Halloween is over and bonfire night is just a stones throw away which means the start of winter and the run up to Christmas. Yes Christmas.. it’s just 50 days away (eek!)

Winter in Chinese medicine is a time to slow down, it is a time to recharge your batteries and generate vital energy. Not so easy I hear you say, for most, winter can be the busiest time of year in work and social lives! Winter is ruled by the water element and correlates to the kidneys, bladder and adrenal glands. The kidneys are the source of vital energy or what us Chinese medicine practitioners call “Qi”. The kidneys store Qi in the body to use when it’s needed. So during the winter months it is especially important to nourish your kidney Qi when your energy can be easily depleted as you will use your reserves to keep warm, active and more awake as the dark nights draw closer. Unlike animals we can’t hibernate all winter but we can help things by going to bed earlier and rising later when possible, resting well, staying warm and eating warm hearty meals, oh and of course not forgetting having regular acupuncture to keep you body in balance.

What you should be eating this winter:

In winter, when the temperature is much lower, the body looses a lot of heat, it is important to acquire more heat energy from food. Avoid raw foods during the winter as much as possible, as these tend to cool the body, you should eat warming foods such as:

• Soups and stews
• Root vegetables
• Beans
• Miso and seaweed
• Garlic and ginger

Eating warm hearty soups, whole grains, and roasted nuts help to warm the body’s core and to keep us nourished.