As I write this, the delicious smell of free range chicken poached in vegetables and herbs is filling the house. There's just something about it that makes me feel warm and...well, nurtured.
Perhaps that's because it reminds me of the chicken tinola my grandma used to make all the time. It's essentially poached chicken with garlic, onion, lemongrass, and ginger. Then either young, green papaya or choko, and moringa or chili leaves. We don't put fish sauce in our regional version, only salt and whole peppercorns. So comforting on cold rainy days!
Beside me, in my favourite porcelain mug, is organic chamomile tea. So I'm definitely in the best state to write about this topic: how to stay well over the cold winter months.
Though I always stress that each one of us is biochemically unique hence, there is no one size fits all prescription for wellbeing, there are a few guidelines that can help all of us.
Bedtime and quality of sleep. I struggle with this every single day, with the many last minute chores I think of doing before bed. However, being asleep before 11 pm is one of the most important things to stay well. Not just physically but emotionally. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the yin qi, or passive, receptive energy, is at its strongest at 11 p. m. so this is the ideal time to detoxify, regenerate, and replenish yang qi. Yang qi is the active, creative energy you need for physical and mental activities. It is also believed that the liver, which is the organ linked to emotions, starts regenerating at 11 p.m.
Whole, seasonal food. The explanation for this is really simple. By eating whole foods that are in season, you get the maximum nutrients out of it. Vitamins and minerals that act as catalysts to biochemical reactions are lost when you process food, not to mention fibers and enzymes that are so important to digestion.
Calm the mind, body and spirit. Take mini-breaks throughout the day and just before bedtime. Go for a walk, find a quiet place to meditate, or just pause and take a few minutes to do breathing exercises. Not only will this help avoid stress, but it also restores yang qi and, when combined with a few restorative yoga poses, removes energy blockages. In modern science, this translates to blood and lymph being able to circulate throughout the body, delivering essential nutrients to your cells and removing chemical wastes efficiently.
Regular, preventive, holistic treatments. I'm greatly indebted to Jane Huang and her husband Henry for their genuine concern for my wellbeing these past seven years. I remember one year I had what my GP jokingly referred to as the 100-day cough. Jane was away on holiday in China, and Henry was so worried that I wasn't getting better. He used different forms of treatment: acupuncture, cupping, moxibustion, and herbs to get me well again. Even now, whenever Jane detects that I'm fighting a bug or just low on qi, she treats me for twice the allocated time without charging extra for it.
So go find yourself a holistic health practitioner that you feel most at ease and open with. A naturopath, herbalist, osteopath, Reiki practitioner, homeopath...and see them regularly, preferably every two weeks when you are symptom-free. Remember that the illness is well under way before you start showing symptoms. By that time, the damage to your body would be pretty substantial and it will take longer to heal and recover your wellbeing.
Finally, stay warm at all times, get as much sun as you can, and learn to let go...of negative thoughts and emotions, of material things that weigh you down and take time away from more meaningful pursuits. Namaste!
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