Nourishing Yin and returning to our root
So long 2020! Anyone else out there feeling extremely exhausted with the year we just had? We are deep in Winter and this is the perfect time for rest and reflection. This is the most yin time of year with short days and dark, cold nights. Yin is cool, dull, slow, stable, and grounding. Yin draws our energy inward. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM), aligning with the energy of the season is key to wellness. By changing our habits with the season’s, we can create more balance between our bodies and the external environment. Winter is the best time to slow down, to conserve our energy, and to replenish our resources.
In TCM, winter is associated with the element of water, which relates to the kidneys and bladder. Water energy is flexible, adaptable, and flows. The kidneys are thought to hold our body’s basic and fundamental energy, our essence, responsible for our vitality, the root of all Qi. This vital essence operates like a pilot light that can spark energy within the entire body, mind, and spirit.
Guidelines for winter:
To harmonize with the winter season, choose to eat foods that are appropriate to your climate. Foods that are seasonal, local, and sustainable. During winter, when fresh and local foods aren't always available, we literally reach into the earth to extract nourishment from tubers and roots at this time. This is the way nature intended us to eat. From a TCM perspective, our modern diet has put us at a disadvantage to our health by having access to a wide variety of foods all year round that may be grown unnaturally with the use of pesticides rather than ones grown for only part of the year.
Foods in season:
• Apples, pears, grapes, pomegranates, carrots, celery, beets, sweet potato, yam, turnips, peas, green beans, pumpkin, squash, zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, brussell sprouts, kale, spinach, collards, onions, leek, mushrooms and fungus
Warming spices:
• Garlic, turmeric, cumin, ginger, cayenne, chili peppers, cinnamon, cardamom, star anise, nutmeg, clove
Dried foods:
• Kidney beans, black beans, lentils, quinoa, oats, barley, millet, rye, brown rice, black rice, wild rice, walnuts, cashews, chestnuts, seaweed, kelp
Dried foods, small dark beans, seaweed, and steamed winter greens help strengthen the kidneys in the winter. Lentils and legumes recharge the kidneys and adrenal glands while calming the nervous system. Black is the colour associated with winter and eating dark coloured foods such as berries, black beans, black sesame seeds, black peppercorn can also help increase our kidney energy.
Using salty and bitter flavours help support the descent of qi downward and inward to the kidneys. The salty flavour supports kidney function, promoting the elimination of fluids, at the same time keeping tissues hydrated. Incorporating the bitter flavour helps to balance out the warming foods during the cold months. Too much heat can dry us out and potentially damage our yin. Balancing saltier foods with bitter foods can help prevent a buildup of internal heat. Caution not to use salty and bitter in excess. It is better to use all five flavours and a variety of foods from all food groups and use salty and bitter as condiment flavours. Keep in mind that the standard American diet (SAD) is typically high in refined salt. Moderation is key. To incorporate more of the unrefined salty flavour use miso, seaweed, kelp, or seafood. Salty and bitter can be balanced with cooking methods as well as using herbs and spices that warm the body. Bitter foods that support the kidney include chicory, black tea, dandelion leaves, roasted dandelion root, burdock root, walnuts, and black sesame seeds.
Have you tried the Earth’s Herbal Tea we carry yet? Earth’s Herbal Hangover Tea, Green Mother Calcium Tea and Purity Fountain Cleansing Tea are a great way to add in those bitter flavours, but in a delicious, easy to drink herbal tea. Herbal tea is great way to increase our hydration and create warming in the body.
Winter cooking:
Winter foods will nourish yin and fluids while keeping the digestive fire going. Cooking foods slowly for a longer period of time at a lower temperature like bone broth-based soups, hearty stews, and slow cooked foods will generate warmth without drying or overheating the body. Choose to eat more cooked foods as too much cold or raw foods will chill the digestive system and put out the digestive fire. If you are experiencing excess dry in your body use methods like stews or poaching. If you are experiencing more dampness in the body use drier methods like baking and roasting.
Signs and symptoms of weak digestive fire:
• Cold
• Fatigue
• Slow, sluggish digestion
• Loose stool
• Weight gain
• Low body temperature
• Weakened immunity
• Autoimmunity
• Allergies
Some people have a hard time digesting dried foods like beans and legumes. Soaking beans, legumes, lentils, nuts, and grains can be helpful in making these foods easier to digest. Cover your dried foods with water approximately 2 inches above and set aside overnight. Soaking overnight and discarding the soaked bean water leaches out the sugars that are responsible for gas and digestive discomfort.
If you’re interested in trying Holistic Nutrition to increase your wellness, vitality while improve your energy and digestion reach out to our Holistic nutritionist Nicole for a free consultation.
Mindfulness practices:
Mindful eating
Mindfulness is a wonderful way to bring our attention inward, back to our body, mind, and spirit. We can support our digestive fire by mindful eating, a meditative practice, used to reach a state of presence, drawing our full attention to our experiences, cravings, and physical cues when eating. Bring all your senses to your meal. Be attentive to the colour, taste, texture, aroma, and even the sound the food makes. Eat slowly and chew thoroughly. Digestive enzymes are in our saliva to help breakdown and digest the foods we are eating. Listen for the physical cues for hunger. That is when our stomach acids and enzymes are ready and digestive fire is strong. Are we ignoring this cue and skipping meals? Maybe we are not receiving this cue at all. This is a simple practice to fully experience and enjoy each bite of food. Mindful eating can help us gain control over our eating habits, reduce binge eating, promote weight loss and help us feel better.
Are you feeling ready to work off all those holiday treats? Flowing exercises such as yoga, Tai chi, and Qi gong can help preserve muscles and distribute warmth and fluid. Do you feel the need to be outdoors? Bundle up, grab a warm beverage, and enjoy a lovely, nature walk.
Walking meditation
Walking meditation focuses on the physical act of walking. The simplicity of walking meditation helps to develop focus, calm, and grounding. To practice, start by turning your attention to the physical sensation of walking, placing one foot in front of the other. Open your senses to focus your attention on being present. What do you see? What do you hear? What are you feeling as your feet meet the ground?
Gentle Yoga
Online Gentle Therapeutic Yoga is a way for us to support our joints, stimulate our lymphatic system, promote relaxation and release fear and open to trust all from the quiet, safe comfort of our homes. Your first class is FREE to try.
Acupuncture
Can help increase your digestive fire and balance your body in Winter. The Water Element relates to the Kidneys and the Urinary Bladder. Here are some signs and symptoms to tell if your Water Element is out of balance.
Physical signs:
Arthritis
Poor memory
Ringing of the ears
Bone degeneration
Premature hair loss and or graying
Lack of sex drive
Infertility
Shortness of breath
Hearing loss
Too little or too much urination
Emotional signs:
Lack of motivation and drive; apathy
Being fearful or apprehensive
Inability to confront issues
Inertia
Book in with our Acupuncturists for support.
Winter is a crucial time to nourish our innermost being. Take the time for some deeper reflection through journaling and meditation. Find light by creating and doing activities that bring you joy. Winter can be a difficult time on the mind, body, and spirit.
If you are needing some support, please reach out. We at A Balanced Body are here for you.
References:
Eisenstein, C. (2003). The Yoga of Eating. New Trends Publishing, Inc.
Goldsmith, E., Klein, M. (2017). Nutritional Healing with Chinese Medicine. Robert Rose Inc.
Pitchford, P. (1993) Healing with Whole Foods. North Atlantic Book