Winter is upon us - TLC, for everyone!

Jefferson Breland

(12/2020) In accordance with Natural Law, some animals prepare for winter by lowering their body temperature, slowing their breath, adding body fat to store energy, storing food to eat later, slowing down to conserve energy, and generally preparing to stay out of the colder weather.

Similarly, our human body’s thermostat adjusts like other mammals, we may add a few extra pounds of weight (thank you very much Halloween candy), and we may stock the pantry.

However, in our culture, we humans have chosen by and large to ignore Natural Law and get busier during this darker and colder time of the year. We have designed some of our most socially active and family-oriented holidays to coincide with the time of year when the natural world (in the Northern hemisphere, at least) is slowing to barely a crawl.

This inversion of natural law has consequences, particularly with regard to our health. The health of our immune system is based on our general health. If we listened to our bodies and obeyed our natural sleep cycle, our Circadian Rhythms, we would be going to bed a lot closer to sundown and waking up near sunrise. Since the days get darker earlier, we would be getting much more sleep which would support our immune system. If we listened to our common sense, we would avoid going out into the colder weather, thereby conserving our body’s energy which can then be used to support our immune system. By ignoring natural law, we have compromised the integrity of our immune systems and created a fifth season, the "cold and flu season." Theoretically, if we followed the laws of nature, we would put a major dent in over-the-counter drug sales and save loads of money.

Historically, Winter has been a time of great uncertainty. How cold will the weather get? How much snow will fall? Did we have a good harvest to store enough food to last the winter? Is our livestock healthy enough to live through the cold months? Do we have enough food for the livestock? Did we stock enough dry fuel for the hearth to heat our home and cook our food? Do we have enough warm clothing? Am I strong and healthy enough to endure the winter?

This time of year can be challenging in the best of circumstances. 2020, in particular, has additional layers of possible suffering. Many of our social, political, economical, climatological, civil rights, health, health care, emotional concerns seem to be on "steroids." Some of us who usually emotionally cruise easily from late Fall through Winter may have noticed some uneasiness in your body and mind. I have heard from such people that they are having more difficulty remaining calm and peaceful. They are experiencing buzzing feelings in their chests, tingling in their fingers, and racing, negative thoughts among other bodily phenomena.

… And there is the pandemic of COVID-19 to top off all our usual concerns. Yes, not meeting for Thanksgiving and Christmas as we usually do, may not be what we want and it may be what we need to do for the greater good. We can call it difficult or even horrible and we can change the story to one more befitting the spirit of the holidays: gratitude and celebration. We can look at the calls to stay home and do the holidays differently as an opportunity to create new traditions and be with one another in ways with unforeseen gifts. It is an opportunity to practice our faith that everything happens for a reason and the reason is for good.

My wish is to offer hope and practical steps for us to help ourselves and our families. We are being called to live more in harmony with nature, the season of winter. If you are having challenges being peaceful with the way things are and want to feel better, I offer

the gift I got from the animals I mentioned at the top of the article: preparation. Too simple? Maybe. And I submit that you know what you need, to get through this challenging time. It’s about the basics: food, clothing and shelter, and health.

I propose a makeover based on our basic needs. Sleep as much as you can. Take naps. Eat good food. Find some simple recipes, especially soups, warming ourselves on the inside. Put up extra Christmas lights around the house. Make the house as visually warm as possible. Light candles and pray. Have extra blankets for your bed, couch, or favorite chair. Make a list of movies you have wanted to see and watch them. Gather books you have wanted to read and read them. Listen to beautiful music. Find simple, easy, exercises like Qigong, Taiji, Yoga, or stretching. Call your friends, family and other beloveds simply to share your day or ask for help. Smile. Did I mention sleep? Babies grow by sleeping, not by going to the gym or checking everything off their to-do list. Give yourself and those in your life, a little TLC.

Jefferson Breland is a board-certified acupuncturist with offices in Gettysburg. If you would like to know more about how Jefferson helps people please call him at 410-336-5876, email him at jeffersonacupuncture@gmail.com, or visit his website www.jeffersonbrelandacupuncture.org