Health Practices to Align with the Season
November 17, 2020
written by Mikah Simmons from The Health Navigators
According to the ancient teachings of Chinese Medicine, the most effective way to stay healthy is to learn about the nature of the seasons and then alter our lifestyle and health practices to align with the spirit of the current season. As we now head into the last days of November, Chinese Medicine encourages us to transition into the internal, contractive nature of fall. As we observe trees and plants move towards dormancy, the hours of sunlight shorten, and the air temps begin to plummet, here are a few ideas to bring balance and harmony with nature into your life:
- Eat warm cooked foods such as soups, stews and whole grain cereals
- Use warm and pungent spices and ingredients in the dishes you cook (turmeric, onion, ginger, cloves, cinnamon, turnips, horseradish, cardamom, fennel, leeks, nutmeg)
- Begin new projects that cultivate the body and mind and require introspection
- Practice deep breathing
- Consider working to let go of anything that isn’t serving you to make room for new experiences heading your way with the new year or springtime
- Head to bed a little earlier, and sleep a little more
- Keep lights dim in the evening to mimic the setting sun and help prepare the body for rest
Enter your comments or questions below.
Comments (2)
- 1
Barbara Simmons:
Nov 18, 2020 at 04:00 PM
I'm going to try adding turmeric & ginger to my warm broth that I drink every day. And I'm definitely going to head to bed a little earlier. Thanks for suggestions.. It's been 10 years since my cancer diagnosis..
Nancy Hepp:
Nov 18, 2020 at 04:15 PM
Thank you, Barbara!
Warm wishes, in many dimensions,
Nancy