The energy pathways most active during winter are kidney and bladder. Winter is a time for quiet, self-reflection, meditation and nourishment of body and soul. It is also important to get plenty of sleep, eat locally grown, organic, well-cooked food, stay warm and stay hydrated.

Some foods that support the body during winter are:

• Celery, asparagus, lettuce, endive, turnip
• Rye, quinoa, oats, barley, salt, millet
• Soy sauce, miso, roasted nuts
• Hearty, warming soups, black beans
• Steamed greens, bone broth

The kidneys hold our body’s most fundamental energy and rest is the best way to strengthen them. Kidney energy is important for the maintenance of vitality and to prevent premature aging. It also governs energy reserves which allow adaptation to life’s constant changes.

The body parts associated with the kidneys are the ears and bones. Bone broths are exceptionally nourishing for the kidneys.

Multitasking and constant stress break down kidney energy creating exhaustion and predisposition to hypertension. A major life challenge for all of us is adapting to change and maintaining body-mind balance.

This is the season of the metal element in Chinese Medicine. It’s a time when nature pulls back its energy into the earth and roots of the trees and plants to prepare for winter. I’ve spoken about the importance of getting more sleep, eating local, seasonal, cooked food and keeping warm to stay healthy during fall. Today I want to address a chronic cold condition.

Chinese Medicine considers cold to be a cause of disease. It is one of the six “Pernicious Influences “along with heat, dryness, damp, wind and summer heat. Where western medicine considers viruses and bacteria as causes of illness; “the Chinese observed that our body mirrors certain climatic conditions” (1) when we are ill. Cold weather causes contraction and slowing down of activity in nature and creates the same symptoms in the human body.

A chronic cold condition is different from what we call the “common cold”. The common cold is an external disturbance which makes you uncomfortable for a week or so and then passes.

A chronic cold condition is internal cold which makes you feel chilled to your core and can’t be corrected by warmer clothing. Our bodies have heat at our core which keeps our digestion and metabolism running smoothly. When you are chilled to your core, you may have digestive problems, water retention, and feel sluggish and tired a good deal of the time.

This condition is created by an energy imbalance, usually yang depletion, and takes considerably more time to heal than the common cold. It takes a combination of acupuncture, food therapy, herbs and keeping the body warm. A chronic cold condition is created over time, so the correction will also take time.

The third way that cold can manifest in the body is called a cold strike. This occurs when the body is exposed to cold and damp over an extended period (i.e. camping out in cold, rainy conditions). It can create muscle cramps and pain and joint pain. Treatment involves acupuncture and heat.

If your body is always cold, ways to help are:

• Add warming herbs such as ginger, garlic, cayenne pepper, mustard and cinnamon to your diet.
• Keep your core warm, use a heating pad or hot water bottle to warm your abdomen below the navel or use on the small of your back.
• Apply heat to joints that ache more with the cold weather.
• Dress for the weather, keep the entire torso and head and ears covered during cold, damp weather.
• Seek help from an acupuncturist if all else fails.

The season of Fall reminds us to let go of that which is no longer needed. This is the metal season in Chinese Medicine; the time when Lung and Large Intestine Meridians are most active. I’ve spoken about Lung Meridian the last few weeks and would like to focus on Large Intestine Meridian today.

The Large Intestine (LI) transports waste to be eliminated. It is closely aligned with the lungs and skin, which are also organs of detoxification. The LI “absorbs liquid and releases anything that is no longer needed in the way of food, toxins, emotions, thereby cleansing the body, mind and spirit.”

Since the LI is closely related to the lung meridian; it is also affected by the emotions of grief, sadness and worry. When LI energy is balanced, we can express grief, let go of thoughts and emotions which no longer serve us and move easily into the season of autumn.

Imbalance in LI energy can bring mindsets of stubbornness, rigidity, confusion, compulsiveness, regret and hanging on. Physical signs of LI imbalance include constipation, age spots, slow metabolism, diarrhea, colitis, diverticulitis, bloating and issues of control to name a few.

To nurture LI energy during this season:

• Drink plenty of water
• Chew food completely
• Exercise such as Qi Gong, Tai Chi, and yoga are very helpful
• Deep breathe
• Have massage or bodywork sessions
• Meditate
• Express emotions, especially grief
• Eat an alkaline diet rich in steamed fresh vegetables and greens
• Include onion, cinnamon, basil, rosemary, turnips, raw honey, nutmeg and fennel in your diet.

The Autumnal Equinox occurred on September 23rd this year. With the passing of the equinox, we begin to sense the dance of the subtle energies transforming summer into autumn. The nights are cooler, the days are shorter. The beautiful greenery of summer fades and the warm reds, oranges, and browns of fall emerge.

Fall is the time of the metal element and Lung and Large Intestine are the associated organ meridians.

• The climate is dry
• The emotion is grief and sadness
• It is harvest time
• The color is white
• The flavor is pungent
• The sense organ – nose
• Tissues- skin

The lung energy is associated with “letting go”. This is a perfect time of year to clean house both physically and emotionally and let go of that which no longer serves us. The lungs are very susceptible to wind and cold, so it is important to be prepared for the drops in temperature which occur. Carrying a scarf is a great way to stay warm in unsettled weather. Many people get colds, sore throats, and virus this time of year.

To strengthen your immune system for Fall, remember to:

• Dress for the weather
• If you get a cold, avoid dairy products which create phlegm
• Get plenty of sleep – 7-8 hours a night if possible
• Do deep breathing exercises to strengthen the lungs and walk in nature.
• Eat soups, stews and warming food, such as sweet potato, garlic, onions, cabbage, pears, ginger, walnuts, radish, and cinnamon to name a few.
• Spend time in introspection. Just as nature is pulling back its energy and sending it into the earth, so should we spend time looking inward.

Living in harmony with nature will boost our immune system.