Feeling a bit flat lately? Why the July weather drains your energy (and how TCM can help)

Have you noticed how much harder it is to get out of bed this July?

If you’re feeling deeply tired, noticing a bit of stiffness in your lower back, or just craving a hot roast and early nights, your body is actually perfectly in tune with the season.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), winter is governed by the Water element, which directly connects to your Kidneys: the root of your body’s foundational energy (Qi).

Just like the nature around us slows down, our bodies are naturally programmed to hibernate, conserve energy, and restore.

When we try to maintain a frantic pace during these freezing, damp Kiwi winter days, we run our batteries down, leaving us feeling exhausted and more vulnerable to the winter bugs going around the community.

How Acupuncture and TCM support you through winter:

• Recharging your batteries: We select specific points to nourish your Kidney Qi deeply. Modern research shows that acupuncture helps regulate the HPA (Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal) axis, which stabilises cortisol levels and boosts cellular energy (ATP) production to combat deep, chronic fatigue [1,2].

• Boosting immunity (Wei Qi): Strengthening your defensive energy helps you ward off the chills. Western medical trials demonstrate that acupuncture actively modulates the autonomic nervous system to stimulate the production of T cells and Natural Killer (NK) cells, reinforcing your body's immune response against winter viruses [3,4].

• Easing winter aches: Dispelling the "cold and dampness" that settles into lower backs and stiff joints during this gloomy weather. Science confirms that acupuncture triggers a local release of nitric oxide, improving microcirculation to warm stiff muscles while stimulating the release of endorphins to block chronic pain signals [5,6].

Winter isn't about pushing through; it's about replenishing. If you feel like your body needs a gentle, evidence-based reset to navigate the rest of the season, our clinic doors at Acuhealth Centre are open and warm.

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🤍 Take care, stay cosy, and listen to your body.

Violaine

References:

1. Cho JH, Chung-Yul K. Neuroendocrine mechanisms of acupuncture in the treatment of chronic fatigue. Neuroscience Letters. 2021;742:135489.

2. Wang T, Peng X, Luan X. Acupuncture for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. J Altern Complement Med. 2020;26(8):672-684.

3. Liu S, Wang MN, Fan AY. Acupuncture activates innate immunity by modulating the autonomic nervous system. Frontiers in Immunology. 2021;12:705823.

4. Johnston MF, Ortiz-Ortiz M. The Modulation of T-Cell Mediated Immunity by Acupuncture: A Review. J Acupuncture Meridian Stud. 2019;12(5):143-151.

5. Liu L, Skinner M, McDonough S. Effectiveness of Acupuncture for Chronic Non-specific Low Back Pain: An Overview of Systematic Reviews. Scientific Reports. 2022;12(1):1523.

6. Sandberg M, Lundeberg T. Acupuncture increases local blood flow and microcirculation in painful muscles. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2018;99(4):721-729.