Published: 30th Nov 2020 –
Winter health:
Winter corresponds to the water element in traditional Chinese medicine. This is the season that’s associated with deep yin, or feminine energy, which is reflected in the cold, short days and long, dark nights.
When the temperature drops, it’s important to wrap up warm and protect our bodies from the cold, which can challenge our immune systems and make us more susceptible to viral infections.
Kidney health
During winter, the delicate kidney organs must be nourished, supported and protected since it’s very easy for them to go out of balance at this time. Physically, the kidneys are related to the health the of hair on our head, teeth, bones, sexual vitality and energy levels. They also correspond to the emotion of fear, and will power.
The good news is it’s actually easy to support these important organs and boost our immunity, as long as we tune into the winter seasonal rhythm and adjust our lifestyles accordingly.
The water element of winter:
Element: water
Organs: kidneys and bladder
Body: bones and teeth
Taste: salty
Emotion: fear
Colour: Blue/black
Nature: yin
Foods for the Water Element:
The best foods for the body during winter hold expansive yang (warming) properties. These warming types of foods are provided for us in nature and many of these grow beneath the earth.
Examples include:
- Ginger
- Root vegetables (turnips, beetroot, celeriac etc.)
- Seaweed
- Kidney and black beans
- Nettles
- Cranberries
- Goji Berries
- Onions and garlic
Tips for winter season:
1) Tune into the season:
The winter season requires us to conserve our energy. The long, cold dark nights require us to go to bed earlier and rise a bit later, which helps to keep us in tune with nature’s rhythm. It’s a good time for observing one’s dreams and to incorporate practices like medition, to help quiet the mind, and go within. It’s also wise to include gentle stretching exercises first thing in the morning, and last thing at night, to help ward off the contractive effect of the cold weather.
Water is crucial for numerous bodily functions and help the kidneys to flush out toxins. Aim to drink at least 1 litre of pure, or filtered, water daily along with herbal teas to help give extra warming properties to your body. Experiment with drinking grated ginger and lemon in hot water before meals which also helps to aid digestion, or try warming liquorice tea. Cloves are excellent when added into teas and work a treat to help support the kidneys by boosting cirulation on cold winter days. What’s more, you can help your body to remain warm by adding supportive warming spices to alkalising green vegetable juices such as turmeric, ginger and garlic.
3) Root vegetables:
Root vegetables hold expansive yang (male) properties and are warming for the body during winter. Take parnips, for example, which are cream in colour and have a very distinctive sweet flavour. When they are incorporated into the diet, the high mineral and vitamin C content help make it possible to survive the long, cold winter months – provided they are eaten raw in salads, or lightly cooked to ensure the vitamin C is not destroyed!