Winter

Winter

Chinese Medicine teaches that we should live in harmony with the seasons. With this in mind, it makes sense that at this time of year as the animals and plants hibernate and nature retreats, we should also take the opportunity to slow down, rest, look inwards, to build up our reserves for the Spring.

With Wintertime comes colder and darker days, this represents the yin aspect in Chinese Medicine. Yin grows until the winter Solstice when it reaches it’s peak, and then transitions enabling yang energy to slowly start to grow. To complement this our diet and activities should also mirror this by concentrating on enriching our yin and nourishing our Blood (Blood is yin). Nutritionally this could be by including more warm hearty soups and stews, roasted nuts, steamed winter greens and bone broths into the diet. It is also recommended at this time of year, food should be cooked longer, at lower temperatures and with less water.

Salty and bitter food types are flavours used for the cold season, as they promote a sinking and grounding quality, this encourages body heat to move deeper and lower, ensuring that we are less likely to feel the cold externally. Saltiness is the taste used to nourish the Kidney but if taken in excess can also impair function, so should be taken in moderation.

The element linked to this time of year is water, the qualities of which provides nourishment to both plants and the human body for growth and development.

The Kidney and Bladder are the organs that pertain to Winter, and both act to govern water metabolism, and excrete water from the body in the form of urine. In Chinese Medicine the Kidneys are considered the ‘root’ of all yin and yang in the body. The yin is our cooling energy, whereas the yang provides the fire and warmth that aids digestion and other body processes. The Kidneys also represent our fundamental energy, as they store both our energy and essence (or jing). This is viewed as our deep reserves and represents longevity, so should be used sparingly. Overwork, stress and over exercising are some of the ways this can become depleted, so Wintertime gives us an opportunity to nourish and strengthen this energy.

Fear is the emotion associated with Kidneys and therefore Wintertime. Fear is not always considered negatively as it helps to protect us and set boundaries, however when this becomes in excess it can lead to general insecurities about life, which in turn can ‘injure’ the Kidneys.

Our Winter hibernation could take various forms - meditation, mindfulness, restorative yoga, going to bed early, or just relaxing at home drinking cups of tea. No matter how you decide to hibernate or weave restorative practices into your day at this time of year, it is beneficial to carve some time out to be able to rest and replenish your reserves to maintain your health and wellbeing.