Hi Raven here from Renewed Spirit. I am a diploma qualified Shiatsu and Oriental Medicine therapist operating at Pambula Beach and mobile sessions . Traditional Oriental medicine (T.O.M) provides deep instinctual understanding of the nature of us and the environment which interacts with us. It is formed from thousands of years of observation and an accumulation of such collective insights. I would like to share a couple of these relating to the winter period from my Shiatsu and TOM knowledge.
The Winter period, in T.O.M, is the most Yin of the seasons. It’s associated organs are the Bladder and Kidneys which are reflective of the water element in the bodies functioning.The Water element’s emotion is Fear (which can arise if we weaken the water element). The kidney are said to store the Jing or essence this creates the bone marrow, bone, brain and hair, its sense organ is the ear. The Water element is said to control birth, growth, sexual energy and development. Fear is the emotion which weakens the kidney, so reducing stress, resting and nurturing the kidneys is important especially if change is present in your life.
Winter is naturally a time of being more reflective of our inner feelings, of going internally deep with (Yin) and importantly resting. To nurture the yin of the body and maintain the digestive fires, it is important to help warm up the body, with some exercise to generate internal heat and to aid the livers function of spreading blood and chi smoothly around the body. (Almost like stoking coals of your the internal fire.)
Winter and its cold has a tendency to enter the body which slows down digestion and can also cause pain in the muscles and joints, and especially the lower back, so its important to keep warm especially around the kidneys. Rubbing with friction the lower back helps warm and support the Kidneys.
Winter is the time for slow cooking food like – casseroles, stews, roasts and soups. Adding plenty of root vegetables (Which are reflective of the deep yin energy of the earth) and also adding a little warming spices like ginger and chilli.
Other foods which act to nurture the Kidneys essence and the water element include barley, bone broth, miso soup with seaweed, dark beans, and foods which are black in nature, a little sea salt is also beneficial but don’t overdo it as too much depletes the Water element.
By slow cooking foods with lower heat for longer, it is understood from T.O.M observation that it imparts more yang energy and warmth into the food and body, unlocking the nutrients in food by making it more easily digestible. When to much raw uncooked foods are eaten in winter, unless you are super healthy and abundant in chi , it weakens the digestive fire. This means though more nutritious raw foods nutrients are not utilized by the body and it further weakens the Yin and essence, (a bit like putting damp wood on a fire).
Slow cooking food helps save the bodies yang energy, from having to warm the food internally and extract the nutrient, therefore allowing that energy to help keep the Kidneys warm and the digestive fire burning strong.
Try not to have cold water it is a bad habit of the modern world and is injuries to the internal fire, Jing and the Kidneys. However consuming adequate liquid- warm water, herbal teas, soups is important and it is easy in winter to deplete the Yin further by dehydrating the body through not consuming enough water and liquids.
Stay warm and nurture your inner child,deep within.
Oh and if by chance you are looking for a handmade ethical sourced materials beanies or leg warmers to help keep you warm my lovely partner Carolyn has some one of a kind beautifully crocheted beanies and legwarmers available on our website.
Raven- ( Dip Shiatsu and Oriental medicine)