Stay Strong in the Cold Months
/In Classical Eastern Medicine, living healthfully meant harmonizing with the seasons. The cold months signaled time to slow down and rest. But New Yorkers tend to work even more in the winter months and pile on top of it holiday stress and sugar binging amidst a flourishing of cold and flu viruses.
Here are some helpful suggestions for keeping your body healthy and strong between acupuncture treatments:
1. Warm Foods
Putting cold drinks, smoothies, juices and salads into your belly, although they may be nutrient dense, will deplete your digestive energy, just like pouring cold water onto a fire. Depending on your constitution, this either immediately or eventually leads to more sluggish energy overall and more internal dampness in the form of weight gain or respiratory mucous.
Besides cooking your food, choose foods that are warming. In general, the longer a vegetable takes to grow, the more warming it is internally. This is why root vegetables are such a good winter and fall choice.
2. Supplement
This is a good time to regularly boost your immune system. Some helpful daily immune supplements are Vitamin D, probiotics, Reishi Mushroom, and Elderberry.
3. Restore
Even if you are working a 14 hour day, you can find ten to fifteen minutes to lie down in a restorative pose and breathe mindfully to let your body realign and get out of fight or flight mode.
Try lying down on your back with your calves resting on a chair or couch or low bed. Stay there breathing slowly and fully until you have completely relaxed.
4. Acupuncture
Research shows that acupuncture helps regulate the autonomic nervous system and is effective in boosting immunity.