The Water Element and the Importance of Rest This Winter
In a few weeks, we will welcome the Water element, associated with Kidneys and Bladder. Current health trends are very focused on this organ system, like increasing bone density, improving brain health, and strengthening our longevity. The Chinese have honored this system for centuries, well before creatine supplements, lifting heavy weights, and research on ATP and mitochondrial health.
The space between your Kidneys is called Mingmen Fire or “Gate of Life” - this fire represents your vital energy, called Jing. This is the source of all of your body’s Yang energy and is crucial for life, facilitating metabolic processes, bone health, brain health, growth and development. Your Jing or essence, is stored in your Kidneys.
In order to build Jing, you MUST rest, restore, and rebuild it. The best time to do this, is in Winter, during the time of the Water element. Fill your tank so your body’s engine can keep running.
Chinese Medicine looks at the Kidneys as both Fire and Water with one Kidney representing Fire (Yang, an inherently male energy), and the other Kidney representing Water (Yin, or female energy).
The MingMen energy is responsible for the Kidneys' function of converting Yin and Yang energies for the entire body's use. The Kidneys produce marrow which fills the brain and strengthens the bones. When Kidney energy weakens, the brain loses nourishment.
As we age, our Kidney essence, or Jing, naturally declines (by up to 50%!). This shows up as:
weak and brittle bones (as seen with osteoporosis)
brain fog (or “empty-headedness”)
fatigue
slower recovery from illness or injury
lower libido
and for women, a host of perimenopausal and menopausal symptoms (since we lose more Yin than men as we age due to the loss of our menstrual cycles - but fear not! In TCM, menopause is known as “The Second Spring.” Beautiful, right?)
Our western doctors and experts will tell us to lift heavy weights, take creatine, and focus on mitochondrial health for better brain function later in life. Chinese medicine tells us to nurture the SOURCE of our Kidney’s energy.
Neither is more correct than the other (please, especially my women, lift heavy weights!) - it’s just important to point out that the Chinese have understood this theory for centuries. You may take creatine and lift heavy weights and support mitochondrial health, which helps with neuroplasticity (and I encourage you to do so!), but as you know, I LOVE to bring in Chinese theory to SUPPLEMENT what you’re already doing for a holistic way of healing and staying balanced.
Ancient wisdom remains the same - nourish your Kidneys to nourish your vitality:
Get regular acupuncture to have your Kidney meridians regularly stimulated so they can continue to work well for you.
In the winter, practice Yin style exercise, which means no excessive sweating (this depletes our Yin), instead opting for Yin style yoga, Qi Gong or Tai Chi, walking, or swimming.
Pick up an indoor Yin activity, like knitting, puzzling, painting, crafting, playing musical instruments, etc.
Spend time in Water, our most nourishing element, with regular baths in magnesium flakes or epsom salts - you can also go to some hot springs this Winter (there are so many in Colorado!). I also still have some Ancient Minerals Bath Soaks available at the clinic!
Focus on black or dark (black is the color of the Kidneys!) mineral-rich, slowly cooked, warm foods, like stewed and roasted meats, bone broth, beef liver, kidney beans, sesame seeds, purple potatoes, seaweeds and kelp, black dates, mulberries, black rice, mushrooms, walnuts and chestnuts.
Spend time contemplating your motivations for life and how fear may be playing a role. Developing a loving kindness meditation practice or journaling are great ways to work through low motivation and fear of the unknown, which can deplete our vital Kidney energy. When you know where you’re headed, your nervous system can relax.
Herbal medicine can be highly transformative during Yin time as it extends your healing outside the treatment room and forces you to create routine. If you’re curious about herbs, we can discuss them at your next appointment!
Let’s do some acupressure on our most Yin-balancing point, Kidney-1 or “Gushing Spring”, the only point located on the bottom of the feet.
To find KID-1, have a seat on the floor or on a pillow or bolster and bring your feet together in butterfly pose:
Method:
Location: On the sole of the foot, between the second and third metatarsal bones about 1/3 the distance between the base of the second toe and the heel.
I like massaging both feet at the same time, using my thumbs to massage the points.
Take a big belly breath through your nose, and forcefully exhale out through your mouth. Do this a few times to clear any fiery energy. Massage KID-1, firmly, in a clockwise motion for about a minute. Keep breathing normally. Then move to counterclockwise. Notice if you can feel your energy grounding down. Were you in your head? Was your heart and chest space feeling fluttery? This point can help bring that energy down.
If you’d like to keep this Yin and Yang organ pair even, let’s also acupressure the point Bladder-10 or, “Celestial Pillar,” on the back of the head.
To find BL-10, reach behind your head and find “that spot” that hurts in your neck (we all have one!):
Method:
Location: On the lateral aspect of the trapezius muscle just within the posterior hairline on the back of the neck.
You can kind of poke around for this point and feel for that good-good spot. Because of computers and cell phones, we all have a little bit of “tech-neck.” Find and massage the area that feels the most tender or sore.
I like closing my eyes and doing this point directly after massaging KID-1. One point on the lower body, one point on the upper body. Balance.
When acupressuring, you may take a few deep breaths, as you did above before KID-1 and you can also massage both sides at the same time. It feels….so good.
What’s great about balancing the Kidney and Bladder energy together is you’re both nourishing your reserves by activating the Kidney channel and helping it to filter what needs to be cleared down to the Bladder channel. What was once turbid and and clogging your mind and body now has a pathway out.
This is how the Water element “washes” and “wrings” out your body. Perfect for Winter when down time is not only needed, but required to build back your precious Yin.