Winter on the North Shore is damp, windy, and long. By February most of us have had at least one cold, and many people carry a low hum of fatigue, stiffness, and sluggish digestion until spring.

Cold as a cause, not just a season

In traditional Chinese medicine, cold is more than a temperature. It is something that gets into the body and slows things down. When we are chronically cold, circulation contracts, muscles tighten, digestion slows, and energy drops. People with arthritis often feel this directly: joints ache more in January than in July. The pattern also shows up as the familiar winter cold, with its runny nose, scratchy throat, cough, and lost motivation.

The counter to cold is warmth, in every sense. Warm food, warm rooms, warm hands and feet, and treatment that moves circulation.

Simple winter habits

  • Eat cooked food. Soups, stews, congee, and roasted vegetables are easier on winter digestion than salads and smoothies. Add ginger, cinnamon, and scallion where they fit.
  • Drink warm. Ginger tea, or just hot water with lemon, through the day.
  • Protect the neck and lower back. These are the areas Chinese medicine watches most in cold weather. A scarf and a longer coat are medicine.
  • Sleep a little longer. Winter is the season for rest in the classical view. Turning in an hour earlier is not laziness.
  • Keep moving, gently. A daily walk keeps circulation going without the depletion of a hard workout on an empty tank.

Where acupuncture fits

Acupuncture supports circulation and helps the body regulate itself, which is why many people schedule a visit or two at the start of winter and again if they feel a cold coming on. Moxibustion, the warming technique that uses dried mugwort near the skin, is especially suited to cold patterns and is one of Cara's winter staples for people who tolerate it well.

One patient described a winter session as being wrapped in a warm blanket. That is a fair summary of the goal.

If you dread the cold months, talk with Cara about a seasonal plan that fits your schedule and your constitution.