effort to nurture and nourish our kidneys.

What We Can Do:

Dr. Isaac Eliaz provides some great options to help support our health with our Qi in mind (summarized below):

  • Supplement with Vitamin D-3.
  • Open your curtains during the day to allow any sunlight to come in.
  • Take brisk walks (in the sunshine if possible) to improve circulation and blood flow.
  • Avoid too many raw foods during winter because they tend to cool the body and can deplete our digestive “fire” which is the ability to assimilate food efficiently. I recommend eating warming foods, while cooking them longer and at lower temperatures with less water. Emphasize soups and stews, root vegetables, plenty of dark leafy greens, kidney and black beans, walnuts, black sesame seeds, whole grains, and seaweeds. These specific foods help to fortify the kidneys, uplift the emotions, nourish the body, keep you warm and help you to conserve energy.

SOURCES:

http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2015/01/12/376717870/bored-and-brilliant-a-challenge-to-disconnect-from-your-phone
http://www.dreliaz.org/traditional-chinese-medicine-winter-health-tips-for-the-new-year/
https://www.acufinder.com/Acupuncture+Information/Detail/Chinese+Medicine+and+Winter+Season

Back To Top