A ‘super’ El Nino is official. Unpredictable intense winds, dryness and rain will be felt across NZ for the next 9-12 months. Even a body in good health struggles in the battle to stay well in extreme weather, Chinese medicine has ancient wisdom for self care to protect against these environmental extremes.
Protect against wind!
Wind behaves like knives, cutting through immune defences to attack the upper body. Its now backed by science that cold winds significantly suppress nasal immune defence.
Scarf up! bigger the better, cover head, neck, nose and mouth for ultimate protection. In hot winds a light scarf can also prevent positive ions causing nervous system over-stimulation, stress and fatigue.
Windy day tea.
In cold winds, warm the upper body with ginger, cinnamon and chai spice. For hot winds drink cool (not chilled) chrysanthemum and peppermint brews.
Cold snaps!
Grab that scarf again, also big socks and a long merino. Keep neck, lower back and legs covered in bitter cold weather.
Watch out if you work up a sweat!
Sweating makes us vulnerable to cold winds, dry off and cover up after a workout. Gentle indoor exercise is favourable to breathing cold air and sweating outdoors in the elements.
Spice it up!
Spicy warming teas, soups, broths and slow cooks along side extra rest and regular warming herbal foot soaks using mugwort, clove, ginger and black pepper all support Kidney yang energy to protect the body.
On fiery hot days stay cool as a cucumber!
Increase cooling foods like melons, lettuce, grapes, pears and tomato, and add yin quenching seaweed, honey and white wood ear mushroom in dry weather. Make your own cooling and moistening Go ji (wolf berry), chrysanthemum and mint tea.
Do you have a favourite weather to hate?
When specific weather aggravates you it may indicate that your “internal weather system” is out of balance. Chinese medicine can inform on what can support us individually over the changing seasons.
If you notice the El Nino messing with you, come in and see us. We utalise gua sha, acupuncture and cupping, as well as specific advice around chinese medicine informed nutrition during treatments for seasonal balance and wellbeing.
