Every winter the same requests come into the clinic: something for the endless colds, something for the stiff neck, something for the low, sluggish energy that arrives with the cold weather. Over the years I have written up most of my favourite at-home answers, so this post gathers them into one winter toolkit you can keep handy.
For the first signs of a cold: gua sha
At the first hint of a chill or a stiff neck, Traditional Chinese Medicine reaches for gua sha (scraping) over the neck and shoulders, the ‘Wind’ points I wrote about in Why Chinese medicine talks about Wind. All you need is oil, a spoon and ten minutes: the full instructions are in How to do gua sha at home. Then a warm shower and an early night.
For digestion and energy: moxibustion
Winter is moxibustion season. Warming Stomach 36, the classic point on the lower leg, is traditionally used to support digestion and energy through the cold months. A moxa stick costs a few dollars and the routine takes ten minutes a day: see How to do moxibustion at home.
For dry winter skin: abhyanga
Cold, dry air is hard on the skin. The Ayurvedic answer is abhyanga, a warm sesame oil self-massage done before the shower. Ten minutes, once a week or more, from the first cold snap.
For the kitchen: warm, slow-cooked food
From a TCM point of view, winter digestion wants warmth. Three recipes from the archive carry the season well: congee for breakfast, oats porridge when time is short, and kichari for an easy one-pot dinner. And keep the scarf on: the back of the neck stays covered in winter.
And when home care is not enough
These tools are gentle, inexpensive and surprisingly effective, but they are self-care, not a substitute for treatment or medical advice. If winter keeps getting the better of you, whether that is one cold after another, stubborn neck and shoulder tension or flat energy, come in and we will look at the whole picture together.
Stay warm, Ahil.
Any questions or to book in, feel free to contact Ahil at the Alexandria clinic on (02) 9341 5775 or by email at ahilnaturopath@gmail.com.
Ahil Naturopath/Acupuncture is a clinic located near Redfern, Alexandria and Waterloo. We also service areas across Sydney including Botany, Camperdown, Darlinghurst, Erskineville, Eveleigh, Mascot, Newtown, Rosebery, Surry Hills and Zetland.
We offer Acupuncture, Naturopathy, Herbal medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Cupping, Gua Sha (Scraping) and Moxibustion services in South-East, Eastern and Inner City of Sydney.