I'd love to say I love winter, yet this is not my reality.
Sure, I aim to make the most of it, yet I'd gladly embrace 11 months of warmer temps. Snow for December and then back to Spring, Summer and a warm Fall.
Given I do live in the varying seasonal weather of Canada, I am grateful for Tips like these from one of Ottawa's great acupuncturists Blaise Ryan.
"12 Tips for Cold Weather Health & Immunity
In Canada, nature continually reminds us that change is inevitable. Northern Asia has similar weather, being in the northern hemisphere. The study of the seasons & cycles in nature was the foundation for the theory of Yin & Yang in Chinese Medicine.
Ancient doctors observed how weather, seasons & the external environment affect our health. They knew thousands of years ago that during the fall & winter, respiratory illnesses increase if you fall out of balance with nature. But if you harmonize with nature you can experience vitality and strong health throughout the cold months.
This is why Traditional Chinese Medicine has many common sense home remedies for staying healthy during different seasons. I want to share the most important ones with you, so that you can benefit from these and hopefully avert falling ill this winter.
Tip #1 Avoid eating an excessive amount of cold and raw foods, including cold drinks, salads & smoothies. The key word here is "excessive." For someone with weak Spleen Qi or too much dampness, they may not be able to tolerate more than one or two fruits a day. While someone with a more robust Spleen & more heat in their system may benefit from more salads & raw fruits.
Tip #2 Eat warm, cooked foods, including soups & stews. A little bit of spice is good, particularly ginger, garlic & cinnamon. If your sinuses or head feels congested from cold, then chilli peppers & spring onions can help open the sinuses & disperse the cold-damp.
Sure, I aim to make the most of it, yet I'd gladly embrace 11 months of warmer temps. Snow for December and then back to Spring, Summer and a warm Fall.
Given I do live in the varying seasonal weather of Canada, I am grateful for Tips like these from one of Ottawa's great acupuncturists Blaise Ryan.
"12 Tips for Cold Weather Health & Immunity
In Canada, nature continually reminds us that change is inevitable. Northern Asia has similar weather, being in the northern hemisphere. The study of the seasons & cycles in nature was the foundation for the theory of Yin & Yang in Chinese Medicine.
Ancient doctors observed how weather, seasons & the external environment affect our health. They knew thousands of years ago that during the fall & winter, respiratory illnesses increase if you fall out of balance with nature. But if you harmonize with nature you can experience vitality and strong health throughout the cold months.
This is why Traditional Chinese Medicine has many common sense home remedies for staying healthy during different seasons. I want to share the most important ones with you, so that you can benefit from these and hopefully avert falling ill this winter.
Tip #1 Avoid eating an excessive amount of cold and raw foods, including cold drinks, salads & smoothies. The key word here is "excessive." For someone with weak Spleen Qi or too much dampness, they may not be able to tolerate more than one or two fruits a day. While someone with a more robust Spleen & more heat in their system may benefit from more salads & raw fruits.
Tip #2 Eat warm, cooked foods, including soups & stews. A little bit of spice is good, particularly ginger, garlic & cinnamon. If your sinuses or head feels congested from cold, then chilli peppers & spring onions can help open the sinuses & disperse the cold-damp.
Tip #3 If you’re prone to catching colds, keep your feet, ankles, lower back, neck & ears warm & protected from the wind cold.
Tip #4 The lungs, throat & sinuses don't like to get too dry. Indoor air can be dry due to heating, so invest in a humidifier at home, particularly in the room that you sleep. You may even want to get a little diffuser for your office desk. If your throat gets too dry, try honey tea or pears to help moisten it.
Tip #5 If you catch a chill & you feel it affecting your body, sweat it out in a hot bath, sauna, exercise or drink hot ginger with fresh scallion tea & wrap yourself in thick blankets. Then, sweat it out until the cold is gone.
Tip #6 Keep your neck, upper back & upper chest limber & massage them frequently. These areas correspond to lymphatic drainage of the head sinuses & the immune system. When the neck gets tight & tense, the Japanese call this "kori," which becomes a risk factor & sometimes a cause for other ailments of the head, like sinus colds & headaches.
Tip #7 If your feet are always cold, take daily hot foot baths throughout the winter. You can put a few slices of ginger in the water to help the heat penetrate better.
Tip #8 Sleep & rest more. This may be the single most important & overlooked tip. The body does its most effective self-healing during rest & sleep. As your body is a part of nature, & nature is more Yin during this season, your body craves more Yin time. If you give it more sleep & rest during this time of year, it will give you more energy & health when you need it.
Tip #9 Make a plan to do some outdoor winter activities. There are so many different outdoor winter sports and activities that you can choose from. The key is to find one that seems fun or exciting to you. Get more clothes or invest in better winter gear if that helps get you outside. Then just do it! Don't overthink it or listen to your doubts. The body loves exercise & fresh air.
Tip #10 Take Vitamin D+K and zinc regularly. This may not be a Chinese Medicine tip, but it's been shown that almost 100% of Canadians are Vitamin D deficient in the winter. Since Vitamin D is important for immunity & many other health functions, it's recommended that everyone take at least 1000 IU per day. Also, soak up the sun at every opportunity! You may also want to get regular red light therapy during these dark months.
Tip #11 Use herbs to fight pathogens. You can carry some cold-fighting herbal formulas with you on hand in case you feel you are exposed to something. Ones that are usually recommended & typically available over the counter are Yin Qiao San (Honey Suckle & Forsythia) & Immunol. Another great over the counter immune boosting mushroom formula we recommend is The Five Defenders by Real Mushrooms. **We carry all these at the clinic, so we can provide you with them.**
Tip #12 Here's a great immune boosting fighting tea that you can prepare for yourself if you feel you are coming down with something: 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar, 1/2 tsp of honey, fresh lemon juice from half a lemon, 1/2 tsp of finely chopped ginger, & three drops grapefruit seed extract in hot water.
Thank you so much for reading & Happy Holidays from all of us
here at Blaise T. Ryan Acupuncture!"
-------------
My thanks for this great newsletter list of tips! Teri Gentes
Tip #4 The lungs, throat & sinuses don't like to get too dry. Indoor air can be dry due to heating, so invest in a humidifier at home, particularly in the room that you sleep. You may even want to get a little diffuser for your office desk. If your throat gets too dry, try honey tea or pears to help moisten it.
Tip #5 If you catch a chill & you feel it affecting your body, sweat it out in a hot bath, sauna, exercise or drink hot ginger with fresh scallion tea & wrap yourself in thick blankets. Then, sweat it out until the cold is gone.
Tip #6 Keep your neck, upper back & upper chest limber & massage them frequently. These areas correspond to lymphatic drainage of the head sinuses & the immune system. When the neck gets tight & tense, the Japanese call this "kori," which becomes a risk factor & sometimes a cause for other ailments of the head, like sinus colds & headaches.
Tip #7 If your feet are always cold, take daily hot foot baths throughout the winter. You can put a few slices of ginger in the water to help the heat penetrate better.
Tip #8 Sleep & rest more. This may be the single most important & overlooked tip. The body does its most effective self-healing during rest & sleep. As your body is a part of nature, & nature is more Yin during this season, your body craves more Yin time. If you give it more sleep & rest during this time of year, it will give you more energy & health when you need it.
Tip #9 Make a plan to do some outdoor winter activities. There are so many different outdoor winter sports and activities that you can choose from. The key is to find one that seems fun or exciting to you. Get more clothes or invest in better winter gear if that helps get you outside. Then just do it! Don't overthink it or listen to your doubts. The body loves exercise & fresh air.
Tip #10 Take Vitamin D+K and zinc regularly. This may not be a Chinese Medicine tip, but it's been shown that almost 100% of Canadians are Vitamin D deficient in the winter. Since Vitamin D is important for immunity & many other health functions, it's recommended that everyone take at least 1000 IU per day. Also, soak up the sun at every opportunity! You may also want to get regular red light therapy during these dark months.
Tip #11 Use herbs to fight pathogens. You can carry some cold-fighting herbal formulas with you on hand in case you feel you are exposed to something. Ones that are usually recommended & typically available over the counter are Yin Qiao San (Honey Suckle & Forsythia) & Immunol. Another great over the counter immune boosting mushroom formula we recommend is The Five Defenders by Real Mushrooms. **We carry all these at the clinic, so we can provide you with them.**
Tip #12 Here's a great immune boosting fighting tea that you can prepare for yourself if you feel you are coming down with something: 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar, 1/2 tsp of honey, fresh lemon juice from half a lemon, 1/2 tsp of finely chopped ginger, & three drops grapefruit seed extract in hot water.
Thank you so much for reading & Happy Holidays from all of us
here at Blaise T. Ryan Acupuncture!"
-------------
My thanks for this great newsletter list of tips! Teri Gentes
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