|
|
|
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 pick up some great herbs for prevention too!
|
|
Develop and maintain you Chi (say chee),
your vital energy.
When Chi is abundant,
no pathogen can invade;
not even when the forces of nature are disrupted and plagues are near,
said the Yellow Emperor 4000 years ago!
| |
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!
|
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!
|
Freedom from . . . Oneself?!
Yes, most of us are prisoners of our own minds and bodies! How do we escape the tyranny of our emotions, personalities, and our bodies? If you doubt this– try sitting quiet for 5 minutes- what happens? Our mind has a mind of its own! This is why we practice meditation– to recognize the nature of the mind. Jon Kabat-Zin says in his book, Wherever You Go, There You Are, “Ultimately, it is our mindlessness that imprisons us”, we get stuck in our habits of not-seeing clearly, then reacting and blaming. Mindfulness is the practice of moment to moment awareness, which reveals this incessant thinking, judging, and habits of struggling with conditions. To begin find a comfortable, undistracted place to sit, close your eyes and scan your body for tension and let go. Use the breath sensation as a focus for the mind, gently returning to it over and over again when the mind wanders. Mindfulness brings us to the present moment, instead of the past or future where we spend most of our time! Practice mindfulness in all your activities—brushing your teeth, in conversations, cooking and cleaning. Mark Nunberg, guiding teacher at Common Ground Meditation Center in Minneapolis says, “Mindfulness allows for intimacy with the mind and body and with the unfolding conditions of life”. To learn more go to www.commongroundmeditation.org. Rochester has a weekly meditation group, check out www.rochestermeditation.org or call me for details and start sitting!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
