Are you looking for a magic bullet to maintain health and a strong immune system? That magic bullet is represented by the sun. In fact, one of the best ways to ensure a healthy immune system is to follow the sun. Allow me to explain:
When we mimic the energy offered by the sun in the way of resting when the sun is down and being active when the sun is up, we are following the laws of nature, thereby creating a healthy balance in our bodies. The yin/yang symbol, also known as the taijitu symbol, offered by Traditional Chinese Medicine, represents several noteworthy relationships between the two energies. First, the energy qualities are equal and balanced. Secondly, one gives rise to the other. For example, the nighttime (yin) gives birth to the daytime (yang) and as the sun sets, yin energy infiltrates the yang to bring darkness.
When it comes to our health, the yin qualities (represented by black in the symbol) are those which are nourishing, rejuvenating, and providing rest to the body physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Physiologically, body fluids such as blood, synovial fluid, and the myelin sheath around the nerves are considered yin. By contrast, yang health qualities (represented by white in the symbol) are those which offer and represent our body’s energy generated by the air we breathe and the food we eat which leads to activity, productivity, and functionality.
As a society, we tend to value yang energy more than yin energy. We are rewarded by being productive and even encouraged to push ourselves and persist within yang energetic qualities even when we are tired, and our body and spirit needs rest. However, just as day cannot happen with night, productivity cannot happen without rest. Try as we might to be functional without proper rest, inevitably our yang energy will dwindle, and our productivity will suffer.
When it comes to our health, many diseases have underlying “yin deficiency”. I have noticed in practice that nearly all autoimmune patients have yin deficiency. In addition to autoimmune diseases, other common ailments such as anxiety, insomnia, and allergies are often caused by yin deficiency as well. Luckily, we can be proactive to prevent and reverse yin deficiency if we choose to make some key choices to nourish ourselves and honor the yin. Therefore, in order to experience optimal health, it is important to honor rest and rejuvenation as much as productivity and functionality.
The magic bullet for health is maintaining a healthy immune system. As simple as it sounds, it is not necessarily easy. Maintaining our health means listening to our bodies as they provide clues as to what is best nutritionally, mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually. When we put ourselves first by honoring what our mind, body and spirit need to thrive, we are providing the best arsenal from stresses like pathogens, family stress, environmental stress, and other stressors. Give yourself the best chance possible to thrive this spring and summer by resting this winter. Your health will thank you.
