It’s that time of year again in blustery cold Melbourne. Suddenly and magically the flu has reappeared after two years of hibernating and is out in full force! Our poor immune systems are taking a hit.

Here are Angea’s go-to routines to staying healthy and supporting your immune system.

The old wives tale is true! Mothers, Grandmothers and acupuncturists are notorious for telling patients to wear scarves and socks. It’s important to keep your neck covered and feet warm and even more so if you are on fertility journey!

Keeping your feet warm is great practice to keeping your Womb warm. Chinese Medicine has long believed that if you have cold feet your Uterus will be cold too. How many of you have poor circulation?

Meridians that start in your feet connect directly to the reproductive organs. The kidney meridian starts under the sole of your feet. In TCM each season has an associated organ, and for winter, it’s the Kidneys. The Kidneys house fundamental Qi and are in charge of birth, growth, reproduction and development. Therefore, its super important in these cooler months to avoid walking on cold floors barefoot. Instead grab your fave pair of winter wooly socks. Ditch the flip flops and rug your precious feet up!

Like our furry friend on the left. Don’t leave home this time of year without a scarf.

From an acupuncture perspective, this age-old advice comes down to one thing: Wind. In Chinese medicine, Wind is “the cause of 10,000 diseases”. Allergies, hay fever, runny nose, itchy skin, asthma, hives and eczema all fall under the category of wind conditions.

In Chinese medicine the defence system is called wei qi. Common colds cause a weakened immune system. Wind finds its way into vulnerable spots, like the back of the neck, which is known as the “Wind gate” causing a stiff neck, runny nose and cold! Make sure your defence layer is supported!

Bone Broth has been around for centuries. Broth is medicinal food. In the classics of Chinese Medicine, bone broth nourishes and tonifies the vital physiological functions that are the foundation of our health. Jing ~essence (DNA), Wei Qi ~ immune system, Qi ~ vital life force and Xue the blood. Broth elegantly supports the kidneys, warms the body, strengthens the yang, encourages blood flow and cultivates our qi and essence. At Angea we recommend swapping your coffee for broth. Give your adrenals some breathing space over winter.

Amanda is the founder of Angea and has over 12 years of experience working with women to support their health journey. In addition to being a registered doctor of Chinese medicine, Amanda is a yoga teacher and founder of Mindful Pregnancy Yoga Training. Amanda offers acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine and womb healing treatments at Angea.