"When the Chi is present and sound, no pathogen can invade; not even when the cycles of nature are disrupted, and plagues are near.” - Yellow Emperor   Springtime is coming…. How is your Chi? The wisdom of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) teaches that our Body/Mind/Spirit is with harmony and health when we reflect the energies of nature. Just as Autumn and Winter are Yin, a time of harvesting and storing, in Spring we move into the Yang time of year representing elimination and letting go. We mimic nature because we are nature! Just like the Spring element, Wood, we aspire to be limber and supple like sap filled branches. Get out and enjoy the sun and warm weather. Imbalances include depression, joint & muscle pain, allergies.  Watch your pets ….. Yin and Yang in winter They are close to nature, not needing to work or pay the rent; they are good at just being and being in tune with the season. Our cats like to sleep, look out the window, or lie by the wood stove. They instinctively know to slow down. To understand Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) we need only watch them, or look out our window. We are made of the same elements as the cats, trees and birds. In ancient China these energies, patterns of nature, and change with the seasons, were observed and wisely recognized and seen within us. These energies are divided into five phases, or seasons, and into yin and yang, and seen in all aspects of growth, our lives and our projects! According to TCM we are now in the yin phase - dark, receptive, and reflective, opposite from a yang - active, busy summer phase. To stay healthy we can mimic our pets - slow down, dream, get plenty of rest and warmth. Winter phase represents the Water element and the Kidney/Bladder Organ Networks. Imbalances here include symptoms such as cold, fatigue, night sweats, insomnia, poor appetite, back pain, fluid retention, and cold limbs. Proper rest, diet, exercise and adding herbs and acupuncture may help with creating balance with the Kidney/Bladder Network. Gail Reichstein explains, “If we can learn to live in harmony instead of fighting against it, we will strengthen our ties to the rest of creation. On a microcosmic level this will lead to better health and longer life, on a macrocosmic level to harmonious relationships and a healthier planet”. Her book is Wood becomes water: Chinese Medicine in Everyday Life, I highly recommend it! Preventing/Cure the Common Cold? We know it is important to wash our hands often, and to cover our sneezes and coughs. One of my favorite authors is Elston Haas, MD, who writes, “The prevention and cure of the common cold is to stay in tune with your life and to develop common sense attention to your diet, your physical activities, your emotional state, and to rest and relaxation. Learning to pace and nurture yourself and your loved ones is important”, in Staying Healthy with the Seasons, a book with tips and practices for all year long, through each of the five seasons and TCM. Contact Deah for more tips, and be sure to get to her FREE talk called "Reducing Colds & Flu with Chinese Medicine", at Mayo clinic on Thurs. Dec. 10, 11 - 12 noon. See Events page. Winter Skin Care While winter snow and moisture are outside, inside we feel the dryness and static electricity from our heat.  Our skin, hair and respiratory tract suffer from this aridity. Simple practices include using a humidifier or water pot on the stove, steam from a shower, and a hot, wet wash cloth over the sinus. Natural home remedies for dryness include honey, olive oil, avocado - use as a face mask, or in the shower. It’s a fun, creative indoor activity; experiment with herbs and oils like vitamin E, Evening Primrose Oil, or flaxseed, all antioxidants promoting healthy skin, our body’s largest organ!   Berried Treasure A wonderful winter breakfast, named Berried Treasure by my husband Paul, is simple hot cereal which can be altered daily for a wide variety of flavors. If you have a crock pot you could cook slowly overnight grains and spices for ready made nutrition upon waking (5:1 water to grains). Grain suggestions include oats, wheat flakes or berries, rye, millet, buckwheat, quinoa or amaranth, the latter both high in protein. Cook with your favorite spices: cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and cardamom. The fun part is mixing in the treasure - nuts, berries, apples, dried or fresh fruit, nut butters, maple syrup, and yogurt, whatever you like. Enjoy mindfully! Soups/Stews Soups and stews are easy, hearty and warming through the winter. Be bold and bring out the beans, grains, veggies, legumes and your favorite spices - oregano, basil, rosemary, tumeric, garlic, cayenne, and ginger for warmth. Add tofu, seitan or organic chicken and let it cook! A favorite cookbook I have is called Fresh from the Vegetarian Slow-Cooker, by Robin Robertson, featuring 200 recipes for chilies, stews, main dishes to desserts and more using the crock pot. Check it out!