Winter: A time of consolidation, hibernation, and self-reflection

 This is my first newsletter since owning Vital point. A lot has changed at the clinic on the surface, but the care you have known and come to trust at the clinic has remained the same. We have renovated the space with new flooring, trim and paint. We have added another acupuncturist, Samantha to the team. My existing clinic at Sun Peaks, became a secondary location for vital point so we now have two locations to better serve both communities. .

Embracing the Winter Season

Winter is the time for us to self-reflect and look forward to the future, but also celebrate the past. It also gives us some down-time to relax and recharge. I’ll be honest with you, it’s been hard lately to feel relaxed with the pandemic. Just as it seemed there was a light at the end of the tunnel, the government ordered shut downs of many important businesses again. We were separated from family at Christmas and New Years…again. We are wondering when this is all going to be over…again.

Emotions & Your Health

A lot of what has been going on for the last two years has resulted in increased feelings of anxiety, anger, fear, and depression. In Chinese Medicine, emotions can be the cause of disease. If we are having prolonged feelings of sadness or depression, it can damage our lungs and hinder our immunity. If we are having prolonged feelings of anger, it can adversely affect the liver. If we are having anxiety, it will in turn affect the heart and our sleep which is SO important to maintaining health and fighting disease.

Here are some Chinese Medicine tools that will help you move through the rest of winter (and this pandemic) with ease: 

#1: Boosting Immunity

Acupuncture has been an effective treatment to boosting the immune system, energy levels, and fighting off infections. Our favourite tool to add into an immune boosting treatment is cupping or guasha - both have been proven to boost the immune system and increase the production of white blood cells. One of our favourite herbs to supplement with is Astragalus - it is considered a lung qi tonic in Chinese Medicine and boosts the immune system.

#2: Fighting an acute infection

An age-old trick that Chinese Medicine uses is at the first signs of a cold or flu. One of the ways to rid the body of pathogens is by sweating. How do we do this? Make yourself a large hot tea that consists of a 1-2 tablespoons each of garlic, scallion, and ginger. Drink the tea and then hop into a hot bath or cover yourself in blankets to induce sweating. Wait until sweating is induced, try to stay here for 5-10 minutes. You should feel better by the next day if you caught the pathogen soon enough, if not repeat daily.

#3: Taking care of your mental health

Acupuncture has been proven to initiate the parasympathetic nervous system, release the body’s natural opiates and feel-good hormones. Wether your anxiety is acute or chronic, acupuncture can help. Talking to a friend, family member, or therapist is undoubtably the best tool. We’re all going through this together and you’d be surprised at how many people feel the same way you do.

#4: Supplementing with daily elixirs

The winter season is associated with the Kidneys in Chinese Medicine which govern the bones. Bone broth is one of the number one supplements I recommend to patients that are feeling a bit under the weather, weak, or suffering from anxiety. It can be also be used as an energy tonic. Bone broth nourishes the qi, blood, and kidneys. Is is especially useful for new mothers or those with anemia, chronic illness, or IBS.

Click Here for a Bone broth recipe.

#5: Enjoying time in nature

With the road closures from Sun Peaks to Vancouver, the lines at Sun Peaks have been non-existant! The weather has been warming up this past week and the conditions have been great. Make time for yourself to go x-country skiing, snowshoeing, snowboarding or for a stroll through the village. The energy of the mountains is healing in itself.