How to stay warm in Winter
(With Chinese Medicine!)
Winter, the most yin season in Chinese medicine, calls for inward retreat to protect and conserve our energy.
Despite the cold making us feel tired and stiff, it’s a perfect time for reflection and self-care. So we’re offering tips to stay warm, active, and nourished, ensuring a vibrant and healthy winter.
Embrace these strategies and take proactive steps to nurture you and your gut this season!
The importantce of Self-Care in Winter
In Chinese Medicine…
In the philosophy of Chinese medicine, winter is considered the most yin (cool, dark, still) time of year. During winter, it’s natural for yang (warm, light, active) to retreat inward, both to protect and to conserve.
The days are colder, but we also run cooler when yin predominates and yang retreats. Cold contracts, slows the system and can get stuck. As a result, we may feel tired, stiff and get sick more than usual in winter. Those of us who are prone to fatigue may find the colder months especially challenging.
Despite this, the stillness and quiet of winter is perfect for reflection, deep meditation and awareness. Winter can be the time of year it is easiest to be perceptive, and to listen to the signals from our body on how best to take care of ourselves. I like to consider this time as one of nourishment and conservation, enjoying more inward-focus than the active and bright summer months.
Here are 6 tips and strategies to warm and nourish so that we may enjoy a vibrant and healthy winter season.
Limber Up
Stretch, take a yin yoga class and rub menthol-based treatments into sore muscles and joints to keep the cold out of your bones.
My favourites are Zheng Gu Shui, Wood Lock oil and Tiger Balm, which are available from most Asian grocers and Chinese herbal dispensaries.
(We stock Zheng Gu Shui in the clinic)
2. Keep the blood moving
Stay active with walking, cycling, jogging or dancing.
It might be tempting to be more sedentary when the weather is cooler, but our bodies need the activity to stimulate Qi and healthy blood circulation.
Do something daily to get the heart rate up and endorphins flowing. Be careful not to sweat too much as this may deplete yin and make us more susceptible to colds or flu.
3. Stay Warm
Nourish and warm yourself from the feet up by taking a foot bath.
In Chinese medicine we aim to keep the feet warm and the head cooler for balanced Qi flow.
This is true across cultures – consider the idioms in English about being ‘hot-headed’ or getting ‘cold feet.’
The Acupuncture point Yong Quan (Bubbling Spring) on the sole of each foot is useful for nourishing Kidney Qi, which is the foundation of yin and yang in the human body. It is more nourishing to soak the feet rather than have a very hot shower, which opens the pores and may invite invasion of 'cold' from the external environment.
Pop a few drops of invigorating essential oils into a bowl of warm water and enjoy the time to rest. My favourite oils to stimulate circulation are eucalyptus, rosemary or black peppercorn.
4. Eat and drink for warmth and nourishment
• Sip hot water with fresh ginger to keep the digestive fire strong.
• Try to get your daily dose of vitamin C from food sources including red capsicums, dark green leafy veggies and citrus fruits.
• Warming herbs for cooking and teas include cinnamon, cloves, fennel, ginger, black pepper, cardamom and anise.
• Energetically warm foods include garlic, leek, sweet potato, lamb, pine-nuts, chicken and coriander.
• Try to have lots of soups, stews, broths and slow-cooked meals in winter.
5. Sleep
In the colder weather we require more rest, especially as the days are shorter and nights are longer.
Taoists recommend changing sleep patterns to mimic the sun. If you can, aim for a 9 or 10 pm bedtime and sleep until the sun comes up.
If this is a stretch, aim generally to go to bed earlier and wake up later in winter.
6. Look inward, Breathe
Winter is the perfect time for deep reflection and soul level restoration. Rug up against cold, wind and rain, and enjoy some time to recuperate.
Is your body calling for less energy and a bit of reflection? Yep, that’s winter!
I hope this blog gives you insight on how we can combat fatigue, stiffness as well as staying warm and nourished!
And remember, our cosy, warm treatment rooms are always there to keep you warm.
See more on how we can support you.
Also see more helpful blogs and tips.
Embrace the stillness of winter by focusing on self-care and reflection, book an appointment with us to boost your vitality and well-being.