Winter - Immune Building
Winter is a time when many of us experience colds and flu. Cold, windy weather can make us more prone to getting sick. In Qi gong, we believe that when the ‘qi’ (life force) is strong and flows well through the body that our immune system is strong too. When the qi is weakened, depleted or stagnant we are more likely to get sick and take longer to recover. So how can we strengthen the qi?
Eat well - Eat the Rainbow
Our wellbeing is directly impacted by what we eat. You may have heard the phrase ‘eat the rainbow’. This means that different coloured fruits and vegetables have different types of vitamins and nutrients so if we eat a variety of colours we are more likely to give our body what it needs. In Traditional chinese medicine, the organs are linked with different colours too so we nourish different parts of the body with different foods…
Green (liver) - brocolli, dark leafy greens
Red (heart) - beetroots, capsicums
Yellow/Orange (Spleen) - carrots, pumpkins and sweet potatoes
White (lungs) - cauliflower, pears
Black/Blue (kidneys) - eggplant, blueberries and seaweed
Warm feet, chest and lower back
There’s nothing worse than the feeling of cold feet on a wintery day. It is important to conserve our qi when the weather is cold. Windy weather can be particularly depleting for the qi. By keeping our body warm we reduce the stress it is under in cold weather and provide nourishment to the organs. Think socks, scarves and blankets.
Keep hydrated
Winter can be very drying for the body. Keep yourself well hydrated with warm or room temperature drinks. Cold drinks in winter can stress the body. Think herbal teas, room temperature water or soups (watery soups like miso are good). If you can add some ginger, lemon or cinammon into your drinks/soups this will help to boost your immune system too.
Rest & Stress relief
Recent research suggests that stress is one of the major causes of most illness. If we can find ways to rest and reduce stress then if we do catch a cold or flu then we are likely to bounce back more quickly. Add some rest pratcices into your day and week - yoga, qi gong, meditation, walks in nature etc Give yourself permission to clear your calendar and rest if you get sick. If you do you are likely to have less sick days so it is worth it!
Breathe well
We can strengthen the qi in the body by learning to breathe deeply and more slowly. When we breathe well, our nervous system calms and the life force flows better. We can learn to breathe better through practices like qi gong and yoga.
Sunshine
Make some time each day to get some sunshine. We all need vitamin D to boost our immune system. even 10 minutes a day can make a huge difference. When the sun peeks out from the clouds make the most of it :)
Winter is traditionally a time of hibernation and renewal. See if you can take extra good care of yourself at this time of year and you will get the enjoy the gifts of the winter season - comfort, warmth and rest.
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Lija Austen is a Qi gong teacher and the owner of Kingscliff Saltwater Studio. She offers qi gong classes on Wednesdays 9:10am at the studio. Join her to strengthen your qi and immune system this winter :)
