Enduring the Cold

TLDR: Winter advice from lifestyle changes to recipes. Protect your body, especially the nape of the neck and the feet. Eat hot foods and keep cold foods to a minimum. Drink hot tea every day. A beef bone broth recipe. Reference material and more in-depth information on eating with the seasons: “Healing with Whole Foods” by Paul Pitchford and “The Tao of Nutrition” by Ni Maoshing and Cathy McNease.

The cold is here and you need to start fortifying your body before the bone-chilling cold comes. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), environmental pathogenic factors such as wind seep in through the pores in our skin and interact with our internal environment, causing a distortion in our Qi and the wind can sink deeper going all the way to our bones, causing functional problems. Luckily we have a “Defensive Qi” layer that circulates between the skin and muscles that acts like a barrier. We can take measures internally and externally to help strengthen our body’s defenses. The first is the obvious: it’s time to stop wearing shorts and low cut clothing, no more open-toed shoes. Jackets and pants are a must.

Not only can the environmental factors seep into your pores, but the cold can weaken your bodies “furnace.” TCM states that the Kidneys supply warmth to the internal organs for your body to operate at proper homeostasis. The Kidney channel starts on the outside of the pinky toe, moves under your foot, then follows the inside of your leg. This is why it is imperative that your feet are covered at all times, even wear socks in your home. The number one way to douse your internal fire is to have your feet uncovered. Winter also happens to be the season of the water element, which is governed by the Kidneys and Urinary bladder. The Kidneys are working extra hard during this time of year. Kidneys are also responsible for our “Jing” or essence, and that depletes in the winter time.

The next important area to keep covered is the back of your head, throat, and nape of the neck . The throat is connected to the Lungs and the Lungs also play a big role in providing energy for our Defensive Qi. Although they are not paired organs, the Lungs and Kidneys actually have a symbiotic role they play. The Lungs send Qi and fluids to the Kidneys, the Kidneys use the Qi and filter the fluids, sending warm mist back up to moisten the Lungs. The internal organs all work together, but this mechanism is extra important to safeguard during the winter. There are also two key points in your bodies defense against wind that are on the back of the neck that were classically named “wind gate” and “wind palace,” another reason to cover up.

Now that we’ve talked about the external protection of your body, let’s talk about internal protection. The last major organs involved in your bodies defense according to TCM are the Stomach and Spleen. They are a part of the system by default as they help create the basis of Qi to be used by the other internal organs. The Stomach “rottens and ripens” food to usable Qi and the Spleen “transforms and transports” Qi and substances to different parts of the body. These organs need to stay warm to function in homeostasis and one way is by the warmth provided from the Kidneys. Another way to keep their mechanisms functioning properly are by ingesting foods that are harvested with the seasons. The food you eat has different temperatures to each item even though the actual temperature of the food may be hot or cold. As you learned from the Acu 101 page, herbs can also go to different organs.

The most basic thing you can do for all three organs is to drink hot tea every day when you wake up, even in the other seasons. According to TCM, Ginger goes to the Lungs, Spleen, and Stomach and it is warm in nature. Buy some ginger root at the store and wash it. Cut about an inch off the root. Slice the root into thin pieces and let steep in hot water for 5 minutes. A daily cup of this will strengthen your defenses by removing pathogens itself and also strengthen the organs responsible for strengthening your defenses. Another fundamental food item you can at to your winter routine is bone broth. TCM states that bone marrow creates Kidney “Jing” in the body, so directly drinking broth made from animal bones helps directly replenish ones Jing. You can make bone broth and drink it regularly, make soups with it, or cook your rice and food with it. Below I will put directions on how to make a basic bone broth and under that, I will list foods good for your defensive organs.

Basic Bone Broth Recipe

Items Needed

-1 small pot to pre-boil and “clean” the bones

-1 large pot or 1 crock pot

- Beef bones- Organic, grass-fed or at least grass-fed.  Can use a chicken carcass as well.

-2 Three-inch chunks of ginger or bigger

-Seasonings/ Broth items of your choosing ie Onion, green onion, garlic, celery, carrot, Himalayan Pink Salt, Pepper... 

Soup pot directions

1.Take one of the ginger chunks and slice into pieces with skin on and place into the small pre-boil pot.

2. Boil the water in the small pot and start heating up water in the big pot.

3. Add the 1st chunk of ginger in the small pot and boil for 20 minutes. There will be a small film that builds on the top that you may have to scoop out. Typically when using grass fed and organic bones, there will be little to no film. 

4. Dump the small pot and transfer the bones to the large pot and bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer. You can let it simmer between 8-12 hours. Check on the broth every couple hours in case you have to add water to the pot. Add the last chunk of ginger on the final hour

5. Add the additional vegetables and seasonings to give the broth a good flavor. 

Slowcooker directions

1. Bring the small pot to a boil.

2. Add the 1st chunk of ginger in the small pot for 20 minutes. There will be a small film that builds on the top that you may have to scoop out. Typically when using grass fed and organic bones, there will be less film. Dump the small pot and transfer bones to slow cooker.

3. Set the cooker to low and leave for 72 hours. Add ginger and vegetables and seasoning for last 4 hours.

Bitter and Salty Foods, Kidney Yin and Yang

The best flavor of foods for the body to thrive during winter are bitter and salty foods.

The most common bitter foods include lettuce, watercress, endive, escarole, turnip, celery, asparagus, alfalfa, carrot top, rye, oats, quinoa, and amaranth.

The most common salty foods include miso, soy sauce, seaweeds, salt, millet, barley, plus “any food made salty by the addition of salt.”

The Kidneys Yin function helps nourish the other internal organs and the Kidney’s Yang function provides energy and warmth for the internal organs. Since the Kidneys are most active during winter time, it would be wise to nourish both aspects of the Kidneys.

Kidney Yin foods: millet, barley, tofu, string bean, black bean, black soybean, mung bean and its sprouts, kidney bean and most other beans, kuzu root, watermelon and other melons, blackberry, mulberry, blueberry, huckleberry, water chestnut, wheat germ, potato, seaweeds, spirulina, chlorella, black sesame seed, sardine, crab, clam, eggs, pork, and cheese.

Kidney Yang foods: cloves, fenugreek seeds, fennel seeds, anise seeds, black peppercorn, ginger (dried preferred), cinnamon bark, walnuts, black beans, onion family (garlic, onions, chives, scallions, leeks), quinoa, chicken, lamb, trout, and salmon.