Today, January 20th is the start of the Great Cold (da han 大寒) Seasonal Node. While we had a relatively warm December, this month has been much colder. In the last two weeks we’ve had quite a few days below freezing, with some in the teens and single digits (Fahrenheit). That’s cold! The Great Cold seasonal node this year is thus true to its name. Unfortunately, this means more people indoors with windows closed which is contributing to the relentless spread of the Omicron strain of COVID-19.
Despite the cold however, the promise of this time of year is the slowly returning Yang. The days are getting longer and even by now we are seeing some migratory birds on the move. All of this is a reminder that Great Cold is the last seasonal node of Winter. In just about 2 weeks both the lunar and solar beginning of Spring arrives.
The three material manifestations of Great Cold are Hens Begin to Breed (Ji Shi Ru 雞始乳), Birds of Prey Act Fierce and Swift (Zhi Niao Li Ji 鷙鳥厲疾), and Rivers and Lakes are Frozen Within (Shui Ze Fu Jian 水澤腹堅). Notice here imagery of the impending Spring. In Five Phase theory the domestic animal associated with Spring is the chicken, and during Great Cold hens are getting ready to become pregnant with baby chicks that will hatch in Spring. Thus, even though the weather outside is still very cold, Yang is definitely on its way back as the gradually lengthening of the days attests to.
As the name suggests, the Great Cold Seasonal Node is the time of the year when the main environmental factor we contend with is cold. The first thing that Chinese medicine recommends for this time is to eat clear and easily digested foods (qing dan shi wu 清淡食物). Why is this? The Spleen and Stomach are the roots of Latter Heaven Qi. During the end of Winter even though the time of the year is still predominantly Yin, the Yang qi is being birthed. Eating clear and easily digested foods allows the Spleen and Stomach to move and transform appropriately, and to build Latter Heaven Qi. If foods are too heavy, overly greasy or overly sweet, then the ability of the Spleen and Stomach to move and transform is impaired. Easy to digest foods ensures that we continue to build Latter Heaven Yang Qi to get ready for the upcoming spring.
In addition to cold, the other main environmental pattern seen during Great Cold is dryness. Even with some wet snow and sleet on the ground this morning, lately my patients have been complaining of dry skin on an almost daily basis (this is even more so this year because during the ongoing pandemic we are all washing our hands more than usual). However, much of the environmental water is now bound up in snow or ice, making the air dry. Knowing this, the second recommendation this time of year is to stay warm but also be sure to not be too dry. Staying warm is obviously important in this time of greatest cold. But since certain organs are harmed by excessive dryness, such as the Lungs, we need to be vigilant there. For example, for those with forced hot air heating systems, it may be prudent to run a humidifier periodically. Sipping warm liquids such as herbal teas throughout the day can also keep our internal environment appropriately moist. Interestingly, too dry of an environment can also be tied to increased COVID-19 transmission. As a lipid-enveloped virus (like most respiratory viruses including other coronaviruses, influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus) it survives longer at a lower relative humidity.
With patients who are cold, or have Spleen or Kidney vacuity patterns, continue to warm and supplement. Moxibustion, especially at points like Zu San Li ST-36, Qi Hai REN-6 or Guan Yuan REN-4 is still appropriate. Acupuncturists can include Tung’s point San Cha San 三叉三穴 frequently in point prescriptions. This point has the ability to warm yang and supplement the Kidney. Furthermore, since it pierces through Ye Men SJ-2, “Fluids Gate,” it benefits fluids, particularly of the upper orifices.
As already mentioned, during Great Cold we should emphasize consuming easily digested foods that protect internal warmth and strengthen the middle. Foods that satisfy this requirement include, for example, rice, glutinous rice (in moderation), yams (including nagaimo), peanuts, clear soups like chicken soup, and cooked vegetables. In general avoid raw vegetables, cooling fruits, very greasy meats, and very sweet deserts. When cooking make frequent use of fresh ginger, and other mildly warming spices like nutmeg.
In addition to protecting the Spleen with food, during Great Cold it is also important to consume foods that guard against dryness, and in particular Lung dryness. To this end traditional recommendations for food include consuming white wood ear mushrooms (Yin Er 銀耳) and pears, especially Asian pears. A great traditional tea for Great Cold is Goji Berry and Red Date Tea (枸杞大棗茶). To prepare, take about 1 teaspoon Goji Berries (Gou Qi Zi) and 3 small red dates and place in a large mug. Cover with boiling hot water and let steep at least 5 minutes. After drinking about ½ the mug, refill once or twice more with boiling hot water. This tea supplements and moistens the Kidney and Liver, nourishes blood and supplements the Spleen.
Another good recipe for Great Cold comes directly from Tung’s writing. In his 1973 book on Tung’s Acupuncture he includes a chapter on dietary therapy. While not specifically listed for Great Cold, one of the recipes he gives is for pork kidney steamed with ginger strips. This simple dish treats kidney vacuity with dryness, manifesting for example with dry mouth.
As I’ve mentioned in some previous posts, since I do so much acupuncture in my clinical practice and I teach Qigong regularly, I really like channel based Yang Sheng practices in addition to lifestyle and diet that we usually discuss. One traditional recommendation for Great Cold is foot soaking and acupressure to support some of the goals we’ve already described above. The time of day associated with Great Cold is the Chou 丑 hour (1-3am). While I don’t recommend staying up too late, this practice can be done before bed, as close to that time as possible while still getting to sleep at a reasonable hour. Start by soaking feet in hot/warm water for 10-15 minutes, and Epsom salts can also be added to the water if desired. After that follow the soaking with acupressure on Yong Quan KD-1, Tai Bai SP-3 and Tai Yuan LU-9. This helps warm and strengthen the Kidney channel, and supplement the Spleen and Lung channels thus corresponding to some of the basic recommendations discussed above.
The last recommendation I’ll offer is gentle massage of the lower back. We all know that the low back is the abode of the Kidney, and gentle stimulation of the low back can thus relax and warm the Kidney. Furthermore, Great Cold is specifically associated with the 3rd lumbar vertebra. There are 24 total vertebrae corresponding one to each of the seasonal nodes, and this association is well known in esoteric Daoist circles. In the White Cloud temple in Beijing there is a diagram of the body carved in stone on the side of one of the walls that maps out the associations of the vertebrae with the nodes. So, in light of that correspondence, one great Yang Sheng practice for Great Cold is to sit quietly, starting with vigorously rubbing the palms together to get them as warm as possible. Then, place the hands on the low back in the area of L-3 feeling the warmth of the hands penetrating the back. After that rub the back to warm the area, or gently tap the low back.
I hope everyone is staying warm - I’ll be back blogging next when Spring arrives. Continue wearing your mask when around others, get vaccinated and boosted, and stay safe!