Winter Kidney Tonification para sa Cold Protection

Differently from spring breeze, summer heat, and autumn dryness, winter brings a different feeling—cold. Traditional Chinese Medicine believes that cold is a yin evil, easily damaging yang energy. Since human yang originates from the kidney, cold pathogens most easily harm kidney yang. Therefore, during the coldest months, to protect against cold, the priority should be on tonifying the kidney.
Winter lifestyle should be regular. It's good to do physical activities suitable for one’s capacity. This not only strengthens kidney qi related to immunity, improving resistance, but also because "kidneys govern inhalation," it helps lung qi breathing, preventing various chronic respiratory diseases. "Kidneys govern bones," so regular tooth tapping benefits kidney and strengthens it. "Kidneys' fluid is saliva," so in winter, press the tongue to the palate, wait until the saliva fills the mouth, then slowly swallow it to nourish kidney essence. The kidney meridian starts from the foot, with Yongquan acupoint as its main point. It's best to soak feet in hot water before sleeping, and massage the sole. During winter, the body is in a state of "excessive yin, deficient yang," so it's recommended to "seek the sun's warmth"—practice sunbathing—to help raise kidney yang. The kidney and bladder are internal and external organs, mutually connected. The bladder meridian runs along the back. Cold pathogens attack first here. So, keep the back warm by wearing a cotton or wool vest to preserve kidney yang. Ancient wisdom says, "The kidney governs storage and hiding," so avoid excessive sexual activity, don’t overwork or over-exercise, prevent depletion of kidney essence and dissipation of yang energy. For kidney tonification and cold prevention, diet adjustment is also important. In winter, prefer foods like lamb, dog meat, quail meat that warm the kidney and boost yang, especially beneficial for those with weak constitution. You can also eat foods that nourish the kidney, such as walnuts, chestnuts, longan. "Black foods" enter the kidney and strengthen it, so include black rice, black beans, black sesame, black dates, black fungus, black chicken, seaweed, nori. Eat warm porridges regularly. If you add these foods into porridge, it can expel cold, nourish, and even treat illness. The famous Ming dynasty physician Zhang Jingyue said: "Those who excel at tonifying yang must seek yang within yin; those who excel at tonifying yin must seek yin within yang." For elderly people whose kidney essence is gradually declining, winter is a good time to consume nourishing yin foods like turtle, softshell turtle, lotus root, and fungus. Avoid too much salt in winter, since salty taste enters the kidney, making kidney water colder and disturbing heart yang. Also avoid cold foods to prevent further damage to vital yang.