It’s the shortest day of the year, the weather is getting colder, and all we want to do is hibernate. According to Traditional Chinese medicine, Winter is a time of reception, introspection, rest, and storing physical energy, hence we eat more. It is associated with the element of water and the organ that governs it, the kidneys. They do more than just regulate fluids, but are the foundation of the body. They dictate the proper function of reproductive organs and help to provide energy and warmth to the body through the proper function of the adrenal glands.1c Water is also associated with fear, which ties into adrenal function. Even though it is a time to slow down, it is still important to keep moving! How can we stay out of the slump? Here are some ways to keep your spirits merry!
Include Bitter and Salty Foods
As a sense of angst may be a bit heightened salty and bitter food are recommended for promoting sinking and centering along with allowing for “storage.”1 They also help to increase the body’s affinity to the external cold as they cool the surface of the body. Warming foods and dishes are also generally recommended as they increase the body’s internal temperature and we tend to be drawn to them. To keep you body and mind aligned this winter, here are some foods to incorporate.
Bitter:
Bitter greens (broccoli rabe, arugula, etc.) turnips, celery, asparagus, carrots, and grains such as quinoa, millet, and oats.
Salty:
Pink Himalayan sea salt, seaweed, gluten-free organic soy sauce, millet. Adding salt on to warming foods can also help to keep the body balanced.
Warming:
Grains (organic): well-cooked brown rice, oats, millet, spelt (unless Celiac)
Starchy vegetables: winter squash, organic carrot, rutabaga, parsnip, turnip, garbanzo beans, black beans, peas, organic sweet potato, yam, pumpkin.
Spices: turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, black pepper veggies: onions, leeks, fennel
Small amounts of fruits and sweeteners: molasses, organic cherry, and dates.
Warming meats and fish (wild-caught, grass-fed, organic): mussels, shrimp, chicken, chicken liver, beef (limit)
Put it into practice! Make some nourishing dishes incorporating all these properties such as a nice crock pot beef, root veggie and broccoli rabe stew, pumpkin-spiced oats with a dash of sea salt, and warming spices such as cinnamon and ginger, or carrot ginger hummus. Whatever you decide, choose what nourishes your mind-body, and soul to keep all functioning optimally for the winter!
Practice Gratitude
This is one of the most important virtues that we can have. Gratitude can be characterized by a feeling of sufficiency, the appreciation of the little things and the people that are in our life. 2 Practicing this may not only help out psyche and promote better prosocial awareness but our overall enhance our health on a physiological level.
Improving your mood can activate the parasympathetic nervous system, or “rest and digest” portion of the autonomic nervous system, and potentially decrease the production of stress hormones, such as cortisol. Overproduction can deplete nutrients, create low-grade inflammation which can decrease our sense of well-being and have an impact on all areas of our life. Studies found incorporating gratitude practices decreased markers of inflammation, showed greater activation of the parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest), slightly but significantly improvement on sleep quality when done at night, depression, and psychological distress such as burnout. Gratitude can also be practiced by creating positive and meaningful events in life, such as building or reestablishing intimate relationships with others. 2
This winter, try keeping a gratitude journal and write down 3 things, people, or circumstances you are thankful for.
Nature
Recent studies found that contact with real settings can have positive effects on mood, self-esteem and stress, and depression.3 Though this is the shortest day of the year, let’s flip the coin! The days will start to get longer, the snow on the trees look gorgeous in the wintertime and if you bundle up right there are plenty of fun activities to do outside such as hiking, sledding (as covered last week), snowshoeing, or simply going on a nature walk with a friend.
You do not have to spend this winter as a hermit or feel down. Utilize some of these tools to keep the positive juices flowing, be present to things around you, and truly enjoy this new season upon us!
References:
1. Pitchford, P. Healing with Whole Foods. North Atlantic Books. Berkeley, CA. 1993.
2. Lilian Jans-Bekren, et. al. Gratitude and Health: An Updated Review. The Journal of Positive Psychology. 2019. (get DOI)
3. Van den Berg, M., Maas, J., van den Berg, A. Autonomic nervous system responses to Viewing Green and Built Settings: Differentiating Between Sympathetic and Parasympathetic Activity. International Journal of Environmental Research Public Health. 2015; 12(12): 15860 – 15874. Article retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nih.gov/pmc
