Special care should be taken during the Winter months to be proactive with your health! Feeling Winter: A NEW Medicine Approach By Elson Haas, MD Winter is generally the coldest and the darkest of seasons. It is the time when living creatures go within, while nature’s crops are in storage. Nature and mankind are dominated by the yin principle. You must stay warm, and it is important in winter especially to have a cozy spot to relax, sleep, and dream. Winter is the time of quiet preparation while awaiting the greening rebirth of spring with the rising winds, singing birds, and blooming flowers. The Winter season is related to the Water element and to the kidneys and bladder. These organs determine the water, mineral, and acid-base balances in the body by filtering the blood, making urine, and eliminating unneeded substances.   Seasons in the Chinese System In the Chinese system, the kidneys control the life force energy. Our vitality and longevity are said to be stored in the kidneys, visible externally by the sparkle or vibrancy of our eyes. Weak kidney energy may be experienced as lethargy or low energy and vitality, while strong kidney energy may express the opposite, plus willpower and ambition, also ruled by the kidneys. The Nei Ching says, “The kidneys are like the officials who do energetic work, and they excel in their ability and cleverness.” This ability and cleverness may be strengthened by nourishing the receptive (yin) principle, of which the kidneys are part, through deep relaxation and refection. From this process a blending of the inner with the outer can occur, which can give rise to knowledge, wisdom, and clear guidance. The kidneys and Water element rule over the emotions. Both water and the emotions are unpredictable. When flowing, all is well; but...

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