By Natalie Giocondo
When the winter winds are howling and the bones are deeply chilled, remember that you can always create a fire on the inside. Perhaps the dropping temperatures have a calming effect on some common MPN symptoms like itching or night sweats, but the darker days certainly can take a toll on the emotional body-especially if the blues are already something that you struggle with.
Winter is a season of stillness, so an excess of inertia is not surprising; however, moving less can also manifest as feelings of depression. Depression is no stranger to the MPN community, in a well-known 2017 study conducted by Dr. Claire Harrison and her colleagues, around 61% of participants indicated feelings of depression. To balance out the dark coldness of winter, we need to create fire (agni) within.
Both yogis and scientists know that the body is in a constant state of flux, reacting to external and internal inputs and trying to maintain balance. From the yogic perspective, we are perpetually moving between too much energy (rajas) and not enough energy (tamas), trying to find balance (sattva).
Tips on Creating Fire Inside
● Avoid eating meats, stale or fermented foods, and underripe fruits and vegetables. These foods slow our digestion and only perpetuate inertia or stagnation in the body.
● Eat six smaller meals to promote consistent blood sugar, and keep the internal embers burning.
● Drink warm beverages like herbal teas, hot cider, or warm water with lemon.
● Savor the experience of eating and drinking turning mealtime into a daily meditative practice that cultivates gratitude and combats feeling low.
● If you see the sun, bundle up and get your face in it, even if only for a few moments.
● Use candles and fireplaces to supplement artificial light after the sun sets.
● Do exercises and yoga practices that engage the solar plexus and create energy and warmth in the body.
Join us online on Thursday, December 14th from 12:00-12:30pm EST where we will do an asana (yoga poses) practice that focuses on the solar plexus and will give you tools to combat depression and create a fire inside. This practice will require a yoga mat or a rug to practice on and will incorporate seated and kneeling poses. Until then, stay warm and imagine your inner summer.