Ginger Congee for Winter | Kidney & Adrenal Support

by Nicole Johnson, MFA, CHHC | Adrenal Fatigue, Anti-Inflammatory, Digestion, Fatigue, Gut Health, Health and Wellness, Illness, Immune Health, Kidneys, Nutrition, Prevention, Recipes

Photo credits: Congee imagery courtesy of Nicole DiDio Johnson

Ginger congee for winter is a warming, restorative recipe that supports Kidney and adrenal health during the colder months.

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Winter, the Kidneys, and Why Food Matters Now

In East Asian Medicine, winter is associated with the Water element and the Kidney system, a framework recognized by organizations such as the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. This system governs our foundational vitality, stress resilience, sleep quality, and capacity to recover rather than simply push through.

By January, many people are unknowingly drawing from adrenal reserves. We see this in the clinic even in people who otherwise feel healthy.

Common winter patterns include:
• Fatigue that doesn’t fully resolve with rest
• Feeling colder than usual, especially in the low back or feet
• Digestive sluggishness or reduced appetite
• Light or unrefreshing sleep
• A sense of being tired but wired

Winter is not the season to demand more from the body. It’s the season to protect reserves and rebuild.

Why Ginger Congee Helps in Winter

Congee is a slow-cooked rice porridge used for centuries as a therapeutic food. It supports winter recovery because it is warm, simple, and easy to digest.

Why we recommend it:

Minimal digestive effort, which helps conserve energy
Gentle warmth and circulation support
Steadier nourishment during stress and fatigue
A calming effect for the nervous system
Especially supportive during winter depletion patterns

Ginger Congee Recipe

A simple, restorative winter staple.

Ingredients

1/2 cup white jasmine rice (or short-grain white rice)
6 to 8 cups filtered water or light broth
1 to 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, finely grated or thinly sliced
Pinch of sea salt

Optional additions

Soft-boiled egg
Shredded chicken
Steamed greens
Sesame oil
Scallions

Instructions

Rinse the rice until the water runs mostly clear.
Combine rice, water or broth, and ginger in a pot.
Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer.
Cook uncovered for 60 to 90 minutes, stirring occasionally, until creamy.
Add a pinch of salt. Top as desired. Serve warm.

Clinical Uses of Warming Congee

We might recommend congee:

During periods of high stress or disrupted sleep
When appetite is low but nourishment is needed
As part of winter Kidney and adrenal support plans
To add and support warmth in the body (especially when icey drinks are prevalent.)

Food can support the deeper regions of the body, extend the effects of treatment, and support steadier recovery over time.

When to Seek Extra Support

If fatigue, anxiety, insomnia, pain, or digestive issues are lingering or worsening, it may be a sign your system needs more support than rest alone. Many patients explore acupuncture and massage for stress and fatigue as part of their winter care plan.

Our winter treatments focus on nervous system regulation, pain relief, and steady energy restoration. If you would like help choosing the right next step, we are here. Click here: (828) 333-5087 to get started with a phone call.

Approaching The Season Of Yin

by Nicole Johnson, MFA, CHHC | Acupuncture, Adrenal Fatigue, Anti-Inflammatory, Education, Health and Wellness, Immune Health, Kidneys

In October, we are already noticing the shorter days and longer nights of winter. Nature is pulling back in, and the Yang energy of warmer months converts to the Yin energy of the cooler months. In East Asian Medicine, this is the time when the in-breath emerges into the out-breath.

Approaching the season of Yin Acupuncture in Asheville

Here are some themes present during this transition period:

Last of the Harvest
Getting organized
Recommitting to health
Establishing routines
Warmer foods
Crisp air, invigorating
Romantic relationship with nature
Preparing to go inward (nature)
Preparing for Holiday time (but perhapsnot wanting to)
Harvesting and cover crops

Most animals begin to hunker down and rest, yet we humans start speeding up with holiday shopping and enormous amounts of busy winter-season preparations.

With awareness and intention, we can be mindful and nurture ourselves. Maybe you need a few extra hours of sleep or a joyful activity. When it comes to cooking, we like to make soups, stews, broths, and stir-fries that increase warmth and comfort.

Prepare to Nurture & Nourish Throughout the Season of Yin

At times, when we don’t feel nurtured, we eat emotionally. When coupled with stress, this is a ticket to everything from lowered immunity to inflammation, bloating, weight gain, increased anxiety, general dissatisfaction, fatigue, and melancholy.

You may want to find some delicious indulgences that will make you feel well-loved and won’t throw your system off by making you crave a whole bag of candy corn. Try this easy G olden Milk recipe and add a little pumpkin pie spiceto it for a seasonal Pumpkin Spice Golden Milk to treat and nourish yourself.

As the holidays rapidly approach, ask yourself:

What joy can I gift myself?

What minor changes can I make to simplify?

How can I slow down for the next 8-10 weeks?

We wish you warmth and gentleness for the Yin season to come.

Feel free to contact us by email or phone with any questions.

If you would like to schedule your next Acupuncture session or mini series, click here.

Yours in Support,

Chad & Nicole

Three Essential Components to Staying Conscious, Mindful, and at Ease

by Nicole Johnson, MFA, CHHC | Adrenal Fatigue, Anti-Inflammatory, Covid-19, Fatigue, Health and Wellness, Immune Health, Kidneys, Pain Management, Prevention

We are living through stressful times. It’s time we elevate our lifestyle to incorporate a foundation of health that will keep us healthy, grounded, and centered in our everyday lives. If we follow this three basic practices, we can come back to center as we navigate through our everyday experiences. If we get triggered, we can come back to center. With a simple daily practice we can bring these into our everyday lives helping to keep us healthy, our immune system ,strong and our spirit resilient. It’s what we need in these times.

The three essential components to staying conscious, mindful and at ease are

Breathing
Hydration
Sleep

Breath Deep, from the Belly

The breath is the Organizing Principle. Proper breathing allows the body to extract Qi (Chi) from the air just as we extract nutrients from food. When we practice mindful breathing we connect the brain and the heart with the kidneys and all the organs can communicate. We feed our life force. Now more than ever, we need to recognize the shift from self-care to essential practice.

A Simple Way to Begin.

At night before sleep, while resting in bed, place one hand on the belly and one hand on the heart.
Take a deep cleansing breath and exhale strong. We are ready to begin,
With your hands still in place, breathe in slowly into the abdomen, feel the belly rise. Inhale to 60% capacity.
Exhale long and slow. The exhale should be double the length of the in-breath. (Want to know why? In stretching we stretch deeper, we release on the exhale. In Martial Arts we kick or punch on the exhale. The action or the release happens on the exhale.)

As you practice nightly, you allow your body to come into the Parasympathetic state (rest & digest). This was considered self-care prior to 2020 and it is now essential.

You can also watch this Video: Qi Gong Breathing: 7 Minutes to calm body and mind

Welcome, Good Water

Proper Hydration is critical for all of the functions of the body. When dehydrated, the fibers of the muscle look like a dry lake bed. They lose their conductivity. This makes pain feel worse and can hinder or delay recovery. Even if sub-clinical, dehydration can cause muscle pain and tightness. Even if you drink water regularly, you can become dehydrated.

How much should I drink?

Everyone’s hydration’s needs are different. But here is a general idea from what The Mayo Clinic recommends:

Around 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) of fluids for men

Around 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) of fluids a day for womenAn easy way to get your water in is to pre-fill your bottles of water for the day and make your way through them. Often we need electrolytes as well so as not to over tax the kidneys. Always be sure to drink clean, purified water without chlorine or fluoride.

Rest Deeply

Now, more than ever we need adequate sleep. Life is stressful in a macro way, not just a micro way as it used to be. We are all affected by what’s happening in the collective, we need to sleep, to rest and to recharge our body, mind and spirit. Everyone’s sleep needs are different. Some need 8 hours, some need 10 hours. Experiment and see what helps you feel well-rested in the morning.

See what bedtime works best for you. Often climbing into bed by 10pm allows for deeper rest even if reading for 20 minutes. For a good night’s rest, be sure that all cell phones are off and out of the room. Turn off the wifi in your home. Disengage from electronics, news and other stressful events 30min to 1hr before rest. Try some gentle yoga stretching with the lights low, drink some warm decaffeinated tea, practice deep breathing and then rest and repair.

If you’d like support with a breath work daily practice, learning more about hydration or help with better sleep. Call us, we can help.

We're Here to Help. Schedule Now.

or Call our office 828-333-5087 to discuss your options.

Schedule Now

Rawkos! A Fun and Healthy Travel Food.

by Nicole Johnson, MFA, CHHC | Anti-Inflammatory, Health and Wellness, Nutrition, Prevention, Recipes

Here’s a healthy, tasty recipe that will bring into you in the summer mode. This is a popular favorite from our Seasonal Cleanse. It’s great food to travel with and requires NO COOKING. Rejoice the Rawko! It’s like a taco but it’s raw – not raw meat – raw foods (means no cooking, more enzymes, more energy, packed with flavor). We’ll admit, it can be a bit of an odd concept at first but once you try them, you may just be pleasantly surprised.

Make the Wraps

1 Bunch of collard greens* There is a misunderstanding that collards are bitter, not so! Pair them with a protein and a fat and eat them raw and your will be forever changed.
Rinse and de-stem – leaving 2 halves (depends on how many people are eating– figure 2-3 wraps per person)
Pat those dry

Sweet Cucumber Salsa

1 apple – peeled, cored, diced
1 cucumber – peeled, seeded, diced
1 medium sweet yellow onion – diced
Parsley and/or cilantro – washed and diced
A few pinches of Himalayan or Celtic sea salt (these are quality high mineral salts)
Fresh squeezed lemon
Add all ingredients together, then add in salt and lemon – make sure it really gets on that onion! Toss, let sit.

Rawko “meat”

Why the non-meat tacos – er- rawkos? Because they are delicious. Because raw foods pack an amazing amount of energy and vitality, and because everyone loves new and exciting foods that make them feel good with no negative repercussions. So here you go:

1 -2 cups of raw organic walnuts (again, depending on how many people you are feeding)
2-6 TBS of gluten free tamari (go easy on this — it can get real salty quick)
Add to a high speed blender or food processor and blend it up

Making Rawkos

Lay your collard wrap on a flat surface
Spread 1-2 tsp of the rawko “meat” onto the wrap length-wise
Add some salsa (this offsets the heavy flavor of the walnuts nicely)
Here, I added some sunflower sprouts for some more green and texture
Roll up and enjoy.

You can pre-roll these and eat them on a car ride — or pack the ingredients separately and take to go and assemble on site. Enjoy!

Nourish Yourself with Golden Milk

by Nicole Johnson, MFA, CHHC | Adrenal Fatigue, Anti-Inflammatory, Digestion, Fatigue, Gut Health, Immune Health, Kidneys, Liver, Nutrition, Prevention, Recipes

Golden Milk is a delicious and nourishing drink that packs incredible health benefits into one warm mug at a time.

It’s very

Some of the wonderful benefits of Golden Milk:

Anti-inflammatory – easing joint pain
Soothing to the spirit and aids in digestion and sleep
Supports healthy liver function
Supports the spleen and stomach
Supports healthy blood sugar levels
Supports the heart and brain
Supports a healthy immune system
Supports the nervous system

The key Ingredient in Golden Milk is tumeric – which is a powerhouse. Curcumin is the most active ingredient in turmeric – It’s a strong antioxidant is anti-inflammatory, antibacterial anti-fungal. However, curcumin is not well-absorbed into the body — UNLESS it is blended with black pepper. Black pepper contains piperine which has it’s own anti-inflammatory properties. The black pepper enhances the curcumin ability to work synergistically with the body. Golden milk is blended with other herbs and spices for flavor and health benefits. Once you begin to get the hang of it you can add your own favorites in.

You can drink Golden Milk 2- 3 times per day. I prefer it before bed. You can make a homemade version with our recipe below or purchase a mix. We have used Gaia Herbs brand and it is wonderful – with the added benefit of Ashwaganda. Ashwaganda is an adaptogen which helps the body deal with stress. That said, you can certainly add that into your recipe.

Delicious Golden Milk at Home

1 cup Milk or Dairy Free coconut milk (regular, full-fat, canned)
1 cup water
1 tablespoon coconut oil (can use MCT coconut oil)
1½ teaspoons ground turmeric
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom (optional – to taste – I love cardamom and addition to almost everything)
⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
if sugar sensitive sweeten with 10 drops liquid pure stevia extract, or to taste
OR Sweeten with raw honey to taste after removing from heat

Directions:

In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, whisk together the coconut milk, water, coconut oil, turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, and pepper. Warm slowly until hot but not simmering, about 7 minutes
Remove the pan from the heat, and whisk in the stevia or honey (not both!)
Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to three days

Tailbone Injury – How Your Headache Could’ve Started as a Pain in the…

by Chad Johnson, MS, L.Ac | Acupuncture, Anti-Inflammatory, Digestion, Fatigue, Insomnia, Often Misdiagnosed, Pain, Pain Management

Have you been suffering with little relief?

It could be due to a tailbone injury (coccydynia). Often, these injuries are old sometimes stemming from childhood – we have forgotten about them– and they could be the literal root cause of your painful symptoms.

Neck Pain
Back Pain and/or Spasms
Constipation
Gynecological Disharmony
Headaches
Depression
Obsession
Restlessness

When the connective tissue surrounding the tailbone is traumatized, the filum terminale may be pulled. This strand of connective tissue is connected to the dura mater which surrounds and protects the spinal cord and brain. When this is pulled, a plethora of head, neck and back pain can result. The reproductive and elimination systems can also be affected profoundly. According to Ayurvedic Medicine, the tailbone area is the center of emotional energy which in this case can also translate to psychological problems that are resistant to other treatments, including depression, obsession, and restlessness.

We use an elegant Japanese treatment protocol that produces big results. It includes gentle, painless acupuncture and moxibustion that relieves tight, tender spots, alleviates symptoms and treats at the root cause. This is often a profound healing experience.

My own experience resulted in chronic low back pain which plagued me for over a decade until I discovered this treatment. I mistakenly attributed this pain to other more recent events even though the skiing accident I had in my youth was so traumatic that I couldn’t walk normally for a full month. This painful, traumatic event’s prognosis varies depending on the patient, but can certainly be treated with success using a unique combination of KMS, APM, and Moxibustion. Call us – we can help.

Call our office 828-333-5087 for an appointment

or schedule a free 30 min consultation with Chad to discuss your options.