Cold and Your Body

We all know what it feels like to be cold, but how well do we really understand how prolonged exposure to cold environments can affect our bodies? There are widely accepted patterns that can occur such as hypothermia, frostbite and chilblains, but when looking through the lens of Traditional Chinese Medicine, you’ll find that exposure to cold could influence a great deal more patterns of disharmony in our bodies than we might think. 

Exposure to cold temperatures may influence the worsening or developing of a variety of conditions such as Raynaud’s disease, asthma, uterine issues, arthritis and digestive issues. How cold influences these conditions can be understood simply by observing the nature of cold itself. Cold causes things to tighten and slow – we can feel this if we go out in the winter, and we can observe it easily by placing objects outside in the winter – just take a look at your vehicle. There’s no question – here in a Calgary winter – that your vehicle is cold just from a quick glance, but what about when you get in and start it? Does it act or feel the same way as it would in June? Most likely, your answer is no.

Human bodies are able to withstand a great deal, so it can be easy to become detached from the idea that our environment is always influencing our health. Below is a list of a few more health concerns that could be influenced by cold environments:

• Menstrual cramps
• Infertility
• Impotence
• Low libido
• Diarrhea
• Knee pain
• Lower back pain
• Plantar fasciitis

So how can someone prevent issues like these from developing or worsening?Wearing thick socks or stockings to keep your feet and legs warm and covering the lower back, lower abdomen and back of the neck whenever you are exposed to cold can help, as well as avoiding sitting on cold surfaces. Sitting on cold surfaces may influence gynaecological and digestive issues.

Diet Recommendations

On colder winter days, increasing warming food and drink intake goes a long way. Warming the interior helps our digestive systems and our muscles and it even helps with thinking more clearly. Some examples of warming foods are soups, broths and stews. Examples of warming non-caffeinated beverages include fresh ginger tea and cinnamon twig tea.

Simply pour boiling water into a mug containing fresh ginger slices or cinnamon twigs, allow it to sit for 5 minutes, then drink. Either can be sweetened with raw honey without detracting from the therapeutic effects.

So, what do you do if you do have a condition related to internal cold? In cases where you are afflicted by cold, there are Chinese herbal formulas and acupuncture techniques that can help correct the issues by warming the organs. One example is Gui Zhi Tang; a very famous herbal formula with only 5 ingredients, many of which can be found in our pantries. For the sake of convenience and to save time and effort preparing the formula, this formula is available in a granulated form (similar to instant coffee). This is an effective formula to induce therapeutic sweating while still preserving your Qi (check out our other blog about Qi). This formula also helps with muscle aches due to exposure to cold such as back pain. Remember: Alcohol consumption should be restricted while you are on this formula. 

This blog is not meant to diagnose or treat anyone, if you suspect that any of your health issues could be related to prolonged exposure to cold, paying a visit to a doctor of traditional chinese medicine should help you better understand your ailments and move towards a resolution.