Winter and the Water Element

Snow berries: Photo by leojmelsrub

Winter has arrived. It seemed to take a while, but when it did, it was quite dramatic. Weeks of snow (with more to come!), wind, and chilly temperatures have clearly notified us that the season of Winter is here. Staying indoors and sleeping are more appealing as our bodies try to keep us warm, and cravings for certain foods may also be at the forefront of our minds. This is the season in Chinese Medicine of TCM organs the Kidneys, which holds the essence of our being and our energy.

	WATER	WOOD	FIRE	EARTH	METAL
Season	Winter	Spring	Summer	Late Summer	Autumn
Climatic Qi	Cold	Wind	Heat	Damp	Dryness
Yang Organ	Bladder	Gallbladder	Small Intestine	Stomach	Large Intestine
Yin Organ	Kidney	Liver	Heart	Spleen	Lung
Sense Organ	Ears	Eyes	Tongue	Mouth	Nose
Body Tissue	Bone	Sinews	Blood Vessel	Muscles	Skin
Emotion	Fear	Anger	Joy/Shock	Worry	Sadness
Color	Black	Green	Red	Yellow	White
Taste	Salty	Sour	Bitter	Sweet	Spicy

Chart borrowed from: http://www.chinesemedicinesampler.com/theory5elements.html

Winter is also the season that shows the most "Yin" aspect of Chinese medicine. Yin is darker, movement is slower, and it is a cooler outside. This is compared to the "Yang" summer season, where it's light outside much longer, there are a million things happening, and it's usually warm. In winter, it's a good time to stay inside, sleep in a little bit, and take some time for some reflection after the mayhem and social activity of the holidays. Eating warm foods such as nourishing soups and fragrant stews help our bodies be still and prepare for the coming of Spring in a few months. Elson Hass, MD wrote an interesting book: "Staying Healthy with the Seasons," that discusses how to eat and exercise with each season and the changes that occur in nature and within our own bodies.

It's also important to keep up with some form of exercise routine, such as yoga, (read this article for more information), and to continue drinking water. Even though we may not be sweating as much, out bodies still need water in this season. After all, it is the season of the Water element...