Mid Winter Health Tips - Keep your Kidneys strong!

Each season has it's natural inclinations. In Chinese Medicine each of the seasons relates to a different organ and each organ has a different set of strengths and weaknesses.

The Kidneys are a combination of your genetic health and the health you give yourself. Some people are prone to a variety of health problems due to various genetic issues. Some people are born with very strong constitutions and live very hard, depleting themselves of health.

That heavy feeling when you wake up in the morning of being without life before you have coffee, can often be called a Kidney Yang Deficiency. Dryness, constant thirst, and heat symptoms can stem from what we call a Kidney Yin Deficiency. It can be tricky to live in balance of these two supplements, however making choices that fit your constitution can help your health throughout the year.

Say Yes to:

• black foods: black sesame seeds, seaweed, black beans etc.
• warming spices: ginger, black pepper, cinnamon
• sea salt, the Kidneys like salt.
• rest & sleep
• keeping warm - especially your lower back
• gentle exercise and movement
• facing your fears: the Kidneys are related to fear, if you can look at things that held you back because you are fearful and work past them, now is a good time. Use the hibernation energy to give yourself space to work these things out.
• support your will to do things. The Kidneys are also closely connected to your will and motivation. Many people use the New Year to make resolutions, in Chinese Medicine we suggest making ideas now and execute them in the Chinese New Year or even in the Spring!
• acupuncture treatments! Always good to give yourself a boost, especially if you are having symptoms listed below.

Say No to:

• standing all day: if you have to, wear thick shoes and have a change so that your body has different parts that get worn out.
• working out really hard: it's winter! If your body needs movement, then move, but don't drain your resources.
• partying too hard: it will go to your Kidneys. Try to take care of them.

If you are having low energy, fatigue, low back pain, knee pain, menstrual issues, over heating / hot flashes, severe cold limbs or cold in your "bones",  immunity issues, insomnia, lack of will then I recommend getting acupuncture to help boost your Kidneys through the season.

Running on Empty.

Commonly the modern lifestyle looks like this, wake up in the morning, grab a cup of coffee, eat something with carbs (cereal, bagel, toast), fly out the door, rush to work and land just in time to sit in front of a computer for 8-9 hours. For 40-50 hours a week people sit at a desk, working mostly independently of other humans, some phone calls, conference room meetings and the rare outdoor collaboration do exist. Then they move on, they work until 5 or 6 they get a drink with co-workers or go to the gym, or cook dinner for a family and then they have to address whatever outlying tasks may be at home or personal administration and then they crash into sleep, waking to do it all again the next day. Weekends sometimes consist of a little work, but are usually half full of social activities that include drinking or smoking or staying up late. With the regular weekday routine, it's now hard to sleep in to recover. Before you know it Friday night's freedom has melted into Sunday night's ominous nod that Monday will be there when you wake up. This life feels familiar right? If you don't have it, your spouse does, or 90% of your friends do, or your parents or...? This is what we call modern life.

If you are lucky you practice a job that you love, have supportive friends, family or partner. You have hobbies that feed your soul and you sleep enough to keep this cycle healthy for you. However, many of my patients come in, worn out. Looking like their wires are fraying, rough edges manifesting into irritability, insomnia, exhaustion, lack of appetite, poor digestion. All these symptoms naming themselves as "stress".  Caffeine keeps people going, which essentially keeps some sort of gas in the tank, but runs out the oil. Without enough food or sleep the body wears down and can rebel in various symptoms such as the ones previously listed. I call this "running on empty", it feels fine until your gas actually runs out, or your oil truly needs a change.

Since my practice is high volume, some days clearly shout a message. Three patients in a row with the same sort of pain, what sort of treatment protocol do I have for them? But it comes out and I notice the pattern and then that cycle seems to be over. On a larger scale there also is a trickle pattern. Patients scattered through the schedule, over days or weeks that seem to have the same thing. The most common is this lifestyle exhaustion which manifest physically. Usually a patient can recognize they have job stress, but do not want to change it, instead looking to me to melt their shoulder pain, aid their digestion help them in some way. Oftentimes I can, a simple treatment with needles, a little rest and their body scoots back towards equilibrium. However, with this modern life continuing, without some herbs and lifestyle adjustment it's a race against the clock.

However with some TLC, (especially rest and good food) it's easy to help the body back to equilibrium.

Get acupuncture. Rest enough. Eat filling food. Cut back or cut out caffeine. Learn to say no. Go to bed.