“Kidney Yang is responsible for the power to fuel every other function in the body. Yang makes things move. Yang warms the limbs. ” (source: carahealth.com)
According to Chinese Medicine, the organ that corresponds to winter is the kidneys. The kidneys are the ‘roots’ to the body and this is the time to strengthen them. This will lead to a strong constitution (think strong leaves and plentiful fruit). Your kidneys are also part of your body’s in-built detoxification system. We need to look after them for optimal good health.
Dr Ashley Gordon, from Lifeforce Acupuncture, says “If the kidneys are not doing their job properly, this can allow for excess “cold” to set in and make us uncomfortably chilly… from the inside out! Symptoms such as soreness or cold sensations in the knees or lower back, an aversion to cold, cold limbs, fluid retention, lethargy and lowered libido (just to name a few), could be signs that your kidneys need a bit of help.”
For good kidney health this winter:
- Eat black foods such as black beans, black soy beans, black sesame seeds.
- Eat walnuts (shaped like a brain and kidney).
- Drink plenty of warm water and avoid cold drinks.
- Keep your feet warm. There is an acupuncture point on the bottom of the foot called kidney 1 and cold can transmit directly to your kidneys. Acupuncturists transmit heat into the body wiith moxa to warm kidney yang.
- Minimise caffeine as it irritates the kidneys.
- Keep your kidneys warm – wear appropriate clothing!