• Warm, nourishing foods (makes sense!). Consider nourishing yourself with seasonal winter foods such as:

o   hearty soups

o   roasted nuts

o   root vegetables

o   seaweeds, warm miso soup

o   azuki beans and black beans

o   steamed winter greens

o   foods to build and support Kidney-essence including micro-algaes such as chlorella, spirulina (chlorella is also a great heavy metal detoxifier), small amounts of meat, nuts, milk, & ghee, bone marrow soup, nettle tea, royal jelly and bee pollen

• In general you will want to cook foods longer and at lower temperatures using less water. You want to store warmth internally through your foods and daily life.
• Get enough sleep: (same as for Autumn)…Sleep is regenerative and keeps the immune system strong.
• Exercise and Manage Stress: Winter is a time for quiet, meditative or spiritual practices rather than the more yang activities of summer. Practices that support replenishment of the Kidneys include restorative yoga or various qi gong practices. Too much activity, stress or too little sleep during the winter can easily deplete the Kidneys, so be mindful of this in Winter and take it easy. If we can take the time to truly relax and slow down, the winter season can provide a profound opportunity for internal insight and deep introspection.
• Keep warm:  wear scarves around your neck and extra layers especially around your mid-section to keep warm, strengthen the water energy and maintain body balance.

• bladder and kidney infections
• low back pain
• knee pain
• cavities in teeth
• weak or broken bones
• infertility
• premature gray hair or hair loss
• ringing in the ears
• increase of phobias or fears.