In Chinese Medicine, protecting ourselves from the cold is extremely important. Aside from making someone sick, it can aggravate existing conditions like arthritis.
Chinese Medicine has a term called cold damage which explains what happens when our life force is exposed to the outside elements. In the winter, this is usually in the form of cold which can deplete our life force or yang qi.
Where there is no yang qi, there is no warmth and a deathly cold invades. A similar example in nature is how everything becomes cold and barren during winter when the sun is the farthest from us.
One branch of Chinese Medicine is self care practices that help us understand how to co-exist with the elements along with the process of global and personal change. Here are preventative measures that make all the difference in us getting sick from the wintry form of cold damage.
1. Cover up as much as you can. Wear a coat or keep multiple layers in your car in case that’s not enough. Have a scarf and cap. Cold in Chinese Medicine tends to invade the back of the head which is why people who get sick from cold weather might get a headache, stiff neck and achy joints.
2. Never go outside with wet hair. This is a good way of getting sick or at least a bad headache. It’s best not to go outside with wet hair even during the summer because air conditioning on a wet head is similar to a cold winter day. Not leaving the house with wet hair is important for everyone, but it’s especially critical for women who are pregnant, about to menstruate or postnatal.
3. Avoid cold wind on your face. Once again, a scarf and cap are great but if you are being hit with a blast of sustained cold air in the face, try to shield yourself from it or wear a face beanie or full face cover ski neck gaiter. This is especially important if you have a history of Bell’s Palsy.
4. After getting out of the cold, stay in warm clothes and turn on the heat. I suggest keeping your cap on for a little while unless you start to sweat.
5. Make yourself something hot to drink like chai, ginger or cinnamon tea. Every herb has a thermal temperature so it’s important to choose those that are warming. Stay away from teas like mint, chrysanthemum, hibiscus or lemon. Stick with those that are bold and spicy. Also avoid cold drinks, especially those that are iced.
6. If you have been exposed to cold and start to feel sick, drink something warm or have some porridge with cinnamon and ginger. Then get under the covers for a half hour or more. You might even break a small sweat which is normal.
7. Do not eat raw foods. This is the worst thing to do in the winter. The digestive system in Chinese Medicine prefers warmth so that it can break down foods into absorbable nutrients. We call it the digestive fire that works better with cooked foods. Also, eating cold raw foods during the winter is a good way of inviting cold into our bodies which can impact our circulation and immune response.
One of the best dishes after cold exposure is congee, a rice porridge that can either be made into a breakfast or dinner dish. There are a wide variety of congee dishes you can make. It’s important though to choose foods that are warming. For those who eat meat, chicken, beef and lamb are great for congees. For vegetables, you can add things like garlic, ginger, squash and mustard greens. Congees can be either meat dishes or vegetarian and are very versatile. You can do a google search for all different types of recipes.
8. Keep your feet warm throughout the winter. Heat loss can occur through the feet. In Chinese Medicine specifically, the lower part of the body is under the domain of the kidneys. The root of our immune system according to Chinese Medicine is our kidneys because they reflect our overall constitution. Smart wool socks are the best.
9. Get a lot of sleep during the winter and don’t skip meals. Winter is the going underground time. Plants and animals are less active and hibernate. Although our modern conveniences allow us a little more flexibility, it’s still important for our immunity to respect the cycles of nature. If you can, go to bed earlier during the winter and wake up later than you would in the summer.
