Supporting Our Immune System During Winter
Photo by Cristina Munteanu on Unsplash
During winter, the energy in nature moves downward and inward. Trees and plants lose their leaves as their energy moves back into the earth to rest. They will conserve their energy waiting for the rebirth of spring.
We are also part of nature, and to maintain health during this season we need to pull back and conserve our energy. This is a time for rest, contemplation, and storage. It is a time for reflection, meditation, and gentle exercise, such as tai chi and yoga.
Our energy needs to be conserved because it can be easily depleted during winter. The energy pathways most active currently, are kidney and bladder and they are sensitive to damage by cold. It is important to dress for the weather and keep our bodies warm, especially the low back and core. If you are outside during a windy, cold day; protect your head, back of the neck, and shoulders.
It is also important to get more sleep. Days are shorter, and like nature, we should go to bed earlier.
Nourishing Foods for Winter
- Root vegetables
- Soups and stews
- Legumes
- Spices such as, ginger, cinnamon, garlic, and cloves will warm the body.
- Fresh vegetables
- Vitamin C, D and Zinc help support a healthy immune system
- Limit sugar intake which is harmful to the immune.
- Drink plenty of water
It also helps to exercise, reduce stress, and keep your body balanced with acupressure or acupuncture.
The Bladder Meridian is the longest and most influential of all the energy pathways since it crosses all the other meridians. During winter the energies are most active in Bladder and Kidney Meridians; this is the time of the water element. When the Bladder Meridian is out of balance both physical and emotional symptoms can occur.
The holiday season can be joyous but also challenging. There is so much to do and so little time. Spending time with family and friends can bring up wonderful memories and memories that are not so wonderful. Keeping our emotional balance is most important. Try not to overdo, stay in the present moment, get plenty of rest and know your limits. At the end of another year, it is time for reflection. Not just on the past but also on how we want to live our lives going forward. It is time for letting go of that which no longer serves us. Old grievances or hurts only bring us down if we hang on to them. Forgiveness frees us.
We’ve spoken about the progression of the seasons with winter being the time to rest and conserve our energy and spring a time of activity and expanding our energy. If you are a person who was unable to rest and recharge during the winter months, you may be feeling worn thin by now. When our bodies are continually exhausted our immune system is weakened and we can easily get sick.
Now that the weather has finally changed it’s time to prepare for autumn. In nature, the energies begin to pull back and go deeper into the trees, shrubs, and earth. In our bodies, our vital energies also begin to circulate deeper into our organs to protect us from the cold.
The weather in late summer is usually hotter and heavier with humidity than the rest of the season. Dampness is associated with the earth element which is most active this time of year. Late summer is a time for slowing down and gathering in. The earth element gives us the ability to nourish and care for ourselves.
Pal Dan Gum or the eight silken movements are a set of qigong exercises used in Korea and China for thousands of years to increase spiritual awareness and promote health and longevity. These 8 silken movements take only 10 minutes to perform and when done daily along with focused breathing strengthen the vital essence and balance the energy in the meridians. They also increase circulation, promote flexibility and strength. Each movement stretches the energy in a specific meridian.