Winter of 2020/2021 is expected to be long and hard with the the fatigue of mask wearing and sanitizing everything, the boredom of social distancing, the loneliness of isolation, and the fear of a virus that is killing thousands of Americans everyday.

So how are we going to get through this dreaded Winter season? Maybe we can not only get through it but come out at the end better off. Chinese Medicine can give us some tips on how to do this.

Use Nature to Guide You

According to Chinese Medicine, Winter is the most Yin Season. You have most likely heard of the principle of Yin and Yang. Yin is the cold, inward, dark, restful , feminine qualities. Yang is warm, outward, bright, active, masculine qualities. There are ways to work with nature and the seasons to make the most of each time of year. We are part of nature and we often forget this due to our never changing work routines, the ever available produce throughout the year, and our climate controlled homes.

Winter is a time to slow down, take time to rest, do more internal self-care and activities such as reading, journaling, restorative yoga, and meditation. Winter is related to the Kidneys which house our most basic energy passed down from our parents and what we then give our children. It can be fortified by all of the activities above and by the food we choose to eat. Some Kidney tonifying/winter foods are: root vegetables, bone broth, sea weeds, fish, miso, eggs, black and kidney beans. Eating warm, nourishing foods during the cold months does wonders to restore our energy and get us ready for a more active time.

Winter is a time to turn inward.

This long dark winter will come to end. It always does. This winter seems more bleak than past years but all the more reason to turn our attention inward, do some needed self-reflection, contemplate all the questions humans have asked for millennia, cozy up with a book you have been wanting to read, snuggle with your partner, kids or pets. It is truly beneficial having a mindset that makes the winter and social distancing feel like a challenge that we can use to our advantage. We can learn from these new boundaries and use this time to improve ourselves We are living through a moment in history that will forever be embedded in our memories. What will those memories be for you? I believe we will come out of this truly appreciating each other more, savoring each moment we get to explore and travel, reveling in the shared energy of being at a crowded concert, loving each and every time we sit down at a big table for a holiday. We can also come out of this with a renewed sense of purpose every year when the seasons start turning cold.

“If we never experience the chill of a dark winter, it is very unlikely that we will ever cherish the warmth of a bright summer’s day. Nothing stimulates our appetite for the simple joys of life more than the starvation caused by sadness or desperation. In order to complete our amazing life journey successfully, it is vital that we turn each and every dark tear into a pearl of wisdom, and find the blessing in every curse.”
― Anthon St. Maarten, Divine Living: The Essential Guide To Your True Destiny

Acupuncture and Chinese herbs are a great way to boost immunity, keep stress levels down and address any other imbalances that you may experience. We have many safety protocols in place that exceed the CDC guidelines. So if you would like acupuncture to be a part of your Yin boosting self-care this winter, we would love to aid in your journey. Garden Acupuncture is located on Union Street in Park Slope, Brooklyn. Check out and explore our website! GardenAcu.com