Traditional Chinese Medicine Tips for The Christmas Season
Ho Ho Ho Merry Christmas!
It is that time of year again, Christmas! It can mean many things to different people. Stressful? Unavoidable? Charitable? Family? More Work? However, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is here to offer a helping hand throughout the festive season and beyond with some helpful health tips, which can be incorporated into anyone's lifestyle this holiday season!
Try pop in to a Chinese Medicine Clinic and get an Acupuncture treatment and/ or Chinese Herbal Medicine (before Christmas and After) this may help with additional stress, digestive issues, fatigue, nausea, bloating and many other symptoms (think: too much of Nana's Christmas pudding!).
If not.........
Here is 4 Simple Tips which any Christmas Ham can follow :)
1) Get Some More Rest
Christmas can often mean longer working hours, extra work loads and last minute deadlines. This may create additional stress, therefore, aim to get between 7-8 hours of sleep/ night (1).
It is preferable to sleep between 8.30pm-10.30pm (No later). Night is considered 'yin' in energy, this is about slowing down and rest (1). Try to refrain from working in any capacity (especially at these hours) (1). The period between 11pm to 1am is often when your body (especially your liver) repairs itself, which requires deep sleep (REM) (1). This may have beneficial effects on your weight, stress levels and hormone levels (1).
2) Drink More Water (Sip often, Room Temperature)
Sipping water constantly throughout the day is better than drinking big gulps in one sitting and then drinking nothing for hours. Your kidneys may thank you for the reduced stress (1).
Drinking water at room temperature or warm is better than iced or cold water, as this may cause bodily dysfunction to occur such as stagnation, cold and damp in the body (1). This may cause digestive issues e.g bloating,constipation,diarrhoea, weight gain and nausea (1).
Very cold water can cause the skins pores to close, which may retain heat and raise your body temperature (1).
3) Drink Teas
Teas such as peppermint and green tea may have cooling effects on the body. Ginger tea can improve sluggish digestion, however it is hot in property so do not over do it! Chrysanthemum tea may release body heat, protect your liver and improve vision (1). These are only some examples. Really, any tea is fine, so long as in moderation.
4) Digestive Tips
There's a Chinese adage that advises us to 'eat a full breakfast, a nutritious lunch, and a small dinner.' Not eating breakfast may severely damage your digestive system, age you quickly, and even shorten your lifespan by a few years (1). By skipping meals it causes stress to the digestive system and body. Start the metabolism firing with breakfast every morning (1).
Try to snack 2/3 times daily, small nutritious snacks, this may help regulate your blood sugar levels which may be responsible for dizziness, stress and bad moods.
Also, try not to overeat, eat until 70% full is a good rule of thumb. The spleen and stomach do not like overeating and this can lead to dampness formation and cold stagnation which may cause bloating, constipation and fatigue etc (1).
Try to eat food at room temperature, avoid raw food (slightly cook food) this may injure the spleen causing dampness and injure the stomach causing cold and stagnation, this may also result in digestive issues (1).
Eat foods high in Soluble Fibre, this may help digestion, aid constipation and keeps you feeling fuller longer!
5) Have Fun!
Its Christmas, have fun! We made it everyone, another year down and many more to go! Share the joy of Christmas it is about slowing down, spending time with those you love and giving. This is great for your Heart and Shen( Spirit).
A final note, Merry Christmas Everyone! I look forward to meeting you and treating you in 2017! Thank you to all the lovely people who have visited Northwood Clinic Sydney this year, it has been a pleasure treating you all. I cannot wait to see you all in the New year.
Northwood Clinic is open throughout Christmas and New Year, with the exception of Christmas Day and New Year's Day.
Love,
Northwood Clinic
Sources
1) Zhang, Y 2015, TCM: 10 Health Tips from Traditional Chinese Medicine, Reworld Media Pte Ltd, Marie France Asia,<http://www.mariefranceasia.com/health/natural-healing/traditional-chinese-medicine/trusty-traditions-10-health-tips-traditional-chinese-medicine-107683.html>.
More Information on the Above Topic
2) Kaptchuk, T.J, 2000, Chinese Medicine : The Web That Has No Weaver, Revised & Expanded Edn, Rider Books, London.
