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:
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Minimal digestive effort, which helps conserve energy
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Gentle warmth and circulation support
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Steadier nourishment during stress and fatigue
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A calming effect for the nervous system
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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:
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During periods of high stress or disrupted sleep
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When appetite is low but nourishment is needed
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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.
by Nicole Johnson, MFA, CHHC | Acupuncture, Adrenal Fatigue, Community, Fatigue, Health and Wellness, Holiday Gifts, Prevention
It’s been a tough few months. Even under the best of circumstances – those among us with homes intact, have been stepping through a tremendous traumatic event with our friends and neighbors in our beautiful community.
If there is ever a time for self-care, it’s now. Even those of us who are “OK-ish” have been calculating water, holding our friends and community up, driving through odd traffic patterns, seeing our favorite places change. With all the upheaval, it’s important to remember that our bodies need us to care for them. To take a beat, to rest and rest well. Health is wealth. We’re here to help you do just that.
We’ve created our deepest discounted packages of the year so you can access the care you need during this crucial time.
Sunrise in Ashe County, NC – © Nicole Johnson
CHOOSE YOUR PERFECT PACKAGE
Bronze Package 3 Treatments at 5% off – Now just $427.50
Regular Price: $450 | A perfect starting point for your healing journey.
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Regular Price: $1,800 | The ultimate healing package with the biggest savings!
GIVING BACK TO OUR COMMUNITY: TOGETHER WE HEAL.
We are donating 1% of all Package Sales this season to local relief efforts in Asheville and the greater Western North Carolina region. Join us in supporting our community while investing in your health and prioritizing self-care.
“If you are depressed you are living in the past. If you are anxious you are living in the future. If you are at peace you are living in the present.” Lao Tzu.
by Nicole Johnson, MFA, CHHC | Acupuncture, Adrenal Fatigue, Fatigue, Health and Wellness, Insomnia, Nutrition
The holiday season is upon us. With it comes shorter days, longer hours of dark and for some of us, a struggle to feel balanced. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) –produced by the reduced sunlight in the Northern hemisphere this time of year– does impact how we feel. The recent time change combined with the colder weather and gray skies might make us feel fatigued, lacking motivation, and an overall sense of feeling down. The Vitamin D produced in our bodies after exposure to sunlight, plays an important role in regulating our mood and well-being.
What can we do to improve our mood, energy, and happiness as the days get shorter and the night gets longer?
Here are 7 ways to shine your light in this season of Yin.
1. Nourish the YIN.
Be gentle with yourself this time of year. In Chinese medicine, the winter is a time to slow down, rest and sleep more. We are moving into the deeper YIN time of the year, where the element of Metal is present.
Fall: Metal, Lung, Grief
The color associated with Metal is white, the organ is the Lung, and the emotion is Grief. Regardless of how you feel overtly, there has been a tremendous amount of collective grief the past number of years. We have a lot to grieve. Honoring this, feeling this, validating this is important to our vitality. It’s OKAY and imperative to grieve and grieve well.
2. Emphasize hearty, warm and nourishing foods
This helps us stay in sync with the season, connected, and grounded. If you are sleeping more and eating a bit more, remember that this is a natural part of your body’s rhythm for this time of year.
3. Acupuncture
As you may know (or suspect) Acupuncture helps regulate mood, balance hormones, and put the body into “rest and digest” mode, bringing a sense of balance & peaceful contentment. It reconnects the body, mind and spirit. Acupuncture sessions can support the lungs both physically and energetically and help you process grief.
4. Sun-gazing
Just as the sun breaks the horizon, go outside. Look around the sun – trace your eyes like a clock – this helps reset your circadian rhythm. Think of it as relighting your inner flame with the light of the sun. As the days get darker our light will shine brighter.
5. Try a sun lamp
They are most effective when set 20 inches from your face and used for 20-30 minutes in the morning. Sun Lamps mimic natural sunlight and give the body the impression of being out in the sun. This helps improve mood when used consistently.
6. Walk outside even when it’s cloudy
Getting outside to get some natural light even if it’s not bright and sunny in combination with exercise helps improve mood. An hour walk in the morning works wonders to elevate mood but even 10 minutes a day makes a difference.
7. Take some Vitamin D
You can test your vitamin D levels to see where you’re at. Supplement to ensure you’re getting enough. (Please check with your MD before starting any new supplements.)
In this season of Yin, shine your light.
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
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
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.
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.
by Nicole Johnson, MFA, CHHC | Acupuncture, Adrenal Fatigue, Fatigue, Immune Health, Kidneys, Nutrition
It’s been a rough few years and we have all been -to varying degrees- in fight or flight. This raises cortisol and puts extra strain on the Adrenal Glands.
Here are some quick tips to support your healthy body and its myriad of functions:
- Get plenty of rest – 8-10 hours of sleep, embrace naps, and scheduled downtime.
- Hydrate – have you tuned into your water lately? Drink high quality H2O and plenty of it.
- Support your Kidneys (the Adrenals and Kidneys are best friends) – do this by doing the above, drinking bone broth or vegan mineral broth, keeping warm, being chill.
- Moxa & Acupuncture support the Kidneys and Adrenal function – they are the deepest layer, they are in charge of the will and in relationship to the heart spirit as well. A moxa and acupuncture treatment can support better sleep (goodbye insomnia), relieve anxiety, and support the body in keeping the parasympathetic response.
What is your stress level on a scale of 1-10?
Sometimes the first step is to realize you are operating at a high level of stress. Some folks feel like they are at a 4 when they’re really at an 11 on scale of 1 to 10. Take a moment to tune in and assess where you really are. Are there activities or habits you can let go of?
We are here to support you. Call to schedule an acupuncture treatment or a health coaching phone session.
by Nicole Johnson, MFA, CHHC | Digestion, Fatigue, Gut Health, Health and Wellness, Immune Health, Kidneys, Nutrition, Prevention
What is the best way to Hydrate? There are a lot of differing opinions out there (much like with food) and many of them are sound and good. So how do you know which is best for you?
The Answer: You have to tune in and find out. Here are a few quick tips on the best way to make the most out of drinking your water.
1. Drink 2-4 cups with lemon upon waking.
When we sleep, our bodies are very busy repairing and detoxing. When we awaken, we are actually quite dehydrated. When you wake up squeeze a wedge of lemon into a glass of water and drink it. The lemon helps cleanse your liver and flush out toxins as the water hydrates you. My Nana used to do this every morning. It’s a terrific way to start hydrating and getting in your glasses of water. Then drink a tall glass of water.
2. Don’t drink water while you eat.
When we chew, we release digestive enzymes –digestion begins in the mouth. If we down water with our food, we dilute our digestive juices and hamper, digestion and absorption. Wait 20-30 minutes before or after you eat to drink your water — in between meals.
3. Drink throughout the day, and stop a few hours before bed.
Start first thing in the morning. Drink water when you’re hungry instead of reaching for a snack right away. See if water can quench your perceived hunger. Timing differs for everyone, find your optimum stopping point so that you may have a full night’s rest without waking for trips to the bathroom.
4. How much?
While it’s important to hydrate, how much water depends on what you’re eating. If you’re diet is rich with raw fruits and vegetables, you’ll find you need less water. If you eat a lot of cooked foods (the water cooks out) you’ll require more water by the glass. It’s important for you to be the judge. In the winter we tend to drink less water. A basic rule of thumb is the drink half your body weight in ounces. Example: 140lbs = 70 ounces of water per day. Keep in mind, too much water drinking can tax the kidneys.
Not enough water can cause dehydration, increased appetite, dry skin, hair, brittle nails, sluggishness, constipation and whole host of other things. There are many health professionals that believe the root of illness and disease is chronic dehydration. Our job is to tune into our unique body to find out what it needs.
When I follow the steps above, I stay regular (who doesn’t want that?), my skin looks great, my energy flows, and I feel good. I do however, have to make a conscious effort to hydrate, the habit comes and goes for me. What about you?
Test out steps 1 -3 for a week and let us know what you find out. How much water are you drinking now? What are your water drinking goals?
Read about Hydration’s Role in Healing.
