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7 Easy Ways To Stay Healthy This Winter

December 9, 2013

Ask any acupuncturist in New York City and he or she will tell you of the many health challenges that come with the winter season.Fluctuating temperatures, cold, damp weather one day and bone dry conditions the next, and frigid nights mixed with over-heated apartments all contribute to a complicated scenario! It is especially important during the winter months to stay conscious of the season’s essence so that we can stay focused and healthy. With that in mind here are seven easy ways to get in the flow of the season and stay healthy this winter.

An Acupuncturist's Advice For Staying Healthy This Winter

1. Take Time to Reflect

Chinese medicine recognizes the natural tendency of plants and animals to turn inward with the quiet and cool winter energy at its peak. Trees and fields become bare to reserve strength for the spring growing season, and many animals hibernate. Similarly, we can best serve ourselves and others by drawing inward, in both our actions and thoughts. Reflecting on ourselves and the past year, it is the perfect time to meditate on which practices and routines make us truly happy and which should be be let go. It is not necessary to take action, but rather to store up energy and make a solid, realistic plan that can come to fruition in the warmer months.

2. Allow Yourself Emotional Space and Compassion

Recognize that it can be normal for feelings of fear or anxiety to come to the surface during self-reflection. Fear is the emotion associated with winter because it was, traditionally, our most vulnerable time of year when food was scarce and temperatures low. Even if we aren’t worried about food or shelter, fear can arise more acutely in the colder months. Knowing that this emotional experience is universal and a natural part of the life cycle can help us to recognize it, accept it, and eventually, move past it.

3. Stay Hydrated

It is easy to forget about hydration when the temperature is cooler. Dry indoor heating, sweat from running around in heavy coats, drinking more warm, caffeinated drinks and alcohol at holiday events can all lead to dehydration. In a similar fashion to plants, our cells lose buoyancy when they lack sufficient water and will begin to function at sub-optimal levels. This can cause us to look and feel sluggish, just like the wilted leaves of an under-hydrated plant. Room temperature or warm water is best to keep our core temperatures stable.

4. Keep Warm

Even if the temperature is above freezing, be mindful of the more vulnerable parts of your body. Keep your neck, ankles, and low back covered. Haramakis, or Japanese belly warmers, are a great way to stay cozy without adding the bulkiness of heavy layers. Woven, natural material feels best. Eat warming foods and reduce your intake of raw food such as salad, especially if you have loose bowel movements. You can also add warming spices to your foods and drinks. Sprinkle ground cardamom or cinnamon on warm drinks or morning porridge.

5.Limit Your Intake of Refined Sugar

Sugar suppresses your immunity by interfering with the production of white blood cells, the body’s protection against disease. To avoid sugar cravings eat a warm, protein-rich breakfast, stay hydrated, and eat small snacks throughout the day. Nuts, hummus, and lentil soup are perfect!

6. Herbal Remedies

Chinese medicine has over 300 regularly used herbal formulas for common ailments. There are great options available to keep the immune system strong through the cold season. Herbs can be taken preventatively, before any symptoms are present, to ward off any germs that may be floating around your home or office. If you already feel signs of a cold coming on like sore throat, muscle aches, fatigue, headache, or congestion ask your acupuncturist about the best option for you.

6 .Take it Easy!

Social calendars become jammed at the end of the year. Be selective and choose activities that leave you feeling joyful and rejuvenated rather than exhausted. Celebrate yourself! It is the perfect time to take stock of all you have accomplished, big and small, over the past year.

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