Hands On Health

By Christina King L.Ac.

Chinese medicine traditionally believes that the human body is a microcosm of the external environment. As the seasons change, our habits and lifestyle should also change. A balanced state of health comes from respecting and observing the seasonal changes of the year by adjusting our lifestyle accordingly. In Chinese medicine, winter is viewed as a time for renewal. It is a time for our energy to go into storage and for our bodies to rejuvenate, in preparation for the activity of the coming spring.

So what does this mean, practically speaking? How do we ‘put ourselves into storage’? First off, get plenty of rest. Winter is the time to save our energy. This is reflected in the natural world: it gets light later in the morning and dark earlier in the evening. This is nature’s way of telling you to get more sleep! Especially if you are feeling run down or extra busy, make an extra effort to get to bed a little earlier. Even an extra 15-30 minutes of sleep a night will help you to feel better and be more alert throughout your day. Being well rested also has the benefit of helping to keep your immune system functioning optimally, which is important during cold and flu season.

Secondly, make sure you are dressed appropriately for the weather. Your grandmother was right! You should never go outside without wearing the appropriate layers to protect yourself from the colder weather. Chinese medicine believes that at the back of the neck, that the body is particularly vulnerable to wind and cold weather. Wearing a scarf is an easy way of keeping your neck protected and of keeping the rest of your body warm.

It is also important to eat food that is appropriate for the season. In the winter, we want to be warm, so the foods that we eat should also be warm. Winter is a perfect time to enjoy soups, stews, and other hearty meals. Leave the salads for the summer time. In the winter, cooking fruits and vegetables is the way to go. In Chinese thought, the spleen and stomach, the key organs of digestion, are responsible for transforming the food we eat into energy. It makes it a lot easier on the spleen, especially in the winter, if the food we eat is already warm. This makes the transformation of food into energy easier and ensures your body is able to generate the energy it needs.

If you do find yourself feeling ‘off’ or under the weather, it would be advisable to consider an acupuncture treatment to get you back on track. Acupuncture can regulate the way that energy flows in the body, bringing you back to a greater state of health and wellness. Acupuncture can treat a variety of conditions, from musculoskeletal pain to digestive troubles. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 828-505-2899.