Many of us dread the winter. It is not just reduction in sunlight, but the gnawing cold that many find adversely affects their health. Other than the effects of global warming, the image to the left could just as well show that since the advent of antibiotics and central heating we pay less attention to protecting our bodies from the cold. Chinese medicine has long been clear about the insidious impact of cold upon human health. One of the seminal texts of Chinese medicine written 2000 years ago that is still used today, the so-called Discussion on Cold Damage, provides a clear framework for understanding how we get sick in winter (in modern medicine we ascribe such sickness to viruses and bacteria) and how to get better. Modern research shows that cold can impair immune function (for example by reducing antiviral response – see https://tinyurl.com/y68fumaw). Cold can also affect the joints – many people with arthritis notice increased pain in cold, damp weather (to which we are very familiar where I live in the West Country of the UK). Cold has even been shown to alter the microbiome in the gut (https://tinyurl.com/yj3786vk), which may at least partly explain how it impacts the immune system.
So what can we do to increase our odds of keeping well through the winter? The first thing is – keep warm! Wear thick socks, leg warmers, long johns, thermal underwear, scarves and hats (maybe not all at the same time). Monitor your hands and feet – if they are cold, wear more clothes. If you live in a cold house, you may need to wear them inside. Eat warming food – winter is not the time for cold, raw salads or iced drinks. Consune warming spices like ginger and cinnamon. Keep moving – take regular exercise to generate heat from the muscles. And if you have any health problems that seem to get worse with cold weather – come for acupuncture or Chinese herbal medicine to kick to restore warmth and proper circulation. You will feel a whole lot better.