Living in Harmony

Health Information Overload: To Supplement or not….that is the question?

As a health care provider there is a certain level of expectation that I am a healthy and well person. These days I can say that overall yes I am. With work experience in the Chiropractic sector, my training in Shiatsu and yoga, the many short courses I’ve done and the constant research I do I have lots of ways that I can support myself to be well and keep my internal systems functioning optimally. 

But 10 years plus ago this was not the case. I saw various professionals, was prescribed multiple things, bought the latest supplement trend and was completely confused about my health. I thought I was doing good things but wasn’t feeling very well and was in health information overload. 

As a body worker it is important to me to provide clients with information they can use to promote their own health and wellbeing. I pass on the tips and tricks I have found around diet and lifestyle that are effective and come from my oriental medicine understanding. And, when asked, information on when and what to supplement with. Each client then pulls together the pieces of their health jigsaw puzzle forming a picture of how they can best look after their unique health and wellbeing. 

At the recent winter wellness workshop I blending my knowledge of east and west. The following is a few nuggets from that workshop that I am sharing with my clients around diet, lifestyle and self care over winter.

Winter Diet

I see winter as a fantastic opportunity to bring nourishment and renewed vigour to your digestion. 

Digestion is the process of converting food into usable substances within our bodies and sending them to where they are needed. In Oriental Medicine this process is performed by the Spleen Organ. The stronger our spleen functions the better we are able to extract nourishment from any food to support our body’s needs.

To support extraction and absorption of nutrients in winter eat cooked foods. This is not the time of year for a Raw food diet. It is even better if the foods have been cooked over a long time so they are more broken down. This means your spleen does less work and there is more energy for other things. Slow cookers, roasting, baking are great cooking methods as they also inject extra warmth into the food. Create soups, stews and casseroles. Utilise root vegetables and dark coloured fruits and vegetables to bring energy to your core. Onion, garlic, herbs and green cruciferous veggies will keep energy moving. All these plus citrus fruits are good for a winter immune boost. Flavour your dishes with naturally salty things like miso, soy sauce, tamari and seaweed.

To Supplement or Not to Supplement….that is the question?

Oriental diet therapy teaches we should be able to get all our nutrition through a good varied diet. It is hard to dispute though that soil fertility is declining, there is more use of marginal soils, there is a lack of trace elements and rare earths added to soils and soil microbiology is affected by fungicides, insecticides and weedicides. Most food in the supermarket is over processed and additives only promote ill health. Even if you go organic most produce has travelled a long way so is already depleted of good food energy (Gui Qi). 

Our busy and stressful lives impair our digestion which affects the bodies ability to absorb crucial minerals like calcium, chromium, zinc and manganese and deplete our stores of magnesium as though it were going out of fashion. 

It’s a pretty convincing argument to supplement but popping pills on a regular basis can take away from the benefit of understanding how to eat a good and varied diet. So what is my solution? 

Well, as always, I like to blend east and west to determine what western supplements might be appropriate and when. For clients, I prescribe more individually according to their diagnosis but these are my top pics for this time of year:

If you are feeling depleted in any way – physically, mentally or emotionally – amulti-vitamin is a good place to start especially over winter when the cold weather suppresses our immunity. I had a recent experience of my partner getting sick and I thought “oh know…here we go.” But by having been on a good quality multi-vitamin since the start of winter and being able to pop a couple of extra to boost me up I managed to avoid a bout of his germs no matter how much he tried to share them with me. 

If you’re prone to colds over winter and experience 3-4 or more per year, or you have small children in childcare, it’s a good idea to be taking a supplement that actually gives you insurance against colds and flus by supporting your body’s natural defences. A good quality supplement that blends Chinese herbal medicine (medicinal mushrooms of shitake and reishi) and the trace element zinc can support the immune cells to work more effectively. 

Winter is the season of the water element which is related to the organs of the kidney and bladder. In oriental medicine theory the kidneys control the bones. Both calcium and magnesium are important minerals for strong healthy bones as well as muscle contraction. Calcium is also essential for producing and activating enzymes and hormones that regulate digestion, energy and fat metabolism. And, magnesium as mentioned before is critical in helping our bodies deal with stress. These minerals work together, one supporting the other, so it is good to take them as a combined supplement. 

Vitamin D is also responsible for promoting the growth and maintenance of strong, mineral-rich bones and good muscle strength and coordination. Adequate vitamin d intake is also important in maintaining the balance in immune health. New research is also showing that Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) may be linked to low levels of vitamin d. Unfortunately, food sources for it are limited. The main way we produce it is through sunlight exposure to our skin and in winter there is less of that so taking a 1000IU per day over winter ensures we maintain adequate levels. 

My recommendation: For years I have looked for a supplement range that rated highly under independent testing and that I knew I could trust in terms of the quality I was getting. I also wanted to feel as though the supplements I was taking were making a difference. Usana is one such brand and has become my favourite due to its unique technology that helps support the natural intelligence of your cells so your body is better able to meet your health needs. 

Winter Lifestyle and Self-care

In winter our energy moves deeper into the body to keep our core warm. It returns to our kidneys where our vital energy, our qi or life force is stored. Each of us is born with a finite amount of life force but by eating good quality foods, supplementing where necessary and breathing deeply we contribute to this energy store. We must also honour the inherent hibernation of winter and take time to be still, have quiet and rest. Go to bed earlier, have a nap on the weekend, let your social field lie a bit more fallow and receive regular shiatsu. Without this rest we are more prone to adrenal fatigue and a body loaded up with biochemical, hormonal, thermal and toxic stress.

However, I am not saying don’t move. We still need to exercise. My tip though is to change up your routine and focus more on strength and core training. Work with the deeper energy. Cardio exercise puts positive pressure on the heart but in winter this organ is at its lowest energy point. Research shows there are more heart attacks and heart conditions in winter which backs up the oriental medicine understanding of how energy flows through the seasons and through the body. 

Last but not least over winter time make sure you have some more me time. That might be setting aside some time each week to read a book, write in your gratitude journal, see a movie on your own or it can be as simple as creating a bed-time routine for yourself that nurtures your skin and your feet. Our skin is exposed to much more drier heating conditions over winter so giving it external nourishment with a good quality botanically based skin-care products and internal care through fish oil is beneficial. Massaging your feet as the last thing you do before going to bed can help draw the energy away from your head for a more restful night’s sleep. In Shiatsu the feet reflect the state of the kidney energy so by massaging the feet we are also nourishing this vital organ of winter.

Taking care of your health and wellbeing does not have to lead you into information overload. By implementing a few strategies and having a team of professionals to support you and answer your questions you’ll be in a much better place to make the best decisions for your health. 


Call Marian on 0403 550 695 to book yourself in for a Winter Wellness Shiatsu. 


For previous Living in Harmony newsletters click on the links below:

Please Take Your Seat and Turn Off All Electronic Devices

From Stress to Stillness

Menstrual Healing

Choosing What Is Good in 2017

The Heart of Christmas

5 Steps for a Wellness Spring Clean

Traditional Hara Treatment