Seasonal Acupuncture | JANUARY
The new year is here and winter has slowly crept in. Winter is the most Yin time of year, dark, cold and begging for slumber. We are commonly told the New Year is for resolutions and change. Energetically this does not make sense. Winter is a time to slow down and conserve our energy. It is a time to heal. Classic Chinese text says we should only expel our energy on what we absolutely love this time of year.
Winter corresponds to the Kidney channel in Chinese medicine. Kidney energy is the root of all energy in the body. It not only stores energy, but it supplies all other organs with its reserve energy when they are running low. Kidney health is the key to the overall health of the body. It is the only channel that holds both yin and yang energies; night and day, hot and cold, wet and dry. Ideally there is a nice balance between these energies in the body. When there is kidney yang deficiency we have cold signs. These symptoms are cold and painful lower back, knee pain, water retention, cold hands and feet, frequent urination, low libido, increased fears and anxieties, premature greying and fatigue. In Western medicine, the symptoms are often related to thyroid and adrenal fatigue. Kidney yin deficiency is the opposite. Yin symptoms are hot like day and night sweats, dry mouth, dry skin, dry hair, hypertension, ringing in the ears, poor memory, insomnia, and irritability. These symptoms are often associated with menopause. The kidney channel is also in charge of reproduction. It vital in helping conceive and carry out a healthy pregnancy. Acupuncture is a wonderful way to boost fertility for both women and men.
How do you take care of your kidneys this winter? Keep warm through the season. Wear socks, gloves and a scarf. Take a moment to rub your low back over your kidneys for one minute everyday. Do acupressure on our feet. Kidney 1 is called Gushing Spring, located in the exact center of your foot, stimulates your energy to relieve headaches, hot flashes, insomnia and fatigue. Rub this point on both feet for a few minutes everyday. Eat warm foods like soups, black beans, cinnamon, ginger, and beef. Avoid raw and cold meals and reach for room temperature drinks and food. Take the time to rest. Light exercise like yoga and walking is best. Get regular acupuncture for pain relief, fertility, menopausal symptoms, emotional health, and other kidney channel symptoms.
by Amy Yehoshua LAc, Msom