As the days become shorter and the weather colder, winter can be a little difficult for some to avoid the cold and flu that is more common at this time. Nature greatly affects our our internal body, and when they are in harmony, illness is less likely to occur.
According to traditional Chinese medicine, winter is the season associated with the Kidneys, the energy system which holds our body’s fundamental energy. It is also believed that by harmonizing with the seasons you can stay healthier and prevent illnesses, so winter is a good time to strengthen the kidneys. It is also a good time to look inward with breathwork, meditation and Qigong. These practices help us to connect to our inner selves and help to support kidney energy which may help us to relax the mind, calm our emotions and raise the spirit.
To help keep your body balanced and support immune system throughout the cold months, 1) Keep your body warm especially the back of the neck and the head. Keeping your body warm will help the blood, nutrients and immune cells circulate efficiently throughout the body. Drink warm teas to help your body stay warm. 2) The animals in nature become less active and they conserve energy until the spring. As the days get shorter and colder in winter, we could conserve more energy by getting more rest. 3) With the externally cold conditions, eating cooling foods further stresses the body and eating cooked foods have a warming effect on the body.