December 21st-22nd, 2011, "Winter Solstice", the 4th small Winter season arrives

      In 2011, the season of "Winter Solstice" occurs at 5:30:01am UTC on December 22nd, that is 12:30:01am December 22nd Eastern time and 9:30:01pm December 21st Pacific time. Celestial longitude: 270 degree. For some of the seasonal information please read this article from last year.

      Here are some additional information.

      So how do we nourish the precious newborn Yang energy? Actually, if we follow our energy’s own movement without interfering it, it will automatically appear, grow and take care of itself. Therefore the basic rule of nourishing the Yang energy is not to overuse it.

1. Less physical workout, stay calm. Even if you are very active, try to do less during this season. 
2. Try to go to bed earlier. This is not a new topic. But if you are not able to go to bed early, at least try to do less physical and mental activities. And definitely do not stay up overnight. Also, try to get up later as well. Ideally don’t get up until sunrise. On the other hand, some people may have hard time stay awake during winter time. According TCM theory, this can be the sign of low in Yang energy. Yang energy is like sunlight, only when the earth has enough sunlight, will there be life. Same thing for our body, if the Yang is low, then other life activities will be low as well. This is why normal sleep and rest is very important.
3. Let the sunlight warm your back. As sunlight is the main Yang energy source and the back is the Yang side of the body. 

      Here are the food remedy recommendations for different group:

1. For those who are low in Qi, signs include weak limbs, low voice, and easy to sweat: Eat food that are warm, include chestnut, carrot, beef, lamb, sea cucumber, shrimp, chive, black date, hazelnut, and walnut. 
2. For those who are low in Blood, signs include pale face, dizziness, palpitation, insomnia, and tinnitus: Eat food that nourish the blood, include longan, white wood fungus, duck, lily, and Chinese yam. 
3. If you are healthy and balanced, then simply stay balanced, and eat food that are balanced in energy as well such as pork, egg and bean product. 

      But don’t forget, at this moment our Yang energy is as young as a newborn baby. We cannot force it to grow fast, therefore don't over nourish but find your own energy rhythm and follow it.

      During the Yin-est time of the year, those who are low in Yang energy, especially middle-aged person and seniors need more care than usual. We talk about senior often, and here we will give more suggestions to the middle-aged. This is an in-between generation who needs to take care both the upper and lower generation. They live under more pressure, meanwhile their physical body and energy starts to wane. Therefore, how to live through the middle-age years has become more important to our senior life quality and longevity.

1. Cultivate the “spirit” and treasure the “heart”: Stay optimistic, don’t force life or constantly worry about personal gain and losses. Use the brain and body reasonably, and live a balanced life between active and dynamic. Learn to appreciate others, get a positive hobby such as music, reading, or art work outside the daily job. Also pay reasonable attention to your personal appearance. Look younger makes you feel younger.
2. Don’t over use the body: Although may be still in great shape, but you have to face the reality that your body is different from 20 years ago. Start to adjust yourself into a new life style that fits your physical age. 
3. Heath does not consist with intemperance. Not abstinency, but control, be the master of your own body. 
4. Food wise, follow the rules of “3 more and 3 less”: More protein, more vitamin and more fiber. Less sugar, less fat and less sodium. Eat regular amount of food at regular time.

      Again, depends on which time zone are you in, rest well on this day. If you are in day light when the solstice moment occurs, at least pull out one hour at this moment for yourself to just rest or meditate, give your new born Yang energy a easy transitional time to grow healthy into a fresh year.

December 7th, 2011. "Heavy Snow", the 3rd small winter season arrives

     In 2011, the season of "Heavy Snow" arrives on December 7th, same as last year. Celestial longitude: 255 degree. For some of the seasonal information please read this article from last year.
     
      As the outside temperature gets lower, we naturally wear more to keep us warm, but meanwhile, we also make the indoor temperature much higher. This can cause our body “fired-up”, in TCM this means symptoms like dry mouth, oral gum, skin breakout, constipation and sore throat. These are all caused by the harmful heat, but in TCM this heat is categorized differently as “excessive-heat” and “weak-heat”.

      “Excessive-heat” is the result of our energy loses its balance because of too much Yang energy, whereas “weak-heat” is the result of our energy loses its balance because of not enough Yin energy. Apparently, since the cause is different, they need to be treated differently. Usually if you feel very weak and tired while you are having the “fire” symptoms, you have the “weak-heat”. In that case, follow the rules of nourishing the Yin energy. For both kinds of “fire”, the same rule is to eat less or no hot and spicy food. White radish and Chinese cabbage (napa) are the ideal food to take.

       Drinking water is another essential and effective way to nourishing the Yin energy and reducing the “fire” in the body. Because every individual is different, there should not be a fixed amount of water we have to drink each day. But besides the water you drink when you are thirsty, it is recommended to drink some water during these time periods of the day particularly:

      1. When you wake up, for moisturizing the intestine.
      2. Around 5pm, for nourishing the kidneys Yin energy. 
      3. Around 9pm, for nourishing the heart Yin energy.

     I have mentioned and recommended white radish many times, here are just some information of why it is the great choice for this season:

1. White radish contains great amount of Vitamin C, it will help us to remove the body “waste” and improve the metabolism. It also contains lots of enzyme that absorbs the starch, helps with digestion and prevents stomachache and ulcer.
2. Radish has the natural spicy taste and natural anti-inflammatory function. Radish juice and its smell can help with sinus. Simply dip a Q-tip or a small cotton ball into the radish juice and put it inside of your nose for 5 minutes, 2-3 times per day.
3. For those who are going to celebrate the holiday with lots alcohol, radish is also one of the best food remedy for treating hangover. Peel the skin and eat it raw is the way.
4. Radish skin is good “pain killer”. For those who has joint or muscle pain, you can gather the radish skin then wrap them with a large piece of gauze, heat it up then place them at where your pain is.

      This is also the season when we start to get some strong wind. Two major diseases that usually related to the wind in some ways are rubella and urticaria. Although they are caused by different reason but they are both contagious and in a way connected with wind. Therefore, not only make sure you are dressed warm enough, but also “wind-proof” enough. Neck is the area where often got overlooked. A nice and warm scarf is just as important as anything else that keeps you warm. Many respiratory issues often start from the throat area. Use a long scarf to cover the neck, front and back of the chest area, where the lungs are, as well.