Seasonal Living Ideas for Winter: how you can use the Energetics of Winter for health
Winter is a time of rest, rejuvenation and deep inward reflection. I like to think of it as a gift from mother nature. After the constant go-go-go during summer months, winter can be a welcome pause. It quite literally forces you to slow down.
As you enjoy the last bit of winter-time, it’s important to reflect on the season. This blog will serve as a reference to help you understand how to align your life with the energetics of winter, giving you a chance to balance your systems and experience optimal health. Whether you’re prone to sickness during this time of year, or simply interested in living a more intentional life…..this blog is for you. I’ll give you an overview of the energetic patterns at play during winter and offer ideas on food, herbs, and lifestyle practices to help you get the most out of the season.
Winter in Montana is cold. The days are short, and often dark. Because of this, your body has to work much harder to maintain core warmth. Winter is all about conserving your energy stores. Think of it like this: most plants lose their leaves during the winter months. They draw their energy towards their roots–focusing on surviving the harsh winter weather. Plants come inwards and focus on their roots in order to survive. And you ought to do the same in order to thrive.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), winter is associated with the water element1. The organs that may need extra care and attention are the Kidneys, Bladder and Adrenals. These organs are involved in regulating fluids and are responsible for storing your essential energy. (Jing, & Qi) The TCM concept around the Kidneys includes Kidney Yin (fluids) and Kidney Yang (metabolic fire).
Traditional Chinese Medicine recognizes the following as symptoms that our Kidneys Yang and Adrenals need some extra support:
● pale complexion
● cold hands and feet
● dark circles under the eyes that don’t seem to go away
● low motivation/fatigue
● salt cravings
● frequent urination
● joint aches
● low back pain
● low libido
● digestive stagnation
● depression
● poor memory
FOOD:
One of the best ways to bolster your energy reserves is through food. Thoughtful nutrition during the winter months can make a big difference. You will see why the “NEW YEARS CLEANSE” is poor timing for what our body’s truly need during the cold months.
Here’s a list of foods to limit:
● Cold foods/drinks like smoothies and ice cream (or any foods eaten directly from
the fridge/freezer)
● Excessive Caffeine
● Excessive spicy foods
Cold foods are taxing on the Digestive system. Excessive consumption of cold foods depletes your energy stores because your body must bring it to body temperature before digestion can occur. Excessive Caffeine also works to deplete energy stores by exhausting the adrenals. Excessive Spicy foods generate surface level heat–not to be confused with warming foods which help generate core warmth. This can cause perspiration and ends up cooling the body. Winter foods should support the body in maintaining warmth and replenishing energy stores.
Here’s a list of foods to embrace:
● cooked foods
● lots of protein
● warming foods
● kidney supporting foods–i.e.root vegetables, dark leafy greens, beans, broccoli, nuts, parsley, basil, asparagus
● mineral rich/’salty’ herbs–i.e. Seaweed, nettle leaf, cleavers, celery
Cooked vegetables are easy to digest: allowing your body to conserve energy for what matters most maintaining immune function. Protein and mineral-rich foods help replenish energy stores while warming foods help maintain the energy you’ve got. Adding in Immune supportive herbs to your soups is an easy way to support digestion and immune function.
Try out this HERBAL VEGGIE BROTH RECIPE to support your energy and nourish your body through the winter.
It’s worth mentioning that we are prone to severe Vitamin D Deficiency in Montana during the winter and some folks see a big difference in their S.A.D. (seasonal affective disorder) with oral supplementation.
SPICES & HERBS FOR WINTER:
Much like the foods you choose to eat, the herbs you incorporate into your winter life should maintain warmth and replenish your body’s energy. Warming, nutritive, and kidney-supporting herbs are in order when the days/months are cold.
SPICES:
Cardamom, Cinnamon, Cloves, Black Pepper (think Chai spices), Ginger, Fennel, Fenugreek- these all warm & increase metabolism
Herbs:
Astragalus root, Eleuthero root, Licorice root Rhodiola root- these increase Kidney Yang & Qi
Rooibos, Shatavari root-these increase Kidney Yin
At Meadowsweet, we carry a lovely tincture from Five Flavors Herbs that is helpful in maintaining your vital energy. The Sustainable Energy Tincture is made of adaptogenic eleuthero, ashwagandha, holy basil, schisandra, and rhodiola; it also offers nervous system support from wild oat seed, along with kidney & digestive support from licorice root. We also carry a Rooibos Chai Tea!
Rooibos:
Energetics: sweet, mildly warming, slightly moistening Traditional Chinese Medicine recognizes rooibos as a kidney-supporting herb. Rooibos can help lower cholesterol and blood pressure, and can even support antioxidant production in the body 2. Even better…..this plant is rich in antioxidants which make it an incredible ally for protection against liver oxidation and overall detoxification 3. This plant comes from South Africa, and is still important to the economy in the Western Cape region 4. It has a low tannin content, making it less astringent than most traditional teas. People who drink rooibos tea report increased vitality, digestive support, and glowing skin and modern research has revealed that this herb is high in flavonoids quercetin and luteolin4
Ginger:
Energetics: warm, sweet, spicy
Ginger is a familiar warming herb. It supports digestion by warming digestion: enhancing assimilation & dispelling gas.
Topically, it can relieve pain and arthritis as it moves fresh blood and lymph into the area it is applied on. It can help dispel the onset of illness when used in a bath infusion as well as drinking it as a strong tea. One interesting application that is supportive during the winter months is applying a poultice to the lower back. This supports warming in the kidneys, thus helping strengthen immunity and restore vitality to the body. *Dried ginger is more hot and dry while fresh is considered warm and moving1.
Lifestyle:
Herbalist Lesley Tierra offers the catch phrase “conserve and preserve”1to describe lifestyle shifts during the winter months. You might naturally feel less energetic during the winter months and that is okay. In fact, it’s good! Your body is helping you conserve energy to stay healthy and happy. However, when deep fatigue, depression, excessive coldness, constant body pain, and frequent illness increase during winter-exploring the seasonally appropriate food, herb and lifestyle changes that follow the Energetics of
Winter can offer balance & holistic wellness.
Take quiet time. Dream. Share stories. Journal. Meditate. Go for slow walks and notice the world around you. This is your time to take the year in. Notice what you need more of and what you need less of. Dream of how to make the seeds of change you desire grow.
Dress warm. Take extra care in protecting your neck and kidney area. Wear hats, socks and scarves to seal in body heat. Lower your house temp and opt for wearing more layers. Too much warmth in your living environment can stress the body when you do go outside. The same can be said for excess hot tub and sauna use. Both of these activities encourage perspiration and are best when followed up with a cold plunge or snow exposure to bring the body heat back inward.
Winter Rituals:
Winter is a beautiful time to embrace rituals that help you slow down, and nourish your center. Here are a few practices to help you get the most out of winter.
Hot Bath Soak / Cold Exposure Ritual for the Winter:
Here’s a way to get the best of both worlds. Take a bath using this Warming Winter Bath. Take the time to reflect inward, noticing what nourishes you, and what you might need to start letting go of.
Immediately after soaking, do a cold exposure. This could look like rinsing off in a cold shower, opening a window and embracing the cool air before getting dressed, or rolling around in the snow (if you have the luxury of this much privacy).
Mindful Tea & Journal Ritual for Wintertime:
If you read the info on the focus herbs, you already know that rooibos is a robust ally for supporting your vitality through the cold months. Enjoy Rooibos tea in this Warming Winter Chai Recipe!
While you enjoy your cup of tea, take time to journal. What are you grateful for? What makes you feel supported? What is draining your energy? What steps can you take to make positive changes in your life?
Winter Plant ID walk:
While our energies turn inward during the winter months, this is still a beautiful time to connect with nature. In fact, it is one of my favorite times to connect with wild medicinal plants. Take a walk through your neighborhood or local greenspace. Look around you and notice the plants. What do they look like in the wintertime? Are there any familiar plants that you can identify? Getting to know a plant in all of its stages can help you deepen your connection and understanding.
Bring a notebook with you if you’d like to track what you notice, or take pictures and reflect with your journal once you return home.
I hope this blog helps align your health, happiness and ease during the last part of winter. This time of the year can be challenging, but it can also be a beautiful opportunity to understand your body deeper.
References:
- Tierra, L. (2003). Healing with the Herbs of Life: Hundreds of Herbal Remedies, Therapies, and Preparations. Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed.
- Groves, M. N. (2016). Body Into Balance: An Herbal Guide to Holistic Self-Care. Storey Publishing, LLC.
- Canda, B. D., Oguntibeju, O. O., & Marnewick, J. L. (2014). Effects of consumption of rooibos (Aspalathus linearis) and a rooibos-derived commercial supplement on hepatic tissue injury by tert-butyl hydroperoxide in Wistar rats. Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity, 2014, 716832.
https://doi.org/10.1155/2014/716832 - Rooibos. (n.d.). Gaia Herbs. Retrieved February 28, 2024, from
https://www.gaiaherbs.com/blogs/herbs/rooibos
