The seasons have a profound effect on our
health, on the way we live our lives and on the food we eat. We can either work
against the weather or we can be in harmony with it. In fact, Oriental wisdom
treats the harmonization of food and lifestyle with the seasons as an art form.
Seasonal influences are one of the factors that Traditional Chinese Medicine
(TCM) considers in order to create a proper diet as both a healing and disease
prevention system.
Your health, like the universe at large through
the seasons, is subject to constant battling between opposing forces (such as
heat and cold, joy and sadness), which can result in too much or too little
activity in particular organs of your body. An imbalance between any of these
forces can cause a blockage in the flow of your qi or vital energy/life force,
which travels through your body along invisible pathways known as meridians.
By noting these seasonal changes and influences and changing your diet
accordingly, you can maximize their health during all times of the year. When
the weather is warm in the spring, humid in the summer, dry in the fall or cold
in the winter, TCM employs treatments known as “eliminating fire,” “expelling
dampness,” “moistening the body” and “guarding against cold” respectively.
Readers in northern climates are currently living through the
winter’s cold weather. According to the Theory of Yin and Yang, winter is the
season in which yin gathers and hides qi deep within our bodies, encouraging us
to reflect on our inner natures (while yang is associated with summer’s heat and
external aspects of our being). According to the Law of the Five Elements, each
season is associated with the element of fire, earth, metal, water or wood. The
specific element associated with winter is water, which involves the kidneys and
bladder and is the most powerful of all the elements. Kidney qi is said to be
the root of all the qi in the body. It determines our ability to grow and
develop, both physically and mentally. It controls the bones, spine, legs, ears,
head hair and brain. It also is directly connected with the reproductive system
and fertility.
From a psychological and emotional perspective, the water
element is associated with both wisdom and fear. Excessive fear fosters
insecurity in our daily lives and is believed to injure the kidney energy.
Given the current economic and environmental uncertainty, many people have
been experiencing fear in their daily lives. So this winter is an especially
important time to look after your kidneys and to create an overall sense of
inner calm by nourishing your yin – through introspection and stress
relieving practices like yoga and meditation, as well as by diet and perhaps
acupuncture or an herbal kidney tonic.
In line with the universe and the environment, in winter, we
are encouraged to conserve our energy, to keep warm and to eat warm and
nourishing foods to counter our susceptibility to colds, the flu and
breathing problems like bronchitis.
TCM recommends acrid and sweet flavors to bolster the body’s
qi and improve immunity. Cooked, warming foods such as hearty soups also
fortify the kidney energy. These include barley, tofu and miso, string
beans, dark colored beans, roasted nuts, dark fruits such as blackberry and
blueberry, seaweed and animal products including fish, eggs, dairy products
and pork. Winter is also a good time to eat root vegetables.
However, avoid over-eating this hearty, heated food because
heavy meals can dry up bodily fluids. Oriental medicine encourages
moderation. In fact, regarding nutrition, TCM encourages the “70 percent
rule:” Eat until one feels 70 percent full.
Winter is also the time to enjoy hot, spicy and sweet
beverages. That includes pungent teas, coffee, hot chocolate and even
alcoholic drinks in moderation, as a means of balancing the chill.
