Three Tips for Staying Healthy This Winter

December 18, 2019

Don’t let the winter get you down, embrace Traditional Chinese Medicine.

The dark days of winter can be hard on both your body and your mind. The practice of Traditional Chinese Medicine recommends that you should live according to the seasons for optimal health and well being. In Utah, that can be especially challenging since the days are short and cold, and the winter seems to stretch on. Winter doesn’t have to be time to endure. Acupuncture and other Traditional Chinese Medicine can help you balance your energy and find wellness. With these practices, you can learn to embrace winter and see it as a time of rest and recharging.

To best live in the winter season, you should focus on nourishing your body, restoring your mind and spirit and protecting yourself against the cold. Here are our three TCM tips for maintaining health and living in harmony with the season.

1. Get the Right Nutrition

Focusing on the right nutrition for winter, can help you stay healthy in the coldest months of the year. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, winter is the time to eating warming, seasonal foods, such as stews made with rich broths, whole grains and root vegetables. It is also good to increase your intake of protein rich foods like beans and lentils. When cooking meals, focus on slow cooking methods like roasting and baking to preserve the warming qualities of these foods.

In addition to choosing nurturing foods, you must drink enough water. Though we don’t sweat much in winter, the cold, winter air is incredibly drying. The dry air sucks the moisture out of your body leaving your skin, lips, hair and organs dehydrated. To stay hydrated, listen to your body and drink between meals. Focus on room temperature water and/or herbal teas, such as ginger root, which is a warming herb. By eating in harmony with the seasons and following Traditional Chinese Medicine, you can boost your immune system and prepare your body for the winter.

2. Alter Your Winter Activities

The slow days of winter are the perfect time to slow down and look inward. Take advantage of the time indoors to focus on meditation, prayer, journaling and reading. These practice are good restorative activities. Or, gently combine the physical and spiritual with Yin yoga, which will help you maintain balance and recharge your Yin. You can also visit a certified acupuncturist, for an acupuncture to make sure your qi is in balance.

Finally, make sure to get enough sleep. Traditional Chinese Medicine advises setting and rising with the sun. While this isn’t always practical or possible in our modern world, just an hour extra a night can be incredibly helpful in getting your body the extra rest in needs in the winter and becoming more in sync with our natural world.

3. Stay Warm

The need to stay warm might seem like a no brainer in the winter, but many of us do not properly bundle up. In the winter, it is essential to protect our heads and neck from the cool wind. We cannot balance our bodies if we are constantly losing heat. It also takes more energy to maintain body warmth when you are not properly bundled, and this precious energy could be used to boost your immune system and protect you from illness. When you waste energy, you leave yourself vulnerable to illness or infection.

Don’t let the cold beat you this winter. Instead, embrace winter in Utah as time to embrace Traditional Chinese Medicine and maintain balance in your life. Acupuncture and living with the seasons through rest and nutrition can help you maintain health and wellness in Utah. If you are interested in learning more, get in touch with us or make an appointment.[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column]

Lotus Spring Acupuncture and Wellness Inc., the best restorative acupuncture clinic in American Fork, UT, USA is dedicated to providing valuable information about Traditional Chinese Medicine’s solutions to Naturally Restore Lungs Function.

The Link Between Lung Health and Nerve Growth

Have you ever thought about how the air we breathe affects more than just our lungs? It turns out, your lungs are super important not just for breathing but also for keeping your brain and nerves healthy.

Imagine your body is like a car engine, and oxygen is the fuel that keeps everything running smoothly. Without enough fuel, things start to break down. Well, the same goes for your body—without enough oxygen, your brain and nerves might not work as well as they should.

Did You Know?

Did you know that just a 1% drop in oxygen saturation can impair cognitive performance by up to 10%? Imagine you’re hiking up a high mountain, where the air is thin and oxygen is scarce. You might experience brain fog and find it hard to think clearly—this is because your brain needs a steady supply of oxygen to stay sharp. But it’s not just about high-altitude hikes. Oxygen affects your daily life in surprising ways:

Feeling Dizzy After Standing Up Quickly: Ever stood up too fast and felt lightheaded? This happens because your brain isn’t getting enough oxygen for a moment.
Struggling with Focus During a Tough Workout: If you’re working out intensely and feel like your concentration is slipping, it might be due to lower oxygen levels in your body.
Waking Up Groggy: If you have sleep apnea, you might wake up feeling tired because your body wasn’t getting enough oxygen during the night.

“Inhale and Exhale to Stay Calm”: Ever notice in movies how characters are told to breathe deeply to stay calm? This is because deep breathing helps get more oxygen to your brain, which can help clear your mind and improve focus.

What Happens If You Don’t Get Enough Oxygen?

If your lungs aren’t doing their job properly and your blood isn’t getting enough oxygen, you might face some serious problems:

Fatigue: Feeling tired all the time because your body isn’t getting the energy it needs.
Shortness of Breath: Struggling to breathe easily, even when you’re at rest.
Cognitive Issues: Difficulty concentrating, remembering things, or making decisions.
Headaches: Frequent headaches due to low oxygen levels in the brain.
Mood Changes: Feeling more irritable or down than usual, as oxygen levels affect your mood.

How Lung Health Supports Nerve Growth and Brain Function

Okay, let’s break this down into simpler terms. Think of your lungs as a big air pump. Their job is to take in oxygen from the air and put it into your blood. This oxygen-rich blood travels all over your body, including to your brain and nerves.

Brain Power: Your brain needs a lot of oxygen to think clearly and learn new things. Healthy lungs make sure your brain gets the oxygen it needs to stay sharp.
Nerve Growth: Just like plants need water to grow, your nerves need oxygen to stay healthy and grow. With enough oxygen, your nerves can work properly and repair themselves.
Memory and Learning: Good oxygen levels help you remember things and learn new skills more easily.

Tips to Keep Your Lungs Healthy and Boost Oxygen Delivery

1. Breathing Exercises

What to Do: Try deep breathing exercises like diaphragmatic breathing. Breathe in deeply through your nose, letting your belly expand, and then slowly exhale through your mouth.

Why It Works: Deep breathing helps improve lung capacity and oxygen flow. Aim for 5-10 minutes of deep breathing exercises twice a day.

2.Stay Hydrated

What to Do: Drink plenty of water throughout the day—about 8 glasses (2 liters) daily.

Why It Works: Water helps keep mucus thin and easier to expel, improving lung function.

3.Eat Lung-Friendly Foods

What to Do: Include foods rich in antioxidants, like berries, apples, and leafy greens. Omega-3 rich foods like fish and flaxseeds are also great.

Why It Works: These foods help reduce inflammation and support lung health. Try to eat at least one serving of these foods daily.