Chinese medicine is in a way a misnomer as its approach is largely preventative. Its focus on subtle factors that combine over time to impact on health (depending on an individual's constitution) gives rise to a wealth of information on how to support health. 
In winter this means allowing some quieter, more restorative time, in tune with what is happening in the natural world. 
 
However what this means for an inhabitant of a developed country in the 21st century is likely to be quite different from an agricultural or manual worker in China in previous millennia. Because of the increased use of technology in daily life and the hyper-arousal of the nervous system that this can give rise to[1], allowing some non-demanding time for quiet restoration could mean planning less events into the holiday period, and more time to unwind, relax and in the absence of pre-planned events and routine, to connect with what we feel like doing in the moment. It might also mean reducing levels of stimulation from screen-related activities, perhaps having a family 'technology holiday', or non-screen days, or evenings – if need be holding off all but essential communications (these can be agreed before together). Both of these can be particularly important for children who are more sensitive to external influences and stimuli and whose neural development may be impacted in a lasting way by too much screen time[2].
 
While the winter months can be a welcome opportunity for physical rest or reduced activity for farmers of former times, for many of us holidays are a time when we are able to exercise, or give time to the kind of exercise we enjoy, and maybe to have more social time with friends and family. But perhaps because we have now less time available to exercise, exercise can mean pushing ourselves to the limit, chasing an adrenaline rush or weight loss. While recent research has highlighted the link between exercise and longevity[3], the approach of Chinese medicine would recommend that exercise is our approach to exercise needs to be more individualised. So rather than trying to live up to healthy ideals, accomplish everything you would like to for the holiday, or spending too much time on screens, a restorative holiday period could mean giving yourself time to wind down a bit and do what you feel like.

[1]   See: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5836000/

[2]   See: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/article-abstract/2722666

[3]   See: https://www.hindawi.com/journals/jar/2012/243958/

What you need to know about Vitamin C, and let's make sure that you are really getting enough. 
Modern science is still researching the vast array of benefits of vitamin C and it seems that Linus Pauling, a controversial Nobel prize winning scientist, was right all along. His studies using large quantities of vitamin C with patients who were suffering from severe conditions such as cancer and heart disease, showed a reversal of the disease.
Ten years after his death his work is on the way to vindication and the weight of evidence may yet force the medical establishment to accept his ideas.  Deficiency signs and vitamin C:

• Fatigue, experiencing reduced levels of energy
• Mood changes, becoming short tempered and irritable
• Bruising easily
• Dry hair/skin, a change in hair condition can be due to a lack of vitamin C.
• Infections/low immunity, lack of vitamin C can have a negative effect upon the efficiency of immune response, and wound healing and scar tissue fading will be slower.
• Dental conditions, gingivitis (bleeding gums) sore tongue, mouth ulcers.
• Joint and muscle aches, dull chronic pains can be a deficiency sign.
• Stress, the adrenal glands use up a lot of vitamin C to produce adrenaline and cortisol, so the higher the level of stress the higher amount needed.
• High cholesterol levels, this vitamin helps to lower the high density cholesterol level in the body, by converting it into bile salts that can then be excreted from the body.
• Heart conditions, vitamin C has excellent antioxidant properties so that it will scavenge free radicals - that damage cell walls increasing the risk of blood vessel, stroke and heart disease.
• Diabetes, it helps to regulate blood sugar levels.
• Cancer, in the last ten years there were numerous clinical studies on this subject.
• Asthma, being an anti oxidant and antihistamine it works well with any inflammation within the body.
• Cataracts, vitamin C plays an important role in improving vision.
• Oxidative damage and the resultant inflammatory changes are known to be root causes of most common chronic conditions in humans.... and vitamin C is essential for every cell in the body, it's repair and body chemistry balance.

Foods high in vitamin C are, berries, citrus fruits, mangoes and strawberries, green vegetables, especially avocados and asparagus, dandelion greens, and watercress, carrots and cauliflower.
To get enough we need to look at the way these foods are grown, stored and cooked, but also weigh our bodies needs against our intake, if an individual has any form of disease, disorder or smokes then this will increase the need to supplement to enable the correct amounts to be beneficial.
For further information please speak to Ruth Holmes. 

A large part of the population is at risk of being zinc deficient.  Few get enough from their diet, and this deficiency plays a role in a nearly every major disease.
Zinc's main role is the protection and repair of DNA (the genetic material of nearly all living cells) so therefore it is found in higher levels in animals and fish rather than plants, therefore a vegetarian diet may easily become low in zinc.
Oysters are popularly known as an aphrodisiac but are also the highest source of zinc for both men and women, which is essential for fertility.
Other food containing high levels of zinc are pumpkin/sesame seeds, pecans, cashews, peanuts, egg yolks, brewer's yeast, soy beans and wheat term, oats and organic vegetables, particularly the root vegetables like carrots.
Herbs that contain zinc are fennel, parsley, sage and alfalfa.  Zinc plays a vital role in many immune system reactions.  It promotes the destruction of foreign particles and micro-organisms, it acts as a protectant against free radical damage as well as inhibiting the growth of several viruses, including common cold viruses and herpes simplex viruses (cold sore) - with this condition the zinc can also be applied topically.  
Signs of being low in zinc are growth failure in children, slow wound healing, frequent infections, infertility, lack of appetite, and poor sense of taste and smell.  Finger nails become thin, peel and show the presence of white spots.  Adequate zinc levels are particularly important in the elderly, results of studies show that increased numbers of T cells and enhanced cell-dedicated immune responses occur, so it is particularly important now with the onset of winter.  For further information please speak to Ruth directly. 

Important herb
Ruth Holmes - allergy therapist, nutritionist and medical herbalist
Echinacea purpurea and echinacea angusti folia are among the world's most important medicinal herbs.  They can raise the body's resistance to bacterial and viral infections by stimulating the immune system.
Numerous clinical studies have confirmed this.  It can be used to treat infections of all kinds, and is particularly effective in chronic infections, like chronic fatigue syndrome (ME) and in skin infections such as acne and boils.  It can be used for mouth ulcers and gum disease as a mouthwash and throat problems as a gargle.  It is also beneficial for treating chilblains, and a tincture made with equal parts black walnut, echinacea and pad'arco is effective for clearing warts.
It is probably used most to help reduce the likelihood of developing colds and flu.
If you would like to speak to Ruth Holmes please ask at reception or phone us on 01453 832515.

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