Preparing for Winter
Oriental Medicine believes in staying in harmony with the seasons to keep healthy. So what do we do in the cold season of winter? Each week in December I will be providing you with some tips on how to stay in balance the Chinese way. That doesn’t mean I want you to ignore Christmas, Hanukka and Kwanza or celebrate Chinese New Year instead. But it does mean I will suggest that you try and make room in your day to stay warm, eat nourishing foods, choose less strenuous exercise, and relax!!!
We are at the beginning of winter, the dormant season. Despite the festivities of the month, it is a time to rest, store and replenish. In TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) winter is associated with the kidneys and adrenal glands. The kidneys are considered to be the source of all our energy (Qi) in the body. To be in balance during the cold weather and feel warm, we must allow body heat to go deeper and lower, to our very core. To do this eat foods that are salty and bitter in nature. Good examples would be miso, seaweed, whole grains, hearty soups, beans and roasted nuts. Avoid raw foods as much as possible and cut back on those iced drinks!!
An old Chinese classic, the Nei Ching, advises going to bed early and rising later in the morning in the winter months so that the body can take advantage of as much warm air as possible. Good advice if you can manage it amongst those endless office parties in December! Fatigue is a common problem during this m
onth and is related to the kidneys and adrenals. For a quick pick me up try this mini foot massage: Take off your shoes and socks. Firmly massage the ankles and arches of both feet. Next massage the soles of the feet and the toes. Be sure to work on the sole at the bottom of the ball of the foot. Here is a special acupressure point related to the kidneys that will help bring energy back to the entire body. And if you still feel tired, come in for a relaxing and rejuvenating acupuncture session!