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As the weather shifts rapidly between hot and cold, our bodies are often unprepared for the shock of sudden cold. These tips from Chinese Medicine and acupuncture theory can help you stay healthy, and recover more quickly, this winter season.
Dress Warm, But Not Hot.
It’s great to bundle up in winter, but layering is probably your safest bet. You want to keep the body warm in winter, but not so hot that you begin to sweat. Sweating carries energy away from the body, and can tax your energy reserves. Aim to stay warm but take off a layer if you’re feeling sweaty or steamy.
On a similar note, try wearing more natural fabrics, like wool–which helps you stay warm but is also moisture-wicking, so that you’re less likely to expend energy sweating.
For those of us with cold hands, put on your gloves inside before that wave of cold hits you outside. Try to stay warm instead of needing to “warm up” later.
Another great tip is to keep your feet warm but your head a bit cooler. Anchor the warmth lower in your body by wearing wool/heavy socks. In Chinese Medicine there’s a saying that you want to have warm feet but a cool head. Meaning, in one sense, be grounded and don’t overthink. Also meaning, keep those feet warm! In moderate winter weather, I sometimes don’t wear a hat (but may have my ears covered) as I tend to feel stuffy with a hat on, but once it hits freezing temperatures by all means cover your head.
Move Around But Don’t Overexert Yourself.
Hot baths in winter can feel great, but have you ever taken a hot bath then felt
like you needed to “pass out” and fall asleep? That may have been too hot to preserve your energy. Warm baths, especially epsom salt baths, are great in winter but hot baths can be taxing. Try to warm up with warm drinks or blankets before resorting to a scorching bath.
Likewise, the best exercise in winter is moderate exercise. Tai Chi, yoga, walking, rather than kickboxing or hot yoga, are the types of movement that keep our joints lubricated and muscles warm without tapping into our energy reserves. Exercise that produces a heavy sweat is best saved for spring when there’s more yang (active, fiery, hot) energy on the rise.
Protect Yourself Against Cold.
While Western Medicine focuses on germ theory, Chinese Medicine thinks about
the invasion of “external pernicious influences” which in wintertime most commonly include wind and cold. Cold, which is often carried by wind, can penetrate our protective qi (the boundary that Western Medicine calls the immune system) and get stuck inside. Catching a cold can be thought of as “catching cold” in this sense.
The most vulnerable places to keep covered up in wintertime are the nape of the neck and the lower back. Keep your belly warm by tucking in layers and definitely wear a scarf or a neck warmer. My grandma always reminded me to “keep my neck warm.” Folk medicine in different lineages agrees on this point and many others.
Foods to help you boost immunity and fight cold include ginger and the whites of scallions, which you can cook into a warming broth. Also warming pungent spices like garlic, rosemary, shallots, onions, cinnamon, cloves, black pepper, fennel, anise, dill and horseradish. Roasting and stewing vegetables and meat (if you eat it) will also give your energy a boost. This isn’t the best time of year for cold salads, which take more energy to digest. If you’re a salad person, add some warm grain on top or let the salad reach room temperature rather than eating it right out of the icebox.
What other ways do you stay healthy? I would love to hear from you. Drop me a line and let me know if you follow any of these tips or if you have tips of your own!
May we be well together this winter.
Monica
PS: Just in, my New Year’s Day Gentle Yoga and Intention-Setting class is now available for registration on the Studio 34 website.
And my Rest and Restore: Winter Restorative Yoga session is also live and ready for registration!
Prefer to practice relaxation in the comfort of your own home? I’ve got you covered. Join me on Sunday 1/12/25 at 11am for my online workshop “Rest and Restore.” Learn more and register on my website.